Csongrád-Csanád, southern Hungary · Hungary
The sunniest city in Hungary, a university town on the Tisza with a twin-towered Votive Church, Art Nouveau facades, fish soup and paprika.
Photo: Motacilla · CC BY-SA 4.0
Szeged is the largest city in southern Hungary, with about 160,000 people, and it sits on the Tisza river near the borders with Serbia and Romania. It receives more hours of sunshine than any other Hungarian city, and it is a lively university town, with students making up a big part of the population. It is known as the City of Sunshine.
In 1879, a devastating flood destroyed most of the city. Rebuilding created a rational plan of wide boulevards and ring roads, with grand Art Nouveau and eclectic buildings, such as the colourful Reök Palace. The centrepiece is the Votive Church, a twin-towered brick cathedral built after the flood, whose 91-metre spires dominate Dóm Square, where an open-air festival of theatre and music is held each summer.
Szeged is also a food city. It is the home of halászlé, the paprika fish soup made with river carp and catfish, of Pick salami, and of one of the country's main paprika-growing areas. It makes a good stop on the way to or from Serbia, and one or two days is enough.
Why visit
Szeged is a bright, youthful city with excellent food.
The Votive Church.
Rebuilt after the flood.
Szeged's signature foods.
The sunniest Hungarian city.
Cafés and open-air festivals.
Main attractions
The centre is compact and walkable.
A twin-towered church of brick, built after the 1879 flood, with a richly painted interior.
Tip Climb the tower.
A colourful Art Nouveau building of 1907, decorated with tiles and sculptures.
Tip Visit the gallery inside.
The main square, home of the summer open-air festival.
Tip Visit in July.
Promenades along the river.
Tip Go at sunset.
One of the largest synagogues in Europe.
Tip Check hours.
A green city zoo.
Tip With children.
Things to do
Szeged is for eating and evenings.
Fish soup with paprika.
Tip Try the local version.
Open-air theatre.
Tip Book tickets.
Shop for the spice and Pick salami.
Tip Try the market.
Cafés and terraces.
Tip Evenings.
Local baths.
Tip Bring a swimsuit.
Walk the centre.
Tip Look up.
Local food
Szeged is one of Hungary's great food cities.
Paprika fish soup.
Where to try it Riverside restaurants.
Famous winter salami.
Where to try it Shops.
Ground spice.
Where to try it Markets.
Pasta pearls.
Where to try it Restaurants.
With rice and meat.
Where to try it Restaurants.
Accommodation
Stay in the centre.
Transport
Szeged is in the south-east.
The centre is flat.
When to go
Szeged is hot in summer.
Mild.
Hot, with festivals.
Pleasant.
Cold.
Worth planning around: The heat of July afternoons.
Itinerary
Church, facades and fish soup.
The centre.
Travel tips
A few tips help you plan.
FAQ
Sunshine, fish soup and paprika.
About 2.5 hours.
Yes.
In summer.
One or two.
Yes, in 1879.
Keep exploring
Places that pair well with Szeged, whether you have a few spare days or are building a longer route.
Baranya, southern Hungary, Hungary
A Mediterranean-feeling city with early Christian tombs, the Gazi Kasim Pasha Mosque, a four-towered cathedral, Zsolnay ceramics and nearby Villány red wines.
Don't miss The Mosque-Church on Széchenyi Square, a domed Ottoman mosque topped with a cross.
Explore Destination — PécsHajdú-Bihar, Great Hungarian Plain, Hungary
Hungary's oldest national park and a UNESCO cultural landscape, with the Nine-Hole Bridge, horse shows, traditional herding, birdwatching and crane migration.
Don't miss Riding horsemen across the open puszta at sunset under a huge sky.
Explore Destination — Hortobágy National ParkCentral Hungary, on the Danube, Hungary
Hungary's capital, with the Parliament, Buda Castle, Fisherman's Bastion, Széchenyi thermal baths, the Great Market Hall, ruin bars and Danube views.
Don't miss The Parliament building lit up on the Danube at night, seen from a river cruise or the Buda bank.
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