The weekly market in Hódmezővásárhely is back with a festive year-end run, drawing big crowds for fresh produce, local specialties, and friendly buzz. Held at 6800, Szabadság tér 96, it keeps a split schedule that caters to early birds and afternoon strollers alike. On Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays, doors open from 6:00 to 12:00, while Thursdays and Saturdays switch to an afternoon slot from 13:00 to 18:00. The market runs December 18–21, returns on December 23, then again December 25–28, pops up on December 30, and continues into the new year January 1–4, all in Hódmezővásárhely.
Where to Stay: Cozy, Creative, and Classic
Tucked into a quiet street, Hotel Fáma keeps things low-key and comfortable, a 20-minute walk from both downtown and the thermal bath. Rooms come with a minibar, TV, and private bathroom; diners can settle into the hotel restaurant or its terrace for dinner in a calm setting. There’s a closed car park for peace of mind, and pets are welcome too.
The Hódmezővásárhely Creative House (Alkotóház), refreshed in 2016, offers five double rooms and a studio aimed at creatives of all kinds, from photographers to painters and applied artists. Rooms bear the names of artists who worked here or shaped the house’s story. Set in a heritage neighborhood on a quiet central street, the property includes five rooms, a lounge, a studio, and a well-equipped kitchen, plus a charming garden. Bedrooms are twin, often furnished with period-style pieces.
Hotel Ginkgo**** leans into tradition and eco-friendly touches while keeping things stylish and straightforward: a hotel focused squarely on guest comfort, with a team keen to make your stay feel easy and right.
Kenguru Panzió blends guesthouse and apartment-style stays with 24/7 comfort for travelers who want a tailored experience. Right next door, Kenguru Csárda serves hearty regional dishes that promise a proper culinary adventure.
On the outskirts, Kentaur Lovaspanzió és Pihenőpark sits along the Szentes road between the 47–48 km markers, just off the main highway. It’s all about quiet and downtime here. The guesthouse offers eight rooms with private bathrooms and 23 beds, plus Wi‑Fi, secure parking, a garden, a TV in every room, dining space, a conference room, breakfast, and full meals on request.
If you’re traveling on a budget or with a group, the Hódmezővásárhely Vocational Training Center’s dormitory is right in the city center, hosting visitors alongside out-of-town students.
Where to Eat: Grandma’s Classics to Bistro Comfort
Bagolyvár Restaurant (Bagolyvár Étterem) channels the warmth of a turn-of-the-century bourgeois home with vintage furniture and objects. On warm days, slip into the brick-paved garden that feels like a wine cellar; in cooler weather, settle indoors for long lunches or dinners guided by a discreet, highly trained team. Old-school flavors come back to life from the stove here.
A family-run artisanal winery cultivates vines between Csongrád and Bokros and vinifies in Hódmezővásárhely, storing wines in a regional-style cellar room carved out of a 150-year-old adobe house. Expect Blaufränkisch (Kékfrankos), Zweigelt, Cabernet Franc, Kadarka, Kövidinka, and Pölöskei Muscat (Pölöskei muskotály). There’s a cozy tasting room on site for corporate or family events, usually available Friday and Saturday evenings, hosting up to 20 guests with reservations. New: a show cellar on Egyetem Street in Szeged offers tastings for 30–40 people.
Bandula Small Inn (Bandula Kisvendéglő) is a small-town, family-run spot with quick, kind service and a notable wine list. House specialties include köcsögleves, a giant Vienna schnitzel marinated in garlicky oil, the Sunday-favorite breaded chicken thigh fillet, and the Kishomok salad. For a more urban vibe, there’s a bistro offering a polished interior and classic bistro feel, with a terrace roomy enough for up to 80 guests to settle in comfortably.
Craving homestyle, country flavors? One local kitchen serves up comfort foods with dine-in, delivery, and takeaway, plus a daily menu and custom orders. Fans of variety can also enjoy a venue with a flexible menu and outdoor seating for warm days.
Sólyom Bistro (Sólyom Bisztró), located on Petőfi Street inside the college restaurant, keeps things simple: daily changing menus, bistro picks, and a steady pulse of homestyle tastes.
Wine Country Credentials
Hódmezővásárhely sits within the Csongrád wine region, and high-quality winemaking has been part of the Sóshalom area for centuries. Vásárhelyi Róna Ltd. (Vásárhelyi Róna Kft.) coordinates nearly 100 hectares of vineyards in Sóshalom, growing chasselas, kövidinka, olaszrizling, grüner veltliner, blaufränkisch, and cabernet franc. The processing facility and cellar were built in the late 1960s and have expanded and modernized over time. Attached is a wine bar where visitors can taste and buy estate wines; groups are welcome with advance notice, and a one-dish meal can be arranged on request.
Events, Balls, and Big Rooms
Where a 19th-century inn once stood—first single-story, later expanded to two—now rises a beautifully restored Event House and Café. The upstairs still hosts elegant balls, concerts, and a suite of other gatherings, and the ballroom is open to visitors during café hours. It’s Central Europe’s second-largest column-free ballroom, accommodating up to 400 guests. Planning an engagement, wedding, class reunion, ball, conference, or business meeting? The team provides the setting and support to make it work.
Organizers reserve the right to change dates and programs.
