Debrecen’s biggest festival, the one-week-long Debrecen Flower Carnival starts on August 14. If you happen to be in Debrecen during the carnival week – 14 to 21 August – take the opportunity between two events to explore Debrecen’s rich historic, cultural and culinary heritage. How? Here are our tips.
If you are a culture vulture,
- visit Debrecen’s iconic buildings and museums:
- the Reformed Great Church,
- the Museum of the Reformed College of Debrecen,
- the Déri Museum,
- the Small Reformed Church,
- or just walk down the main street (Piac utca) and admire the spectacular facades of old trading houses and the spectacular palaces. Don’t miss the beautiful rose palace at the corner of Kossuth utca which was the Headquarters of the First Savings Bank of Debrecen or the building of the old Hungária Café at the corner of Arany János utca that now gives home to a McDonald’s.
If you like arts,
you can choose from various exhibitions. We recommend you the following:
- Press Photo Exhibition on Csapó utca,
- “Re:re (Artistic re-enactments, the art of re-enactment)” and “Along the Line” contemporary exhibitions at MODEM Center for Modern and Contemporary Art,
- the exhibition of the Budapest Illustration Festival in Kölcsey Központ starting on August 16,
- the Botanica flower and gardening expo and fair in Kölcsey Központ starting on August 17,
- Déri Museum’s new local history exhibition entitled “Who is the Cívis?”,
- the amazing Christ Trilogy of painter Mihály Munkácsy in Déri Museum.
If you need some refreshment,
- go for a walk in the Nagyerdei Park, Debrecen’s city park that is within easy reach from the city center by tram no. 1 (10 min) or on foot (20 min),
- visit the university botanical gardens located behind the main building of the university in Nagyerdő,
- explore the city’s many fountains and green piazzas on a pleasant walk – don’t miss the one on Déri tér, and the biggest one on Egyetem tér,
- go and visit Zoo Debrecen where you can see 900 individuals of 200 animal species including a new-born red panda and the funny ring-tailed lemurs,
- or just hang out on a nice terrace and enjoy sunshine with a good coffee or a drink – Black Sheep on Csapó utca, Mokka on Hal köz, Volt Egyszer on Piac utca are among the most popular coffee shops among locals.
If you want to have some fun or go out at night,
- enjoy the many events of the Debrecen Flower Carnival that include concerts on the main square every night, dance performances on the squares of the city center every afternoon, or the beer festival on the shore of Lake Békás in Nagyerdei Park,
- go for a drink (or two) on Debrecen’s bar street, Simonffy utca or on the terrace of the Nagyerdei Water Tower, one of Debrecen’s coolest places,
- go partying in Debrecen’s favorite club, Roncsbár (Ruin Bar) that will amaze you with its unique design,
- explore the watery adventures of Aquaticum Strand considered to be the most modern outdoor aquapark in Hungary.
If you are interested in Hungarian cuisine,
- try traditional dishes like goulash, stuffed cabbage, or Debrecen double sausage. These are the restaurants where you are most likely to find them in the menu.
- Régi Posta Étterem,
- Flaska Étterem,
- Ikon Étterem,
- Csokonai Étterem,
- Reskontó Étterem.
- If you prefer something light or takeaway, you can choose from a variety of street food from burgers through tacos to gyros. Head Simonffy utca where there is a big selection of bistros and street food bars or Fórum shopping mall’s food counters on floor 2.
If you would like to go shopping,
- head straight to Fórum shopping mall on Csapó utca that offers a great selection of international street fashion brands,
- go to the Hungarian Souvenirs’ shop on Kálvin tér (next to Centrum Hotel),
- or look for the outdoor artisan markets held in the city center on the carnival week.
