A Day Trip to Sopron - An Old Roman Hungarian Town

Colourful touristy town of Sopron

Sopron is located in the north-western corner of Hungary, at the foot of the Alps.

A small outpost of the Roman Empire, called Scarbantia stood where Sopron is today. Its public square was located where the main square of Sopron can be found today. Its Roman city walls have been excavated and are right next to the old town main square. The Hungarians arrived at the deserted Scarbantia during the 9th and 11th century. They reinstated the old Roman city walls, built a castle and called this town ‘Suprun’. The Ottomans ravaged the city in 16th century, the city was also destroyed by a fire in the 17th century. The fire destroyed a lot of the medieval architecture. It also survived multiple bombings during the World War II. However, what survived is the architecture of the old section of town; the excavated foundations from the Roman Empire along with the beautiful mix of Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque structures. Today Sopron is known for its beautiful old architecture, its affordable dental treatments as well its wines!

Fire tower and Gate of Faithfulness

Fire Tower (Tuztorony)

The fire tower symbolizes the town. It was built upon the ruins of Roman walls and is 58-60 metres tall. The main body of the tower is medieval, its balcony and clock tower are Renaissance, its onion dome is Baroque, all nodding to the different periods of restoration after the infamous fire of 1676, when the upper part of the tower burned down completely. You can climb its 200 spiral stairs, to reach the round balcony which offers an unparalleled panoramic view of the town centre and surroundings and even the Alps on a clear day!

Back in the day, the guards of the tower alerted the town inhabitants of advancing soldiers, wine caravans and any fires. They also sounded their trumpets every quarter of an hour from the balcony. Apart of this they were important part of the community and played music at weddings, festivals as well as funerals.

In the 1921 referendum on the redistribution of borders after the First World War, the inhabitants of the city decided for Sopron to be with Hungary. In honour of this, "Gate of Faithfulness" was installed and decorated with the motto "Civitas Fidelissima" (most faithful citizens).

Inside of Goad Church

Goat Church

This church was built by Franciscan monks in the late 13th century and is located on the southern side of Sopron’s main square, in the centre of the city. It has a Gothic exterior and Baroque interior (resulting from the restoration work needed after the fire of 1676 in Sopron).

In the 18th century, following the dissolution of the Franciscan order, the monastery was closed and a part of it was converted into a hay barn. In the early 19th century, the monastery was restarted by Benedictine monks.

The name comes from a legend that says the church had been built from the treasure unearthed by a goatherd. You can see the depiction of a goat being held by an angel on one of the church’s pillars. It is also said that the funding came from some Henrik Geissel who donated the money as repentance for murdering his family.

The church has grotesque stone carvings, animals with human heads, which represents deadly sins of man. The three naves still retain its original Gothic style after all the restorations. The bell tower is an amazing example of Gothic architecture in Hungary. The baroque marble pulpit and the Széchenyi tomb show the mix of architectural styles that exits today.

The church has witnessed 5 parliament meetings, coronations of 3 kings and queens, as well as been the burial place for the nobility. The most recent renovation happened in 2011, during which a permanent interactive exhibition of cultural and architectural history was installed, which didn’t work when we visited.

The walking path or the Bailey Promenade alongside the medieval wall

Bailey Promenade

The Bailey Promenade surrounds the medieval walls of the Old Town formed in the former moat of the castle wall. Starting near the Fire Tower and following the route of Sopron's medieval town walls, the Bailey Promenade makes for a beautiful stroll, allowing us to stop and marvel at the 1600 years of history. The castle wall today has been completely incorporated into the town, with residential palaces as well as narrow buildings propping up on the filled moat.

There are information boards along the trail, take time to walk and stop and even enjoy a drink at one of quirky shops along the way!

Holy Trinity Statue with the Goat Church in the backdrop

Holy Trinity Statue

This imposing Baroque statue represents the Holy Trinity, the Father, the Son, the dove of the Holy Spirit among golden rays, The monument is located at the main square in the middle of the town and next to the Goat Church. Like others this Holy Trinity statue was erected following a plague epidemic at the end of the 17th century. It was as symbol of gratitude that the town had survived. It is not clear who designed and sculpted this statue. In Central Europe, this was the first twisted column set up outdoors. On the high pedestal the kneeling statue of the two donors was placed. The inscription between them is a chronogram with the text: ‘We made the Holy Trinity a God of the Sopron vows: Father, Son, Holy Spirit.’ The statue was restored several times, the most recent being in 2011 as part of the reconstruction of the Main Square.

