# Pécs Hungary's Mediterranean city, about three hours from Budapest: a World Heritage Roman necropolis, two Ottoman mosques, a cathedral and the Zsolnay factory. Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/hungary/pecs · Revisado: 2026-11-12 A break from Budapest: Pécs is in southern Hungary, at the foot of the Mecsek hills, about 200 km from the capital, and is the city that most surprises anyone who already knows Budapest. In a few sloping streets it brings together three layers of history that you will not find side by side anywhere else in the country: the painted Christian tombs of the 4th century in the Roman city of Sopianae, a UNESCO World Heritage Site; two mosques from 150 years of Ottoman rule, one converted into the church on the main square; and Zsolnay ceramics, the ones on the coloured roofs of Budapest, which were born here. It is a university city with a mild climate and terraces, and you can see it on foot. ## Getting there from Budapest By train: the Mecsek InterCity trains leave from Budapest-Keleti and stop at Kelenföld; they take about three hours. Pécs station is a 20-minute walk from the centre. By car: on the M6 motorway, about 200 km and two and a half hours. The motorway needs an electronic vignette. From Spain you fly to Budapest and travel down to Pécs on the same day: because of the distance, Pécs is not a there-and-back day trip but a break of one or two nights. ## What to see Start in the upper part, on Cathedral Square. Beneath your feet is the Cella Septichora and the Early Christian necropolis: painted burial chambers seen from glass walkways, and a few steps away the Mausoleum with its frescoes of Adam and Eve. Above, the Cathedral of St Peter and St Paul, with four towers and a Romanesque crypt, and the Bishop's Palace. Next to it, the Medieval University, the first in Hungary, from 1367. Then go down to Széchenyi Square, closed off by the green dome of the Mosque of Pasha Qasim, now a Catholic church with its mihrab on view. If you are interested in the Ottoman period, ten minutes away is the Mosque of Hasan Jakovali, the only one in Hungary with its minaret intact. From the square runs Király utca, the pedestrian street of cafés. Set aside half a day for the Zsolnay Cultural Quarter, the former ceramics factory east of the centre: the Gyugyi collection with pieces from the golden age, the family mausoleum, the majolica workshop and, for children, the Physics Lab and the planetarium. ## How much does it cost? WhatHow much World Heritage ticket, two days3,900 Ft Time Traveller, with the Medieval University4,400 Ft Cathedral and Dzsámi, two diocesan sites5,600 Ft Zsolnay ticket9,900 Ft Heritage ticket, four days, combined12,000 Ft ## Where to eat and sleep For lunch, Morzsa Konyha, a bakery with a kitchen and a Michelin Bib Gourmand on Király utca, open every day, including Sunday; Reggeli, for breakfast; and in the Zsolnay Quarter, Room Bistro, Monday to Saturday at midday. To sleep, the Palatinus Grand Hotel, from 1915, on the pedestrian street; the Hotel Arkadia, a four-star next to the square; or the Hotel Diána, family-run, with parking and pets at no extra charge. ## When to go In spring and autumn. The World Heritage and diocesan monuments close on Mondays, and in winter many rooms in the Zsolnay Quarter open only from Thursday to Sunday: avoid arriving on a Monday and give the city a weekend. ## Dónde está - Cerca: Lake Balaton (a 96.6 km), Keszthely (a 107.5 km), Hévíz (a 112.4 km) ## Qué hacer - **Cella Septichora and the Early Christian Necropolis, World Heritage Site** (1 h 30 · All ages; underground walkways, fine with curious children · World Heritage ticket 3,900 Ft · reduced 2,500 Ft · family 2+2 10,000 Ft · under-6s free): What it is In the 4th century, Pécs was Sopianae, a Roman city in the province of Pannonia, and its Christians buried their dead in painted chambers at the foot of the hill. Those tombs, the best preserved of their period outside