Chronicles on the road: Tokaj and Košice
The second day of our Eastern Chronicles road trip was both beautiful and exhausting. We drove about 200 km today, from Debrecen, Hungary to Prešov, Slovakia. All the places we stopped along the way had so much to offer that we could barely handle it. After this full day, we’ve learnt our lesson: ‘Never ever visit so many places in a single day again!’ Even so, here are our thoughts after experiencing Tokaj, Hungary and Košice, Slovakia:
“On the road to Tokaj, I was imagining some sort of a small city with wine cellars on the left and right, as well as benches and other small-town-cute-little stuff. And, boy, were my expectations exceeded! I wasn’t only completely smitten with the wine cellars and beautiful houses with windows full of flowers, but was also thrilled to see that the area itself had so much more to offer than I had initially thought.
As grapevines continued to spread their green leaves all over the hills in a magnificently straight and ordered fashion (which pleasantly tickled my OCD bone), the Tokaj feeling persisted even when smoothly crossing the Slovak border and heading toward an apparently grim Košice. But on a closer look behind the exterior, carefully surrounded by bland apartment blocks testifying to the country’s heavy industrial past, the city center revealed itself as a symmetrical entity, governed by the stoic St. Elisabeth Cathedral, an immense gothic cathedral with a black and golden roof that accentuates its noir feel.
I think that this is a part of the Eastern Europe fascination — the gentle flow from idyllic scenery through industrial scarlet letters deeply carved, eventually reaching the very heart of it — charming mélanges of history, modernism, and general beauty.” — Alexandra Dragos
“I’ve always wanted to visit Tokaj; I’ve heard so many stories about this town crammed with wine cellars. We spent only a couple of hours there today, but I think we’ll come back soon and stay around for at least two days. Of course I’ve bought some bottles of wine to bring home (in preparation for my next trip to Tokaj).
Now, regarding Košice: I was first there in 2013, the same year that the city was the European Capital of Culture. It was summer and the city was blooming. I can’t really explain this, but the Košice I visited today was different. I’m also pretty sure I am a little biased (and tired) right now, so I’ll try to conclude my experience later.” — Alexandra Palconi
“Another exciting and exhausting day! Tokaj was a great surprise — in that I didn’t expect to find such a quaint little village. Before our visit, all I had ever associated with Tokaj were their world-class wineries. Košice was nice, but somehow less friendly than I had expected. Maybe I can blame it on the rainy, cold weather. But, to quote Flavius: “We don’t need the sun to have a sunny day — we just need the right attitude.” — Stefan Szakal
“For eight centuries now, Tokaj vineyards have delivered some of the finest wines in Europe. In addition to Tokaj’s picturesque neighborhoods, its manifold cellars and vineyards provide one of the best wine tours you’ll ever experience.
Once you get into the Old Town of Košice, you’ll be thrilled by the large number of ancient buildings. Košice boasts a smooth mix of styles in all aspects, from architecture to culture, from language to religion. It is no wonder that they call it the City of Tolerance.” — Cristian Sitov
The third day of our road trip takes us to Spiš Castle, and Banská Bystrica (both in Slovakia), so stay tuned!
Photo credit: Flavius Neamciuc
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