🍷 Tokaj and Nyiregyháza: hidden gems of Hungary
Hungary attracts with its variety of attractions and rich cultural heritage. In addition to the capital, it is known for its wine-making traditions. Distributors of alcoholic beverages actively offer Hungarian wine on the international market, contributing to the popularization of this drink. Wines from Hungary are gaining increasing popularity and value, attracting wine lovers from all over the world. Wine tourism in the country is also becoming an increasingly popular destination among travelers who want to get to know local wineries and taste the best examples of Hungarian wines.
In fact, Hungarians value this wonderful drink no less and will be offended if in a cafe you ask for a bottle of Bordeaux instead of Tokaj wine. Don't believe me? How about the fact that the Hungarian national anthem mentions “drops of sweet nectar spilled by God on the lands of Tokaj.” I don’t know about you, but for me this sounded like a great reason to travel from Budapest to the main wine region of the country. By the way, it is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
How to get there
It won’t be a big deal to come to Tokaj. I used Hungarian trains. They depart from the capital's two main stations, Keleti or Nyugati. Interestingly, most regional trains in Hungary describe a vicious circle in their route e. That is, departing from one Budapest station arriving at another. Therefore, do not be alarmed when you see Keleti and Nyugati stations as the starting and ending points of the train you are looking for. The train will reach the neighboring capital station only when it has described a large circle through the cities of Hungary.
Travel time from the capital to Tokaj ranges from 3 hours on daytime trains to 7 on night trains. Ticket prices range from 4100 to 6500 Hungarian forints (11-16 euros). The ticket can be purchased in advance on the Hungarian Railways MAV website.
Alternatives
Theoretically, there are alternatives to rail transport. Travel sites write about the possibilities of traveling by bus or river transport. But it has been established empirically: the largest national bus carrier Volanbusz does not offer tickets to Tokaj from Buda Pest. And a river trip along the Tisza, no matter how romantic it may be , can only be found by tourists who are very stubborn in their search. I didn't succeed.
Tokaj cellars
A trip to Tokaj by train is good not only because of its accessibility. But also because immediately upon arrival at Tokai station you will fall into the arms of Bacchus. Cross the road and you are surrounded by wine cellars that cordially open their doors to tourists. Just don't arrive very early. Cellar owners rarely open them before 10-11 am.
The inhabitants of Tokaj are winegrowers and winemakers for many generations. Wine cellars in Tokaj appeared 500-700 years ago. Despite the fact that only about 4,000 people live in Tokaj, and the residential buildings here are mostly one-story, the locals still call the town “multi-story.” This is because its “floors” do not go up, but underground. The length of Tokaj cellars is 40 kilometers.
It is quite possible that over a glass of wine in one of the wineries you will become friends with the owner or hostess. And you will be allowed into the holy of holies, where the white gold of Tokaj is kept. Then be sure to pay attention not only to the centuries-old wine barrels that entice you with their contents. But also on the walls of cellars, covered with soft dark gray mold. If you touch it, your hands will sink into it. The mold (lucky girl!) feeds on the alcohol evaporating from wine barrels. And in return, she creates a special microclimate in the cellar , which gives Tokaj wines their unique aroma.
Be a real sommelier
In order not to be embarrassed during wine tastings by comments a la “you can drink, but the degree is not enough,” I will post a short guide about Tokaj wine, which is unique in many respects. In my opinion, there is nothing more accurately describing the Tokaj wine style than the remark on the Simple Wine website:
Tokaj has been producing the greatest sweet white wines on the planet for the last four hundred years, but in our fitness-oriented era, few people care. Dryness, six-pack abs, posts on FB with morning mileage, carefree youth of aroma, energetic freshness of taste are in fashion. And, lo and behold, the Tokaj people were able to provide all this.
Experienced oenophiles (wine collectors) will be surprised by Tokaj drinks. Indeed, unlike what Italy taught us, the wines here are predominantly sweet and semi-sweet. And definitely white. One touch of this drink with your lips will revive the myths about the sweet nectar tasted by the gods on the ancient Greek Olympus. Local white wine will delight you with the taste of raisins and notes of honey. This feature is given to the wine by grapes that are picked as ripe as possible, even when dried in the sun.