Italy, have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000. The Cella Septichora visitor centre, beneath Cathedral Square, shows them from glass walkways: the seven-apsed chapel that gives it its name, the jug chamber, the Peter and Paul chamber with its frescoes. A few steps away, the Early Christian Mausoleum holds the largest chamber, with paintings of Adam and Eve and of Daniel in the lions' den. Opening hours and prices Winter (3 November to 31 March): Tuesday to Sunday, from 10:00 to 17:00; ticket office until 16:30. Summer (1 April to 31 October): Tuesday to Sunday, from 10:00 to 18:00. Closed on Mondays, on 1 November, from 24 to 26 December and on 1 January. World Heritage ticket, valid for two days: 3,900 Ft; students and pensioners, 2,500 Ft; family, 10,000 Ft. Under-6s, free. The tombs at Apáca utca 8 are seen with a guide at 13:00 and 16:00. - **Cathedral of St Peter and St Paul and the Bishop's Palace** (1 h · All ages · One diocesan site 3,600 Ft · two 5,600 Ft · three 7,000 Ft · four 8,500 Ft · reduced from 2,900 Ft): What it is The Cathedral of St Peter and St Paul dominates the upper part of Pécs with its four towers. Beneath it preserves a five-aisled Romanesque crypt, and from the south-west tower you see the city. Next to it, the Bishop's Palace opens a wing with the bishops' studies from different centuries and an underground cellar that leads to an inner garden. It is run by the diocese, which sells a ticket by number of sites: cathedral, the Mosque of Pasha Qasim (Dzsámi), the palace and the treasury, KincsTár. Prices SitesAdultReducedFamily 13,600 Ft2,900 Ft7,200 Ft 25,600 Ft5,000 Ft11,200 Ft 37,000 Ft6,000 Ft14,000 Ft 48,500 Ft6,700 Ft17,000 Ft The rose garden is free. Sales and last entry are at 16:30 at the latest. - **Mosque of Pasha Gázi Kászim, the Church on Széchenyi Square** (30 min · All ages · With the diocese ticket, from 3,600 Ft for one site): What it is The green dome that closes Széchenyi Square, the centre of Pécs, is a 16th-century mosque of Pasha Gázi Kászim, from the 150 years of Ottoman rule. After the reconquest it became the Church of Our Lady of Candlemas and today it is both a Catholic church and an Ottoman monument: inside, the altar, the verses of the Koran on the walls and the mihrab niche facing Mecca live side by side. It is the image of the city. Visiting You enter with the diocese ticket, which is counted by number of sites: 3,600 Ft for one, 5,600 Ft for two. Respect the mass times. - **Zsolnay Cultural Quarter, the Pécs Ceramics Factory** (3 h · All ages; the interactive Labor, for children · Zsolnay ticket 9,900 Ft · family 23,000 Ft · family and factory exhibition 2,500 Ft · Gyugyi collection 3,500 Ft · Labor 1,600 Ft): What it is The Zsolnay ceramics factory made Pécs famous: the coloured tiles of Matthias Church in Budapest and the iridescent eosin glaze came from here. Its former site, east of the centre, is now a cultural quarter with a free park, museums, the majolica workshop, the Zsolnay family mausoleum, an interactive physics space for children (Labor), a planetarium and virtual reality. Winter opening hours Park: every day from 6:00 to 21:00, free. Family and factory exhibition: Tuesday to Saturday from 10:00 to 17:00; Sunday from 10:00 to 16:00. Gyugyi collection (the Golden Age of Zsolnay), workshop, Labor and VR: Thursday to Saturday from 10:00 to 17:00; Sunday from 10:00 to 16:00. Mausoleum: Thursday to Sunday, in time slots; it may close because of the weather. Prices Zsolnay ticket, with the main exhibitions and the mausoleum: 9,900 Ft; reduced 6,500 Ft; family 23,000 Ft. Separately: the family and factory, 2,500 Ft; the Gyugyi collection, 3,500 Ft; the mausoleum, 2,500 Ft; Labor, 1,600 Ft. Getting there About a 20-minute walk from the centre or by city bus. By car, a car park of 210 spaces at Zsolnay Vilmos utca 16. - **A Walk Along Király utca and Széchenyi Square** (1 h · 1.5 km · All ages; flat and pedestrianised · Free): The walk