Side by side in Hungary’s far south-east corner, the the historic towns of Gyula and Békéscsaba have much to offer the curious visitor in winter. An aristocratic mansion, a pálinka brandy factory and a Gothic fortress number among the many attractions, with skating and thermal bathing super seasonal activities at this time of year. There’s plenty of culture, too, the former homes of great Hungarian creatives open to the public as museums.

A newly released English-friendly video, produced by the Hungarian Tourism Agency and provided to We Love Budapest, focus on Gyula and Békéscsaba in winter.

It first takes us to the AquaPalace at Gyula Castle Baths, with its thermal pools and giant slides, before moving across Gyula to tour the aristocratic Almásy Mansion and the last Gothic brick fortress left on the Great Hungarian Plain.

After a hard morning’s sightseeing, you can relax over coffee at Gyula’s elegant Centennial Confectionery before visits to the Gyula Pálinka Factory and the Memorial House of composer Ferenc Erkel, responsible for the Hungarian National Anthem.

Across in nearby Békéscsaba, you can explore the Memorial House of 19th-century painter Mihály Munkácsy before skating the evening away at the Events Barn.

How to get there from Budapest:Trains leave Keleti Station every hour for Békéscsaba, journey time two hours and 30 minutes. Change there for Gyula 15 minutes away.