Kalocsa

Travel Advice for Seniors: Kalocsa

While Hungary is better known for its international capital, Budapest and for its fantastic vacation spot at the huge freshwater Lake Balaton, it is the small towns and countryside that lend it charm. Our first stop on our seventeen-day river cruise tour through Eastern Europe was in Kalocsa, Hungary, one such surprisingly charming and interesting small city.

The area around Kalocsa is well known for its spicy paprika, which is used in just about every dish we were served at traditional restaurants in the Balkans! The growing conditions here are excellent for it. Here’s the not-so-secret recipe for a good goulash: Beef, salt, pepper, paprika and onion and garlic. Add veggies if you’d like and then tomato sauce. Simmer until beef is very tender. Viola!

One thing we did notice is the that the paprika is a bit pricey, especially at touristy places. I think I still have the container of paprika that I bought while visiting here about thirty years ago….an fyi for overzealous shoppers!

When you are on a river cruise, you are subject to stops that can accommodate your boat. Granted the river boat is small, but you usually dock in some type of town or city where there are at least some tourist-type sights within a two- hour radius. So, depending on where you are, sometimes the sights are stellar, sometimes the sights are a stretch. I admit that expectations were low for Kalocsa, but we were very pleasantly surprised at how much we enjoy ourselves.

We started with a short drive to Holy Trinity Square and the Archbishop’s Palace. Known as Assumption Cathedral, or simply Kalocsa Cathedral, it was simple on the outside with absolutely gorgeous High and Late Italian Baroque interiors. It is one of the oldest cathedrals in Hungary and has been the site of four medieval churches prior to the current one. The sun shining through the stained glass and the light and airy but ornate interiors created an otherworldly atmosphere for the organ recital that we were fortunate to experience. There is nothing quite like hearing an ancient organ play hymns in an ancient church. Goosies! The cathedral appeared to have at least partial accessibility.

We followed the short concert with a trip out to nearby Puszta to the Bakod Horse Farm for an equestrian and horsemanship show featuring local horseman and their distinctive mounts unique to Hungary.

We were greeted with bread with butter/spices and a small glass of the ubiquitous plum brandy! Great way to start the show! Cures what ails you! We were ushered into a covered outdoor seating area and the show was underway.

Young men in blousy blue and black tunics led their horses through several precise drills with whips snapping around the horses (not hitting them). The show went on to feature local cattle pulling a cart, a three-in-hand, then a four-in-hand and finally a group of 10 stunning white horses with one horseman standing on the back of the horse at the back directing the horses around the ring with speed!

It was an interesting show and the narration was educational, giving us a window into the life of local horsemen and the origination of the Hungarian horse breeds.

We were also free to wander around the facility and visit the pigs, sheep and cattle that were housed there along with a brief horse drawn carriage ride out to the fields. Coming from a farm background, it was interesting to me and Mom but may not be so interesting to others.

The equestrian area was primarily outside and in barns. Most of the walking surfaces were relatively flat with dirt or wood shavings. There was ground level seating and plenty of accessibility assistance.

It was a pleasantly interesting day of local activity which we thoroughly enjoyed. After a brief ride back to the boat, we were again on our way! And yes, they let you pet the horses, and they are very well fed and pampered.

Where we stayed: Onboard a river vessel. The boat had an elevator, but some of the decks are split level with thresholds.

How we got there: Sailed from Budapest. This was part of a seventeen-day river cruise tour through Eastern Europe including Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania and a post-extension in Turkey.

General Accessibility Information: Hungary’s larger cities are generally accessible with accessible major hotels and sights. Many of the historical sites will have steps or cobbled surfaces, so be prepared for partial accessibility. Call in advance to verify and make specialty arrangements. See our sections on specialty apps and accessible travel for more on accessibility assistance.