Széchenyi Square, on a slope, with the mosque-church above and the Zsolnay fountain in the centre, is the starting point. From there Király utca, the pedestrian street of Pécs, runs east: 19th-century façades, cafés and terraces, the Palatinus and, at the end, the national theatre. It is the walk for the afternoon and dinner. - **Mosque of Jakováli Hasan, with Its Minaret Intact** (30 min · All ages · Included in the Time Traveller PLUS ticket, 6,600 Ft): What it is On the west side of the old town, on Rákóczi út, stands a small, complete Ottoman mosque: that of Jakováli Hasan, from the 16th century, which keeps its minaret, something no other in Hungary has. It is the partner of the Gázi Kászim mosque: there you see how it became a church; here, how it was. Visiting You enter with the combined Time Traveller PLUS ticket, with the Early Christian necropolis and the Medieval University: 6,600 Ft, valid for two days. - **Medieval University of Pécs** (45 min · Adults and teenagers · 1,800 Ft · reduced 1,300 Ft · in the Time Traveller ticket, 4,400 Ft with the necropolis): What it is In 1367 King Louis I founded the first university in Hungary at Pécs. Its remains, with halls of Gothic arches and paintings, were excavated next to the cathedral and are visited on a short route. Opening hours and prices Tuesday to Sunday; in winter, from 10:00 to 17:00 and with a guide only. Tickets are sold at the Cella Septichora. 1,800 Ft; reduced 1,300 Ft. With the necropolis, the Time Traveller ticket costs 4,400 Ft. ## Dónde comer - **Reggeli** (Café, Pécs, €). Qué pedir: The pancakes with the fruit of the day or the Buddha bowl, with a cold brew. - **Room Bistro & Club** (Restaurant, Pécs, €€). Qué pedir: Eat here between the Gyugyi collection and the mausoleum so you don't have to go back to the centre. - **Morzsa Konyha** (Bakery, Pécs, €€). Qué pedir: Something from the bakery with a coffee in the morning, or two or three small plates at midday. ## Car-free: Pécs Without a Car, by InterCity from Budapest Pécs works very well without a car: the Mecsek InterCity arrives from Budapest in about three hours and the old town, the cathedral, the necropolis and Király utca are covered on foot. Only the Zsolnay Quarter is 20 minutes away on foot or by city bus. The budget is per person per day, with accommodation, meals and tickets. Presupuesto orientativo: 70–130 € por persona y día. ### Dónde dormir without a car - **Hotel Arkadia** (Hotel, desde 15000 € / night): The place The Arkadia is a few steps from Széchenyi Square, at the foot of the mosque-church, in the pedestrian centre of Pécs. It is three buildings, two joined by a glass corridor; the main one, facing Hunyadi utca, has a lift to the two floors of rooms. It has four stars, a wellness area and a conference room. Who it is for For those who want to sleep in the heart of the old town and do everything on foot: the cathedral and the necropolis are five minutes away. Breakfast is a buffet. Its website lists prices from 15,000 Ft a night. - **Hotel Diána** (Small hotel): The place The Diána is a small family hotel on a quiet street in the historic centre of Pécs, a few minutes' walk from Széchenyi Square. It has 20 rooms with one, two and three beds and two apartments, one of them with a kitchen, for about 45 people. All rooms have air conditioning, television and free wi-fi. Practical details Continental breakfast included in the price. Free parking at the hotel, with advance booking because there are few spaces. Admits animals at no extra charge. Laundry service. If you arrive after 18:00, let them know. - **Palatinus Grand Hotel** (Hotel): The place The Palatinus is the historic grand hotel of Pécs, on Király utca, the pedestrian street. The present building dates from 1915, raised on a plot with a house since 1695 at the initiative of Imre Hamerli, of the city's glovemaking family, with an Art Nouveau façade and eclectic details. In its ballroom Béla Bartók gave a concert on 