Church of the Immaculate Orsolyita

Church of the Immaculate Orsolyita

The Church is situated on Orsolya square (Orsolya ter) in the centre of the city. The Romantic-Neogothic church of the Immaculate Conception was consecrated in August 1864 by János Simor, bishop of Győr.

There was also a convent founded in the 18th century by a Nigerian woman Niggl. The nuns came from Gyor and started educating young girls in the city and thus establishing the first convent in the city. However, in 20th century, the convent was disbanded.

Today we see a neo-Gothic building with a large Gothic window on its facade. Above the Gothic window, there is statue of Mary (Immaculate Conception), and on the two corner pillars there are statues of St. Orsolya and St. Angela Merici. The neo-Gothic tower of the church houses three bells, all three of which are the work of the famous Seltenhofer bell foundry from 1863. The interior of the church has three oak altars. The main altar depicts the Immaculate Conception, St. Angela Merici and St. Joseph, all painted by Polish painter Dobyaschofsky. The original glass windows of the church were completely destroyed during World War II. The church’s current stained-glass windows were made in 1999 and 2014, respectively.

The gate to the House of the Two Moors

House of the Two Moors

Standing proud on Szent Mihály Street is the Két Mór House (House of the Two Moors) which was built in the early 18th century. It is a double house connected by a gate, which is framed by two Corinthian twisted columns, topped by a Moorish figure holding a ledge. Above the ledge is the figure of the little Jesus.

On the gable of the houses, in a circular cabin, is the figure of Mary on one side and St. Joseph on the other. Above them is a sun ornament and two round windows. The wavy edges of the gables are decorated with angels. At the top of the gable are the heads of St. Florian (the patron saint of firefighters) and St. Roch (the patron saint of those recovering from the plague) protecting the house and its inhabitants from fire and plague. It is interesting to note that the Két Mór houses can also be seen in the Mini County Model Park in Sopron.

We were not sure if it was possible to visit inside, we tried knocking but there was no response!

Old Synagogue

The medieval synagogue was built in the early 13th century, one of the earliest pieces of Gothic architecture in Sopron and unique in central Europe.

It was unfortunately closed when we visited Sopron.

Storno House & Collection

Ferenc Storno, who was chimneysweeper turned artist. His sons followed his footsteps and have a significant collection of old relics and artworks in the castle-like Baroque corner house.

It was unfortunately closed when we visited Sopron.

15 Local Food To Try In Hungary

Hungarian food is best described as simple, hearty and comforting. With its origins from the nomadic Magyar tribes, Hungarian food as evolved through the centuries with influences from the Romans and the Ottomans and Austria. Today Hungarian food has its own identity, and it is not hard to see that the Hungarians have immense love and pride for their food. This blog is about the descriptions of some of the local food to try in Hungary.

The classic lángos with the topping of sour cream and grated cheese

1. Lángos (Deep fried flat bread):

No trip to Hungary is complete without biting into this deep fried, crispy street food. Often referred as the Hungarian pizza, lángos are flat bread made from a dough of flour, yeast, water, salt, and sugar. These are then shaped into round flatbread and deep fired. The frying gives it a crispy golden outside and a soft and moist inside. The classic version of lángos is served warm with a rub of garlic, a thick layer of sour cream and topped with a generous helping of grated cheese. These days, lots of variations in toppings are available, such as grilled pepper, ham, sausages, mushrooms, and even as langos burgers!

The national dish of Hungary - Goulash

2. Gulyás (Goulash):

Considered as the signature dish of Hungary, this national dish is a visual treat with its rich dark red colour. Extremely popular among tourists and deeply loved by the Hungarians, Gulyas and can be found in menu of every Hungarian restaurant. With a consistency somewhere between soup and stew, it gets its name after the herdsmen (gulyás) back from 9th century. The herdsmen used to cook chunks of beef with onions, potatoes, spices and paprika in large cast iron cauldrons on open fire. Therefore even today, goulash made in cauldrons are considered ‘authentic’. Different regions of Hungary have added their own tweaks to includes additional ingredients such as tomato, carrots and other rooted vegetables, though the basic ingredients remain same. Served as the main course, this hearty and comforting stew is accompanied with white bread and freshly chopped paprika – perfect meal for a cold day!

