Tour details:
- Level of support: fully guided and supported (one of us cycles always with the group, and there is a support bus for the whole group available at any time)
- Level of difficulty: easy to moderate, mainly flat or undulating, with slight inclines in some areas
- Cycling distance: total 328 kms/ 203 miles, approx. 15-63 km/ 9-39 miles/day.
Taking this fabulous cycling tour, you will ride through untouched nature and woods, charming villages, picturesque landscapes and historical wine regions of Hungary, along the River Danube, Lake Ferto, and Lake Balaton. You will visit most famous castles and Romanesque churches, nicest medieval towns, thermal baths, and interesting museums of Western Transdanubia, stay in wonderfully located castles and historic houses, and taste excellent Hungarian wine and gourmet local food in small but outstanding restaurants and wine-cellars.
Tour Itinerary:
Day 1: Arrival in Budapest
Your hotel is situated right at the woods on the top of the Buda hills. Its lovely environment and swimming pool, sauna, or massage possibilities will make you feel well, and relaxed quickly. You will meet with your tour guide at the reception, and have a welcome drink, information about the tour, and dinner in the cosy restaurant of the hotel.
Day 2: Budapest to Gyor
Guided sightseeing tour with our bus around the most famous sights and best viewpoints of Budapest, the capital of Hungary, the "Pearl of the Danube". After a short break, bus transfer to Gyor - "the town of rivers", third richest home of historical monuments in the country. Then first to our hotel, which is situated in the heart of the antique part of the city, with a unique atmosphere. A place where it is worth taking a rest, and a few steps to a brilliant thermal bath, which is right at the confluence of the River Danube, Rába and Rábca. Later we take a walk around the ancient town to view the Cathedral on Chapter Hill with a famous reliquary of a 11th century Hungarian king, the Episcopal Castle, Baroque houses with lovely oriels, and the Carmelite cloister dating back to the 18th century, where we stay.
Day 3: Miracles of Szigetköz
An enchanting watery world, embraced by the arms of the Danube, a peaceful region, where the wind of modern times hasn’t swept through yet, a paradise for birds, anglers, and – as it is flat – for cyclists too. We will ride along idyllic landscapes, charming villages off the beaten track, and if our guide doesn’t get lost among the labyrinth of dead branches, oxbow lakes with water-lilies, willow woods, dams, paths and byways, we will end up at a lovely thermal bath in Lipót. After a refreshing bathe, we will get to Hédervár. There we can enjoy our stay in real luxury, surrounded by the special atmosphere of a 400 year old Renaissance castle. Owing to the renovation in a wonderful, authentic style, its friendly size and beautiful park, it is called: "Pearl of Szigetköz".
Day 4: Hansag - the Mysterious Marshland
Flying back from the 16th to the 13th century will take a few minutes with our bus to Lébény, where we stop to see the amazing sized Romanesque church, one of Hungary’s most important monuments from that era. Cycling from here on the Little Plain, in the untouched nature through the Hanság. The large wetland world, which has preserved its original look, belongs to the Fertö - Hanság National Park, and the UNESCO World Heritage. We take a wonderful ride through alder woods, along bog meadows, small lakes and rivers, with a stop at a little museum to look at the characteristic species of the exceptionally rich flora and fauna of this area, such as marsh orchid and harriers, owls, egrets, grey herons, black storks, eagles, some great bustards and Hungarian grey cattle. After reaching Lake Fertö, we stop in Fertöd at the splendid Baroque palace, built by Miklós Esterházy in the 18th century, in Versailles style. Busride to Balf, a small village near the lake. The Castle Hotel where we stay two nights, is connected with a small thermal bath, and a medical center, which was founded in the 18th century. Dinner we have in the most special restaurant of the area.
Day 5: Sopron, Lake Fertö
Short transfer to Sopron, the town that has won the Europa Prize for its well protected monuments. Walking through the Fire Tower, a wonderful antique world, surrounded by the original city walls will open out, offering abundance of sights, listed buildings and cultural memories. We cycle from here through a lovely wood to Lake Fertö, one of the most interesting wild water areas of Central Europe, a steppe lake. Observing almost 300 bird species, or fishing more than 30 kind of fish, sailing, boating, swimming are popular activities here. We take a boat trip, and then rolling along the lake, we arrive back to Balf. After having a short rest, we visit the quarry of Fertörákos with enormous halls, and a beautiful view of Lake Fertö. After this, we taste some of the finest wines of the historic Sopron region, and have dinner in the same excellent restaurant again.
Day 6: Balf to Bozsok
Just a short ride, and we get to Nagycenk, where "the greatest Hungarian", Count István Széchenyi, a prominent statesman of the 19th century lived. It is really worth seeing the museum in his former castle, which gives us a good insight into his life and shows his outstanding work promoting Hungary’s transport, industry and agriculture, not to mention some of the world-famous Hungarian inventions. Cycling along nice fields we stop to see a 300 year old watermill. We take the bus for a short while, and then we push the pedals further through beautiful woods and quiet villages towards the foothills of the Alps, and arrive at the romantic and familiar 17th century "Sibrik” castle in Bozsok, in the middle of a marvelous park in the wood, surrounded by ancient trees. It is the island of peacefulness, where time stops, and silence finds home, so we stay here for two nights.
