In Central Transdanubia you'll encounter a fascinating combination of royal cities, tiny villages snuggling in valleys, divine wines, culinary delights and natural treasures.The region lies between Lake Balaton and the Danube with Lake Velence between the two.
Wooded hills and valleys of the Bakony and Vértes, gentle slopes lined with grapevines in Balatonfelvidék (Balaton Upland) and on Somló Hill make the landscape varied.
Once a cradle of Hungary's foundation the area has two royal cities Székesfehérvár and Veszprém. In fact Veszprém is titled the Town of Queens after Gizella, wife of Hungary's first king St Stephen, who established a the country's first cathedral here.
In the Middle Ages Székesfehérvár functioned as royal residence, coronation and burial place of Hungarian Kings for more than 500 years.
Historic sights in downtown, the cathedral, churches and chapels, ruins, architecture, and museums help the visitor recapture the atmosphere of old times.
An old Renaissance castle (called Öregvár in Hungarian that indeed translates to old castle), springs and two lakes, an English park and a narrow gauge railway makes Tata one of the most romantic towns of Hungary.
Zirc boasts with a medieval abbey founded by the Cistercian order and a botanic garden with some old trees, bushes and other plants.
Central Transdanubia is not only the cradle of Hungary's history but it played important role in the evolution of mankind.
Traces and remains of the Prehistoric man in Europe discovered in Vértesszőlős are one of the oldest of the kind in the world. The archaeological findings: a preserved footprint, fossils are exhibited in the museum and you can also see the excavation site.
The small town of Pápa has many cultural sights: churches, museums, baroques houses and the palace built by the Eszterházy family in 1784. In the thermal bath complex you can enjoy a range of recreational, health and fitness facilities.
Sümeg's most notable attraction is the fortress which is one of the best preserved medieval castles in Hungary. It hosts a variety of events: medieval jousting tournaments, exhibitons, theatrical performances.
In Central Transdanubia you'll find world-famous examples of Hungarian arts and craftwork. In the porcelain manufacture and museum in Herend you can watch the brilliant handmade porcelains in the making. In the Crystal Museum in Ajka you can learn about the history of glass manufacturing and see coloured crystal works made in the factory.
Whether you want to go fishing, sailing, kayaking, rowing, wakebording or just lying on the beach and enjoying the sunshine, you can do all these things at Lake Velence. Reedbed islands and marshlands provide habitat for numerous protected animals and plants. Some sport events of international importance also take place at Lake Velence: fishing competition, rowing championship.The wooded hills of Bakony, Vértes or Gerecse are excellent for hiking or hunting. The forests give home to deer, wild boar, mouflon and to lots of bird species.
Wine Regions in Central Transdanubia
Somló Wine Region
You can discover the Hungary's smallest wine region on four wine tours each leading you to Somló Castle: St Margaret Wine Tour, St Ilona Wine Tour, Hegykút Wine Tour and St Martin Wine tour.
Only white grape varieties are grown on the volcanic slopes: furmint, hárslevelű (linden-leaf) , juhfark, traminer.
In the House of Somló Wines (Somlói Borok Háza) in Somlóvásárhely you can learn about the history and characteristics of Somló wines.
The most famous wine of Somló is the wine of wedding nights: according to the story the Habsburg royal family loved wines from this region because drinking a glass of Somló wine on the wedding night ensured a male heir and protected manhood.
Neszmély. Lying northwest of Budapest on the slopes of the Gerecse Hill and bordered by the Danube this wine region has a special climate favourable to produce excellent whites.
Main grape varieties grown here are: Chardonnay, Olaszrizling, Sauvignon Blanc and Királyleányka.
The Hilltop Winery run by my friends is unique in that it exports the most bottles of Hungarian wine to Britain – over 6 million out of the 7 million bottles of wine produced each year. This is the world’s toughest wine market where the best estates from all around the world compete for customers. In this field Hilltop has managed to secure a stable market and has won esteem from many quarters, including the winery’s success in 1998 when its Cserszegi Fűszeres was chosen “White Wine of the Year”. The range of products is extensive as the winery produces and bottles almost 40 varieties of wine as well as 3 types of törköly pálinka (Hungarian grappa).
The Hilltop Wine Hotel and Restaurant extends a warm welcome to guests seeking relaxation and entertainment. The restaurant with the most stunning view of the Danube in Hungary offers a wide range of food and colourful events in all seasons of the year: Vintage events, the new wine festival and the all-year-round opportunity to taste pálinka and wine.
Mór
The area lies between the Vértes and Bakony Hills. A national variety called Ezerjó, now a Hungaricum, is the most famous wine produced in this region.
This highly acidic white wine is best enjoyed after at least two years of the harvest. On the St. George Week's Cheerfulness festival in April you can taste local dishes and wines, enjoy concerts and dance performances.
