Békés County: Castle Baths, Sausage, and the Körös
Travel guide · editorialIn the far southeast of Hungary, on the border with Romania, lies Békés County, with its wide fields and the winding arms of the Körös River. A trip to Békés County is worth it for the thermal baths, the sausage culture, and a landscape where storks nest on nearly every village chimney.
Towns and Sights
Gyula, known in German as Jula, has the only surviving medieval brick castle on the Great Plain. Right next to it, in the park, is the castle bath with thermal pools beneath old trees. The composer Ferenc Erkel was born here, and in summer the castle hosts theater performances. Békéscsaba, the county seat, was resettled by Slovaks in the 18th century, and traces of their heritage live on in churches and a country house museum. A museum here also commemorates the painter Mihály Munkácsy, who grew up in the town. In Szarvas, one of Hungary's most beautiful arboretums grows on the bank of a Körös oxbow, and near Békésszentandrás a weir dams the river into a popular boating area. Orosháza has Gyopárosfürdő, a bath on a small salt lake. Gyomaendrőd on the Hármas-Körös is a destination for anglers and canoeists, and the villages along the rivers are protected from flooding by levees, which now carry bike paths. If you want to experience the Great Plain in its original form, visit the salt meadows and steppes of Körös-Maros National Park, home to great bustards.
Sausage and Cuisine
Csaba sausage, spiced hot with paprika and air-dried for a long time, is just as famous as Gyula sausage. In October, thousands gather in Békéscsaba for the Csaba Sausage Festival, where teams compete at seasoning and stuffing. Add to that fish dishes from the Körös and dishes from the Slovak minority, such as cabbage soup and poppy seed noodles. In Gyula, a visit to the Százéves pastry shop, one of the oldest in the country, is a must.
Getting There and Best Time to Visit
Békéscsaba is on the Budapest–Arad rail line and can be reached in about two and a half hours. The best time to visit is May through September for the baths and boat trips, and October for the sausage festival.