Day 2: Hortobágy and the Puszta

The next morning, we continued on to Hajdúszoboszló, where we had booked an apartment for two nights.

It was very spacious and left nothing to be desired. There were three beds in total, a well-equipped kitchen, and a small balcony that offered access to the garden.

After settling in, we set off for Hortobágy, the main town of the national park of the same name and the gateway to the Puszta.

Hortobágy is a charming little village with winding alleys and traditional farmhouses. However, it hasn’t been a hidden gem for some time now. Many tourists visit the village every year.

At the entrance to the village, you’ll find countless souvenir shops, though most offer cheap mass-produced items rather than genuine handicrafts. But if you keep your eyes open, you can still find the real thing – it just takes more effort than it used to.

In Hortobágy, we first treated ourselves to some delicious lángos and kürtőskalács. Then we browsed through a few souvenir shops.

Finally, we set off on a walk. Our destination was the famous Nine-Arch Bridge, the longest stone bridge in Hungary. It’s located right at the entrance to Hortobágy, less than a ten-minute walk from the center.

The Puszta is the largest steppe region in Central Europe. It stretches almost endlessly to the horizon. Along the way, you’ll see the typical farmsteads again and again.

Many rare animals and birds live here, including the famous wild horses.

The landscape feels harsh. Strong winds are common, and heavy rains are not unusual either. These rains feed the rivers that run through the Puszta.

The sunsets here are also unique – provided the skies are clear. Unfortunately, we weren’t so lucky. When we arrived in Hortobágy, it was pouring with rain. Although the rain later stopped, and the sun even made a brief appearance, dark clouds rolled in again toward the evening.

Since we were starting to feel quite hungry, we went looking for a restaurant.

In the center of Hajdúszoboszló, we discovered a tavern specializing in all kinds of pancakes (palacsinta). We stopped in and didn’t regret it. There was an endless variety of pancakes – both savory and sweet.

The meal was accompanied by wonderful wine.

After dinner, we ended the evening with a relaxing walk to aid digestion.