Unique Sights in Miskolc, Hungary: Insider Tips from a Local

I was born and spent the first 30 years of my life in Miskolc. This city in Northeast Hungary has never gotten enough love from tourists and travel books. Lonely Planet said that Miskolc, Hungary is not worth visiting. It is only a transport hub for exploring the region.

Sure, it was an industrial city during the communist era. It has been trying to reinvent itself ever since. Beyond the Soviet-style housing complexes, however, Miskolc has something remarkable to offer for many visitors. People of every age and interest can find things to do in Miskolc. Several sights of Miskolc are unique in the region and even in the world.

It has a public pool inside a cave, and its 12 km-long main street is the longest in Europe. Its stone theater was the first in the country. Miskolc hosts the Bartók Plusz Opera Festival, the most successful opera festival in the region. The largest iconostasis in Central Europe is in the Greek Orthodox Church of the Holy Trinity. The Herman Ottó Museum houses the most complete collection of minerals in Hungary. The Avas hill is unique in Hungary, as it rises in the middle of the city as a natural formation. Its centuries-old cellar system awaits those who wish to have fun.

So here’s my concrete proof that this concrete jungle is awesome!

Facts about Miskolc, Hungary

• It is in northeastern Hungary, 180 kilometers from Budapest, the capital.
• It is the fourth largest city of Hungary.
• The population of Miskolc is around 160k. Unfortunately, the population decreases as young people move to Budapest or Western Europe for better employment opportunities. 
• Miskolc has a university. The campus of the University of Miskolc contains more than 100 faculties, including Metallurgical Engineering, Information Science, Law, Economics, Arts, and Healthcare.
• The weather and climate: Miskolc (and Hungary in general) has 4 seasons. The temperatures drop below zero Celsius degrees in winter. −10 °C (13.5°F) is not uncommon from December to February. The summers are hot, with temperatures around 35-40°C (approx. 100 °F) for extended periods. The best time to visit is the spring and autumn. 
• The currency: Hungary is not the part of the euro zone. The currency is HUF, Hungarian Forint. For up-to-date exchance rates, click here.
• The area has been inhabited for 70,000 years.
• Pronunciation : ‘meesh-kolts’

Getting to Miskolc

You can rent a car, or train travel is relatively easy. Trains run every hour; the Budapest-Miskolc journey is around 2 hours. You know, in case the trains are not late. Actually, delays are so common that there is a joke about the Hungarian railway company, the MÁV. 

MÁV has 5 enemies.

The passengers and the 4 seasons.

For timetables and tickets, please refer to the homepage of MÁV.

Getting around Miskolc

The public transport system is well-organized. The buses are clean, and they run frequently and punctually. You can get to every part of the city by bus and tram.

For timetables, maps and ticket, please visit the public transport system website.

Taxis are also affordable, a trip between the train station and downtown is around 2000 HUFs (around 6 dollars).

Sights of Miskolc, Hungary

1. Downtown

Main Street

Main Street (Főutca) or Széchenyi street stretches from the Szinvapark Mall to the Városház square.
Széchenyi Street is one of the nine streets that, as a straight continuation of each other, run across almost the entire city in an east-west direction, forming 12 km of road. It is the longest main road in Europe.

Fun fact: Locals used to call the Széchenyi street Forint. It is the name of the Hungarian currency. Why name a street after money? Probably because this is the place to spend your Forints.

Theatre of Miskolc

The National Theatre of Miskolc was the first stone theatre in Hungary. It hosts the Opera Festival every summer, a major opera event in Central-Eastern Europe. It is also called “Bartók + … Opera Festival” because each year, it focuses on the works of Béla Bartók plus another composer. 

Avas

In the center of Miskolc rises the 234-meter high hill, the volcanic Avas. On the southern slopes of the Avas lies one of the biggest Soviet-style housing complexes of Hungary. 40 thousand people live here in grey concrete blocks. This is where I am from.

On the northern side, however, you can find the Historic Avas.

Avas

Here 800 cellars and wine houses line the side of the hill. The Baroque and Classicist-style cellars from the 18th and 19th centuries are still typical of Avas today.
The most well-known program in the district is the Avas Wine Tour, which revives the wine and cellar culture of the area. Dozens of local wineries await guests during the program.

To get to Avas, you can walk up to the cellars on some pretty steep stairs from the Erzsébet square.

