Hungaricums
Hungaricums are those noteworthy assets from Hungary, which characterise the Hungarians by their uniqueness, specialty and quality, and represent the peak performance of Hungary .
The Hungarian-ness of some of Hungaricums comes from the fact that it developed here over centuries, as part of the peoples’ efforts to sustain themselves, like falconry, or the indigenous grey cattle, the playful Vizsla and brave Puli dog breeds and the hairy Mangalica pig, known for its high-quality lard.
Others are comparatively recent, having only come entrenched in the last 150 years or so, such as the Pottery of Mezőtúr, the delicate lacework of Halasi or the curlicued folk art of Matyó.
Porcelain of Herend
This Hungarian manufacturing company has specialised in luxury hand painted and gilded porcelain for generations. Founded in 1826, it is still based in the town of Herend near the city of Veszprém.
Busó Festivities in Mohács
The Busó March an carnival in Mohács in southern Hungary is an old tradition. People put on fleece cloaks and wooden masks and start bonfires to chase away the winter. The tradition has nowadays spread into a large festival, for which visitors travel to Mohács from all over Hungary and nearby countries.
Dance-Houses
Dance-houses in Hungary means culture-clubs where cultural heritage, such as folk dancing is practiced and passed on from generation to generation.
Matyó Folk Art
Folk Art from Matyó is well known for the embroideries on souvenirs and villagers' clothes. Matyó motifs are mainly flowers and birds with ornamental plants coloured in red, green, black and blue.
Halasi Lace
Lace of Halas is a 110 years old handicraft Hungaricum. Mostly used as a exclusive decoration of the rooms and halls. Even Pope John Paul II. was gifted with a Halasi Lace while he was in Hungary.
Rubik’s cube
Let’s play together with our sensational Rubik’s cube just to stir another part of your mind. Here you will find a lot of interesting and useful information about this sensational logic game.
The life-work of Ferenc Puskás
In 1956 Puskás emigrated to Spain where he built himself a successful career playing for Real Madrid. He holds dozens of Hungarian and foreign state honours as well as the Olympic Order of the International Olympic Committee, he was voted greatest Hungarian sportsman of the 20th century, appointed honorary ambassador for Hungarian sport, and the national stadium of Hungary is named after him. One of his most memorable matches came in 1953 when the underrated Hungarian team crushed the “invincible” English squad 6-3 at Wembley Stadium.
Beres Drops - the healing Hungaricum
This is the right place for you to explore this unique Hungarian immune strengthener. The Beres Drops not only supports your immune system; it can act as a supplemental therapy to improve the general condition and well-being of cancer patients.
Pottery of Mezőtúr
In the village of Mezőtúr in eastern Hungary, you will find a 100-year-old tradition in every single product that the locals make. People here are very proud of their heritage, as the techniques are taught by old masters to the young apprentices, passing the knowledge from generation to generation.
Falconry
Hungarian falconry is as old as the nation itself. Hungarians had very well-developed skills in hunting with falcons when they entered the Carpathian Basin in 895. Falconry is now officially part of the country's heritage.
Hungarian Vizsla
The most commonly-seen breed in the country, the Hungarian Vizsla (pron. Viz-shla) is also known as the Hungarian Pointer or Magyar Pointer.
Puli
The Puli is an ancient breed of Hungarian sheep dog. It is medium-sized and sturdy with a unique corded coat. The Puli is a lively, cheerful little dog who is very loyal to its family.
Hungarian grey cattle
This is an ancient beef cattle breed from Hungary. Although nowadays Hungarian grey cattle are kept mainly as tourist attractions in the Hortobágy National Park and other Hungarian national parks, these herds also serve as gene banks, due to their reported resistance to bovine diseases which affect more highly-bred cattle types.
Mangalica
Mangalica or Mangalitsa, known also as the curly-hair hog, is a breed of pig raised especially in Hungary and the Balkans, originally bred in 1833 by the Hungarian Royal Archduke Jozsef. Unlike all popular hog breeds, which are bred for their meat, the Mangalitsa is an extreme lard-type.
The Hungarian Racka
The Hungarian Racka is an unmistakeable breed of sheep characteristic for its long, curly locks of black or white wool, V-form twisted horns and erect stance. This too is a hardy breed, able to survive in the toughest conditions while supplying man with milk, meat and wool. Grazing Hungarian Racka sheep are as much a part of the Hungarian Puszta scene as Grey cattle or thundering herds of horses.
The UNESCO is responsible for supporting the preservation and maintenance of nearly 1000 sites of cultural and natural heritage, as well as cultural regions, which includes irreplaceable relics, lifestyles and cultural treasures. In the case of Hungary, some 8 are part of UNESCO and another 11 are on the tentative list.
The existing sites include Aggtelek Karst Caves, the ancient necropolis of Pécs, the Puszta or Great Plains, the perfect village of Hollókő, the cultural landscapes of lake Fertő and Tokaj wine region, the ancient abbey at Pannonhalma and the Danube Banks, Buda Castle and Andrassy Avenue in the capital, Budapest.
