Pecs, Hungary & Timisoara, Romania

Day 17 - Travel to Pecs, Hungary

We started off our last day in Ljubljana with a delicious breakfast at Le Petit Cafe. So fancy! It was worth the short wait for a proper Sunday brunch.

None of us wanted to leave Ljubljana. It is such a pleasant city for biking, wandering, and people watching. I know we will return someday if not for the bike share program alone!

The drive to Pecs, Hungary was over four hours. We started off on major highways and I even drove for over an hour. The tunnels in Slovenia were remarkable.

We made one stop at a nifty observation tower that has views over four different countries: Slovenia, Croatia, Austria, and Hungary. It was nice to stretch our legs and climb a few stairs.

Finally we made it to Hungary!

After we left the highway headed for Budapest, the roads changed dramatically. We were on narrow two lane roads for the last two hours of the drive. The roads were curvy and a little rough. It wasn't quite the drive we were expecting!

The outskirts of Pecs had lots of high-rise communist style apartment buildings and looked a little run-down. I was a little nervous as we approached our parking spot near the downtown apartment. The very kind Hungarian woman showed us to our parking space and walked us to our adorable apartment right on the main pedestrian street in Pecs. This is what $65 a night gets you in Pecs. Wow! Even a nice view.

We settled in and I could hardly wait to explore. The pedestrian street was long and lined with the most ornate and beautiful buildings. I was in awe and was so excited to explore despite the mid-90 degree weather.

We found a spot for dinner at Bloff Bistro. We had fish dishes, salad, and deer goulash soup. The girls loved their fancy fruit lemonades and cold beers tasted especially good. We were full and happy.

We wandered a bit more, had some gelato and settled into our apartment for the evening.

Day 18 - Pecs Cathedral, Mosque, TV Tower, and Shopping

We started off our day at a cafe where we had coffees, pastries and fancy yogurt. DH and I spent just over $5 for our breakfast.

The lazy teenagers joined us a bit later and we toured the very interesting city mosque church. Its history started in the 13th century and the structure changed religions as the region was ruled by different people. There was a minaret and a bell tower which were both destroyed over the many years of tumultuous wars and occupations. The church is still used today and many recent people are still being buried in the church's crypt. So interesting!

Next we toured the Pecs Cathedral. It is definitely my favorite church of this trip so far. The colors and paintings inside were so detailed and vibrant. I can hardly imagine the many hours it would take to paint and maintain this gigantic church. I climbed to the top of one of the four towers right at noon when the bells were ringing. So loud and dramatic! We all enjoyed seeing the colorful crypt, beautiful altar, and enormous pipe organ with over 6,000 pipes. If only I could have heard it!

We decided to drive up the hill to an enormous TV tower with an elevator to the top. The tower was finished in 1973 and is the tallest structure in Hungary. The views at the top were impressive and high above the rolling hills and town below. The set-up seemed a little old and rickety but that added to the rustic experience.

You can see the TV tower in the distance.

We stopped at a Tesco for a few supplies. Tesco is kind of like European Walmart. I still get a kick out of shopping for unfamiliar brands and products.

The day was passing quickly and it was getting quite hot. I left the family to cool off while I checked out the pedestrian area, bought a few souvenirs, and found a massive mall that the kids would explore further later. Once my feet got tired, I summoned DH to please join me for a scenic beer. I even cooled off in the pretty fountain outside the theater.

The kids did a little shopping and met up at a delicious place for dinner. Fiacre Restaurant was delicious. We had salad, goulash, a creamy delicious chicken dish, a platter of meats, and four drinks all for $27. Amazing deal!

As usual, we are sad to move on from Pecs after such a short stay. Romania tomorrow!

Day 18 - University of Pecs and Timisoara, Romania

We started off our day with pastries and coffee, again. We were sad to check out of our nice apartment in Pecs but we had an important appointment. DD#1 was touring the University of Pecs Humanities Department. The tour was fantastic and we got a real feel for the program. She got some free college swag and the college thing started to feel real!

We got in the car for a relatively long drive to Timisoara, Romania. When we got to the border, we had to go through passport control because Romania is not part of the Schengen countries in Europe. The line of trucks waiting to cross the border both into Romania and back into Hungary was astonishingly long! Like miles long. Those poor truckers must have to wait hours!

The roads to Timisoara were mostly good. The last few miles were a little challenging with some aggressive drivers. The parking situation was a little confusing. But once we found our apartment for the night in the city center, it was worth it. This is what just over $50 will get you in Timisoara. Score! Another beautiful view.

DH and I wandered the streets of the old town while the girls found an upscale mall. We loved Bereta Brewing right in the center. Best craft beers we have had so far!

We met at a busy local place for dinner. We were hungry and accidentally ordered too much again! I had cabbage rolls while the rest of the family shared burgers. We were definitely full!

Romania was an hour ahead of the rest of Europe so we stayed up later than usual enjoying the busy town after it cooled off for the evening. We found gelato, some pretty buildings, and churches. Here are a few more pictures of our time in Timisoara. The town was off the tourist track and a little gritty, but in a good way. One more night here would have been perfect. More Romania to come!