Chicken Paprikash

3. Paprikás Csirke (Chicken Paprikash):

This quintessential and popular Hungarian dish is part of every restaurant menu. As suggested by the name Paprikás Csirke or Chicken Paprikash is a chicken dish laced with paprika, heavy dish and traditionally cooked with leg and thigh pieces of chicken. Traditionally leg and thigh pieces of chicken are stewed with onions and paprika in large cauldrons over an open fire until the meat almost falls of the bone. The sauce is delightfully rich and creamy because of the sour cream and flour. It’s typically served with Hungarian egg dumplings called nokedli; though pasta, rice or potatoes are also commonly used.

Fisherman's soup or Halászlé

4. Halászlé (Fisherman’s soup):

Freshwater fishes from Hungary’s major rivers and lakes have given birth to another staple yet delicious dish called Halászlé or fisherman's soup which has enriched the culinary repertoire of this landlocked nation. This popular Hungarian soup is prepared by cooking thick slices of freshwater fishes such as carp, catfish, perch or pike in a hot paprika spiced fish broth. Traditionally, this fish soup is prepared in a cauldron over an open fire in a similar way as gulyas. The broth is prepared by stewing the fish head, bones and other trimmings along with onion and hot paprika for a long period and strained. This gives the broth the characteristic red colour and the deep rich flavour. This is why though the dish appears simple the flavours are complex. The dish varies regionally based on the use of ingredients. Szeged, which is made from using four different types of fish and la Baja, made with carp and pasta are the two most popular ones.

Hungarian meat stew - Pörkölts

5. Pörkölts (Meat Stew):

Another popular Hungarian national dish, this derives its name from the word pörkölni which means ‘to roast’. Traditionally Pörkölts is prepared in a cast-iron pot called bogrács on open fire. Like Goulash the origin of Pörkölts goes back to herdsmen and though both appears very similar there are differences between the two. Pörkölts is a much thicker stew (almost similar consistency of ragù) and includes only boneless pieces of meat. Pörkölts is prepared by stewing the meat (beef, lamb, pork, or chicken) in a sauce made from generous use of onion, garlic and paprika power and served with either nokedli (Hungarian egg dumpling), rice or potatoes. With time this dish has evolved into many verities based on the region and ingredients used, among all variations marhapölkört (beef), borjupörkölt (veal) and pacalpörkölt (tripe) are most popular.

Hungarian susages - kolbász and Hurka

6. Kolbász and Hurka (Sausage):

Pork as a source of meet is deeply rooted into Hungarian cuisine and pork sausages from Hungary are well known around the world. Culturally, the preparation of sausages can be linked back to the age-old village family tradition of pig slaughtering during the winter months where almost every part of the pig is used! Hurka is the best example of this where pork liver, lungs, head meat and blood are used. Variations are based on the breed of pig, ingredients used and the preparation process (smoked or boiled). During our trip to Hungary, we tried 2 different types – Debreceni Kolbász and Májas Hurka.

Debreceni kolbász are unsmoked or lightly smoked sausages which are made from pork meat, onions, garlic, pepper and paprika. The deep red colour of the sausage indicates the generous use of paprika in it. Debreceni kolbász are best enjoyed boiled, fried or baked with mustard and pickled vegetables.

Májas Hurka are boiled sausages made from ground pork liver, lungs and head meat along with rice and onion, seasoned with salt and pepper. In many regions the rice is replaced with corn flour and seasoned with dill. Májas Hurka are best enjoyed as pan fried or grilled with a piece of fresh bread.