Alternatively, you can take bus number 35 from the city center, and then descend to the cellars.
Either way, you will pass by the Avas Lookout Tower and the Reformed Church, the two symbols of the city.

The Gothic Protestant Church (or Reformed Church) dates back to the 13th century. It is the oldest building in the center of Miskolc and the fifth oldest church in Hungary. Originally it was built in Roman style. The thick-walled church was burned down during the Mongol invasion, and later it was rebuilt into a three-aisled, late Gothic-style hall church. The building has been standing ever since and is a popular destination for visitors to Miskolc. Unique in its architectural solutions and in its many centuries of history, the church dominates the view of Avas.
A separate bell tower stands next to the church. The 15-meter-high Renaissance belfry plays a melody every quarter of an hour.

A monumental cemetery completely surrounds the church and covers an area of ​​more than 10,900 m². It is the oldest tomb garden in Miskolc. The earliest tombstones date from the 17th century.

2. Miskolctapolca

It is not to be confused with Tapolca, a town near Lake Balaton in Western Hungary. Miskolctapolca is a bit far from the city center. The easiest way to get there is by bus number 2.

Cave Bath

Hungary is famous for its thermal baths and spas. The must-see sights for tourists in the Hungarian capital, Budapest, are the health spas. Now how about swimming in thermal and medicinal water inside a cave?

Here you can bathe in hundreds of thousands of year-old cave passages created by nature. You can take a dip in six pools, including two in thermal water. There are also hydro massage waterfalls, and sauna, and steam cabins. (The latter two for extra fees.)
Opening time and prices on their website.

Adventure Park

If you are more of a fan of active recreation, you can still find a program in Miskolctapolca. You can challenge yourself on 10-meter high tracks of the Adventure Tour Park, built in the forest. It is surrounded by the “Paddle boating lake”.

3. Diósgyőr

Diósgyőr used to be a different town, now it is the western part of Miskolc. Both tramlines (nr. 1 and 2) run between the city center and Diósgyőr. The journey takes about 15 minutes. The football team of Miskolc is also called Diósgyőr.

Castle of Diósgyőr

One of the oldest buildings in the city is the Diósgyőr Castle. It is known as the “Queens’ Castle” because it was the engagement gift for six queens.

You can explore the castle squares, the inner courtyard, the chapel, the queen’s hall, the knight’s hall, and the tower – either yourself or with the help of animators dressed in costumes.

Adjacent to the Diósgyőr Castle is the Knight’s Tournament Square. It hosts historical games, festivals, and theater performances.

Fairy Garden

At the foot of Diósgyőr Castle, a leisure park of unique beauty invites those wishing to hike. The official name of the area is Wow park, but the people of Miskolc prefer to call it Fairy Garden. The analogy is not unfounded, as its magnificent flowers and the charming little path that runs through it turn it into a real fairytale world.

4. Miskolc, Lillafüred

Lillafüred is located several kilometers from the downtown area. Buses number 5 and 15 run between Diósgyőr and Lillafüred.
It is one of the most beautiful settlements in Hungary with many attractions, including the two most important symbols of Lillafüred, Lake Hámori and the Palace Hotel. Lillafüred is one of the best mountain resorts in Hungary.

Lake Hámori

Lake Hámori is an artificially enlarged lake. It was formed due to the damming effect of the limestone tuff of the Szinva stream.

Lillafüred Palace Hotel

The Lillafüred Palace Hotel is on the shores of Lake Hámori. This 4-story Neo-Renaissance-style castle is surrounded by a hanging garden and park. It is a four-star superior hotel with cozy rooms and a wellness area.

Lillafüred waterfall

The Lillafüred waterfall is right next to the Palace Hotel. You can admire the stunning view of the waterfall from the hanging garden of the Palace Hotel.

Anna Cave

The entrance to the Anna Cave in Lillafüred is right next to the waterfall. The cave developed in limestone tuff from the waters of the Szinva spring. The limestone dissolved from the stream and was gradually deposited. Anna Cave is one of three limestone tuff caves in the world that can be visited by the general public.

St. Stephen stalactite cave

The entrance to the highly protected St. Stephen’s Cave is 500 meters from the Palace Hotel. The length of the walkable sections is 170 meters. The cavity is actually a spring cave formed by karst water.

