Founded by Celts and later ruled by Romans as Savaria, this western Hungarian city preserves ancient ruins alongside an Ottoman-era synagogue and an elegant Episcopal palace.
Szombathely, Hungary's oldest recorded city, lies where the Alpokalja mountains meet the Little Hungarian Plain. You can explore the Temple of Isis, built to match the exact dimensions of its Egyptian counterparts, or walk on 2,000-year-old Roman streets in the Ruin Garden. Visit in August to join locals wearing togas during the Roman carnival, stroll through the 27-acre Kámon Arboretum's rhododendron collection, or take a boat out on Csónakázó Lake.
Exploring the Roman Ruins
The Iseum Archaeological Workshop contains a reconstructed temple to the goddess Isis. The museum exhibits religious sculptures, ritual items, and facade reliefs discovered during excavations between 1955 and 2010. Walk beneath the OTP bank to find an urban exhibition space with original Roman streets and a well-preserved ancient sewer system.
Parks and Green Spaces
The Kámon Arboretum stretches across 27 acres along the Gyöngyös Stream, with more than 3,000 species of trees and bushes. At Csónakázó Lake, formed from an old clay mine, you'll find a 1,500-meter walking path circling the water. Rent a rowboat or paddle boat, or bring your fishing gear (license required).
Family Activities
Children can climb a seven-meter-tall tower and explore a 27-meter castle complex at the Adventure City Playground. The one-acre park includes water play areas, built-in slides, swing sets, and a cableway course. At Agora KRESZ park, children aged 3-12 learn road safety using working traffic lights and signs, with bicycles and go-karts available to rent.
Annual Roman Festival
During four days each August, locals and visitors fill the streets in togas for the Roman carnival. Try your hand at ancient crafts, watch battle reenactments, and see live performances. The Savaria Legio store-exhibition maintains a year-round collection of Roman military equipment.
Museums and Collections
At the Savaria Museum, you'll find geological specimens from the Alpokalja region alongside ancient artifacts. The Schmidt Museum holds military items, medical devices, and musical instruments, each telling stories about local life through different time periods. Both museums document the city's development with artifacts and photographs.
