Pécs’ Zsolnay Quarter is rolling into 2026 with a family-first calendar that blends play, science, crafts, and culture every day of the week. From baby theater and puppetry to planetarium shows and hands-on workshops, the city’s arts hub turns winter weekends into easy wins for parents and pure discovery for kids.
Space tales and clay secrets
Kickoff is January 3 with Tales of Spaceships in Pécs, an entry point for young stargazers who love rockets, missions, and the stories behind them. The next day brings Stories Sealed in Glaze, a museum education session tailored for preschoolers and grades 1–2, returning again on January 18. Expect ceramics to come alive: little hands, big imagination, and the kind of art history that makes sense when you can touch it.
Science that chills
Varázsóra – The Icy Breath of Air lands on January 10–11 and January 24–25, a science show that leans into physics with frostbitten flair. Think air pressure, temperature tricks, and the wow moments that make classroom concepts click. It’s interactive, dramatic, and just the right dose of science theater for a winter weekend.
Folk games and storytelling
Kerekerdő Playhouse sets up on January 11, then returns February 8 and March 8, built for ages 4–8. Kids rotate through folk games, live storytelling, and crafts—a gentle introduction to tradition delivered at kid height. It’s community, culture, and hands busy for a solid couple of hours.
Puppets you can make yourself
January 17 and 31 pull focus on puppet-making. In the craft-and-puppet workshops, children try different puppetry techniques and build their own characters connected to Bóbita’s performances. It’s process and performance in one: the joy of making, followed by the joy of seeing similar puppets come alive on stage.
And it doesn’t stop there
The Quarter’s wider program packs in extras through winter. From October 24, 2025 to February 1, 2026, Forest of Enchanted Lights turns evenings into a luminous wander. On January 3 and January 10, Step in the Footsteps of the Zsolnays is a guided walk through the family’s former home, a rare peek behind the storied porcelain dynasty. January 3 also hosts Tile Folding – Notebook Cover Workshop, a mindful, tactile session for design lovers.
Art you can wear and fire
January 4 brings Silk Painting Experience Classes and Ceramic Painting at Zsolnay Quarter, both great for beginners who want something beautiful to take home. The vibe: friendly, creative, no hovering, and techniques that are easy to grasp but satisfying to master.
Night walks and mindful patterns
Moonlight Ramble on January 10 invites you to slow down and see Pécs in a softer glow. And on January 11, What’s Your Mandala? opens a window into pattern, symmetry, and color, whether you’re there for meditation-through-making or just craving a gorgeous finished piece.
Where to stay: character, views, and quiet comfort
If you’re making a weekend of it, options around Pécs run from historic charm to hillside calm. Adele Boutique Hotel Pécs is a 4-star stay in a 19th-century listed building in the historic center; rooms and apartments blend period features with modern design. Barbakán Hotel sits just behind the Cathedral with two- to four-bed rooms, a conference space, and garage parking, while Boutique Hotel Sopianae pairs a heritage exterior with modern interiors right in the city center.
Havihegy’s Bagolyvár is all about clean air, silence, and views across Pécs toward Zengő. Look for 19 rooms decked in Hungarian folk motifs and six suites styled after traditional wine press houses, each nodding to a famous Hungarian varietal. The on-site restaurant serves Hungarian classics alongside international picks, with a soft spot for old-school desserts. For nature lovers, Büdöskút key house sleeps 12 midway between Remete-rét and Orfű, 800 meters off the main road on the Blue Trail and Green Cross routes—simple, scenic, and straight into the woods.
There are family-run pensions up on the Mecsek slopes too: minutes to forest paths or downtown, with the Zoo and Da Vinci private clinic nearby. From apartment hotels near UNESCO-listed Early Christian sites and the Cathedral to a freshly renovated former convent in Baroque style, the city’s lodging scene is walkable and varied. Another downtown hotel option sits 500 meters from the Knowledge Centre and the Kodály Centre—quiet, handy, and close to Pécs’ Mediterranean-style pedestrian streets.
Eat well, often
Fuel is easy to find. Angyali Kísértés Chocolate tempts with bonbons and homemade-style sweets. Craving big plates and bigger choice? There’s a cozy local eatery doing everything from schnitzels, grilled and stuffed meats, and fish to oven dishes, risottos, pizzas, and pastas, plus salads, soups, and desserts. In the heart of town, a classic Hungarian kitchen serves reliable daily menus for the lunch rush, breakfast from 8 with foamy coffee, sandwiches, and house-baked pastries, and caters small events on-site or off.
Aranykacsa Restaurant (Aranykacsa Étterem) champions local ingredients and wine culture across multiple spaces: Vinárium for tastings, Tüke Room for casual sips and meals, Zsolnay Room for family or formal dining, and the upstairs Dakk with garden for weddings, banquets, and birthdays. Bagolyvár’s restaurant doubles down on Hungarian tradition and old-time sweets; a bistro on the Balkans’ doorstep keeps things homey and unfussy; Big Bell adds a microbrewery and beer garden; Bohemia Beer Kitchen (Bohemia Sörkonyha) promises Beer – Burger – BBQ downtown; Borostyán Fast Food on Király Street runs weekday lunches 11:00–16:00; and PAULUS flexes from morning café to self-serve lunch to evening pub, plus regular events.
Organizers reserve the right to change dates and programs.
