Békés: Water, Nature and Culture

This can help you first decide whether water activities and the town itself, or a broader regional focus, will shape your trip.

Water and Exhibition Venues in the Town of Békés

At Dánfok Free Beach, fishing is possible in an area separated from swimmers. State and local permits are required, so check these requirements before fishing. The Dánfok Holiday Centre is suitable for cycling and water tours. This means the town offers different activity options: fishing with the required permits, and tours by bicycle or on the water.

The Békés small-boat harbour is on the Békés stretch of the Kettős Körös, on the bank between Dánfok and the weir.

The Jantyik Mátyás Museum of Békés comprises four exhibition venues: the Békés Gallery, the Nagyház, the Tájház (Békés House) and the Iskolamesteri Lakás. A museum visit therefore spans several locations rather than a single exhibition venue. Access to each house may vary; check the visiting arrangements for each location if you are planning a specific visit.

Nature Experiences in the Wider Békés Destination

The wider Békés destination offers different ways to experience nature. The Körösvölgyi Animal Park includes a 26-hectare grove with a walking trail about two kilometres long. Along the trail are aviaries, animal houses, wetlands and spacious enclosures. This is a different way to experience the landscape from the Jégmadár Water Nature Trail, which starts at the Animal Park’s pier and follows a one-kilometre stretch of the Szarvas–Békésszentandrás oxbow lake.

Eight floating buoy stations on the Jégmadár Water Nature Trail provide information about the oxbow lake and its wildlife and plant life, mainly for canoeists and rowboaters without an expert guide. The trail is accessible only by canoe or boat. Those looking at the region’s walking options will also find the Réhely Trail, which starts and ends at the Sterbetz István Bustard Conservation Visitor Centre. The Mágor-puszta Trail is just over 500 metres long and introduces visitors to the natural and cultural-historical values of the protected area.

At the Sterbetz István Bustard Conservation Visitor Centre, visitors can see great bustards up close only here in Hungary. Expert-led tours, birdwatching, nature photography, themed programmes and astronomy presentations are available on request. When planning, nature lovers can therefore choose between an independent water tour, walking trails and activities arranged through the visitor centre.

Birdlife and Recurring Events

The Kardoskút Bird Migration Museum presents the phenomenon of bird migration and the region’s distinctive plant and animal life in an interactive exhibition. Kardoskút Fehértó is an internationally recognised wetland and has been protected under the Ramsar Convention since 1979. Two observation towers make it easier to watch the birds there. The museum, protected area and towers each have a different focus: interactive interpretation of bird migration, the wetland’s protected status and on-site birdwatching.

Bihari Táj Napja takes place every year on the third weekend of May. Visitors can see wild orchids growing in the Ugrai Meadow, learn about the birdlife at the Biharugra fishponds on an expert-led tour, and take part in other educational and cultural programmes. Bihari Madárvárta is three kilometres from the centre of Biharugra and can be reached by paved road.

Culture and Regional Routes

The cultural attractions of the wider Békés destination also offer a variety of experiences. Gyula Castle was built in the 15th century and is now the only intact lowland brick castle in Central and Eastern Europe. In Békéscsaba, the collection of the Munkácsy Mihály Museum includes natural history, archaeological, ethnographic, historical and art-historical objects. CsabaPark is a gastronomic event centre that preserves, celebrates and showcases the traditions of making Csabai sausage; it is also the venue for the Csabai Sausage Festival.

For cycling, the wider Békés destination offers the Wenckheim Tourist and Cycle Route. This themed cycle route highlights the region’s cultural monuments as well as its natural and distinctive landscape values. Together with the walking and water trails, it offers another perspective on regional travel options, without requiring the individual destinations to be connected into a fixed route.

When choosing accommodation, you can first decide whether you want to focus mainly on the town of Békés, with its water activities and museum venues, or also include the nature and culture of the wider destination. Then find hotels in Békés to suit your travel plans.

Discover more destinations: Mezőberény, Doboz, Köröstarcsa, Bélmegyer.

Go to the wider travel overview: Békés.