Discover Békés: Culture and Water

• The Jantyik-Mátyás Museum’s exhibition venues include the Békési Galéria, Nagyház, Tájház (Békési Ház) and Iskolamesteri Lakás.
• Fishing is possible at Dánfok Free Beach in an area separated from bathers. State and local permits are required.
• The Békési Kishajó kikötő is on the Békés section of the Kettős Körös, on the riverbank between Dánfok and the Duzzasztó.
• Dánfoki Üdülőközpont is suitable for cycling and water tours.

The information about Dánfok Free Beach is particularly important for planning if you have fishing and swimming in mind: a designated area is set aside for fishing, and you need both state and local permits. Arrange the permits before fishing. The Békési Kishajó kikötő also provides a geographical reference point on the Kettős Körös: it is on the riverbank between Dánfok and the Duzzasztó.

Dánfoki Üdülőközpont is another option for cycling and water tours. If you prefer culture, Békés has several exhibition venues belonging to the Jantyik-Mátyás Museum. These include the Békési Galéria, Nagyház, Tájház (Békési Ház) and Iskolamesteri Lakás. As these are separate buildings, access may vary from one venue to another.

Beyond the town of Békés, the Békés destination area also offers nature and landscape experiences. In Szarvas, Körösvölgyi Animal Park is set in a 26-hectare grove. A walking trail about two kilometres long passes bird aviaries, animal houses, wetlands and spacious enclosures. This is a different kind of nature experience from the Jégmadár Water Nature Trail: it starts at the park’s jetty and follows a one-kilometre stretch of the Szarvas–Békésszentandrás oxbow lake. Eight floating buoy stations introduce visitors to the oxbow lake and its flora and fauna.

The Jégmadár Trail can only be reached by canoe or boat and is particularly suited to canoeists and rowboat users without an expert guide. For planning, the distinction between the walking trail and the water route is therefore important: one is a walking trail of about two kilometres through the grove, while the other is a one-kilometre stretch on the oxbow lake that requires a watercraft.

The Sterbetz István Bustard Conservation Visitor Centre in Réhely, near Dévaványa, also adds to the nature experiences. Visitors can see great bustards up close there—the only place in Hungary where this is possible. Guided tours, birdwatching, nature photography, themed programmes and astronomy presentations can be requested. The Réhely Trail starts and ends at the visitor centre, so you can also include a hike as a separate activity.

The wider Békés destination area offers a range of options for culture enthusiasts. 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 preserves, maintains and presents the traditions of making Csabai sausage and is also the venue for the Csabai Sausage Festival.

If you want to combine nature and culture with a specific date, Bihari Táj Napja takes place every year on the third weekend in May. Visitors can see wild orchids in the Ugrai Meadow, explore the birdlife of the Biharugra Fish Ponds with an expert guide, and attend other specialist and cultural programmes. Check the dates for the relevant year when planning.

First, consider whether your trip is mainly focused on the town of Békés or whether you plan to visit several places in the wider Békés destination area. This helps you choose accommodation based on your own itinerary rather than solely on a general cultural or nature theme.

Discover more destinations: Mezőberény, Bélmegyer, Köröstarcsa and Doboz.

Which places are exhibition venues of the Jantyik-Mátyás Museum?

They include the Békési Galéria, Nagyház, Tájház (Békési Ház) and Iskolamesteri Lakás. Access may vary from one venue to another.

What should you know about fishing at Dánfok Free Beach?

Fishing is possible in an area separated from bathers. State and local permits are required, and you should arrange them before fishing.

How do you reach the Jégmadár Water Nature Trail?

The trail can only be reached by canoe or boat. It follows a one-kilometre stretch of the oxbow lake and has eight floating buoy stations.

Go to the wider travel overview: Békési.