Szeged guide 
Sights and monuments - Here you will find out which sights and attractions you should not miss in Szeged: Votive Church, New Synagogue, Pick's Salami Museum,...
Accommodation - Do you prefer a hotel or a guesthouse? Do you want to stay right in the city center or rather in a quiet place, further away from the city?
Food and drink – The most famous local dish goulash comes from here as well as Pick's Hungarian salami.
Practical advice - How to get to Szeged, what about public transport and cycle paths? You can also read here about local festivals, opening times and the like.
Weather - Why is Szeged called "the city of the sun"? What temperatures to expect in summer and winter?
Celebrities - Which famous personalities lived and worked in Szeged?
AI poem - What has artificial intelligence invented about Szeged and its history?
Szeged is located in the south of Hungary. It became famous as the "city of the sun" thanks to the high number of sunny days. It is located on the Tisa River, close to the borders with Serbia and Romania. Around 160,000 people live in Hungary's fourth largest city.
The history of the city dates back to ancient times. During the Roman Empire, the settlement of Partiscum was located here. The strategic location on the Tisa River helped Szeged to become an important commercial center in the region.
In 1241, the city was ravaged by Mongol invaders, but King Béla IV. he had it rebuilt after these events. In the 14th century, the city became one of the largest and richest in Hungary, mainly thanks to the thriving trade in cattle, salt and grain.
In the 16th century, during Ottoman rule, Szeged came under Turkish control, as did much of Hungary. After the liberation of the city from the Habsburgs in 1686, Szeged became part of the Austrian monarchy, and in the 18th century it began to grow again as a trade and craft center.
As an important cultural and educational center, the city is home to the University of Szeged, which is one of the most prestigious in the country.
Szeged is famous for its Szeged goulash, a traditional Hungarian dish made from pork, flavored with the characteristic Hungarian paprika.
The city hosts a number of festivals, including the famous Szeged Open Air Festival, which takes place every summer in Dóm tér square, home to the magnificent cathedral (Votive Church).
In 1879, Szeged was hit hard by a flood that almost razed the city to the ground, but it was subsequently rebuilt in a modern style. Today, tourists come to the city for its rich history, architecture and great gastronomy.
Sights and attractions
Dóm tér (square) and Votive Church - The Votive Church or Szeged Cathedral (Fogadalmi Templom in Hungarian) dominates Szeged and stands on Dóm tér, one of the largest squares in Central Europe. The church was built after the great flood in 1879 as a symbol of gratitude for the restoration of the city. This impressive neo-Romanesque building is dominated by two tall towers.
The New Synagogue - The New Synagogue of Szeged is one of the most beautiful and the second largest synagogue in Hungary. They built it in 1907 in Art Nouveau style with elements of Moorish and Gothic architecture. It is among the important monuments of Hungarian Jewish culture.
Szeged National Theater (Szegedi Nemzeti Színház) - This historic theater was built in 1883 and still plays a key role in the cultural life of the city. The theater hosts operas, ballets and plays. It is housed in a magnificent neo-Renaissance building.
Ferenc Móra Museum - Named after the prominent Hungarian writer Ferenc Móra, this museum is housed in a 19th-century building. The museum's collections include archaeological finds, ethnographic objects and works of art that document the history and culture of Szeged and its surroundings.
Segedín Castle (Szegedi Vár) – Today we can only admire the remains of the medieval castle built in the 13th century. The castle played an important role in the defense of the city. It was partially demolished in the 19th century, but its remains today serve as a historical site that recalls the importance of Szeged in past centuries.
Anna Fürdő (Anna's Spa) – There are also thermal springs in Szeged. The Anna Fürdő Spa is one of the most popular spa complexes in the city. The spa dates back to the 19th century and offers relaxation in healing water with a view of historic architecture.
Széchenyi Square - This square, the main center of city life, is surrounded by beautiful buildings, including the Town Hall. In the park in the middle of the square there are monuments to important personalities and fountains, which makes it a pleasant place to relax. Various events such as Christmas markets and a wine festival are held here.
Pick's salami museum - The world-famous Hungarian Pick's salami comes from Szeged. This museum will introduce you to the history of the production of this traditional Hungarian sausage product, which has been produced here since 1869.
Szeged University Botanical Garden - This beautiful botanical garden offers visitors walks among rare plants, trees and greenhouses. You can go here not only for relaxation, but also for education.
Accommodations
In Szeged, it offers almost 400 different accommodation capacities. In terms of number, apartments lead again. But you will also find plenty of quality hotels and guesthouses here. Those who come to Szeged with a larger group can rent an entire house or villa. If you come in summer, you can choose accommodation with a swimming pool.
Among the many great 4* hotels in Szeged, we can choose, for example, the relatively cheap Hotel Gerardus, which is located about 2 km from the city center. In addition to breakfast included in the price, it also offers the option of half board. Here you can use the wellness center with sauna, free private parking, restaurant, bar, garden, children's playground or sunny terrace. At the 24/7 reception, you can use concierge services, luggage storage or arrange transfers.
If you prefer to stay in an apartment right in the city center, check out the Noir Hotel. All apartments or studios have their own kitchen, you can order breakfast. You can choose from a studio for 1 or 2 people to a 2-bedroom apartment for 6 people. You can relax on the terrace, you can park for a fee in the private parking lot.