Don’t rush to buy a bottle of the wine you like right away. Several wineries are open at the same time, located within walking distance of each other. After trying the wines in one (the average price of a glass is 200-500 forints or 0.5-1.5 euros), visit another. If you’re not sure which wines you’ll like, but want to try as many as possible, hospitable hosts will often accommodate you and, instead of selling a glass, simply arrange a free tasting session.
Vineyards – the cradle of wine
I hope you are not too tired after the tastings? After all, it would be wrong to taste the wines and not see where they spent their childhood and adolescence.
There are about 11 thousand hectares of vineyards in Tokaj. Which allow us to produce 10 million liters of wine drinks annually. I’m sure a liter or two of this volume is already rattling in your shopping bag, announcing to the locals that yet another tourist has had a successful alcohol shopping spree.
Tokaj became world famous for its late-harvest wines made from the so-called assu, berries infected with “noble rot,” the fungus botrytis.
During a short walk along the grape slopes, you can ask the workers where which grape varieties grow. And find the legendary assu. Entrance to the vineyards is free; they are used to tourists here and do not pay any attention to them. Unless you start brazenly eating up bunch after bunch.
What to see in the city
Tokaj is an old city, existing for at least 650 years. However, the wars that did not spare the Hungarian land did not spare this region, lost among the grape hills. Most of the architectural monuments in Tokaj have sunk into oblivion following their creators. But if there is an hour or two left before departure, then you can take a walk around the town.
One thing that is definitely worth a visit is the Great Synagogue of Tokaj. As you remember from the Pest guide, Hungary has always had an impressive Jewish community.
Not far from it is the Catholic Church of the Heart of Jesus from 1912. Fans of historical ruins can take a stroll to the remains of Tokaj Castle. It will be symbolic to end your sightseeing tour of Tokaj with the statue of Bacchus in the city.
Next stop – Nyiregyháza
Nyiregyháza is one of the easternmost cities in Hungary. The appearance of which was significantly influenced by its proximity to Ukraine. Nyiregyháza rarely appears in tourist brochures; few people deliberately travel to Hungary for her sake. But I found myself only half an hour from Tokaj to this city with an intricate name, I made a stop over there and did not regret my choice at all.
Path to Nyiregyhaza
As you already understand, it is very convenient to travel around Hungary by rail. Therefore, we don’t invent a bicycle, but buy a ticket for the nearest train at Tokaj station. Trains go to Nyiregyháza almost every hour. The journey will take only 20-40 minutes. If, as usual, the train is not late. Ticket price is 600-800 forints (2 euros).
A stop in Nyiregyháza is convenient for another reason. It is located right in the middle of the railway circle, which is described by trains traveling from one station in Budapest to another. So you can go here from both Nyugati (then Tokaj will be after a stop in Nyíregyháza) and from Keleti (then there will be Tokaj first and then Nyíregyháza).
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Impression of the city
Nyiregyháza, with a population of 100 thousand, appeared as a calm and peaceful city. A kind of Hungarian regional center, but with a European gloss. You can easily move around the city on foot, simultaneously examining everyday life and being imbued with the spirit of the Hungarian hinterland.
Those who have visited Transcarpathian Ukraine will find many similarities between it and Nyiregyháza. Still, at some points in history, these two neighboring regions were under the same state roof, which immediately affected their common appearance. It reads something of Austrian luxury, something of East Slavic utilitarianism, and something remains titular, Hungarian.
And Nyiregyháza is the optimal combination of history and modernity. The tourist's eye has something to catch on both in architecture and in entertainment facilities. Here's a brief overview of them.
Kossuth Square
The Nyiregyház people were obviously not keen on walking. Therefore, to the delight of future generations of travelers, all the most important and oldest objects of the city were crowded into one compact square in the very center.
On Kossuth Square there are the city hall, the main cathedral of the city, and the largest hotel “Crown” with an entourage corresponding to its name. If you get tired of the promenade, there will always be cafes nearby where you can get acquainted with Eastern Hungarian cuisine and drinks.
Town Hall
The town hall, as a symbol of city government, appeared in Nyiregyháza in the mid-19th century. Its yellow façade is hard to miss.