Day 7: Köszeg and the Irrotkö Natural Park
Short bus ride to Köszeg. It’s hard to find any prettier town in Hungary than this little one. Let’s take a walk around "the Sub-Alpine jewel-box", as they call it. Every house in the town has its own story. Rich decorations like graffito, or fresco-coat of arms, and various styles make them individually remarkable. The central square, surrounded by the city walls, takes us back to the Middle Ages. A great success was to defend the castle against the Turks by Captain Miklós Jurisics in 1532. After seeing the sights, we cycle in the wonderful forests among the hills of the Írottkö Naturpark with smashing views of the area. Passing by a small resort Velem, we stop at the museum-cellars in Cák, and ride back to our hotel. Tonight we have wine tasting and dinner in an old cellar with an "iron-curtain museum" among picturesque vineyards at the Austrian border.
Day 8: From Castle to Castle
Today we continue our tour in the nature along sleeping hamlets and softly undulating lands, through beautiful woods with a botanical garden. We have two stops to see the Benedictine abbey church in Ják, and a small village church in Csempeszkopács. Both are significant memories of the Romanesque architecture. Riding further to South by some small lakes, we arrive at Misefa, a quiet place near Héviz, and stay at a charming little Castle Hotel for two nights.
Day 9: Keszthely and Heviz
A day of leisure. We take our bus to Keszthely, an old town at the Lake Balaton, where we visit the castle of the Festetics family. It’s one of the most beautiful Baroque palaces of Hungary with a scenic English Garden, rich furniture, and its biggest treasure, the Helikon Library, which has wonderfully preserved its original shape. By founding the first agricultural college of Europe, and organizing the Helikon festivals, the Festetics developed Keszthely into a cultural center. After some walk or rest in the town, we go to Hévíz, and dip into the 33-34 C degrees water of the second biggest thermal lake of the world. It is the most famous health resort of Hungary, well known in Europe as well. The wooden buildings and plenty of water-lilies on the lake make the sight even more beautiful. After getting cured in the healing water, we go back to our hotel.
Day 10: Lake Balaton
The largest lake of Middle Europe, and the most visited resort area of the country, the "Hungarian Sea". It is very pleasant to swim in the 20-25 C degrees warm water, and sailing, windsurfing, fishing is also much liked here. We cycle along the Northern Side, and enjoy some of Hungary’s most beautiful landscapes. The breathtaking panorama of the lake and the volcanic hills at Badacsony-historic wine region cannot be compared with anything else. A great number of beautifully renovated old thatched village houses make the area even more picturesque at Szigliget, and in the Káli Basin, which is a peaceful nature reserve, decorated with unique formations, like "stone seas" and "basalt organs" of the surrounding hills. Riding among vineyards all around, we reach Tihany. Here we stay at a pleasant hotel right at the shore, with a great opportunity to swim.
Day 11: Tihany to Budapest
Tihany Peninsula is another most attractive point of Balaton, with hidden natural beauties, like geyser-cones, and an Inner Lake. Arriving at the top, we visit the Benedictine monastery. Its foundation document, the oldest written memory we have containing some Hungarian words, and the grave of the king who founded the abbey, can be seen in the crypt, and makes it famous. After enjoying another wonderful view, walking among the old thatch-roofed village houses, and souvenir shops, we cycle through Balatonfüred, an old health resort town, towards the end of the lake, and a sad moment, when we finish riding. We take a bus transfer to Budapest, where we have a farewell dinner inour hotel.
Day 12: After enjoying breakfast in the friendly atmosphere of your hotel, we hope that you will leave with nice memories for a lifetime.
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Price Includes:
- 11 nights accommodation mainly in 3 or 4 star castles, mansions or historic houses
- 11 times breakfast, and 3 course gourmet dinners, always with drinks and excellent wines
- 2x wine tasting in lovely wine cellars
- Picnics and drinks during cycling
- Full English speaking guiding throughout the tour
- Full technical support, and special trailer for all the bikes, abd all the luggage
- Air conditioned support bus for the whole group
- All the bus transfers, private guided sightseeing tours, and visits of the program
- Boat trip on Lake Fertö
- All the 11 museum, castle, church, and 5 bath tickets, written in the itinerary
- Very good quality hybrid bikes with 24 gears, suspension and panniers
- Souvenir water-bottle and TNS T-shirt
- Sights, most quiet routes
- Free airport-hotel transfers in Budapest.
Price Excludes:
- Your travel between Budapest and your home, before and after the tour
- Travel and health insurance.
Also see tour packages in:
Europe
Hungary
Outdoor: Land Rambler
Bicycle Touring
Cultural Journey
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