30 November 1923. Today it is renovated, with superior rooms and suites of contemporary décor, a period main staircase and a historic café. Who it is for For a break with a touch of indulgence in the very centre: you step out of the hotel onto the street of terraces and have Széchenyi Square two minutes away. Its website does not publish a star rating or prices: book through its booking engine. ### Servicios - **Pécs Railway Station**: The Mecsek InterCity to Budapest, via Kelenföld and Keleti, in about three hours · About a 20-minute walk from the centre ## By plane: Fly to Budapest and Go Down to Pécs by Train or Car Pécs has no flights from Spain: you fly to Budapest-Ferenc Liszt (BUD), with direct flights from Madrid and Barcelona, and from there it is about three hours by train or about two and a half hours by hire car. That is why Pécs is a break of one or two nights from Budapest, not a day trip. ### Dónde dormir if you're flying - **Hotel Arkadia** (Hotel, desde 15000 € / night): The place The Arkadia is a few steps from Széchenyi Square, at the foot of the mosque-church, in the pedestrian centre of Pécs. It is three buildings, two joined by a glass corridor; the main one, facing Hunyadi utca, has a lift to the two floors of rooms. It has four stars, a wellness area and a conference room. Who it is for For those who want to sleep in the heart of the old town and do everything on foot: the cathedral and the necropolis are five minutes away. Breakfast is a buffet. Its website lists prices from 15,000 Ft a night. - **Hotel Diána** (Small hotel): The place The Diána is a small family hotel on a quiet street in the historic centre of Pécs, a few minutes' walk from Széchenyi Square. It has 20 rooms with one, two and three beds and two apartments, one of them with a kitchen, for about 45 people. All rooms have air conditioning, television and free wi-fi. Practical details Continental breakfast included in the price. Free parking at the hotel, with advance booking because there are few spaces. Admits animals at no extra charge. Laundry service. If you arrive after 18:00, let them know. - **Palatinus Grand Hotel** (Hotel): The place The Palatinus is the historic grand hotel of Pécs, on Király utca, the pedestrian street. The present building dates from 1915, raised on a plot with a house since 1695 at the initiative of Imre Hamerli, of the city's glovemaking family, with an Art Nouveau façade and eclectic details. In its ballroom Béla Bartók gave a concert on 30 November 1923. Today it is renovated, with superior rooms and suites of contemporary décor, a period main staircase and a historic café. Who it is for For a break with a touch of indulgence in the very centre: you step out of the hotel onto the street of terraces and have Széchenyi Square two minutes away. Its website does not publish a star rating or prices: book through its booking engine. ### Servicios - **Pécs Railway Station**: The Mecsek InterCity to Budapest, via Kelenföld and Keleti, in about three hours · About a 20-minute walk from the centre ## By car: Pécs by Car, About Two and a Half Hours from Budapest on the M6 By car, Pécs is about 200 km from Budapest on the M6 motorway, with an electronic vignette. Leave the car at the hotel or in the Zsolnay Quarter car park and get around on foot: the old town is pedestrianised and on a slope. With a car you can add the Villány wineries, to the south, on the way back. The budget is per person per day, with accommodation, meals and petrol. Presupuesto orientativo: 75–135 € por persona y día. ### Dónde dormir if you're driving - **Hotel Arkadia** (Hotel, desde 15000 € / night): The place The Arkadia is a few steps from Széchenyi Square, at the foot of the mosque-church, in the pedestrian centre of Pécs. It is three buildings, two joined by a glass corridor; the main one, facing Hunyadi utca, has a lift to the two floors of rooms. It has four stars, a wellness area and a conference room. Who it is for For