Sightseeing tour in Szeged, Debrecen and Veszprém + 1 idea for a rainy day

Veszprém, especially the old town, is a real jewel in the crown. It is worth spending several days getting to know it: there are several themed walks available in the city, which allow you to wander the winding streets and discover not only the sights but also the historical secrets of Veszprém, and in some places you can even take an interactive guided tour. After a full day of walking, reward yourself with a treat: you can also find gluten or lactose free sweets in the Füge Fagyiudvar és Kávézó (lit. ‘Figs Ice Cream Yard and Café’) or in the KUNSZT!.

Debrecen is also strong in thematic walks: we can discover the history of the civis city through the “glasses” that suit us best, and there are also a number of guided tours – for example in the Great Forest –that are particularly exciting for children; and if you are in the sporty mood, you can even hit the road on two wheels! If you get hungry after all the kilometres, there are plenty of alternatives, such as the authentic Italian flavours of Nonna Rosa near the Great Church, or the offer of Pizza, Kávé, Világbéke (lit. Pizza, Coffee, World Peace). Of course, Debrecen also has heavenly pastry shops, but more on that later!

If you wish to enjoy water, you can “merge” for long hours in the Aquaticum, which is open throughout the whole year. In the adventure bath of Mediterranean feeling, 15 various pools, slides, children’s pools, bubble baths and real tropical flora are waiting for the visitors, while adults can take some relaxation in the sauna world or the medical water pools of various temperatures of the thermal spa. It is a real challenge to list how many attractions you can see in the spa, starting from the Bunki of the Bubu Jungle to the adventure ship. In summer, the open-air lido is also a real adventure paradise, with shady resting places, huge green surface, sunbathing beds and separate children’s world – not in vain it is called one of the most modern lidos of the country. Beyond all these things, you can reach excellent family friendly services such as animation programs, fabulous children’s playground with kindergarten teacher control and child friendly eating options.

Hello Hungary tip: If you arrive in the city at the end of July, do not miss the Debrecen Wine and Jazz Days, during which you can taste the unique items of 22 wine areas of our country. While you are sipping the Hungarian champions under the shady trees of the Big Forest, you can hear pleasant jazz music in the background: from the young, experimenting jazz musicians to the experienced, famous jazz masters, great formations will perform on three music stages during these few days. The joint experience of the music, the wonderful wines and the forest, green environment can be refreshing for everybody. Another significant event of the year, the Debrecen Flower Carnival of international fame is also an excellent program. The series of events held usually in August in several locations of the city includes concerts, stage-plays, exhibitions, dance productions, but its most spectacular element is when the colourful procession of the cars ornamented with gigantic flower compositions travels throughout the city, followed by Hungarian and foreign art ensembles, majorette groups, flag dancers and wind-bands.

In addition to the classic, themed sightseeing walks, in Szeged you can also try out what it is like not to follow the “umbrella” of the guide, but to explore the city at your own pace – of course, with the help of the playful tasks provided by the organisers. The good news is that the guides always know where the best coffee is (we think the Blue Elephant Café is worth a detour on the caffeine front), or which tavern has the best Szeged fish soup (Szálka Loft, for example, is a favourite of many.)

One of the great resting places of the sight-seeing can be the Black Sheep Coffee Bar and Kitchen, which is the forth unit of the Black Sheep franchise in our country. Excellent quality and great feeling are basic features in this catering unit in Szeged as well: it is worth coming in during the day not only for the 50 sorts of coffee roasted in their own plant, but also for the sweet and salty brunch delicacies, while in the evening for the Neapolitan pizzas, pastas, salads and bistro foods as well. In the menu, you can find free from, paleo and vegetarian creations as well, and the experience will become full with the handcrafted ice creams and masterful cakes.

The escape room is considered by many to be one of the best “inventions” of recent years. The escape rooms are based on different themes, but they all have in common that players have to solve puzzles to find the key or code that unlocks the room. The stakes are usually a matter of “life and death”: for example, we can test what it feels like to neutralise an imaginary nuclear bomb to prevent the destruction of humanity, or even to discover the secrets of the pharaohs or the jungle.

Most of the rooms take 40-60 minutes to get out of comfortably if 3-6 people are playing at the same time, but there are also easier puzzles that can be completed by two people. Feel free to take older children with you – check the rules of each site: the logic puzzles are likely to engage them, too!

For efficiency, it may be wise for players to focus on a particular corner of the room first, and then share what objects they have found and what conclusions they have drawn.

It is also a good practice to collect found keys, codes and other usable items in one place, and then, once they have completed their mission – they have revealed something or led to the next clue – move them to a place where they are safe from interfering with further exploration.

The exhilarating joy of getting out is something that cannot be experienced just once. In Debrecen, Veszprém and Szeged there are several places where you can “escape”, so even if it rains for a few hours, there is a good chance that you will not be left without an experience – even if it rains for a few hours – thanks to one of these programmes. (The game requires you to sign up in advance, but you can almost always find a free hour or two somewhere.)

And if you get hungry in the heat of the game and/or want to celebrate your successful exit, top the day off with some delicious snacks. In Debrecen, for example, the burgers at Szmöre Burger or the world champion fish dishes at Csakhal Bistro can provide the ideal victory feast after a successful escape.