Eger (Hungary), a bloody wine place. Why visit it?

Today was a difficult day for us! After spending a month in Budapest, we left that beautiful capital and the most painful part was saying bye to our dear Hungarian friends. This plan to meet them was ruined by the start of the pandemic. We waited two long years to make it possible and now, a month together has flown light speed haha. Guys, friendship is a great motivation to travel! A beautiful city like Budapest can get even deeper into your mind and heart if you link it to nice friends.

Anyway, we jumped in the car to continue this adventure. During some minutes we also thought, why visit Eger? A 'bloody' wine place? But just an hour and forty minutes later, we discovered very good reasons to do it. Now, we will share them with you.

Where is Eger?

Eger is a city located in northern Hungary, on the southern slopes of the Bukk mountains. Based on Google’s calculation, it is 137 km away from Budapest, the Hungarian capital. It should take you an hour and a half, approximately, to drive there.

In the beginning, we were a bit down. There were no words between us, only the music of our playlist and the car moving were hearable. Driving to Eger was easy and comfortable due to the good conditions of the road (M3 and M25 motorways).

You can also go by train to Eger. Take it at Budapest-Keleti station and one hour and fifty minutes later, you will be there. The train will leave you only one and a half km away from the city center.

What to visit in Eger, Hungary?

We arrived at Eger. The first mission was to find free parking. This is becoming kind of an impossible mission nowadays. Eger center looked compact on the map so we left the car out of that area to avoid restrictions and problems to park. After walking for around twenty minutes, we arrived and it was a great first encounter with this city!

Why visit Eger? Because it is a charming place! Baroque buildings, cobbled streets, and a nice vibe! The first thing we found was a Ferris wheel and a city sign “Eger”. Obviously, we got a picture there! Haha.

Let’s say we were in the lower part of the center and from there, a fortress on top is visible. It became automatically our first target. We walked up while checking the surroundings and it was very nice. It was quiet. We saw tourists but not many. Mostly, local people were enjoying the day. This is what we visited!

Eger Castle and the bloody wine

This castle is a well-preserved medieval fortress built on a rocky spot above the city. The walking to reach the gates takes some effort because it is a bit steep, but it is very pleasant. There are many nice views on the way so be ready to take many pictures.

The Eger castle was built originally in the thirteenth century. There is a famous chapter that tells how in 1552, an army of only four hundred Hungarian men repelled a Turkish army of four thousand soldiers. Another version says, the Hungarian were two thousand and the Turkish were forty thousand. Never mind, just think that the Hungarians were far fewer than the Turkish. The Hungarians were led by Dobo Istvan. In a moment, he ordered the cellars beneath the castle to be open. His men of course drank the Egri Bikaver wine (also known as Bull’s Blood wine) that was there. Who could resist that? We could not! But don’t think they got cups to drink the wine comfortably seated around a table. They were under siege by an army ten times bigger! Let’s say their manners were more savage so their clothes and those long and bushy beards they wore got thick red stains from the wine. When Turkish men saw the courage and strength of the Hungarian soldiers and such red and thick stains in their beards, they thought that the wine they drank was mixed with the blood of a bull. This was the source of their power, thought the Turkish, and they got deeply demoralized until the point they got defeated.

This historical chapter is something nice to know because the Egri Bikaver or Bull’s Blood wine is still an icon of Eger. Spoiler alert! A wine expert told us this story about the Bull’s Blood wine and the soldiers is unlikely to be true because, in the sixteenth century, Hungary produced only white wine. Only after the Phylloxera (a plant louse that is a pest of vines) attacked the vineyards in the 1880s, some people decided to plant red grapes instead.

We enjoyed the story, we don’t need it to be true. In our opinion, what matters is that the wine certainly exists and you can try it during your visit! Well, and to finish with the castle’s history, finally, in 1701, it was blown up by the Austrians.

If you have visited castles, you know that their history almost always involves multiple destructions and reconstructions through time.

What we liked the most were the walls and the views from the towers. You can also take a look at the Istvan Dodo museum to find out the complete history of the castle, and see objects of historical, ethnographical, archaeological, and literary value. The cellars in the underground corridor system and the dungeon can be visited. The exhibition in this last shows types of torture and executions.

Entrance fee: 1,200 HUF (3 EURO). Note: we paid this per adult because we arrived in the evening. There are different options of tickets you can buy based on what you want to see, the day, the schedule, if you want a guide, etc. You can even get your wedding pictures here. So check it properly!

