If I were to ask you to think about European wine regions, what would come to mind first? Would it be Bordeaux, Tuscany, Rioja? What if I told you Hungary’s wine region is also worth visiting?
Many people don’t realize it, but Hungary actually has 22 wine regions. Each with their own specialties and soil that make them unique. I haven’t visited all of the regions, so I am by no means an expert (thought I do enjoy wine). But on my recent trip to Hungary, I spent three days in the village of Eger, the area some people (okay, me) call Hungary’s most interesting wine region.
Eger is a small village located in the Great Plains region of northeastern Hungary. They are renowned for their Bull’s Blood wine, a robust red blend. The specific blend is different for each individual winery in the region, but they must follow a certain process to consider it Bull’s Blood.
A winery employee told me the reason it’s called “Bull’s Blood” is because legend says when the Ottomans came to Eger, they saw the defending soldiers drinking this deep red wine. The Ottomans said, “These people are wild – they’re drinking the blood of bulls!” And so Eger successfully defended its castle and city. Eger is very proud of this history.
For white wine lovers, Eger also is proud of a specialty called Cillag. It is a dry white wine blend that is fruity and floral. You can find Egri Csillag wine in every nearby winery, wine shop and restaurant.
Eger also seems to be one of those places that’s a little bit off the beaten track.
A “hidden gem” if I can use perhaps the most cliché phrase in all of travel. During my visit, multiple people asked me how I found the village. They weren’t asking what I thought of it, or how I got there. They were asking me how in the world I thought to visit this small village of Eger, out of everywhere in Hungary. Even my Airbnb host asked.
But even if you’re not a wine lover, I don’t know why Eger wouldn’t at least be on a few tourists’ radars. The village itself is charming and bursting with beautiful architecture and interesting history. Very nearby, you can also find nice hiking, natural thermal baths and even a cave city.
Here are some tips for visiting Hungary’s wine region:
Getting to Hungary’s Wine Region, Eger:
Eger is very accessible from other cities in Hungary, including Budapest. You can visit by train, tour bus or car.
Visiting by Train:
You can easily get to Eger by train from major cities in Hungary, including Budapest and Debrecen. Hungary is not too large, comparatively, and it is well-connected by rail. Therefore, it is fairly easy to visit different interesting cities and villages by train in Hungary.
From Budapest, you can take one train to Eger, and it takes two hours. From Debrecen and other cities, it will take two trains. However, you can purchase a single ticket to help ensure you have enough time to make your train connection. Debrecen is also about a two-hour train ride away. In general, you won’t need more than a couple of hours on a train to get to Eger from elsewhere in Hungary.
Visiting with a Group Tour:
While Eger is still a bit of a hidden gem, its Valley of the Beautiful Woman is still frequented by tourists. Though these tourists seem to be primarily from Hungary or other neighboring countries. Still, you can join a tour group to visit the Valley of the Beautiful Woman and Eger’s town center. The town is about a 25-minute walk from the valley.
Visiting with a tour group is especially helpful if you’re short on time and only have a day to visit Eger. You can still visit on a day trip independently from Budapest via train, but a tour can be helpful if you don’t feel confident navigating on your own.
Visiting by Car:
Car rental will be an even faster way to get to Eger from other parts of Hungary. It will also give you ultimately flexibility to visit Eger and surrounding areas like the cave city or more remote wineries.
It is relatively affordable to rent a car for a round-trip journey. The roads in Hungary also seem like they’re pretty well-maintained. However, the drivers in Hungary, and especially Budapest, can be pretty aggressive. They can be intimidating if you’re not used to their way of driving.
Staying in Eger
While you can visit Eger on a day trip from Budapest or another major city in Hungary, I recommend staying at least a night if you have the time. Eger is a very charming city, and there is more to do there than you might think. In fact, I was planning to only stay two nights until I heard Budapest locals raving about Eger and changed it to three days.
Eger is a relatively small village, so you’re not going to find major hotel chains. Your options are essentially either a small boutique hotel or an Airbnb. Accommodations in Eger are relatively affordable, so neither of these options should break the bank.
There are a handful of boutique hotels in the main town square. Airbnb options are fewer, and they typically require a minimum of about at least two nights to book. Most Airbnbs I saw were either about a 10-minute walk to the town square or a little bit more outside the village. The options outside the village seemed like they would be very nice for a larger group of friends or family with a car.
What to do in Eger
While Eger is a relatively small village, there are still plenty of things to do in and around the area to keep you entertained for about two to three days.
Things to do in Hungary’s Wine Region, Eger:
Eger Castle:
Eger Castle is built on a high hill overlooking the village of Eger. It is famous for its role in repelling the Turks in the 1500s during the Siege of Eger. You can see the castle from multiple points in the village. You can also beautiful views of Eger and surrounding mountains from the village.