FOOD AND DRINK
Goulash soup
In the past goulash was made by the shepherds of the plains. It was a rich and filling food they needed to last them through their hard working day. Real Hungarian goulash is made from potato, beef (preferably grey cattle), paprika, spices and sometimes Hungarian gnocchi too. It is made like a soup, but in the end it's more like a stew.
Fisherman's soup
Fisherman's soup is a thick soup made in a pot on open fire. The main ingredients are river or lake common carp, paprika, spices and onion. The most famous types of fisherman's soup are the bajai, balatoni and the szegedi.
Goose liver or "foie gras"
Hungary is the world's second-largest foie gras producer and the largest exporter. Goose liver is part of traditional Hungarian cuisine and a must-try when visiting the country. The goose liver of Orosháza is a number one gift gourmet tourist take away. Really good goose liver is maybe expensive, but surely an unforgettable experience
Pick "Winter" Salami
For more than 130 years the Pick Company in Szeged has been creating unique flavours and unforgettable treats with its top-quality products. Pick Winter Salami is the company's most famous product. It is a real delicacy! Available at any supermarket or grocery store in Hungary.
Sausages
Beside salamis, Hungary has very delicious sausages, perhaps quite different from the ones you are familiar with, because these sausages are made of pork meat and spiced with paprika. The production procedure is regulated by strict rules. The best two brands of Hungary are the Csabai and Gyulai.
Somló-style sponge cake
It is a popular Hungarian dessert, made with three different-flavored sponge cake, pastry cream, raisins, walnuts, chocolate sauc and whipped cream. Rum is traditionally used in the simple syrup and chocolate sauc, but it can be omitted. Dobos cake (Dobostorta) is a layered sponge cake filled with chocolate and nuts, glazed with caramel. Makówki (Mákos Guba) is also a typical Hungarian dessert, made of sweet white bread covered with poppy seeds.
Szamos Marzipan
The gourmet marzipan/chocolate of Hungary. Szamos marzipan is a sweet dessert item used in a variety of ways. The Szamos Marzipan Museum and Confectionery in Szentendre is Hungary's first marzipan museum. The exhibition displays the art of marzipan making, including some masterpieces of confectionery, such as the 160 centimetre tall model of the Parliament building.
Túró Rudi
This was invented in the 1960's by a small group of dairy industry professionals inspired by a study trip to Moscow. They came up with a unique new product - a dark chocolate bar filled with lemony cottage cheese. The "pöttyös" (literally spotty) theme was part of the original marketing campaign, but now it's a uniquely recognisable brand of this dessert. It has a lot of variants, like extra-large, milk chocolate-covered, apricot and strawberry jam filled, and so on, but none of these are as popular as the original. In foreign countries you may find it under the brand name "Dots".
Chimney cake
This cake, which gained it's name from it's pipe-like look, is both a Hungarian and a székely (Sekler) symbol. One of the first known recipes of the cake, which is made of sweet yeast dough, rolled around special wooden rolls or spits and roasted over charcoal, dates back to 1784.
Paprika
Last but definitely not least, Hungary is a major source of high-quality paprika, ranging in grades from sweet (mild, not hot) with a deep bright red colour to rather spicy (hot) with a brownish orange colour. Paprika is used as an ingredient in a wide range of dishes throughout the world. Paprika is an important ingredient of sausages and soups such as goulash. The two main paprika-producing regions are Szeged and Kalocsa.
Makó onions
Onions from the town of makó in southeastern Hungary are famous and beloved nationwide. This type of onion has been refined and developed for centuries by the local gardeners and producers. There's also a special heat treatment, developed in the 18th century, that has been applied to the onions ever since. Makó onions are pretty large and known by their excellent smell and taste.
Pálinka
Pálinka is the alcoholic drink made only from fruit or pomace grown in Hungary and some parts of Austria. By law, no additional ingredients are acceptable, except pure water. Really good pálinka is smooth and fruity and has an alcohol content of around 40%.
Unicum
Unicum is a special, bitter, alcoholic liqueur made with herbs and spices that Hungarians swear by as an aid to digestion, among many other things. For more information please visit: Zwack Unicum Heritage Visitors' Centre
Wines of Tokaj
Tokaji Aszú is the name of the wine from the historical wine region of Tokaj-Hegyalja in the northeastern part of Hungary. The region is noted for its sweet wines, made from grapes affected by so-called noble rot. Tokaji Aszú is a world-famous dessert wine from Hungary, also called the "king of wines, wine of kings", and sure enough, the greatest kings and queens of Europe really did commission this unique drink back in History.
Bull's Blood of Eger
Bull's Blood or Bikavér, is the name of a special type of red wine cuvée, made in the wine region of Eger. The name comes from the Turkish Ages, when according to the legend, castle defenders became stronger as they drank the red wine, and the Turkish soldiers thought the red liquid was bull's blood. Now Bikavér is a very popular cuvée wine and has its own festivals and fans.