those who want to sleep in the heart of the old town and do everything on foot: the cathedral and the necropolis are five minutes away. Breakfast is a buffet. Its website lists prices from 15,000 Ft a night. - **Hotel Diána** (Small hotel): The place The Diána is a small family hotel on a quiet street in the historic centre of Pécs, a few minutes' walk from Széchenyi Square. It has 20 rooms with one, two and three beds and two apartments, one of them with a kitchen, for about 45 people. All rooms have air conditioning, television and free wi-fi. Practical details Continental breakfast included in the price. Free parking at the hotel, with advance booking because there are few spaces. Admits animals at no extra charge. Laundry service. If you arrive after 18:00, let them know. ## As a family: Pécs with the Family Pécs has more for children than it seems: underground Roman tombs seen from glass walkways, a ceramics factory turned into a park with a hands-on physics space and a planetarium, and a car-free old town. ### What works best The Cella Septichora, with a family ticket and under-6s free The Zsolnay Quarter, with the interactive Labor, the free park and the planetarium The mosque on Széchenyi Square, short and surprising The walk along Király utca, pedestrianised ### Sleeping Hotel Diána, with triple rooms and apartments Hotel Arkadia, next to the square ### Eating Reggeli, pancakes for breakfast Morzsa Konyha, baking and small plates ### Bear in mind In winter many rooms in the Zsolnay Quarter open only from Thursday to Sunday The World Heritage monuments close on Mondays The old town has slopes: better a backpack than a pushchair ### Qué hacer as a family - Cella Septichora and the Early Christian Necropolis, World Heritage Site - Cathedral of St Peter and St Paul and the Bishop's Palace - Mosque of Pasha Gázi Kászim, the Church on Széchenyi Square - Zsolnay Cultural Quarter, the Pécs Ceramics Factory - A Walk Along Király utca and Széchenyi Square ## With teenagers: Pécs with Teenagers For teenagers, Pécs has history that needs no explaining: painted Roman tombs, two Ottoman mosques, one with its minaret intact, and a ceramics factory with virtual reality and a planetarium. ### What works best The Early Christian necropolis, with the Time Traveller ticket The Jakováli Hasan mosque, the only one in Hungary with a minaret The Zsolnay Quarter, with VR, planetarium and the mausoleum The Medieval University, the first in Hungary ### Sleeping Palatinus Grand Hotel, on the street of terraces Hotel Arkadia, in the centre ### Eating Morzsa Konyha, a bakery with a Michelin Bib Gourmand Reggeli, brunch ### Bear in mind Reduced tickets require a student card The Medieval University, in winter, is guided only ### Qué hacer with teenagers - Cella Septichora and the Early Christian Necropolis, World Heritage Site - Mosque of Pasha Gázi Kászim, the Church on Széchenyi Square - Zsolnay Cultural Quarter, the Pécs Ceramics Factory - Mosque of Jakováli Hasan, with Its Minaret Intact - Medieval University of Pécs ## Consejos ### Come Friday to Sunday in winter From November to March the Zsolnay Quarter is mostly open only from Thursday to Sunday. ### Buy combined tickets The World Heritage ticket is valid for two days; the Heritage ticket, four. ### Wear comfortable shoes The old town is on a slope, from Széchenyi Square up to the cathedral. ## Preguntas frecuentes ### How long does it take from Budapest to Pécs? About three hours by InterCity and about two and a half hours by car on the M6. ### Can you do it in a day from Budapest? You can, but it is six hours of travel: one or two nights is the sensible option. ### What is the Cella Septichora? The visitor centre of the 4th-century Early Christian necropolis, a World Heritage Site since 2000. ### Which days does it close? Almost all the monuments close on Monday. ### Is Pécs good with children? Yes: the tombs under glass walkways and the Lab in the Zsolnay Quarter work very well.