The building was designed by Ignaz Alpar, the famous Hungarian architect and master of eclecticism. He also gave the capital of Hungary and one of its main attractions , Vajdahunyad Castle, which was written about in the guide to Pest. Near the town hall there is a favorite vacation spot for Nyíregyház people: a cafe where you can cool off with ice cream in the summer and warm up with mulled wine in the winter.
Cathedral of Our Lady of Magyar
Opposite the town hall is the most notable landmark of the city – the Cathedral of Our Lady of Magyar.
The temple was built in a Romanesque style, unusual for the early 20th century, known for its massiveness and rough shape. Every 15 minutes the temple clock chimes, which can be heard throughout the city center. And in the cathedral itself, with the right amount of luck, you can get to an organ music concert.
St. Nicholas Cathedral
A 5-minute walk from Kossuth Square is the main diocesan church – St. Nicholas Cathedral. Built at the end of the 19th century, it incorporated many architectural styles, becoming the personification of eclecticism that was “fashionable” at that time.
The church belongs to the Eastern Catholic parish, which means formal recognition of the supremacy of the Vatican, but rituals and services are conducted according to the Byzantine rite. This is similar to some communities in Eastern Europe, which also recognize the authority of the Pope, but follow traditions similar to the Orthodox.
Nyiregyházy Zoo
It would seem that it is difficult to surprise a tourist with a zoo. But this one is capable of winning the hearts of even the most experienced naturalists! After all, it is famous not only throughout Hungary. Even by European standards, the Nyiregyházy Zoo is a prominent institution.
The zoo is located 5 kilometers from the city itself in the recreational area of Šosto, where you can also find the Nyiregyházy Rural Museum. To get to the location, use city bus No. 8. You should budget at least 3 hours for the zoo.
Its peculiarity is that a significant part of it is located in a natural area, an untouched oak forest. Only here you can see the spectacled bear, mountain yak, Borneo orangutan, Humboldt penguin, African crocodile, Andean condor, Komodo dragon and white lion.
Marine fauna lovers will get to know seals and fur seals. Twice a week, especially for visitors, the zoo staff organizes feeding of the tiger shark. The sight of a three-meter predator, which is not averse to snacking on humans, can scare anyone thanks to its transparent panoramic aquarium.
The cost of visiting the zoo is 6,500 forints (17 euros) per adult and 4,200 forints (11 euros) per child. This is a very reasonable price to pay for the opportunity to see more than 500 species of animals. The zoo is open daily from 9 to 6 pm.
Aquarius water park
For those who like to chill without any accompanying circumstances, a good option for relaxing in Nyiregyháza would be to visit the Aquarius water park. It is also appreciated by tourists and attracts, in particular, traveling families.
The water park is not only entertaining, but also useful. Because it uses water from thermal springs, for which Nyiregyháza, like Budapest, is famous. Several types of slides, outdoor and indoor pools, recreational areas and saunas are open from 9 am to 8 pm for 6900 forints (19 euros). There are discounts and promotions for different categories of the population, which can be found on the water park website.
What to do in the evening
I believe that after such a busy program, the degree of Tokaj wine has long since disappeared from you. And it is quite possible to make up for this loss in one of the local cafes. However, I recommend not going to the cafe on Kossuth Square. And not to the pretentious establishment in the Crown Hotel. And exclusively to local establishments called “kochma”.
Kochmy are authentic local pubs. They don’t go there to eat, but to have a glass or two in the midst of the hustle and bustle of life. Kochma will not please you with its cuisine or assortment of beer; their specialization is creating the right atmosphere, leisurely communication with locals and self-reflection on the results of the day. Kochmy, as an establishment for locals, has affordable prices; a glass of beer costs on average 500 forints (1.5 euros).
At the request “kocsma” the search engine will give you a whole list of available locations for an evening getaway in Nyiregyháza. But the best way to cope with this mission is not Google, but a voice request from locals, which kochma they recommend.
This is how the Tokaj wine region appeared to me. This is the case when you can travel not only meaningfully, but also tipsy. The perfect combination of nature and man-made architecture, hiking and relaxation, learning and relaxation. A good reason to climb into this bearish corner of Hungary called Tokaj.