The Mars Square Market (Mars téri piac) is a daily indoor produce market in Szeged, the third largest city of Hungary and the largest city and regional centre of the Southern Great Plain. It is located near the central bus station and is spread across three halls: the Main Hall (Nagy csarnok), the Irén Hall (Irén csarnok) and the Anna Hall (Anna csarnok).
In the Main Hall has 557 market tables where small producers sell their seasonal produce including fresh fruit and vegetables, meat, fish, and flowers from small producers. There are also a number of permanent stores such as butchers, bakeries, pickled vegetables stores and coffee shops.
The Irén Hall is home to specialised food vendors including butchers, dairy shops, candy stores, bakeries, poultry sellers, spice merchants, and prepared food stalls. Meanwhile, the Anna Hall focuses on non-food retail, offering clothing, accessories, textiles, haberdashery supplies, flowers, and Hungarian folk craft products.
Market tips
- Make sure to try lángos, a traditional Hungarian street food available in the Main Hall of the Szeged market. It’s a deep-fried flatbread made from a dough similar to pizza dough (using flour, yeast, water, and salt). When fried, it becomes crispy on the outside while staying soft and chewy on the inside.
- The Main Hall is also a great place to buy Hungarian paprika powder directly from the producers. Your best bet is to buy from one of the market tables in the middle of hall. It might not come in a fancy packaging, but it’s the real deal!
Market days
Monday – Sunday
Opening hours
The market grounds are open from 4am to 6pm on weekdays and 4am to 3pm on weekends throughout the year. The permanent stores are open at the following times:
Winter opening hours (1 November – 31 March)
Monday: 5am – 3pm
Tuesday: 5am – 3pm
Wednesday: 5am – 3pm
Thursday: 5am – 3pm
Friday: 5am – 3pm
Saturday: 5am – 3pm
Sunday: 5am – 3pm
Summer opening hours (1 April – 31 October)
Monday: 4am – 5pm
Tuesday: 4am – 5pm
Wednesday: 4am – 5pm
Thursday: 4am – 5pm
Friday: 4am – 5pm
Saturday: 4am – 3pm
Sunday: 4am – 3pm
