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"This was a wonderful tour. Gábor had organised everything perfectly. It was busy but relaxed at the same time. He had a wonderful sense of humour and we enjoyed his company tremendously."— Taste Hungary client
"Food Wine Budapest: A Terroir Guide, by Carolyn Bánfalvi, concentrates on gastronomic pleasures. It is, quite simply, the best guide available today to the culinary renaissance of the city and region in the post-communist era."— The Globe and Mail
"The English-language Bible for lovers of Hungarian food and wine." — Decanter (Hungarian edition)
Upcoming Events
Saturday, October 9 and 16: Tokaj Harvest Day Trip
Beyond the Buda Hills
White Wine Tasting in Etyek and Premium Pálinka on the Shore of Lake Velence
Suggested Trip Length
Day trip
When To Go
Year-round. A popular “cellar festival” is held annually in Etyek during the second half of May, and in Budafok an annual wine festival is held in September (usually coinciding with the Budapest International Wine Festival held in the Buda Castle).
Wining and Dining
Buda and the area west of Budapest together make up the Etyek-Buda wine region, which is one of Hungary’s mid-sized regions, stretching south from Budapest to Lake Velence. From Budapest we will head west into the hills. The pretty village of Etyek features a historic cellar row with views spreading far into the hills. The area has an ideal climate for producing sparkling wine, and it supplies grapes for much of the sparkling wine produced in Hungary. Here white wine dominates, particularly chardonnay, irsai olivér (a native varietal), olaszrizling (welschriesling), and sauvignon blanc. We will taste wines and tour the cellar at a small family-owned winery. Then we will head to a sleek, state-of-the-art winery which combines Old World style with New World service, even offering wine appreciation and cooking classes.
Following lunch overlooking the vineyards, we will head south towards Lake Velence, which lies about halfway between Budapest and Lake Balaton. After taking a wander around the shallow reed-covered lake—Hungary’s third largest—we will visit Hungary’s premium pálinka producer. We will tour the distillery and get an overview of the distillation process, as well as the important role that pálinka plays in Hungarian culture. We will move to the dining room and taste several types of pálinka paired with traditional Hungarian dishes prepared at the distillery’s restaurant. We will return to Budapest after dinner.
Other Activities
Bathe at a local thermal bathhouse at Lake Velence. Angling at Lake Velence. Bird watching at the Lake Velence nature reserve (where 28 protected bird species hatch). Tour one of the sparkling wine manufacturers in Buda.
Our trips include Round-trip transportation to/from your hotel in Budapest; English-speaking food and wine-specialized guide/translator; meals at Hungary’s most authentic restaurants; wine tastings and cellar tours; meeting winemakers wherever possible.
This itinerary is a sample of what is available. We customize each itinerary individually, and venues and activities may change due to availability of third-party vendors.
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