by Peter Illés on April 9th, 2023
The East Europe Route of the Eurovelo, numbered 11, is less often travelled than some of its counterparts. Still, the Hungarian stretch offers plenty for those who choose this adventure.
One of the 4 different Eurovelo routes crossing Hungary (the others being EV6, EV13 and EV14), the EV11 runs north to south through the Great Hungarian Plains for about 430 kms, mainly along the Tisza River.
The Eurovelo 11 enters the country near Kéked and shares the road with cars or uses dirt roads until Pálháza, where you'll encounter your first 30 kms stretch of bike path until Sárospatak. You'll be hitting the main road again until just after Tiszalök, with a short exception in the Tokaj region, where there's an excellent cycling circuit that you can ride on.
From here, you'll mainly ride next to the Tisza River, on the dam. The road on the dam is sometimes tarmacked, sometimes dirt. Starting from Tiszalök, you'll have a long stretch of 155 kms until Szolnok, which is tarmacked and takes you by the magnificent Lake Tisza. Unfortunately, you'll have to enter town on the main road, which can get busy.
On the other hand, you can exit Szolnok on a safe bike path which takes you all the way to Martfű. From Martfű, it's primarily B-roads until the next major town, Csongrád, where you'll ride up the dam again. Road conditions will vary, with some parts being tarmacked and others arranged with concrete slabs. You leave the river near Ópusztaszer, and after a really short stretch of dirt road, you'll find yourself on a neat 45 kms bike path that takes you through Szeged and all the way to the Serbian border.
Let's go from north to south. Your first stop should be in Sárospatak, on the banks of the Bodrog River. An important trading town and later a bastion of reformation, it houses the country's first reformed college. Its most important sight is the 13th-century castle, which even appeared on the back of the 500 Forint bill.
Close to Sárospatak is the Tokaj wine region, home to the world-famous Tokaji Aszú. The Bodrog and Tisza rivers meet here. Since they are of different temperatures, the area is often enveloped in fog. This leads to the forming of botrytis, a noble rot which forms on the surface of the grapes, dehydrating the fruit and concentrating the sugar levels. This is the secret behind the sweetness of the Aszú. Although the most famous are the sweet wines, the region also has some great dry whites. And in case you need to clear your head after the tasting, you can jump on your bike and ride the Tokaj cycling circuit or go on a boat ride on the mystic Bodrog River.
I recommend spending 2 or 3 days in the Tokaj and Sárospatak region to fully explore it.
Heading south, it's worth making a detour to the Hortobágy National Park, part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 1999. An area of steppe grasslands and marshlands, it's a fabulous place for birdwatching and learning about the life, folklore and livestock of the Great Hungarian Plain.
Part of the National Park and back on the route of the EV11 is Lake Tisza, otherwise known as the Kisköre reservoir. The largest artificial lake in the country, it is a favourite destination for local cyclists. During the 60 kms circuit, you can admire Lake Tisza Ökocentrum in Poroszló, which houses a large freshwater aquarium, water walkways, lookout towers, and a fish ladder in Kiskőre. A must-do at Lake Tisza is exploring the meanders on a canoe or boat. When you need a break, re-energize yourself at the Lila Akác restaurant in Abádszalók.
If you want to make the most of your trip, spend 2 days around Lake Tisza and the Hortobágy.
Resting at Lake Tisza.
Your next stop is Szolnok. Since it is a major city in central Hungary, you'll undoubtedly find something interesting. The Szolnok Gallery (previously the Synagogue) and the Reformed Church are the most exciting buildings to explore. If you are interested in military equipment, check out the Hungarian Aviation History Museum.
The section after Szolnok and until Szeged offers fewer sights. Instead, it is a great section to relax and flow with the river. Take a dip to cool down! Just before Szeged is the village of Ópusztaszer, where you can find the National Heritage Park, an open-air museum presenting the arrival of the Hungarians to the Carpathian Basin. The park's highlight is the Feszty-körkép, a 360° panorama painting, one of the 16 cycloramas in the world.
The final stop along the Eurovelo 11 in Hungary is the university town of Szeged. Spend a half day in town exploring the city's architecture, especially the Votice Church and the surrounding square. Finish by tasting the famous Szeged fish soup at the Sótartó restaurant by the river.
Most larger towns will have plenty of hotels and guesthouses. Sátoraljaújhely, Sárospatak, Szolnok, Csongrád, Szentes and Szeged are your best bets. If you're looking for accommodation catering for cyclists, look for Hotel Csillag in Tokaj, Nádas Fogadó in Tiszadob, or Krónikás Park in Baks.
Arranged camping sites I know of are available in Tokaj, Tiszadada, Poroszló and Szeged. Otherwise, search for "kemping". Wildcamping along the Tisza will be easy, with many spots near the river.
Smaller villages will have grocery shops or bakeries open during the week and on Saturdays. Supermarket chains such as Aldi, Lidl, Interspar, Auchan or Tesco will be available in Sátoraljaújhely, Sárospatak, Tiszafüred, Szolnok, Csongrád, Szentes and Szeged.
The above towns also have bike repair shops if you need to fix your bicycle. Google "kerékpár szervíz" or "kerékpárbolt" if you need one.
