EASTERN HUNGARY

Visitors to the part of Hungary east of the River Danube will find endless plains and mountainous regions alike. The immaculate flatness of the Great Hungarian Plain around Hortobágy is interspersed with lanky sweep wells, while the Nine-Arched Bridge, the taverns and herds of Hungarian grey cattle will take visitors right back to the past. To the north lies Tokaj, Hungary’s most famous wine region, or climb up Mount Kékestető to catch a bird’s-eye view. But eastern Hungary is about much more than the sheer beauty of nature: the towns of Szeged, Debrecen and Nyíregyháza offer an array of surprises as well. Hungary’s second largest city, Debrecen, lies ever so peacefully near the country’s eastern border. The typically scarce vehicle traffic in the city centre makes it a delightful experience to discover on foot. A renowned and popular spa destination only a stone’s throw from Debrecen, the town of Hajdúszoboszló boasts the largest spa complex in Europe, with pools, saunas and water slides. Also close by is the Hortobágy National Park, the largest semi-natural grassland in Europe.