Bakod Puszta Horse Farm
Bakod Puszta Horse Farm / Martha de Jong-Lantink
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Kalocsa, Hungary

Our Review
Deal Expert / Travel Blogger

Set on the left bank of the Danube, Kalocsa is one of Hungary’s oldest towns and dates back to the early 11th century. As the town evolved it became known for paprika production and intricate handcrafted embroidery, traditions that still thrive today. 

What We Love

Charming Museums: Get a feel for Kalocsa’s rich folk art history at the Karoly Viski Museum, located in a peasant house. The richly decorated interiors are painted in Kalocsa patterns, and the textile collection includes excellent examples of the town's famous embroidery. Then head to the Paprika Museum, ideal for gourmands who want to know the history of “red gold” in Hungary.

Puszta Horse Show: This area of Hungary was like the American West, with Hungarian cowboys (csikós) dressed in flowing blue and black outfits controlling vast herds of horses. This horse show (which is admittedly very touristy) includes csikós doing traditional moves like laying horses, sitting horses, and carriage driving.

Best Known For

St. Mary’s Cathedral: This Italian baroque cathedral sits in the center of town as part of the Holy Trinity Square. It is considered one of the most beautiful churches in Hungary and has a striking stuccoed interior.

Archbishop’s Palace: After you have toured St. Mary's, head across the square to this palace built in the 1760s. In the ceremonial hall you can view astronomical devices and maps dating to the Middle Ages, and the 150,000-volume library includes a bible written by Martin Luther.

Who It's Best For

Wine Lovers: A quick drive out of town and you’re in the heart of the Hajós-Baja wine region, known for white varietals like kunleány and cserszegi fűszeres. Stop in the village of Hajós, which is actually composed not of homes, but hundreds of wine cellars.

Don't Say We Didn't Warn You

Plan Ahead: If you want to break away from the group excursion and explore on your own, be aware that you can't just hail a taxi here. You must book in advance — or have the ship’s concierge do it for you.

Dena Roche
Deal Expert / Travel Blogger
Dena Roché is a luxury travel expert who stays on top of trends in the luxury travel space traveling the world on assignment for a variety of luxury lifestyle and travel magazines and online publications. Her travel, spa and lifestyle articles have been featured in Modern Luxury, Robb Report, Great Golf, Destination Weddings & Honeymoons, Life Refined, LuxeBeat and more. Dena is often quoted in media like USA Today, The Street and TripIt on the subject of luxury travel. Her travels have allowed her to experience luxury travel on six continents and 61 countries. As a certified health coach, Dena has a special passion for luxury wellness travel. She has spoken on the subject at The New York Times Travel Show, Travel Industry Exchange and on behalf of Lincoln Motors. She works directly with brands to help them compete in the lucrative luxury wellness travel market. Her social campaigns routinely garner over 25 million social impressions for brands like Swissotel, Waldorf Astoria Hotels and more. Dena is the creator of The Travel Diet, an idea that travel teaches travelers how to feed their spirit, nourish their brain AND whittle their waist. The idea was born from her own luxury travels where she often loses weight and stress on the road