There are relatively few nationally famous sights to entice us to the villages of the Sokoró Hills, so it’s worth starting your tour of the wine district at the Archabbey of Pannonhalma. Just the sight of the building is stunning, as is the view from the parapet or the 19th-century library, but don’t miss the Romanesque sub-church, the 15th-century bell tower, the Gothic Basilica and of course the almost six hectares of lavender fields in the herb garden. There’s also a gift shop and distillery with plenty of lavender oil gifts on offer.
Make sure you also visit the 22-hectare arboretum and the Boldog Mór lookout tower, from which you can also see the northern part of the Bakony Range in clear weather, the canopy nature trail, which can also be accessed by wheelchair, the cosy abbey café and the restaurant also run by the abbey, where you can enjoy a relaxing, delicious lunch having visited all of the above.
Don’t forget to include a cellar tour in your busy day’s programme, so that you can enjoy the abbey’s great wines and hear interesting stories about them during the guided tasting. To say farewell to the area, head to nearby Győr, stroll among the baroque and classicist buildings in the old town and admire one of Hungary’s most significant sacral monuments in the Basilica, the Saint Ladislaus Herm, the only authentic depiction of an Árpád House king.
Pannonhalma Wine District
Discover the abbey’s surroundings, the paths of the 22-hectare arboretum and then explore Győr’s many sights!
Visit the National Stud Farm in Bábolna, have lunch in Pannonhalma, visit a local winery in Nyúl!
