After Budapest, Debrecen is the second largest city in Hungary with a population of 200,000. It is the regional centre of the Northern Great Plain region and the seat of Hajdú-Bihar County. The city has preserved its ancient mercantile character and also has a rich cultural life.
The symbol of Debrecen is the Great Church, built in classicist style, which is unique in the country. A flower carnival takes place in the city every year on 20 August.
Debrecen is home to the University of Debrecen, whose main building is a widely recognized work of architecture. The university has many departments and is a major research centre in Europe.
Debrecen also makes an ideal starting point for excursions to the Hortobágy National Park, or to the nearby homely towns of for example Jászberény or Mezőkövesd.
By car: take motorway M3 towards Miskolc, then take highway M35 to Debrecen. The distance is approximately 230 km.
By train: the time of the journey by Intercity train from Budapest Nyugati Railway Station is 3 hours.