Harvest season is on
In Hungary, most fruits ripen in July. Honey-sweet melons, cantaloupes, and various kinds of peaches flood grocery stores and supermarkets. It is worth eating as much of this year's fruit as possible at this time of year. One of the specialities of Hungarian cuisine is cold fruit soup, which may surprise many people at first, but the refreshing soup is very welcome in the heat. Another popular dish is pickled cucumber, 'kovászos uborka'. In the summer, almost every window of Hungarian houses has a big jar full of cucumbers, some garlic and dill, to make crunchy and flavourful 'kovászos uborka'.
Time to explore Hungary
It's a great time to explore the places you didn’t have time to explore during your study period. In Budapest, the Pest quay is closed to cars every weekend throughout the summer. It's worth a visit to watch the sunset behind the Buda Hills. But don't stop at Budapest! Explore the Danube Bend, Szentendre, Villány, or visit the largest lake in Central Europe: Balaton, where you can hike in the mountains and forests surrounding the lake as well as enjoy the beach. There are wonderful festivals all over the country, with music, food, and cultural events.
The weather in July is characterized by long, hot, and sunny days, so make sure to drink plenty of water. But don't forget your umbrella either, as you can often expect sudden heavy rain or even hail.
The Olympics starts
As the football championship ends, we look forward to the start of the Olympics, a global event that brings nations together in a celebration of sportsmanship and athletic prowess.
Hungarian athletes have won 511 medals at the Summer Games and 10 medals at the Winter Games, making Hungary the country with the highest number of gold medals won per capita. Hungarians take pride in being enthusiastic supporters of the Olympics, so be sure to join them in cheering for their favourite athletes.
Birthday of the 'saviour of mothers'
Ignác Semmelweis was born on the first of July. His discovery and heroic struggle have been an example to all scientists ever since. Semmelweis was a Hungarian physician in the 1800s. His discovery, ahead of his time, was based on practical observations and conclusions drawn from statistical data. This made Ignác Semmelweis one of the world's best-known Hungarian doctors, often called the 'saviour of mothers'. His introduction of chlorine-water handwashing dramatically reduced deaths from puerperal fever.
Portrait of Ignác Semmelweis by Than Mór
Semmelweis's discovery is known and recognized worldwide. In 2013, the UNESCO International Advisory Committee declared some of the documents of his discoveries on puerperal fever, published in print between 1847 and 1861, to be World Heritage.
His birthday is also the day of Hungarian health care. The medical and health science university named after him, the Semmelweis University, is a place where the doctors and health workers of the future study. Last year, a movie about Ignác Semmelweis premiered in theatres.