Eger, Hungary
This little-known town in Budapest has been beautifully preserved in all its baroque glory and is only a flight search aw
Visitors to Hungary will be very familiar with Budapest but spare a thought for its less well-known sister Eger, which is just as thrilling if not more.
Eger has a relaxed, Mediterranean feel and is flanked by two of the Northern Uplands' splendid hill ranges.
Hungarian culture is rich and diverse and has been responsible for interesting folk traditions, embroidery, pottery, decorated buildings and carvings.
Hungary is home to the largest synagogue in Europe (Great Synagogue), the largest medicinal bath in Europe (Szechenyi Medicinal Bath), the third largest church in Europe (Esztergom Basilica), the second largest territorial abbey in the world and the second largest Baroque castle in the world.
Eger itself is home to many historic buildings including the Cathedral of Eger and Eger Castle.
Beside its historic sights and its thermal baths, Eger is also famous for its wines. It produces both red and white wines of high quality in the Eger Wine Region. More recently, Chardonnay and Pinot noir wines have been produced in there.
In terms of cuisine, there is plenty to sample in Eger, where the food typifies general Hungarian cuisine. The food in Hungary is usually spicy and is normally seasoned with paprika, black peppers and onions.
Hungarians are always passionate about their soups, desserts and stuffed pancakes and potatoes are very popular.
The typical breakfast in Hungary consists of fresh bread, fruit, vegetables, cereal, or a various types of meat. Lunch is the major meal of the day and is usually made up of several courses: soup is followed by a main dish including meat, which comes before a dessert.
Dinner may be similar to breakfast, with bread and vegetables, or perhaps a bowl of soup and usually consists of only one course.
Recommended in Eger
The Archbishop's Garden park is definitely worth a visit. Here, the City Thermal Baths have indoor and outdoor pools with different temperatures and mineral contents.
Wine connoisseurs are advised to visit the Valley of the Beautiful Women, which is home to dozens of small wine cellars.
Visitors are also advised to visit the Minorite Church before their holiday is over. Built in 1771, it is one of the most glorious baroque buildings in the world.
Weather in Eger
Eger's climate has more extreme seasonal differences than the more western and southern regions of Hungary.
Winters are cold and windy but the region gets more sun in autumn and winter than any other part of Hungary. Summers are hot and quite wet early in the season, although it is typically dry during the late summer and autumn periods.
Destination checklist for Eger
The official language spoken in Eger is Hungarian so tourists should make sure that they brush up on their language skills before they travel.
Visitors should also make sure they do a hotel search before they leave, but a value hotel should not be hard to find upon arrival.
The currency in use is the forint, the international dialling code is +36 and Eger is just one hour ahead of GMT.
