Pécs
History
Founded as Sophianae 2000 years ago by the Romans and known as Fünfkirchen by the Germans, today's Pécs is a pleasant small (but still one of the largest in Hungary) university town that has largely escaped the ravages of both communist-era architecture and modern-day mass tourism. In 2000, the Early Christian Necropolis of Pécs was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Get around
Pecs is only 40 minutes away from the farm by car. The road leads through the beautiful Mecsek mountains. The core of Pécs is small enough to cover on foot, but for those who wish to explore the town, there is a cheap and efficient bus service, single tickets are available for 170ft from the driver or 130ft from the many kiosks dotted around the city. Make sure you have tickets, the bus inspectors have no mercy and will fine clueless foreigners.
To visit the impressive communist era TV tower catch the (infrequent) number 35 or 35A to Misna (the last stop), from the Train Station or Korhaz Ter (Hospital Square).
Sights to see
Inside the Catholic Church (which was once a mosque)Mosque Church. Széchenyi tér. Formerly the Pasha Gazi Kassim Mosque, this Ottoman-era mosque was converted into a Catholic church by the simple expedient of hanging a crucified Jesus above the mihrab (the prayer niche pointing to Mecca). Even the original Arabic inscriptions inside the niche remain intact.
The Cathedral (Székesegyház). The most important, largest and beautiful religious building in the area. Not forget to visit the sixth-century Christian tombs (these are parts of the World Heritage), with magnificent wall paintings.
Television tower. Open for visitors; provides a nice panorama on the city, on the neighbouring Mecsek Mountains, and on the hills in the south.
Vasarely Museum, dedicated to the works of Victor Vasarely, founder of op-art.
Csontváry Museum, a museum featuring the paintings of Tivadar Csontváry Kosztka, a visionary painter from the early 20th century.
Buy
Pécs' most famous local product is Zsolnay porcelain, covered with a distinctive green-gold glaze known as eosin.
Restaurants
Király utca is packed with restaurants and cafes, many with attractive outdoor terraces in summer.
Áfium, Irgalmasok utcája. Serves Hungarian traditional dishes. Specialty: bean soup with a hat (fried dough on top of a ceramic bowl). Occasionally long waiting time.
Arizona Restaurant. Serves the best beef steak in town.
Caesar Pince, next to the cathedral. This special restaurant with a more exclusive atmosphere is situated in the same building as the Pannonia Champagne Factory, and shows you the beauty of the old Roman cellars.
Replay Café. A wide variety of small dishes.
Kor-Hely. Known for traditional rural cusisine and a few mexican dishes.
Menta. Reform food and vegetarian.
Semiramis. Cafe with a good selection of arabica coffee, chocolates and assorted sweets.
Caflish café and confectionery. Established 1789, has a classical atmosphere.
Drink
Pécs is known for its sparkling wines.
Pannonia Champagne Factory (Pannonia pezsgogyár). Hungary's first champagne factory, founded in 1859 by Lorinc Littke and still producing sparkling wine under the Pannonia label. The facility is a tourist attraction, with a 5-story underground labyrinth of caves and cellars.
Get out
In the early evening students gather at Replay Café, Apollo or Los Bongos in the city center. For late night clubbing you should ask the taxi drivers at Széchenyi Tér where to go. No one are more updated than them about nightlife in Pécs.
