After an early breakfast we take a taxi to the Keleti Train Station for the 3 hr ride to Pecs.  Pecs has been an established settlement for 2000 years, Celts, Romans, Magyars, Turks and Slavs have all called it home.  Architecture is medieval, baroque and art nouveau.  The squares and facades were all refurbished in 2010 when Pecs was named as a European Cultural Capital.  The city is lovely and easy to navigate on foot.  We rarely hear languages other than Hungarian during our visit.

After arrival and a spot of lunch, we meet our lovely guide Brigitta Gombos at Hotel Diana for a 3 hour walking tour of the city.  After the summer tourist season, Brigitta returns to her primary career as a high school teacher.

The architecture in Pecs is a mix of medieval gothic, turkish, baroque and art nouveau designs.

A visit to the bustling Pecs Produce Market - fruits and vegetables, of course, but also all kinds peppers, sauerkraut, sauerkraut stuffed pickles, and varied meat products including 1/2 pig head, trotters, chicken feet, all matter of innards and offal, bacon, ham, sausages......oh my!

Our favorite of many great meals in Hungary at Matyas Kiraly Vendeglo Restaurant, a small local cafe recommended by our guide Brigitta.  We were able to find 3 new traditional dishes: Halazle (Hungarian paprika carp/fish soup served with noodles), Goulyas (Goulash paprika soup with chunks of tender beef and potato), and my favorite Meggy Leves (sour cherry soup).  The cherry soup was so good I almost forgot to take a pic!