Sightseeing in Eger - what to see. Complete travel guide

Eger is an old and charming city in Hungary. The second-largest city in Northern Hungary is famous for its baths with thermal water that is globally recognized for its healing properties. Besides various treatments, the city attracts travelers with its gorgeous architectural heritage, rich history, and, of course, varieties of wine that are not present in other wine regions. Due to the convenient location, it is not hard to travel to this city because it lies one hundred forty kilometers from the capital of Hungary and two hundred kilometers from the border with Ukraine. Nature was generous to this region, giving this part of the country picturesque forests and scenic mountain massifs.

The first settlement on the site of modern Eger emerged more than millennia ago. In the Middle Ages, German tribes inhabited the territory, and then the Avars conquered this land. When Slavs destroyed the settlement, this region started belonging to them. In the 10th century, the region changed its owner once again as Hungarians became rulers here. The first cathedral in Eger appeared at that time. Steadily, new houses appeared around the church. In the 13th century, a citadel was built on Castle Hill. Eger was actively developing in the period from the 14th to the 16th century, during the reign of King Matthias Corvinus. Winemaking became popular in the region at that time, and so local farmers started growing grapes and producing wine from it.

Turks attacked Eger for the second time at the end of the 16th century. While the city could repel the first attack of the invaders, the second attack was successful and Turks captured Eger. The city remained under the power of the invaders until 1687. Turks turned Eger into a Muslim city. When it finally became possible to drive out the foreign conquerors, the city, just like the rest of the country, was under the reign of the Hapsburg dynasty. This was a period of prosperity and development for Eger. Numerous palaces, churches, and mansions appeared in the city. Later, the city’s bishops claimed it. When the bishops’ reign ended, the importance of Eger decreased. World War II was barely noticeable in the forgotten city, and this fact helped to protect the architectural heritage of Eger. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

The Castle of Eger remains the main landmark of the Hungarian city. The main purpose of this medieval castle was to repel attacks of Turkish invaders. The castle got its final shape in the 16th century thanks to the efforts of its commandant Tamás Varkoch. He made an order to divide the castle into two parts and connect them with a gate. Because of this, the castle turned into a small town protected from all sides.

Nowadays, there is a museum in the Castle of Eger. The venue is named after Istvan Dobo. Visit this museum to find out more about the rich history of the magnificent castle. The mint is the main pride of this historical landmark, and every visitor has a unique opportunity to try to make a coin. Do you like archery? In this case, don’t forget to visit the shooting gallery that is also open in the castle and polish your accuracy. After that, visitors can attend the old cellar that was storing wine in the past.

Vacationers can enjoy many exciting moments in an unusual place, the Valley of the Beautiful Women that is famous for its wine cellars. As a rule, guests of Eger ask the same question, “Why does the valley have such an interesting name?”. Even local people cannot give a definite answer to this question. Some say that the valley got this name after the goddess Venus. The most beautiful women in the region lived here. According to another opinion, men were visiting this valley to find a girl for a night, so the area attracted many wanton ladies. Perhaps, the funniest guess is that the valley was famous for its wine, and every woman looks pretty if you drink a lot of wine. This is the reason the valley got such a name.

As soon as you arrive at this land, the scent of local wine and national delicacies makes you forget about everything. Gipsy music plays everywhere. Tourists coming to Eger simply cannot leave this city without trying the delicious local wine. No one has ever left the Valley of the Beautiful Women without sampling unique wine and eating delicious local cuisine.

The Marzipan Museum also deserves the attention of tourists. Foreign guests particularly enjoy visiting it. In this venue, visitors can see what Hungarian confectioner Kopcsik Lajos can make from the almond dough. Sculptures, coats of arms, bas-reliefs – visitors will see all these and many other interesting items. It is hard to believe that all these masterpieces are eatable. Perhaps, the marzipan hall is the most impressive hall of the museum. This room is reminiscent of an 18th-century palace. There is only one drawback about this museum – it is prohibited to eat the exhibited items.

As a rule, tourists start their journey to Eger in Budapest. A train ride to Eger lasts roughly two hours. It is also possible to get to the Hungarian city by bus. In this case, the ride lasts from two to three hours depending on the route of the bus.