Train Holidays to Historical Kecskemet

Train holidays in Europe are one of the finest ways to explore this fascinating and diverse continent. One of the great things about taking to the rails is that you will often discover cities and towns that are slightly off the beaten track - perhaps former industrial centres whose day in the sun has passed for now. It also means that, as the train will have to roughly follow the contours of the land, you will enjoy stops and changes in some cities that you've never thought of visiting before. Going by rail has a great romance to it, and by travelling at a different pace, you get to experience the places you visit much more than you might by car.

Kecskemét

One of those places that you might never have considered before is the central Hungarian city of Kecskemet. Train holidays in the Danube region will invariably pass through Hungary's 8th largest city, which is around 90 km from Budapest and in the centre of the Southern Great Plain, ensuring some beautiful countryside as you make your way across the country. The city itself is in the centre of the Kiskunság National Park, and the sandy grasslands and lakes surrounding Kecskemet provide a temporary home to tens of thousands of migrating birds each year.

The Town's History

With its important location in the middle of many trading routes snaking across central Europe, Kecskemet grew during the middle ages to become an important merchant town. In 1398 it was granted its town charter by King Louis I of Hungary. Another consequence of its central European location was the change of administration over the centuries - the Sarmatians, Mongols, Austrians, Turks and others all took a turn at running the city. For this reason there are plenty of different cultural touches evident to those visiting on train holidays, who stop off for some exploration.

Visiting Kecskemet Today

If your train holidays do take you to the city today, you'll find plenty to entertain and interest you. Main sights include the stunning City Hall, which was built in 1893 and is intricately decorated in Zsolnay tile patterns inspired by Magyar and Turkic folk art. The interior of the hall is decorated with gilded murals that were painted by Bertalan Szekely. The Hungarian Museum of Photography is also located in the municipality. The museum has a selection of permanent displays and rotating exhibits and is well worth a visit - showcasing some of the best Hungarian photography from past and present.

Anna Copeland is the Marketing Manager for The Danube Express, which specialises in train holidays across Europe. The Danube Express has a range of exclusive, luxurious European train holidays taking in travel across countries such as Poland, Hungary and Turkey.

Article Source: Anna_Copeland