Discover the Spellbinding Beauty of the Körös Region in the South

Along the more than one hundred-kilometer waterway, you can plunge into an undisturbed wild romance, where river estuaries and lush, green walls of vegetation surround the landscape. The towns of Békéscsaba, Gyula, and Békés are great starting locations for water tours with a special atmosphere, as is Holt-Körös, located between Szarvas and Békésszentandrás, which is the fifth largest still water in the country.

You can also discover fabulous places beyond the water world as well, for instance in two castles nearby, only a short drive away from each other.

The walls of the Almásy Castle in Gyula are not only permeated with the captivating story of composer Ferenc Erkel, painter Mihály Munkácsy, and the 1849 revolutionary martyrs of Arad.

In the impressive building complex, you can also learn about the secret lives of the lords and staff through an exciting, interactive exhibition.

Almásy Mansion in Gyula. Photo: Facebook/Gyulai Almásy-kastély Látogatóközpont

Entering the Wenckheim Castle in the village of Szabadkígyós through the elegant, original main entrance as the guests of the Count Wenckheim family once did, is also an extraordinary experience. On top of that, you can also get a glimpse of the beautiful English park around the building free of charge. The Wenckheim Cycle Path leading to the castle was awarded the title of Cycle Path of the Year in 2023.

The Kígyósi Puszta (Plainland) is also called the Hortobágy of the Körös region, where the sight of grazing herds of grey cattle and flocks of sheep at sunset over the Great Plain awaits.

Those who would like to see even more animals should visit the Körösvölgyi Animal Park.

The Annaliget hiking trail, full of centuries-old trees, is home to more than fifty species of animals, including European bison, griffon vultures, elk, and the European grey wolf. 

If you leave the water and the land behind, you can visit the Erzsébet Liget canopy walk in Gyomaendrőd. Walk up to the 15-meter-high lookout tower of the specially designed nature trail, which is more than a thousand meters long and winds around the trees, from where you can peer into the canopy world. Unique new technologies and interactive boards bring the life of trees and their inhabitants closer to you.

Extra hiking tip:  A nearly five-hour long water adventure awaits you alongside the Körös River. The Fekete-Körös, starts at the towns of Sarkad-Kopolya and winds along the Mályvádi Forest. End at the Gyula-Városerdő recreation area, a popular resting place with its sandy beach free of charge. From there, make your way to neighboring Szanazug, to see the estuaries of Fehér- and Fekete-Körös branches unite.

Via turizmus.com; Featured image: Facebook/Mini Magyarország Szarvas