Stuffed cabbage or Töltött káposzta

7. Töltött káposzta (Stuffed Cabbage):

Stuffed cabbage is a popular and staple food throughout Eastern Europe including Hungary. With the expansion of the Ottoman Empire in eastern Europe, recipes of meat stuffed in vegetables started to develop, and stuffed cabbage is one such recipe. The Hungarian version of stuffed cabbage or Töltött káposzta is made from minced pork, onions, rice and seasoning stuffed inside a blanched, fresh or pickled cabbage leaf. The tightly packed/rolled cabbage leaves are then baked, boiled or steamed in a tomato and paprika infused sauce. Often a layer sauerkraut is placed in between cabbage rolls while cooking for enhanced flavour. Traditionally associated with Easter, Christmas or special events such as wedding, Töltött káposzta are served with a layer of sauerkraut and dollop of sour cream.

Hungarian creamed catfish paprika stew - Harcsapaprikás

8. Harcsapaprikás (Hungarian creamed catfish paprika stew):

Closely resembling Chicken Paprikash, Harcsapaprikás is a traditional Hungarian fish stew made from catfish. The creamy, smooth and thick consistency of Harcsapaprikás comes from the use of flour and sour cream in the sauce. The sauce is made from onions or shallots, tomato, pepper, hop of paprika and seasoning and the small chunks of catfish. Harcsapaprikás or catfish paprikash is often served on a bed of túrós csusza, which is a Hungarian cottage cheese noodles made from egg noodles mixed with sour cream and túró (a Hungarian cheese).

Hungarian bean soup - Jókai bableves

9. Jókai bableves (Jókai bean soup):

Named after the famous Hungarian writer Mór Jókai, Jókai bableves or Jókai bean soup is a hearty winter soup. Made from smoked meat and sausages (pork), pinto beans, tomatoes, onions and root vegetables such as carrot, parsnip and celery root, small egg noodles (csipetke) and a generous portion of paprika, Jókai bableves is served with a dollop of sour cream like other Hungarian soups. The use of pinto beans gives the soup a buttery flavour which blends nicely with the smoky flavour of meat and the earthly flavour of the root vegetables.

Deep fried cheese - Rántott Sajt

10. Rántott Sajt (Deep Fired Cheese):

Deep frying cheese and serving it as main course is quite traditional in Hungary. This simple yet mouth-watering dish is prepared by deep frying breadcrumb coated cheese until its crispy and golden brown. Mainly semi-hard cow’s milk cheese like trappiest is used for preparing Rántott Sajt. Rectangular or triangular shaped cheese are coated several times with egg and breadcrumb to ensure a thick crusty coating and a soft, melting and gooey centre. Rántott Sajt are served hot with salad and rice or fries and dipping sauce like mayonnaise or sour cream.

Hungarian delicacy - Dobos torte

11. Dobos Torte (Cake):

Created by confectioner József C. Dobos in 1980s, Dobos torte is probably the most prominent and famous Hungarian dessert. It was seen first during the National General Exhibition of Budapest in 1885, Dobos torte instantly became famous and desirable due to its presentation, combination of flavours and the use of buttercream which was unheard of at the time. Traditionally it is made from six thin layers of sponge cake and 5 layers of buttercream and topped with a layer of caramel glaze to keep the cake moist. The side of the cake is mostly coated with ground nuts. The caramel glaze layer is cut into pieces with a special Dobos knife while it’s still moist and placed back on the top of the cake so that each slice of the cake has the crunchy caramel top. Dobos kept the recipe of Dobos torte a secret during his time as confectioner and was only made is available to others after his retirement.

Hungarian creamy cake Krémes

12. Krémes (Vanilla Slice):

Krémes which translate to ‘creamy’ in English is the Hungarian version of the famous Austro-Hungarian dessert cremeschnitte. It is made by sandwiching the vanilla flavoured soft and rich cream pastry in between two very light and crunchy layer of puff pastry and sprinkled with powdered sugar on top. Though Krémes is a very popular dessert in Hungary, similar version of this dessert is well consumed in other European countries by different name like ‘franciakrémes’ in France or ‘kremowkas’ in Poland.

