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Recommendations for Pécs?

I will be traveling to Pécs for a few days in September and would love any suggestions for restaurants and off the beaten path things to do -- hikes, wineries, history, museums, etc. I will have a car rental and also will be going to Paks on a day trip. While not a tourist destination, my grandfather is from there, so a good reason to go.

Because there isn't a Serbia forum, I wanted to add that I'll be driving up from Belgrade, so any suggestions for border crossings and things to see along the way would be appreciated.

Posted by
2656 posts

I visited Pecs on a day trip by train from Budapest and found it very walkable--from the train station I first visited the Neprajzi (ethnographic) museum--it's very small, and while there were some interesting exhibits (not at all on the scale of Budapest's Neprajzi) the docents seemed both delighted and puzzled that an American had blundered in--I think I managed to tell them I am half Hungarian :) From there to the main square, Szechenyi, lined with shops and restaurants and also a beautiful old mosque, then on to several museums: Zsolnay (the main reason I went there), Victor Vasarely, and the Galley of Modern Art which also has the small but excellent gallery of Tivadar Csontvary works. I had lunch at a restaurant on the square--don't remember the name--and the explored the surrounding areas until my train back to Budapest in the late afternoon. Without a car it's an easy town to spend a day in, and of course you have many more options for things to do in the area with a car.

Posted by
27591 posts

Novi Sad and Subotica are Serbian cities with a lot of pretty architecture, especially Art Noveau. Subotica is on the way to Szeged rather than Pecs, so you're not likely to be near it, but Novi Sad will probably be on your way.

Cash is still used quite a bit in Serbia.

Posted by
4546 posts

I can’t help with border crossings, but if you are driving from Belgrade, I second Novi Sad as a really beautiful little town to spend time in. I wanted to overnight there and it didn’t work out. I ate at Lazin Salaš and it was really good.

Between Belgrade and Novi Sad is Sremski Karlovci, another cute town. If you are interested, there are also a few wineries there (I did a wine tasting at Vinarija Vinum and brought a bottle home). Petrovaradin is also interesting.

Heading this direction from Belgrade looks like it takes a little more time than the slightly more southern route through Osijek. Most likely also an interesting route!

Posted by
4 posts

Thank you so much for all the helpful suggestions -- much appreciated!

Posted by
4 posts

Thank you for the blog posts -- they have been great to read as I prepare for my trip.

Small world -- I also live in San Antonio

Posted by
4 posts

I totally missed that you are an Aggie, too! That's awesome! Unfortunately, I'm not going to Budapest on this trip. I have limited time off around a work trip to Belgrade. Hopefully, next time!

Posted by
19373 posts

Next time then. Aggies get special treatment here. I would stop in Pecs (its a relatively short ride on the train and say howdy but I am going to Austria 10 thru 15 September.