Cycling tours in Hungary - Tokaj wines, River & Lake Tisza with Hortobágy

TOKAJ WINES, RIVER&LAKE TISZA WITH HORTOBÁGY

This is a wonderful holiday for lovers of the unspoilt nature, birds, romantic water-worlds, amenities of splendid hotels, excellent wines, and superb gastronomic experiences. During this very nice and easy cycling tour we will have a look at the Andrássy Castle in a beautiful park, and taste very special Aszú wines in the world-famous Tokaj Wine-Region (World Heritage Site). We will bicycle along idyllic landscapes of the River Tisza, to the miraculous Hortobágy Puszta National Park (World Heritage Site), where we will see the traditional Hungarian domestic animals during a horse-carriage drive with a spectacular horse-show. We will cycle around Lake Tisza, and take a fantastic boat tour in this enchanting bird and watersport paradise, where we will stay in a lovely thermal-hotel situated right at the lake, with a beautiful view. Coming back to Budapest we visit the famous „Sisi Castle” in Gödöllő, where the wellknown Austro-Hungarian Royal couple: Queen Elisabeth and Francis Joseph spent their holidays.

TOUR ITINERARY:

"Another gastronomic experience with some cycling! We appreciate the careful choosing of the menu's and the wine to go with them. Another great trip, nice to have everything taken care of."
John & June - UK 

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. In the evening you will meet us at the reception, have a welcome drink, information about the tour, and dinner in the nice restaurant of the hotel.

DAY 2: RIDING TO THE LEGENDARY TOKAJ WINE-REGION

We drive through Budapest, along its most beautiful avenue, the Andrássy Street, then towards the famous Tokaj Wine-Region, and after getting to the River Tisza we will have a look at the castle of the Andrássy family as well! Count Gyula Andrássy was a prominent nobleman, who was the first Prime Minister of Hungary, after the compromise was made between Austria and Hungary in 1867. It was his work to establish the modern and independent Hungarian state organization. The marvellous Neogothic castle is surrounded by a nice buxus labyrinth, and ancient trees of a beautiful park. We cycle there in a peaceful area near the Tisza, and we end up at a significant village of the historic wine-region, where the geometrical central point of Europe can be found. Making special wine is a great tradition here since the middle-ages, and the small story - when a Hungarian Archbishop gave some wine from here to Pope Gregory XVI, after drinking it the Pope said: ”This kind of wine suits the Pope the best” - well describes the quality. We have a gourmet dinner with tasting quite special wines of this place, such as the unique „Aszú”, the noblest sweetwine of the world, in a fabulous restaurant of the lovely antique mansion where we stay. (appr. 45 km / 28 m cycling)

DAY 3: CYCLING ALONG THE PEACEFUL RIVER TISZA

We get to the Tisza, and we cycle all day along the river, passing by wonderful backwater forests with a lot of birds, and picturesque landscapes of this untouched area. We stop for a lunch at a small Fishermen’s ”Csárda” (Inn) in a nice surroundings at the river-bank. This is one of those old restaurants with gingham table-cloths, and traditional Hungarian cuisine, bringing back the atmosphere of the bygone days. There are gourmets who come here even from a great distance, just to taste their delicious fish-dishes. So, maybe it is worth doing so for us as well… After this nice rest we cycle on to Lake Tisza. We stay 3 nights here in a very beautiful Spa-Hotel right at the shore, with a nice view of the lake, lovely indoor thermal and outdoor swimming pools, and various wellness facilities. (appr. 64 km / 40 m cycling)

DAY 4: BIKE TOUR AROUND LAKE TISZA - AN UNSPOILT PARADISE,

which was created by a hydroelectric station that was built originally to make a huge water reservoir, as a part of the watering system of the Great Plain. Later, during the years this big lake became a wonderful water-land and holiday resort, where people can enjoy watching birds, fishing, canoeing in the peaceful areas, as well as swimming, windsurfing, and other watersports in the other parts. This fantastic nature reserve belongs to the Hortobágy National Park, and the UNESCO World Heritage. Today we will ride around the lake, along the shore and several resort villages, beaches, and see many different faces and beautiful colours of the lake and the nature. We will stop at a lovely little beach to swim, and taste a rather popular typical Hungarian „fast food”, the „Lángos” (fried dough), which is always delicious and fresh here. After this pleasant break we cycle back to our hotel to have a rest before we go to a small restaurant at the lake, to enjoy some of the local specialities. (appr. 54 km / 34 m cycling)

DAY 5: BOAT TRIP ON LAKE TISZA, HORSE SHOW IN THE HORTOBÁGY PUSZTA

We get on little fishing-motor-boats to enjoy the peerless atmosphere of this romantic water-world and bird paradise. We will see plenty of white and yellow flowers of big Water-Lily, Floating Heart and Waterchestnut fields, decorating the lake wonderfully, and we can watch many Gulls, Cormorants, Herons, Mallards, Whiskered or Black Terns, Coots, Great Crested Grebes, Marsh Harriers, and several other birds among the reeds and woods in the narrow branches and channels, and on the huge open water surfaces. We will even take a walk on a small hidden island, to get a deeper insight into the extremely rich flora and fauna of the area, and the life of the local fishermen. After this unique experience, and tasting the delicious Hungarian Fish Soup, we can have some rest, or swim in the lake or in the swimming pools of our hotel. In the afternoon we visit the Hortobágy Puszta. “It is an island on the continent. Island, because it is surrounded by the sea of the civilized world.” said Mór Jókai, a famous Hungarian writer. This is the largest continuous steppe of Europe, a colorful mosaic of different natural habitats, alkaline grasslands and meadows, smaller and bigger marshes enclosed between them. The endless horizon - „where the sky touches the ground” - with a mirage, the breath-taking sunsets, and the sweep-pole wells are just some of its fantastic landscape features. We will take a horse-carriage drive with a spectacular horse show, where we will see the ancient Hungarian domestic animals that live out in the puszta, such as the Noniusz Horses, Grey Cattle, Racka Sheep, Mangalica Pigs, Water Buffalos, and we can get acquainted with the traditional life of the local herdsmen. Then we will cross the famous Hortobágy-Stone Bridge, to look at a small market place and some exhibitions about the beautiful folk-art and rich flora and fauna of this area. After this, we will taste some of the typical Hungaian specialities, such as the famous „Gulyás”, in an old Csárda Restaurant.

DAY 6: ROYAL CASTLE OF „SISI”

We take a bus transfer to Gödöllő, where we will have a guided tour in one of the largest Baroque palaces of Hungary, surrounded by a beautiful park. We will visit the very nicely reconstructed Royal suites of Queen Elisabeth and Francis Joseph, and a very interesting exhibition about their life. You will be invited for a coffee and cake in the small café there, and there is an exclusive gift shop, where you can buy some souvenirs. Then we get to our hotel in Budapest, where you can have some rest or drinks, or maybe a swim in the lovely swimming pool, before we have our farewell dinner there.

DAY 7:

After enjoying breakfast in the nice atmosphere of your hotel, we hope that you will get home safe and sound, with nice memories for a lifetime.