Nógrád County: Hollókő, Castles, and Palóc Country
Travel guide · editorialNógrád County on the Slovak border is one of the least-visited parts of Hungary, which is exactly why it's worth the trip. Forested volcanic hills, castle ruins, and the village of Hollókő with its living folk culture shape the land of the Palóc.
Hollókő and the Palóc
Hollókő is a street village of whitewashed wooden houses beneath a castle ruin and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987. Its residents belong to the Palóc ethnic group, whose traditional costumes with embroidered skirts and bonnets are worn at Easter and during village festivals. Hollókő's Easter festival, with its procession and water sprinkling, draws many visitors. The houses hold small museums, workshops, and inns.
Salgótarján and the Castles
Salgótarján, the county seat, grew in the 19th century with coal mining; a mining museum recalls that era. Two castle ruins perch on basalt cones above the city: Salgó, where the poet Sándor Petőfi wrote a famous poem, and Somoskő, right on the border, with its basalt waterfall of columnar rock. The area is part of the cross-border Novohrad–Nógrád UNESCO Geopark. Balassagyarmat on the Ipoly River is home to the Palóc Museum, with costumes and folk art. In the south of the county you'll find Szécsény, with the Forgách Mansion and a small old town, and Ipolytarnóc, where an educational trail leads to fossilized footprints of prehistoric animals and a fossil giant tree beneath a layer of volcanic ash. The west borders the Börzsöny, whose forests belong to Danube-Ipoly National Park. Ruins from the era of the Turkish wars stand at Drégely Castle and in Nógrád, the village that gave the county its name.
Food and Best Time to Visit
Palóc soup, made with lamb, green beans, and sour cream, bears the region's name and appears on nearly every menu here, served alongside strudel and pogácsa. Many families stick to the old recipes, especially for weddings and church fairs. Salgótarján lies about two hours northeast of Budapest. The best time to visit is April through October, especially Easter, with its old customs in Hollókő, and autumn for hiking in the Cserhát.