The Secrets of
Szeged

Where Sunshine Meets the Tisza

Szeged is Hungary's radiant southern capital — a city born twice. The first Szeged, a medieval market town on the banks of the Tisza, was nearly wiped from the map on March 12, 1879, when catastrophic flooding destroyed 95% of its buildings. Emperor Franz Joseph I surveyed the ruins and declared: "Szeged will be more beautiful than before." He kept his word. With aid from across Europe, the city was rebuilt as a showcase of Art Nouveau, Neo-Baroque, and Eclectic architecture — its grand ring boulevards named after the capitals that funded its resurrection: Vienna, London, Paris, Brussels, Rome, and Moscow.

Today, Szeged basks in over 2,100 hours of sunshine per year, earning it the title "City of Sunshine." It is Hungary's paprika capital, home to one of Europe's most stunning synagogues, and a university city that pulses with youthful energy.