You can visit the official website to see what the place offers (exhibitions, services, events), organize your visit, and confirm updated entrance fees. https://www.egrivar.hu/en/c/ticket-prices-257

Dobo Istvan Square

The main Eger’s square has the name of the famous leader of Eger’s heroes, Dobo Istvan. You can spend a very nice time there. It is compact but surrounded by more Baroque churches and buildings. You will see there a bronze statue of the Dobo captain, the Town Hall, and the Minorite Church.

The Minorite Church

There is no way to skip it because it is a big architectural landmark of Eger’s center (Dobo Square). It is a Baroque building, constructed in the eighteenth century. It is in very good condition. You will easily see its twin bell towers. The original building was destroyed by floods and the current was ended in 1771.

Enthusiasts of the Baroque style will be happy here admiring the details and decorations in the vaulting, the St. Anthony life passages, the altars, and the carvings on some pews.

There are more churches you can visit in Eger, the Basilica, and the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Serbian Church (outside the center).

Walking in Eger streets

The weather was perfect to be on the street when we visited Eger (May). It was very pleasant to stroll around. We liked a lot its cobbled streets, colorful Baroque buildings (blue, yellow, pink, etc.), small coffee shops, restaurants, ice cream spots, and the small river that is a nice addition to the landscape. Most of the streets are only for pedestrians so you can walk there safely and calmly. Once there, we do celebrate we left the car outside the city center. It could be very hard to find a proper spot to park in the center.

Eger Thermal Bath

If you have been to Hungary, you know they have a deep tradition of thermal baths. You can find them pretty much in every place you visit in the country. Eger is not an exception! It has a popular thermal bath complex located in the heart of the city and features a variety of pools, saunas, and spa treatments. It is a good place to relax and rejuvenate. This time we skipped the visit to the thermal bath. We were in front of the complex but we missed the chance to rejuvenate hahaha This time, we enjoy more moving around Eger. But the choice is there if you are interested.

Valley of the Beautiful Women

It is not in the center but it is only two km away from Dobo Square or four km from the entrance to the center. You can go by foot or bus (it takes a few minutes to arrive). Why go? Single men for sure will answer “to meet the beautiful women”. More cautious men (married or with a girlfriend) will say “to try the wine”. This place is very popular because of the many wine cellars you can visit there. It is the wine trade area of Eger. Walking there is nice and you can try different versions of the famous Egri Bikaver or Bull’s Blood wine (a blend of five different grapes or at least three) and white wine from the region too.

It is a nice experience to walk into those cold, damp, old-style cellars. Wine producers are kind and wine is just delicious! If you are a wine enthusiast, for sure you will find a choice that suits you. Just go with time enough to taste the variety there.

You can spend several hours in this valley. Food is tasty and wine… you will see when you try it!

Life-saving advice: eat properly! Don’t take your belly on this wine adventure without eating!

About the name “Valley of the Beautiful Women”: If you go and discover the reason behind it, share it with us. It is a name that awakes tourists’ curiosity. You expect a story, behind it, but we asked many times, to different people and we did not get a solid answer.

Why visit Eger, Hungary?

You should visit Eger, Hungary because it offers nice stuff:

History and culture. Eger has a vast and interesting history dating back to the Middle Ages. It is home to a variety of cultural attractions, like its castle (fortress), churches, museums, and galleries.

Natural beauty. Eger surroundings offer you forests, hills, and vineyards to make your stay longer. There are different outdoor activities, such as hiking, biking, and swimming. We strongly recommend you visit the vineyards and wineries. You can enjoy the natural landscape and try the popular wine.

Gastronomy. Eger, just like the rest of Hungary, has delicious food and wine you should try. As we mentioned, there are many wineries and vineyards in the region and Hungarian cuisine features a variety of tasty dishes.

Proximity to more attractions. Eger is located in a convenient location, making it easy to explore other parts of Hungary and the surrounding region (villages, towns, natural mineral baths, etc.). It is a short drive from Budapest and more nice Hungarian destinations.

How to move around Eger?

Our recommendation is to move on foot. It is easy, the streets are nice, the distances are not very big among attractions in the center, and it is the best way to explore and discover interesting stuff there.

Anyway, if you prefer transportation, there are buses. They connect you pretty well with the center, the bus and train stations, and the popular Valley of the Beautiful Women.

Conclusion

We visited Eger because we had time. Many tourists focus only on Budapest when planning trips to Hungary, but there is much more to enjoy in this country. Eger’s charm will easily conquer you! We describe what we liked the most during our trip but we didn’t mention other attractions you could like. You can plan a long staying there and you won’t get bored. Stay for at least two days! We are sure, you won’t regret it! From now, we hope to get back one day! See you, beautiful Eger!

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