Kürtőskalács (Chimney Cake)

13. Kürtőskalács (Chimney Cake):

The origin of this popular street snack can be traced back to the medieval era. It was once confined to society’s upper-class, before becoming a beloved and popular everyday food readily available on the streets of Hungary. Also referred as ‘Chimney Cake’ due to its shape, this spiral cylindrical shaped dessert is made from wrapping a long strip of sweet dough around a wooden spit, coated with melted butter and sprinkled with sugar which then rotated over charcoal. The sugar on the surface gets caramelised to give a crunchy crust and the yeast in the dough gives a chewy, soft interior. Once baked Kürtőskalács are covered with an additional layer of flavour such as cinnamon, coconut, cocoa or walnut and served hot. Due to its popularity, Kürtőskalács are also served with a filling of ice cream.

Poppy seed and Walnut Roll - Bejgli

14. Bejgli (Poppy Seed and Walnut Roll):

Bejgli is a traditional Hungarian pastry which is made in most households during the Christmas festivities. Bejgli is prepared by filling finely ground poppy seeds and walnuts in between layers of dough in a way that when Bejgli is cut into pieces the layer of dough and poppy seeds or walnuts should wind around each other in a spiral shape to give the characteristic look. Often the flavour of this sweet roll is enhanced by adding raisins, honey or orange peel. When served, pieces of Bejgli are placed side by side to honour the age-old belief that poppy seeds bring prosperity and the walnuts keep trouble away. Bejgli is best enjoyed with a cup of tea or coffee.

Hungarian pan cake - Gundel Palacsinta

15. Gundel Palacsinta (Hungarian Pan Cake):

This crêpe-like Hungarian dessert is named after the owner of the Gundel restaurant in Budapest, Károly Gundel. As the story goes, Károly Gundel got the recipe of this dessert from Ilona Matzner, wife of famous Hungarian writer Sándor Márai. Gundel modified and fine-tuned the recipe and started serving at his restaurant which gave birth to Gundel Palacsinta. The pancake is of similar thickness to crêpe, but stuffed with a filling of sweet crushed walnuts and other ingredients such as rum, raisin, cinnamon and lemon zest. Gundel Palacsinta is not half folded like a crepe but rolled or quarter folded and served with a dusting of sugar on top and smothered in hot chocolate sauce. In many restaurants this dessert is served flambéed.

Hiking in Dolina Koscieliska (Koscieliska Valley), Zakopane

Smreczyński Staw is a picturesque small lake located within Koscieliska Valley

Located outside Zakopane in the western Tatra Mountain range, Dolina Koscieliska or Koscieliska Valley is a nice and easy hiking trail popular with locals and tourists. The valley is around 6 kilometre in length from Kiry to Ornka, making it the second largest valley in Tatra Mountain range.

Best time to Visit: Though a hike in Koscieliska Valley can be done year-round, the summer months are best o fully appreciate the beauty of this lake. However, summer months also attract big crowds of nature lovers. Weekends are especially busy as local tourists flock the mountain town of Zakopane for weekend getaways.

How to go: The starting point of the Koscieliska Valley is from Kiry which can be reached easily by bus or by taxi from Zakopane main bus stand outside the Zakopane train station. For our trip to Koscieliska Valley, we took the local minibus that runs all day between the main train station of Zakopane to Kiry and costs around 10 PLN (around £2) and takes around 25 minutes (depending on traffic) each way. There is no fixed timetable for these minibuses to operates, all run by the principle of ‘we leave once the bus is full’. It’s easy to spot these minibuses in the main parking area of the train station. The buses are typically white in colour with ‘Kiry’ sign at the front.

Kiry where the hiking trail starts The Hiking path cross over the river Koscieliski Potok as few number of times

The hiking trail: The Kiry ticket office is situated at the start of the trail. As Koscieliska Valley is located within the boundaries of the Tatra National Park, an entry fee of 5 PLN (around £1) for adult, and 2.50 PLN (£0.5) for children over the age of 7, retirees and disabled people is applicable. Entry for children under the age of 7 years is free of charge. The hike from Kiry to the mountain hut of Hala Ornak takes around 2 hours depending on your fitness and how fast or slow you prefer to walk! The entire length of the hiking route to the mountain hut of Hala Ornak is a well-maintained gravel road which makes the hiking relatively easy. The entire trail is ‘Green’ (easy hiking) and follows the river Koscieliski Potok which runs through the Koscieliska Valley.