Although pálinka (traditional Hungarian fruit brandy) is much stronger than wine try Agárdi pálinka (Agárd is a town at Lake Velence) made from flavourful Hungarian fruits: apricot, sour cherry, plum.
Wooded hills and valleys of the Bakony and Vértes, gentle slopes lined with grapevines in Balatonfelvidék (Balaton Upland) and on Somló Hill make the landscape varied.
Once a cradle of Hungary's foundation the area has two royal cities Székesfehérvár and Veszprém. In fact Veszprém is titled the Town of Queens after Gizella, wife of Hungary's first king St Stephen, who established a the country's first cathedral here.
In the Middle Ages Székesfehérvár functioned as royal residence, coronation and burial place of Hungarian Kings for more than 500 years.
Historic sights in downtown, the cathedral, churches and chapels, ruins, architecture, and museums help the visitor recapture the atmosphere of old times.
An old Renaissance castle (called Öregvár in Hungarian that indeed translates to old castle), springs and two lakes, an English park and a narrow gauge railway makes Tata one of the most romantic towns of Hungary.
Zirc boasts with a medieval abbey founded by the Cistercian order and a botanic garden with some old trees, bushes and other plants.
Central Transdanubia is not only the cradle of Hungary's history but it played important role in the evolution of mankind.
Traces and remains of the Prehistoric man in Europe discovered in Vértesszőlős are one of the oldest of the kind in the world. The archaeological findings: a preserved footprint, fossils are exhibited in the museum and you can also see the excavation site.
The small town of Pápa has many cultural sights: churches, museums, baroques houses and the palace built by the Eszterházy family in 1784. In the thermal bath complex you can enjoy a range of recreational, health and fitness facilities.
Sümeg's most notable attraction is the fortress which is one of the best preserved medieval castles in Hungary. It hosts a variety of events: medieval jousting tournaments, exhibitons, theatrical performances.
In Central Transdanubia you'll find world-famous examples of Hungarian arts and craftwork. In the porcelain manufacture and museum in Herend you can watch the brilliant handmade porcelains in the making. In the Crystal Museum in Ajka you can learn about the history of glass manufacturing and see coloured crystal works made in the factory.
Whether you want to go fishing, sailing, kayaking, rowing, wakebording or just lying on the beach and enjoying the sunshine, you can do all these things at Lake Velence. Reedbed islands and marshlands provide habitat for numerous protected animals and plants. Some sport events of international importance also take place at Lake Velence: fishing competition, rowing championship.The wooded hills of Bakony, Vértes or Gerecse are excellent for hiking or hunting. The forests give home to deer, wild boar, mouflon and to lots of bird species.
Wine Regions in Central Transdanubia
Somló Wine Region
You can discover the Hungary's smallest wine region on four wine tours each leading you to Somló Castle: St Margaret Wine Tour, St Ilona Wine Tour, Hegykút Wine Tour and St Martin Wine tour.
Only white grape varieties are grown on the volcanic slopes: furmint, hárslevelű (linden-leaf) , juhfark, traminer.
In the House of Somló Wines (Somlói Borok Háza) in Somlóvásárhely you can learn about the history and characteristics of Somló wines.
The most famous wine of Somló is the wine of wedding nights: according to the story the Habsburg royal family loved wines from this region because drinking a glass of Somló wine on the wedding night ensured a male heir and protected manhood.
Neszmély. Lying northwest of Budapest on the slopes of the Gerecse Hill and bordered by the Danube this wine region has a special climate favourable to produce excellent whites.
Main grape varieties grown here are: Chardonnay, Olaszrizling, Sauvignon Blanc and Királyleányka.
The Hilltop Winery run by my friends is unique in that it exports the most bottles of Hungarian wine to Britain – over 6 million out of the 7 million bottles of wine produced each year. This is the world’s toughest wine market where the best estates from all around the world compete for customers. In this field Hilltop has managed to secure a stable market and has won esteem from many quarters, including the winery’s success in 1998 when its Cserszegi Fűszeres was chosen “White Wine of the Year”. The range of products is extensive as the winery produces and bottles almost 40 varieties of wine as well as 3 types of törköly pálinka (Hungarian grappa).
The Hilltop Wine Hotel and Restaurant extends a warm welcome to guests seeking relaxation and entertainment. The restaurant with the most stunning view of the Danube in Hungary offers a wide range of food and colourful events in all seasons of the year: Vintage events, the new wine festival and the all-year-round opportunity to taste pálinka and wine.
Mór
The area lies between the Vértes and Bakony Hills. A national variety called Ezerjó, now a Hungaricum, is the most famous wine produced in this region.
This highly acidic white wine is best enjoyed after at least two years of the harvest. On the St. George Week's Cheerfulness festival in April you can taste local dishes and wines, enjoy concerts and dance performances.
Although pálinka (traditional Hungarian fruit brandy) is much stronger than wine try Agárdi pálinka (Agárd is a town at Lake Velence) made from flavourful Hungarian fruits: apricot, sour cherry, plum.