The castle also has a few exhibits both outside and inside. Inside exhibits include a history of the castle and its defense structures. Outside, you can learn about the famous Hungarian author who loved Eger castle, and see an old royal burial site.
Eger castle’s entrance fee is half-price after 5 p.m. That is also around when they begin closing the indoor exhibits, so you’ll want to arrive exactly at 5 and prioritize seeing the indoor exhibits first if you choose to visit durin the half-off time.
Valley of the Beautiful Woman:
Officially called Szepasszony-valley, the Valley of the Beautiful Woman is the best place to go in Eger to taste a variety of local wines. Some documents show wine cellars in this area dating back to the 1800s.
The Valley of the Beautiful Woman is about a 10-15 minute walk from the town center. You’ll find a handful of wineries in an oval, each selling their own specialties. Only a couple of wineries seem to do tasting rounds, so you should more so expect to spend your time drinking glasses of wine here. There are also some restaurants in the area to get local Hungarian food.
If you choose to stay in the Valley, you can find boutique hotels here as well.
Ottoman Minaret:
Minarets are typically found in mosque complexes and used to send out the Call to Prayer. Hungary was part of the Ottoman Empire from 1541 to 1699. During this time, there were several mosques and minarets throughout the country. After Ottoman rule, the mosques and most minarets were removed.
Today, there are three surviving Ottoman minarets in all of Hungary. One of them is in Eger. You can climb to the top of this minaret for a panoramic view of the village and surrounding areas, including Eger Castle.
Be aware, the staircase to the top and the area at the top itself is very narrow. You should not climb up if you have a fear of enclosed spaces or heights.
Dobo Square:
Dobo Square is the main center of Eger’s town where you can find the majority of places to eat and town events occuring. When I visited, it happened to be during Hungary’s first game in the Euro soccer tournament. They were displaying the game on a big projector screen above the river. It seemed like everyone in the village came out to watch it.
Walking through the town square and down the small streets and alleys next to it is also the best way to admire the charming architecture of this village.
Ersekkert Park:
Just outside the town center, you can find a lovely park area. Many of the paths have plenty of tree covering, so it’s a pleasant walk even on a hot day. There is also a nice fountain and pond where you can watch frogs leap between lily pads.
You can also rent a bike to ride around the park for less than $1 USD.
Greek Orthodox Serbian Church:
Eger’s Greek Orthodox Serbian Church is a late baroque-style church built in 1799. It currently functions as both a church and a museum. The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday.
Unfortunately, the day I tried to visit was a Monday, so I couldn’t go inside. But it is still beautiful from the outside!
Archbishop’s Palace & Cellar:
The Archbishop’s Palace was once the home of the archbishop and is now a museum primarily showcasing religious art. Outside of the palace, you’ll also find well-manicured gardens.
Underneath the palace, you can also take a tour of the Archbishop’s Cellar. When the Ottomans began occupying modern-day Eger, the archbishop left at first. Then, he returned and bought new property, including these underground cellars. You can take a tour of these cellars along with the palace.
Bike Ride:
Eger has a few bike paths around the city and through the parks. You can rent a bike less than $1 USD per hour and spend some time biking around the city.
Things to do Near Hungary’s Wine Region, Eger:
Vineyards:
While you can enjoy plenty of delicious regional wine in the Valley of the Beautiful Woman, there are also some larger vineyards nearby. For example, at St. Andrea Winery, you can visit for a wine tasting and vineyard tour.
Hiking:
Eger is surrounded by nature. It has hiking trails right outside the city, and a bit farther away that you could reach by car or taxi. The Nagy-Eged Mountain is not far from Eger and has a lot of great hiking trails.
If you’re willing to go a little farther out, you can also hike Kekes, the tallest peak in Hungary.
Thermal Baths:
Not far from the town of Eger is Egerszalók, also known as Valley of the Spas. This area is where to go for what people consider some of the best thermal baths in the country. Additional baths abound in nearby towns.
Safety in Eger:
During my experience going caving in the longest cave in Budapest, I had this exchange with the guide:
Him: Where are you going next?
Me: Eger.
Him: Be careful in Eger, don’t go out after sundown.
Needless to say, this concerned me a bit. I probed a bit more, and he said that really, it was safer than the US, so I shouldn’t be concerned.
When I got to Eger, I asked our Airbnb host about safety. She was perplexed and responded that Eger is much safer than Budapest.
The purpose of sharing that is that safety can be subjective, but the statistics say that Eger is a safe place where you don’t need to worry about violent crime. I can say that I never felt unsafe there, but I also did travel with two men.
As always, take typical precautions like ensuring you’re watching your belongings and keeping your wallet and phone out of your back pocket in crowds. Additionally, walk in well-populated or well-lit areas after sundown.
Have I convinced you to visit Hungary’s wine region of Eger? Let me know if you have any questions!
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