The Pentecost long weekend is a great time for a getaway. Take a break from spring fatigue and enjoy a memorable experience in Debrecen, where you’ll find everything you need to recharge your batteries. Here are the must-do activities!
- Get a bird’s eye view of downtown Debrecen! From the panorama walkway of the Reformed Great Church and the tower of the Reformed Small Church you will enjoy a wonderful panorama. While you’re there, take a look at the relics of governor-president Lajos Kossuth and the most precious treasure of the Great Church, an original copy of the first Hungarian Bible from the 16th century. In Debrecen’s oldest church, the Reformed Small Church, nicknamed the Truncated Church because of its truncated spire, listen to Europe’s most beautifully voiced organs.
- Stroll along Piac Street, once home to Debrecen’s famous wholesale fairs, admire the colorful merchants’ houses and downtown palaces, then relax by a cozy fountain in the main square or the intimate Déri Square. On the way, visit the spectacular murals that decorate the city center, which will tell you more secrets about Debrecen’s past and heritage.
- Fill up on visual experiences! Don’t miss the stunning Munkácsy trilogy, the local history exhibition entitled the World of the Cívis, and the temporary Hussar history exhibition in the Déri Museum, and the Reformed College Museum‘s Great Library, considered one of the most beautiful libraries in the world. Current exhibitions at the MODEM Center for Modern and Contemporary Art next door offer an exciting insight into monochrome painting and the art world of different generations.
- Take tram 1 from the historic city center to the Great Forest! On the way, get off at Simonyi út and walk under Debrecen’s most beautiful lime tree line, then continue along Medgyessy sétány, past turn-of-the-century villas and literary statues. Continuing along the flower carpeted Szabó Magda promenade in the middle of the park, you will reach the impressive main building of the University of Debrecen that reminds of the Versailles castles with a beautiful park in front of the building.
- Refresh yourself with a pleasant walk among the 100-year-old trees of the Nagyerdő (Great Forest), voted the most beautiful forest in Hungary, and then admire the surroundings from the lookout of the 110-year-old Nagyerdei Water Tower! When you’re tired, you can relax in the Water Tower Garden or on the shores of the Frog Lake in the middle of the Nagyerdei Park. If you like the view, come back after dark and admire the stadium and the water tower illuminated, or go to the open cinema of the Mist Theater, where you can watch giant water-sprayed image films and laser animations in the evenings!
- Located in the most beautiful part of the Great Forest, the Aquaticum SPA complex promises true physical and mental replenishment at any time of the year. The indoor aquapark, rich in lush tropical vegetation, features giant slides, adventure pools and family-friendly services, while the thermal baths offer pools with medicinal water and sauna sessions. Live guitar music, draught beers and freshly baked sausages will also be on offer at the outdoor pool of the thermal baths on Saturday 18 May at the Thermal & Beer event.
- Fly back to your childhood! Ride on the world’s smallest Ferris wheel, visit the enchanted castle and chase each other in the bumper cars in the amusement park, then walk over to the neighboring zoo and get up close to exotic species like the ring-tailed lemur, the Nile hippo and the giraffe with its jagged tail. For even more close-to-nature experiences, take a trip on the country’s oldest narrow-gauge railway, the 142-year-old Zsuzsi Forest Railway, which terminates at Hármashegyalja, where guided forest tours and interactive activities await you on Saturday 18 and Monday 20 May.
- On the Pentecost weekend, you can watch three exciting sporting events live in Debrecen. From 16 to 19 May, the 3×3 basketball Olympic qualification tournament will take place in the city’s main square in front of the imposing Reformed Great Church, with athletes from several nations taking part. On Saturday 18 May you can join a charity run or cheer on the runners, and on Monday 20 May you can watch 13 nations’ top clay motorcycle riders compete live in the Speedway Grand Prix qualifying race at the Perényi Pál Clay Motorcycle Track, where the World Championship title is at stake.
- If you want to discover the lesser known but just as exciting side of Debrecen, wander the winding streets of the old town, where you can soak up the atmosphere of centuries past. Strolling through the streets of districts called Szentlászlófalva, Mesterfalva and Debrecenfalva, you’ll discover countless old civic houses with massive gates and decorated facades. If you don’t know where to start, we’ll show you where some of the most beautiful civic houses are in the city.
