Eger
Discover Eger
Eger is a historic town in Northern Hungary, capital of Heves County, situated between the Mátra and Bükk mountains. Eger district outside of the city is covered in a separate article. Eger is mainly known for its castle, thermal baths, historic buildings (including the northernmost Turkish minaret) and, above all else, the best Hungarian red wines in the "Valley of the beautiful women". When you plan your trip, it looks like a small town for which half a day is more than enough, but 3 days may not even be enough to enjoy it fully, even in the winter. In 2017, it was home to 54,000 people.
Taste of Eger...
Visit some csárdas in Valley of Beautiful Women (Szépasszony-völgy), some of them are constantly overcrowded as tourists are brought there by buses of partner agencies. Eger is the centre of one of the top wine regions in Europe. Egri Bikavér is most famous cuvee here, but there are several others definitely worth a sip, such as dry whites. Egri Bikavér (Bull's Blood) is a strong red Hungarian wine which supposedly saved a clever Hungarian girl from her fate with a Turkish sultan. During the time of the Turkish occupation, it is said a young girl was summoned to become a member of the local sultan's harem. Not wanting this fate for his daughter, her father gave her a bottle of Egri Bikavér to take to the sultan. He told her to tell the ruler it was bull's blood, and would make him invincible. The sultan, being Muslim, was unaccustomed to alcohol, and proceeded to pass out, leaving the daughter unharmed. That's a legend -- but in real life, also be careful with Egri Bikavér. It's excellent, but strong stuff! The real story is an important piece of Hungarian history: the "bull's blood" made there - is a cuvee (two types of red wine mixed). This name was given by the Turkish horde trying to conquer Eger - and then proceed towards Austria, etc. They failed: there were approx. 2000 Hungarians inside Eger, and 200,000 Turks outside.
Festivals & Events
Experience the vibrant festivals and cultural celebrations of Eger.
Definitely a good place for wine shopping. You can buy directly from the makers. Visit some csárdas in Valley of Beautiful Women (Szépasszony-völgy), some of them are constantly overcrowded as tourists are brought there by buses of partner agencies. Eger is the centre of one of the top wine regions in Europe. Egri Bikavér is most famous cuvee here, but there are several others definitely worth a sip, such as dry whites. Egri Bikavér (Bull's Blood) is a strong red Hungarian wine which supposedly saved a clever Hungarian girl from her fate with a Turkish sultan. During the time of the Turkish occupation, it is said a young girl was summoned to become a member of the local sultan's harem. Not wanting this fate for his daughter, her father gave her a bottle of Egri Bikavér to take to the sultan. He told her to tell the ruler it was bull's blood, and would make him invincible. The sultan, being Muslim, was unaccustomed to alcohol, and proceeded to pass out, leaving the daughter unharmed.
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple OptionsTrains leave the Budapest Keleti station each hour. The ones leaving at odd hours are direct, the ones leaving at even hours require you to change trains in Füzesabony. Most of these trains are gyors (fast) trains and will take about 2 hours and 20 minutes to arrive. Hourly IC trains will take you directly to Füzesabony, cutting the total travel time to just under 2 hours, but a reservation is required. If you come from Miskolc your options are similar, except there is no direct service and you will have to change trains in Füzesabony. IC trains take just under an hour to arrive. 47.89166720.381121 Train station (vasútállomás). (updated Jul 2018) Buses leave the bus stop behind Budapest's Stadionok station for Eger twice an hour and the trip takes a little over 2 hours. The quarter past bus takes the highway and takes two hours, and the quarter to bus takes smaller roads and takes 2½ hours....
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
The train station is located about a 10-minute walk from the downtown area and most attractions. Walk over to Deák Ferenc út and walk north until you reach the Basilica. You can also take buses #10, 11, or 12. If you arrived by bus, the town bus station is located downtown directly behind the basilica. Once downtown, the city is small and best walked. You won't need alpine boots, but high-heeled shoes are still not good as there is much cobblestone pavement downtown. However, the town has a taxi service which is especially useful if you arrive by train or if your hotel is outside of the town centre. (phones: 555-555; 333-333). Also, if you go for some outdoor activities near the town there are some buses connecting the town with the suburbs. Check at the main bus station for schedules. There is also a touristy tram (a fun experience) that runs occasionally from the city center (Egeszsegaz u. ?) to the Valley of Beautiful Women (wine caves valley).
Where to Stay
Several camp sites are available along with plenty of small and larger hotels and private rooms all over the town. You will not have a problem finding accommodation there.
Money & Budget
Definitely a good place for wine shopping. You can buy directly from the makers. Visit some csárdas in Valley of Beautiful Women (Szépasszony-völgy), some of them are constantly overcrowded as tourists are brought there by buses of partner agencies. Eger is the centre of one of the top wine regions in Europe. Egri Bikavér is most famous cuvee here, but there are several others definitely worth a sip, such as dry whites. Egri Bikavér (Bull's Blood) is a strong red Hungarian wine which supposedly saved a clever Hungarian girl from her fate with a Turkish sultan. During the time of the Turkish occupation, it is said a young girl was summoned to become a member of the local sultan's harem.