The Vándor Vendégház guesthouse offers cheap accommodation a short distance from the city center. All guests can use the shared kitchen or terrace. You can park on the street in front of the guesthouse, reservation is not necessary.
The classic guesthouse Kálmán Panzió is located 2 km from the city center. Guests have free private parking, a garden and a terrace. During the day, you can go for tea or coffee at any time or you can play table tennis. All rooms have a fridge and kettle.
For a complete offer of accommodation in Szeged, we recommend using A-HOTEL.com. You can also use Booking.com.
Typical food and drink
In Szeged, they love spicy cuisine and traditional ingredients, with paprika playing a key role in most local dishes. If you have the opportunity to visit the city, be sure to try the local specialties.
Pick's Hungarian salami - Pick Szalámi, the world-famous salami, has been produced in Szeged since 1869. It is a durable pork salami, lightly seasoned and air-dried. It has a characteristic white mold on the surface and is popular not only throughout Hungary.
Halászlé (fish soup) - This thick fish soup is one of the most typical dishes of the area around the Tisza River. It is prepared from various types of fish (mainly carp and catfish) and flavored with paprika, which gives it its characteristic deep red color.
Paprikás csirke (Paprika chicken) – Other classic dishes popular in Szeged include paprika chicken.. The chicken is stewed with onions, sweet Hungarian paprika and usually served with gnocchi or pasta.
Szegedin goulash (Szegedi gulyás) - The traditional Hungarian goulash, rich in beef, onion, garlic and, of course, paprika, comes from Szeged.
Practical advice for the trip
You can get to Szeged from Budapest by train or bus. The train journey takes approximately 2 hours. If you are arriving by car, the town is close to the M5 motorway, making it easy to get to.
Segedín has good urban transport in the form of buses, trams and trolleybuses. You can buy tickets at vending machines or newsagents. If you plan to use public transport often, you can buy an all-day ticket.
You can easily walk through the center of Szeged. The city also has a well-developed network of cycle paths.
You can pay by card in most restaurants, shops and hotels, but we recommend that you also carry cash - it can be especially useful in markets and smaller places. Exchange offices can be found in the city center and at major transport hubs.
You can usually communicate in English in tourist areas, especially in restaurants, hotels and museums. But it's better to learn a few basic Hungarian phrases to help you communicate with the locals.
Segedín offers many traditional Hungarian restaurants where you can try local specialties such as halászlé (fish soup), goulash and Pick's salami.
If you prefer lighter meals, Segedín also has plenty of international restaurants and cafes serving pasta, pizza and more.
Most shops open Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 18:00 and on Saturdays until 13:00. Some smaller shops are closed on Sundays. Restaurants and cafes have longer opening hours, especially in tourist areas.
Every summer, Dóm tér Square hosts a spectacular open-air theater and music festival that attracts thousands of visitors. The Szeged Open Air Festival (Szegedi Szabadtéri Játékok) includes performances of classical operas, ballets and modern plays.
Other important events include the Szeged Wine Festival, which takes place every spring and attracts Hungarian wine lovers.
If you like an active holiday, you can enjoy walking around the Tisza River, where there are several parks and recreation areas. Or you can walk through the Ópusztaszer National Historical Park. This important historical and cultural site is located approximately 25 km northwest of the city of Szeged. Here you can see the open-air museum, historical and cultural exhibitions commemorating the founding of Hungary.
Weather
Szeged has a continental climate characterized by hot summers and cold winters.
Temperatures often reach 30–35 °C in summer. The city tends to be very hot, especially in July and August. It doesn't rain often in the summer months, but there are occasional thunderstorms.
In winter, temperatures can drop below freezing, with average temperatures around 0 °C, and snow often occurs.
In spring and autumn, the temperatures are around 15-20 °C, so we recommend these months for visiting the city.
Famous personalities associated with Szeged
Ferenc Móra (1879–1934) – famous Hungarian writer, journalist and archaeologist. Móra wrote many works focusing on Hungarian history and culture. He also managed the Museum in Szeged, which was later named after him.
Albert Szent-Györgyi (1893–1986) – scientist, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his groundbreaking research on vitamin C and citric acid. In Szeged, they named a medical university after him.
Attila József (1905–1937) – an important Hungarian poet, one of the most important authors of Hungarian modern poetry. He studied at the university in Szeged and several of his poems reflect the atmosphere and cultural life of the city.
Zoltán Kodály (1882–1967) – world-renowned composer, pedagogue and ethnomusicologist. The city of Segedín played an important role in his career thanks to the cultural activities and music festivals organized there.
Gyula Juhász (1883–1937) – poet and member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, a prominent man of letters who is often associated with Szeged, where he spent most of his life. His poetry has a strong regional and national character.
A poem about Szeged and its history created by artificial intelligence
Szeged, the old city, glitters on the Tisza,
in his heart stories that time hardly erases,
long ago, in the depths of history,
he has lived through wars, storms and moments of glorious glory.
The Romans built their first steps here,
there were kings, even Turkish years,
he stood in the floods, the storm afflicted him,
but Szegedin always rose from the ashes.
In the year eighty-three, the water flooded everything,
the city groaned, lost in ruins,
but rose again, with a new face,
with firm faith in the future, which still shines.
Szeged today is blooming, pulsating with life,
with a tower on a dome that reaches to the sky,
the streets smell of paprika and history,
a proud city that wrote its history in stone.