Furta can be understood through its distinctive village character and the landscape of the Bihari-sík. Folk music, Furta embroidery and a protected bird species add to this local profile.
Furta: Village Character, Landscape and Culture
Furta preserves the distinctive character of villages in the Sárrét-Bihar region. The village lies in the western part of the Bihari-sík, a poorly drained floodplain between alluvial fans and river ridges. Various types of saline soil are found there. Alluvial fans and river ridges describe the terrain; poor drainage and saline soils add information about water and soil conditions to the landscape picture.
Furta’s folk music culture includes a zither orchestra. Furta embroidery is another cultural highlight: a permanent exhibition of selected pieces is on display in the town hall’s main hall. If you would like to visit, check the current visitor arrangements in advance.
The protected great bustard also lives in Furta. Alongside the landscape itself, it is a tangible part of the local natural profile.
Hajdú-Bihar: Puszta, Waters and Culture
Within the broader Hajdú-Bihar destination, Hortobágyi Nemzeti Park – the Puszta offers a distinct landscape. The World Heritage site covers nearly 75,000 ha in the Great Hungarian Plain in eastern Hungary. As a cultural landscape, it preserves visible evidence of more than 2,000 years of traditional pastoralism. Furta represents the local scale through its village character and the Bihari-sík; Hortobágy draws attention to the Puszta and its pastoral history.
Several protection designations converge at the Hortobágyi-halastó pond system: it is a Ramsar site, an Important Bird Area, part of the World Heritage site and a Natura 2000 site. The nature trail there offers walks of 3.6, 5.4 or 10 kilometres, with no difficult sections. Hortobágy Wildlife Park offers a bookable Land Rover safari with an expert guide to see wild horses and aurochs. Check the booking conditions before planning your visit.
Crane migration is also a widely popular event in Hortobágy. Visitors watch the cranes feeding during the day and gather at their roosting sites at sunset.
As an alternative to walking, an approximately one-and-a-half-hour carriage ride through the Hortobágyi Puszta offers insight into the landscape’s natural and cultural history as well as its herding traditions. Check current program details before planning your visit.
Another cultural highlight in the broader Hajdú-Bihar destination is the Shepherd Museum in Hortobágy. It presents the lives of shepherds, along with handmade clothing, tools and decorated personal items. The museum is housed in a former carriage depot that was part of the Hortobágyi-Csárda complex. In the broader Hajdú-Bihar destination, the “Nature of Hortobágy” exhibition at the visitor centre introduces the diverse flora and fauna of the Hortobágy landscape. “The World of Cranes” offers experience-based learning and entertainment for all ages, with a diorama, tactile objects, quiz questions, a magnetic puzzle and a digital drawing board.
Discover more destinations: Körösszakál, Mezőpeterd, Berettyóújfalu, Ártánd.
View the broader travel guide: Berettyóújfalui.