The start of the hiking path at Kiry

Along the entire length of the trail there are quite a few spots/attractions for hikers to enjoy. The spots are in the following order from Kiry to Hala Ornak;

• Kapliczka Zbójnicka or the Chapel of robbers

• Niżnia Pisana Polana or Pisana Clearring

• Jaskinia Mylna or Mylan Cave

• Wawoz Krakow or Krakow Gorge

• Smreczyński Staw or Smreczyński Pond

• Mountain hut of Hala Ornak

Kapliczka Zbójnicka or the Chapel of robbers

Kapliczka Zbójnicka or the Chapel of robbers is a small chapel next to the hiking trail which according to legend was founded by the robbers or Bandits. Though in reality the chapel was founded by the miners and steel workers who used to work in the Tatra Mountain for mining irons once upon a time. Now the settlement of the workers has long gone but the chapel has stood the test of time.

Pisana Clearring - a clearing in the Koscieliska Valley

Niżnia Pisana Polana or Pisana Clearring is a clearing in the Koscieliska Valley which offers a scenic view of the valley. You can see the pine trees and the mountain in the backdrop and grassy meadows with vegetation and wildflowers in the forefront. We stopped at this spot to enjoy this beauty and capture it through the camera lens.

Pawlikowski Window of Mylan Cave (Picture taken from Wikimedia)

Jaskinia Mylna or Mylan Cave is located just next to the trail and to reach the cave you need to take a red route (difficult /challenging route) and navigate through a stiff climb by holding onto the iron chain clamped on the rocks. The cave has a very interesting feature called Pawlikowski Window which is an opening at the end of the cave with a scenic view of the mountain. The day we were hiking in the Koscieliska Valley, it was raining heavily, making the climb to the cave even more challenging and somewhat risky so we decided against it.

Wawoz Krakow or Krakow Gorge is a beautiful and small gorge on the right-hand side of the hiking trail. We decided to not go, and instead use our limited time to visit one of the most beautiful attractions of the valley, Smreczyński Staw

Picturesque Smreczyński Staw

Smreczyński Staw or Smreczyński Pond is a picturesque small lake located at an elevation of 1266 meters above the sea level in the western Tatra Mountain. The path to the staw is clearly signposted at the end of the hiking path just before the mountain hut of Hala Ornak. As some stretches of the path to the staw is quite stiff, majority of the hikers on this path avoid going to this staw. From what we saw most likely only 10% of the hikers from the main hiking path venture out to this path to the staw. However, it is doable for an average physically fit person and children that are used to hiking in general.

Hiking path up to and from Smreczyński Staw

The hike to the staw from the main hiking path is around 30 to 35 minutes. The path ends up at the bank of the lake where a wooden deck has been made by the park authority for nature loves to take in the beauty of the surroundings. There are also some logs to stop and sit for lunch after a long and tiring hike. We sat there for quite some time and enjoyed our packed lunch in the lap of nature.

The mountain hut of Hala Ornak

Mountain hut of Hala Ornak is a mountain restaurant located at the end of the Koscieliska Valley hiking route. The hut serves hot drinks and local food for hikers. When we visited Poland in the month of August, a high tourist season in the Tatra Mountain region, it was no surprise to find the hut packed with people and a long queue to get a table inside. So we just took a bio break and continued our journey.

Hiking path towards the mountain pass of Siwa Przełęcz

There are further hiking paths that goes beyond the mountain hut of Hala Ornak towards the mountain pass of Siwa Przełęcz and Iwaniacka Przełęcz. However, majority of the hikers return back to Kiry from the mountain hut following the same hiking path that runs through the valley.

River Koscieliski Potok runs alongside the hiking path in the Koscieliska Valley

Our overall experience of hiking in Koscieliska Valley was mixed considering the weather. The view and the natural beauty around the hiking route is indeed beautiful, however the hiking route leading to the mountain hut of Hala Ornak is crowded with hikers, which is expected during summer and considering Tatra Mountain region is very popular and picturesque part of Poland.

We found the hiking route to the Smreczyński Staw more scenic, with relatively smaller groups, which gives the feeling of wilderness that you crave for when you are in the middle of nature. If you can look beyond the busy routes, the magnificent Koscieliska Valley does deserve a visit!