Northern Hungary

Three world heritage sites and three national parks bear witness to the natural, historic and cultural-ethnographic assets of the Northern Hungarian region delimited by the rivers Tisza and Duna, and to the south by the Great Plain (Alföld). The village of Hollókő, the caves of the Aggtelek karst, and the historic winelands of Tokaj-Hegyalja have been designated as World Heritage Sites.

The landscapes of Northern Hungary offer plenty of destinations for one- or two-day outings as well as routes for a more lengthy tour or even for a holiday lasting several weeks.

This countryside is perfect for those longing to relax in peaceful surroundings, for hunters and anglers, for sportsmen and women, and of course for lovers of outstanding wines and open-minded gourmets.

Hungary's northernmost region is characterised by the ridges of the Northern Uplands (Északi-középhegység): the hills of Börzsöny, Cserhát, Mátra, Bükk and Zemplén. Here various sizes of basins, hillsides and plains all contribute towards an impressive fullness of scenery. This is not restrained to topography given the enchanting world of speleology with the extended cave systems underneath the karst hills. Hungary's two highest elevations, Kékestető (1014 metres) and Galyatető (964 metres), lie in the Mátra Hills.

Given the richness of natural assets it is unsurprising that there are three national parks in the region. In addition to the parks of Aggtelek, Bükk and Duna-Ipoly, numerous conservation and landscape protection areas have been established over the recent decades to safeguard habitats for the rare flora and fauna.

The main watercourses of the north are navigable by boat and thanks to their unscathed watersides the rivers Tisza, Bodrog and Hernád are increasingly popular for water tours and sports. There are also the shores of several natural and artificial lakes offering further possibilities for recreational activities.

Given the number of its thermal baths Northern Hungary is a prime destination for spa tourism. The most significant spa is the Zsóry Baths on the outskirts of Mezőkövesd though neighbouring Bogács also has its spa. The healing waters of Eger mitigate locomotor disorders while the Salvus spring of Bükkszék is beneficial in cases of stomach troubles and rheumatism. Parádfürdő spa is recommended for curing gynaecological conditions.

Forestry and game management are significant in this region as is the increasingly important tourism which ranges from equestrian to spa and wine tourism.

Last but not least Northern Hungary boasts several wine-growing areas of reknown, such as Tokaj-Hegyalja, Eger, the environs of Gyöngyös, as well as the wine-growing slopes of Bükkalja.

Travel destinations in Northern Hungary