HEAD FOR THE HIGHLIGHTS

COOLEST CORNER

Fish Alley may not sound so fragrant (and it’s not much better in Magyar: “Hal köz”), but this little square in downtown Debrecen is the epicentre of the city’s excellent al-fresco evening scene. The former fishmarket is now home to 10 bars (or cafés that are effectively bars), and a lovely but potentially lethal openwater feature that runs unfenced down its middle. Back in Blighty that might be a recipe for public urination and damp 11.30pm scuffles, but things are a little classier here.

MUST-SEE SIGHT

If you’re going to name your church “The Great Church”, you’d better come up with something pretty good – but this one (“Nagytemplom” in Hungarian) is certainly the city’s most impressive. Even if the fairly simple Calvinist interior doesn’t do much for you (where’s their doctrine of “Total Depravity” when you want it?), take the lift or stairs up the belltower for fantastic views out over a low-rise city where the horizon is punctured only by further baroque church spires and the odd, strangely appealing water tower.

SIGNATURE DISH

Berliner, Frankfurter, Vienna, Bologna… Debrecen joins an elite club of cities with sausages named after them, but only the Debrecener is so good that you’ll want to eat it twice. Pork spiced with paprika, garlic and marjoram till it’s a delicious red-orange, these beauties are always sold in linked pairs. You’ll find them in most restaurants, though they’re missing a trick as this perfect post-pub pleaser is surprisingly hard to find outside hours.

GREATEST EXPORT

Take a wild guess at what kind of music is played by Debrecen’s biggest band, bandana’d and blackleathered Tankcsapda (it means “tank trap”). Still not sure? Here are some translated record titles to help: The Best Poison, Sex Object and If You Want Noise. Yes, the boys (well of course they’re boys) are purveyors of the finest Eastern European heavy rock, but it travels well, apparently: last year they sold out the same Glasgow venue previously played by Adele.

BRITISH EQUIVALENT Technically, with Debrecen Hungary’s second biggest metropolis, its UK counterpart is Birmingham – though that comparison seems somehow to do neither city any favours. Instead, Debrecen’s industrial hinterland, good rail links, compact centre, splendid ecclesiastical architecture and love of a pint or two suggest a sunnier Peterborough.

FUN FACT

You’ll be arriving in Debrecen on a Wizz Air flight. You can expect it to be punctual, as the airline’s founder and CEO József Váradi happens to be from the city, and staff never know when he might decide to pop home.

i Former fishmarket: Hal köz hosts many outdoor bars and cafés