Forest Railway

The Lillafüred Forest Railway is a narrow-gauge railway in and around Miskolc, Hungary.
The departure station of the light railway is in Miskolc, Kilián, and runs to Garadna, through Lillafüred.
The Lillafüred Forest Railway is one of the most spectacular railways in Hungary. It leads through steep hillsides, valley bridges, and tunnels.

Sightseeing in Miskolc on the cheap

The services in Miskolc (and in Hungary in general) are affordable for tourists from Western Europe and the USA. While in Budapest the prices approach Western European prices, in Miskolc, you can still find Eastern-block deals from the good ol’ days. You can still have a menu in a sit-down restaurant for 2000 HUF ($6,20 or €5,50 in the time of writing), or a beer for 400 HUF($1,50, €1,10).

Staying in Miskolc will be even cheaper and more comfortable with the Miskolc Pass tourist card.
You can enjoy 5 attractions, services, and public transportation free of charge and get several discounts (in restaurants, taxis and adventure parks.)
Tourist cards can be purchased online.

Hotels in Miskolc, Hungary

Since I know Miskolc like the back of my hand, I recommend only hotels and restaurants where I used to be a regular guest or an employee.

Hunguest Hotel Palota (Palotaszálló)

With its 1920s grandeur and rich history, the Palotaszálló is one of the most famous hotels in Hungary. It offers a wellness section, beauty salon, fitness room, two restaurants, and comfortable rooms. With its beautiful, prime location, it is, of course, on the pricy side.

Location: Miskolc, Lillafüred

Lévay Villa Hotel

This cozy hotel has affordable rates. It is in a quiet area yet within walking distance from downtown. It offers continental breakfast and great amenities. The staff is friendly and helpful.

Location: Miskolc, Downtown

Hotel Aurora

Just 800 meters from the Cave Bath, Hotel Aurora offers an indoor pool, a wellness areaand a restaurant. The rooms are elegantly furnished. The á la carte restaurant serves Hungarian and international dishes. The price usually includes half-board.

Location: Miskolctapolca

Places to eat and drink in Miskolc

Avasi Sörház

A couple of steps from the Old Reformed Church of Avas sits the Bavarian-style restaurant, the Sárga Sörház (Yellow Brewhouse). Despite the German-style benches, the menu is Hungarian. The house specialty is krumplilángos, a pizza-like flatbread with various toppings. The difference between pizza and krumplilángos is in the dough: the krumplilángos is made of krumpli (Hungarian for potatoes).

Creppy Palacsintaház

Despite the name, the dishes in the Creppy Pancake House are really yummy.
The name comes from the French crêpe ‘pancakes’. The restaurant took this simple street food to a whole new level. They have an extensive selection of sweet and savory pancakes, which are so big that they hardly fit on the plates. Besides pancakes, they have other dishes, but all of them contain pancakes in one way or another. For instance, soups are served with shredded pancakes instead of noodles.

Dűlő

This trendy fine-dining place downtown is for foodies. Their seasonal menus are always based on local ingredients, and they prepare the Hungarian staple dishes with a twist. The wine list is extensive; some items from small local cellars cannot be found anywhere else.

Thália Söröző

As the name suggests, this pub is right next to the theatre. Among all items on this list, Thália is my personal favorite. As a high school student, I used to come here for coffee and hot chocolate, and during college, Thália was the alpha and omega of Friday night pub crawls. With its few pub foods and extensive drink list, it might not be very special for someone who didn’t grow up in the place, but Thália has got a lot of things going for it. The prices are really affordable, the staff is friendly. During warm evenings, the terrace is the perfect place for people-watching.

Café Frei

Founded by a TV personality and globetrotter, Tamás Frei, Café Frei on Széchenyi street offers a journey around the globe. The beans are sourced from plantations from all over the world. Their coffees are prepared with authentic Italian, Arabic, Japanese, etc. methods. Frei Café has 70 different drinks, from Japanese drip coffees to Aztec chili espressos.

Sever Étterem (Restaurant)

This Turkish restaurant is the king (sultan) of tasty dishes, large portions, and reasonable prices. Located in the city center, it is always busy with locals having lunch and dinner. It has counter service, and the interior is simple. Despite its being a Turkish restaurant, you will always find Hungarian specialties (without pork). If you crave a 1000 HUF (3 dollar) döner kebab, this is the place to go.