Nagykanizsa

Nagykanizsa (Croatian: Velika Kaniža, German: Großkirchen, Großkanizsa, Turkish: Kanije) is a city in Hungary in the Somogy-Zala hills, lying between the western corner of the Lake Balaton and the Croatian and Slovenian border. This pulsing border town, with its 47,000 inhabitants (2017), is the centre of the southwestern Transdanubian region. It's also the traditional transitplace of trade and tourism, heading for or arriving from the Adriatic and Italian harbours.

Understand
The name Kanizsa was first mentioned in a document in 1245. It is of Slavic origin (Knysa), and means "belonging to a prince". It refers to the fact that the region was the property of an aristocrat.

The city's oldest Roman era ruins were uncovered in the 1960s. Later, during the Middle Ages, it became one of the most important strongholds of the Hungarian Kingdom. The fortress had a significant role in the southern shield line of Hungary, keeping the whole of Western Europe safe from the attacks of the Ottoman Empire.

The city started a new phase of large-scale development in the 1860s. The railway connecting Nagykanizsa with Vienna, Budapest, and Rijeka was constructed at that time. There was rapid development in industry as well.



By train
Trains are available in every two hours from Budapest-Déli pályaudvar via Székesfehérvár, Siófok and Fonyód, moving on the South Coast of the Lake Balaton. The journey takes around 3 hours and costs. Other direct connections are:
 * Toward the west: there are direct international trains via Gyékényes to Zagreb (Croatia) once a day.
 * Toward the north: Szombathely via Zalaszentiván (junction point to Zalaegerszeg) in about every four hours.
 * Toward the south: Pécs via Barcs and Szigetvár in about every four hours, and Dombóvár via Kaposvár four times a day.

By bus
Buses are available four times a day from Budapest-Népliget. The journey takes 3 hours and costs –.

By car
Nagykanizsa is next to the M7 motorway between Budapest and Zagreb. Closer to the border, M70 forks off providing a connection from  cities like Maribor in Slovenia and Graz in Austria.

By bus
Volánbusz operates local buses in Nagykanizsa. Tickets (in 2019): in advance,  from driver. Passes (in 2019): per month,  semimonthly. Tickets can be purchased at the bus station (only on weekdays) and at many newsstands. Public transport map of Nagykanizsa.

Erzsébet tér




Further afield
In Homokkomárom:

In Kacorlak:

Buy
Inside the downtown:

Outside the downtown:

Budget
Inside the downtown:

Outside the downtown:

Mid-range
Inside the downtown:

Outside the downtown:

Splurge
Inside the downtown:

Outside the downtown:

Cafes
Inside the downtown:

Outside the downtown:

Pubs
Inside the downtown:

Outside the downtown:

Budget
Close to the downtown:

In outer area:

Mid-range
Close to the downtown:

In outer area:

Splurge
Close to the downtown:

In outer area:

Connect
Nagykanizsa's postal code is H-8800, and its telephone area code is 93.



Go next

 * Csurgó – town south
 * Letenye – town west
 * Marcali – town east
 * Nagyatád – town southeast
 * Pacsa – small town north
 * Zalaegerszeg – city north
 * Zalakaros – town with famous thermal spa northeast