Though not many people know it, Pécs is one of Hungary’s largest cities and a real beauty. Its colourful streets are lined with remnants of past civilizations that take visitors back in time, and the nearby Mecsek Mountains, with their immense greenery, offer stunning hiking trails for nature lovers. Don’t settle for just Budapest, find out what to see and do in the wonderful southern city of Pécs.
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What to see in Pécs
The quiet and friendly city of Pécs has many interesting sights to offer its visitors, but just a stroll through the streets of the historic centre reveals the beauty of this destination.
Pécs Square
The Szechenyi Ter is the focal point of Pécs and one of the most beautiful sights to be seen in the city. Such a beautiful square in a city so unknown to tourists, with its impressive coloured buildings, the striking Pécs Mosque, the monument to the Holy Trinity and its beautiful fountains, is striking. It is a peaceful and pleasant place and the best place to start your trip to Pécs.
Mezquita of Pécs
The Pécs Mosque, formerly known as Pasha Gazi Kászim. It is located in the city’s central square and one of the most interesting sights to see in the city. Its Ottoman-style architecture, with its green dome that transports you directly to Turkey, and its location make this part of the city a true marvel. The pictures speak for themselves:
Pécs Cathedral
The Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul is another of Pécs’ major attractions. It is a beautiful religious building with a neo-Romanesque façade and four imposing 60-metre towers that watch over the city from above. The original cathedral was built in the 11th century. The façade dates from the 19th century, while the interior is Gothic in style. The eclectic result of the mixture of styles makes this cathedral one of the most interesting places to see in Pécs.
Tower of the Barbican and the Wall
In Pés there are still traces of the Middle Ages, especially from the 15th century. And the greatest proof of this is its fortress. Part of the old wall still remains and a circular tower, the Tower of the Barbican, which you can climb for free and dream of medieval tales. As for the walls, most of them are practically in ruins and not very well maintained. However, a part of it still remains intact and is a must-see in Pécs.
Travel Tip: To organize your trip we recommend using Passporter totally free. You can be inspired by the experiences of other travelers, choose the places that interest you most, create the travel route with a geolocated map, upload all important documents such as reservations and invite your friends so that everyone can participate in the organization of the trip.
What to see around Pécs
Mecsek Mountains
The Mecsek Mountains are located north of the city of Pécs and are one of the most beautiful sights to see in the area. If your trip to Pécs is longer than two days and the weather is good, a day or morning hike in the Mecsek Mountains is a highly recommended experience.
The Mecsek Mountains are divided into two parts, western and eastern. But whichever you choose, you can’t go wrong because both have great attractions. The western part is characterized by beautiful caves, some of which are almost 2 km long. An example is Abaliget, considered a medicinal cave, as the microclimate created inside is beneficial for the respiratory system. On the other hand, the eastern area is a fantastic place for rural tourism, with beautiful villages such as Pécsvárad, where you can enjoy Hungarian culture.
Lake Balaton, the most beautiful thing to see near Pécs
The Lake Balaton, after Budapest, is the second most recommended place to see in Hungary. It is an 80 km long and 14 km wide lake that receives hundreds of tourists every year in search of sun and beach. In the surrounding area, there are also numerous towns to see. The most famous of them are Balatonfüred, Zamárdi and Veszprém.
The most impressive, however, is the Tihany Peninsula and Lake Hérviz. The Tihany Peninsula is part of the Balaton Highlands National Park and just 5 km into the lake. At the tip there is an abbey from where the views are breathtaking. You can also go for walks in the forest.
On the other hand, we have Lake Herviz, famous for its hot springs. It is a small lake located in the crater of an ancient volcano. The waterthere is kept at 22º all year round. In the surrounding area there is a lush forest, making it the best place to relax and unwind.
Find out more about this destination at: Lake Balaton in Hungary
How to get to Pécs from Budapest
Probably the easiest and most comfortable way to get to Pécs is by bus. At the Hungarian capital’s airport itself, there are bus transfer services that will take you to Pécs for around €30. There is a Minibus office in the arrivals terminal of the airport. There you can get information and book the service.
Another possibility is to travel by train. From Keleti Pályaudvar, the Budapest station, you can catch the IC train, which connects the two cities in a 2.5-hour journey. The train costs around €10-13 and departs every two hours from 6:09am to 8:09pm.
Where to sleep in Pécs?
- Palatinus Grand Hotel: One of the most beautiful and elegant hotels in Pécs. Housed in one of the most impressive buildings in the old town, the three-star Palatinus Grand Hotel offers an exquisite breakfast (included!). Average price per night: €60
- Hotel Central: Another three-star hotel, which, although somewhat less elegant, has nothing to be desired. It is also located in the city centre, about 500 metres from the mosque, has a good breakfast included and clean, comfortable rooms. Average price per night: €50
- Corso Hotel Pécs: A fantastic four-star hotel with modern rooms and very close and well-connected to the centre of Pécs. Average price: €52-94
Where to eat in Pécs?
- Tüke Wine House: For many, the best restaurant in Pécs. Hungarian dishes, where the speciality is barbecued meat, are cooked with love and care in the kitchens of Tüke Wine House. The food is excellent and the views of the city from the terrace are exceptional. Price range: €5-40
- Balkan Bisztro: After sampling Balkan Bisztro’s dishes, it’s easy to see why its menu is not very extensive: you don’t need anything else. As the name suggests, the speciality is Balkan cuisine and the dishes are as tasty as they are delicately prepared. An essential in Pécs. Price range: €5-15
- Blöff Bisztró: This is another of the best restaurants in Pécs, specializing in fish and seafood, although they have other dishes, such as some meats and their soup of the day, which is wonderful on cold days. Price range: €3-8.
Tips for your trip to Pécs
- The official currency of Hungary is the Hungarian Forint (€1 = 379.08 HUF).
- We recommend that you exchange money before you set off on your trip, as this will make it cheaper for you.
- As European citizens, we don’t need a visa to enter the country either, just your ID card or passport is enough.
- The best time to travel to Pécs, Hungary, is in spring and autumn, when there are fewer tourists and the temperatures are more pleasant than in winter or summer.
- Buy museum tickets in advance to avoid queues.
- The city is safe, but as with any tourist destination, it’s best to be careful with your belongings.
- Be covered for possible medical emergencies: travel insured.
How to organize what to see in Pécs
Register or download the Passporter App and discover all its possibilities.
- Get inspired by the experiences of other travellers
- Create your own itinerary and add suggestions from the app to it.
- Add the stops you’re most interested in, as well as the restaurants and bars where you want to eat (you can use the points of interest listed in this post as a reference).
- Organize your itinerary by route days according to their location on the map (you can take inspiration from the routes we present in the post)
- Check out the travel budget that the app calculates for you based on your travel stops, restaurants, and leisure activities.
- Make any modifications you need, and you’ll be all set for your trip.
- Share your experience. Upload photos of places you visited on your trip to the app and recommend other travellers what to see in Pécs, Hungary.
Do you have any doubts about how to do it? Check our post: How to create a travel itinerary in Passporter.
Frequently asked questions about Pécs
The best time to travel to Pécs Hungary is in spring and autumn, when there are still fewer tourists and the temperatures are more pleasant than in winter or summer.
Pécs is a city that can be travelled through quickly, so if you are on an excursion and only have time for a day, don’t worry, it will be enough. However, the ideal is to stay at least two days enjoying all there is to see in Pécs and if you have a third day and the weather is good, you can even take a trekking route in the Mecsek Mountains.
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