6 Best Sights in Eger, Hungary

Built after the devastating Tatar invasion of 1241–42, Eger's castle is inspired by the mighty fortresses seen by Béla IV in Italy and Western Europe. An imposing Romanesque cathedral was built within the castle walls, then later rebuilt in Gothic style, though today only its foundations remain. The casemates—a labyrinth of underground tunnels hewn in the 16th century by Italian engineers and used in the war against the Ottomans, when hundreds of defenders raced back and forth so the attackers would think there were thousands of them—now display many of the cathedral's surviving artifacts. Elsewhere, the Gothic-style Püspök Ház (Bishop's House) contains the castle museum, with exhibitions on local history and culture. Look out also for the statue of St. Stephen watching over the cathedral ruins; the Ágyúdomb (Cannon Hill) with its sweeping views of Eger; and—for an extra fee—the Panoptikum (Wax Museum) with characters from the historical novel Eclipse of the Crescent Moon. The Palotaudvar (Palace Courtyard) regularly hosts live music concerts.

Not interested in the exhibitions? Come once they have closed—after 5:30 pm in high season, or after 3:30 pm (or all day Monday) in low season—and you'll pay less than half the entrance fee.

It may be a 30-minute walk (or 10-minute drive) from the center of town, but no trip to Eger is complete without a visit to the wonderful Szépasszony-völgy (literally "Valley of the Beautiful Woman"). Eger wine is renowned within and beyond Hungary, and this wine-growing area on the southwestern edge of Eger's city limits is the place to sample the best vintages. Literally hundreds of small wine cellars (some of them literally holes-in-the-wall) stand open and inviting in warm weather, and a few are open in winter, too. You may be given a tour of the cellar, and wines will be tapped from the barrel into your glass by the vintners themselves at the tiniest cost (but it's prudent to inquire politely how much it will cost before imbibing). Make sure you sample the area's best-known variety, Egri Bikavér (Bull's Blood of Eger), a full-bodied red wine, as well as other outstanding vintages like the delightful dry white Leányka, the dark red dessert wine Medoc Noir, and the sweeter white Muskotály.

The grand, Neoclassical Eger Bazilika, built in the center of town early in the 19th century, is the second-largest cathedral in Hungary after Esztergom (which was built later by the same architect, József Hild). Its beautiful exterior is approached by a split stairway flanked by statues of four saints—Stephen, László, Peter, and Paul—offering views across leafy Eszterházy Square to the similarly monolithic Lyceum building. But it's the interior of the Bazilika that really takes the breath away, with its carved biblical reliefs by Italian sculptor Marco Casagrande set beneath a soaring dome. Visiting on a Sunday, June through October? Stop by for the delightful half-hour organ recital, held at 12:45 pm.

Eger's picturesque main square is marked by the dominating statue of the eponymous Baron István Dobó, hero of the 1552 Siege of Eger. Created in the early 20th century by Alajos Stróbl, the statue depicts Dobó holding a sword aloft and flanked by other defenders of Eger Castle against the Ottoman invaders. Also on the square is the beautiful, pale-pink Minorita templom. With its twin spires and finely carved pulpit, pews, and beautiful ceiling frescoes, this Minorite Church is considered one of the finest baroque buildings in Central Europe.

The Kisvonat, a miniature tram on wheels that looks like a train, leaves from Dobó tér every hour on the hour for an approximately 40-minute tour of Eger's historical sights.

A long-standing reminder of Ottoman rule in Hungary, this 40-meter-high minaret was originally built in the early 1600s as part of the larger Djami of Kethuda mosque. Today it stands all alone, capped with an obvious Christian cross. Meanwhile, the small platform once used for the Muslim call to prayer is instead crowded with tourists who have climbed the 97 spiral stairs to enjoy fine panoramic views of the city.