When planning a visit to Békés, it is worth distinguishing between the town and the wider destination of Békés. The harbor, Dánfok Free Beach, and the exhibition venues of the town museum are part of the local area. Other natural and cultural destinations lie outside the town.
Water and Tours in the Town of Békés
Békési Kishajó kikötő is located on the Békés section of the Kettős Körös, on the riverbank between Dánfok and the weir. The Dánfok Holiday Centre is suitable for cycling and water tours. Availability may vary; if you plan a tour as a definite part of your trip, it is best to check in advance.
At Dánfok Free Beach, fishing is possible in an area separated from bathers. State and local permits are required. Check which permits you need before fishing.
Four Exhibition Venues of the Town Museum
The Jantyik Mátyás Museum of the Town of Békés includes the Békési Galéria, Nagyház, Tájház (Békési Ház), and Iskolamesteri Lakás. The museum is therefore spread across several named exhibition venues. As access to individual sites may vary, check visiting arrangements for the places you plan to visit.
Nature and Trails in the Wider Destination of Békés
Those who look beyond the town to the wider destination of Békés will find other natural attractions outside the town. In Szarvas, Körösvölgyi Animal Park is set in a 26-hectare grove. Its approximately two-kilometer walking trail passes bird aviaries, animal houses, wetlands, and spacious enclosures.
The Jégmadár Water Nature Trail offers a different kind of nature experience. It starts at the animal park's pier and follows an approximately one-kilometer stretch of the Szarvas–Békésszentandrás oxbow lake. Eight floating buoy stations introduce visitors to the oxbow lake and its wildlife and plant life. The trail is primarily intended for canoeists and rowboat users without an expert guide and can only be reached by canoe or boat. The walking trail through a grove and the water route with buoy stations therefore differ both in length and in the way visitors travel.
The Sterbetz István Bustard Conservation Visitor Centre is located in Réhely, near Dévaványa. This is the only place in Hungary where visitors can see great bustards up close. Guided tours, birdwatching, nature photography, themed programs, and astronomy presentations can be requested in advance. The Réhely Trail starts and ends at the visitor centre. Another trail, the Mágor-pusztai Trail, is just over 500 meters long and introduces visitors to the natural and cultural-historical values of the protected area.
Culture and Regional Cuisine
Cultural attractions can also be found outside the town of Békés. Gyula Castle was built in the 15th century and is now the only intact lowland brick castle in Central and Eastern Europe. In Békéscsaba, the collection of the Munkácsy Mihály Museum includes natural history, archaeological, ethnographic, historical, and art-historical objects.
CsabaPark is a culinary highlight: the gastronomic event centre preserves, nurtures, and presents the traditions of making Csabai sausage. It also hosts the Csabai Sausage Festival. Thus, alongside its water and nature attractions, the wider destination of Békés also offers distinctive cultural-historical and culinary points of interest.
Discover more destinations: Bélmegyer, Mezőberény, Doboz, Köröstarcsa.
Go to the wider trip overview: Békési.
