Located in southeastern Hungary, this historic spa town has a 15th-century brick castle, thermal baths with healing waters, and traditional Hungarian sausage-making traditions.
Gyula, a calm town in southeastern Hungary, has a 15th-century brick castle where you can walk along the fortress walls, a thermal bath complex with 72-degree Celsius waters, and a century-old confectionery shop with original Rococo interiors. Local producers make the famous Gyulai sausage and fruit brandies in this border town, where Hungarian and Romanian cultural influences shape the local architecture and cuisine.
Getting to Gyula
You can reach Gyula from Budapest by train or bus in about 3 hours. The train station sits at the end of a long street leading to the center, while the bus terminal drops you directly near the main square.
Medieval Castle and Museum
The Gothic brick castle dates from the 15th century and remains the only intact medieval fortress built on flat ground in Eastern Europe. You can explore 24 exhibition rooms containing local artifacts, medieval weapons, and period furniture. Walk along the wide castle walls for views over the town and surrounding plains.
Thermal Bath Complex
The Castle Bath, built in 1942, spreads across an 8.5-hectare park. You can swim in indoor and outdoor pools filled with mineral-rich water, visit medical treatment facilities, or take children to the water park. The thermal water emerges from the ground at 72 degrees Celsius and contains minerals that help with joint and muscle conditions.
Town Center
The main square has fountains and a reflective cone structure that creates patterns on its mirrored surface. In the pedestrian zone, you'll find the 100-Year-Old Confectionery, which maintains its 18th-century Rococo interior with original furnishings and equipment, including copper molds and vintage serving sets.
Local Food and Drink
Try the Gyulai sausage, made using a specific smoking method and spice blend protected by EU designation. Local distilleries produce pálinka fruit brandy from plums, apricots, and quinces grown in the region.
Day Trips from Gyula
Visit the Póstelek mansion ruins between Gyula and Békéscsaba, where you can walk through forested paths and stop at designated picnic spots. Take a 30-minute trip to Békéscsaba for cultural events, including a summer Renaissance festival. Cycle the Wenckheim route to see several 19th-century mansions in the surrounding countryside.
