Private Wine Country Day Trip to Somló and Northern Balaton (from Budapest)

Name: Private Wine Country Day Trip to Somló and Northern Balaton (from Budapest)
Brand: Taste Hungary
SKU: bc8ac383-3660-4c3b-b528-2e57e4383857

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Summary

Begin with pickup from your central Budapest hotel, and settle inside your private, air-conditioned minivan or car with your guide and separate driver. Feel free to ask questions, and let your guide know if there’s anything you want to see more of: as your tour is private, the itinerary can be customized around your interests. Then, admire the countryside as you travel southwest to the wine region of Somló and northern Lake Balaton. On route, listen as your guide shares information about Somló, whose vineyards mostly lie on an extinct volcano and produce one of Hungary’s most exciting grape varieties. Learn about Somló’s terroir (mix of soil, geography and climate) and how Hungarian wines garner much international acclaim, yet remain hard to come by outside the country. After about two hours, arrive in the region, and gaze out over the vine-covered landscapes, dotted with farms and villages. Then, spend several hours visiting a mix of up to three traditional and modern wineries, gaining a balanced overview of Somló's wines and how they’re produced. Tour a vineyard to inspect the grapes, and at each estate, enjoy a delicious tasting of five to eight wines. Swap tasting notes with each wine host, and expect to sample both classic and contemporary wines, with the emphasis on Hungarian varieties such as furmint, harslevelu, juhfark, and welschriesling. Between wineries, stop to enjoy a walk through the vineyard-draped hills, and break for a delicious 3-course Hungarian lunch at a local wine house or restaurant. Venues and dishes vary, but expect to enjoy soups, stews, roasts, and classic desserts. During your last tasting, dig into an assortment of local cured meats or artisanal cheeses to complement the different wines. Your tour then concludes with an evening hotel drop-off back in Budapest.

Tour info

Duration

11 hours

Why take this tour?

Spend a magical day in the Hungarian countryside: visit the beautiful Somló, Hungary's smallest and perhaps least-known wine region. Somló lies near lake Balaton, it is in fact a single volcanic hill that produces some of the most exciting mineral grape varieties of Hungary. This day trip will give you an insight into a region you would have a hard time reaching on your own, and it includes two winery visits and an authentic Hungarian three-course lunch. You will try 5-7 wines at each winery, and cheeses and/or cured meats will accompany your final wine tasting. Somló and the Northern Balaton region are definitely worth taking some time to explore if you are fond of nature: this off-the-beaten-track tour is complete with a light hike and some additional sightseeing stops. Your private wine-specialised tour guide will help you discover this magical region.

What’s included?

Hotel pick-up and drop-off
Travel in a smoke-free, air-contitioned private car or minivan with a private driver
Bottles of mineral water and light snacks for the car ride
Up to three winery visits/tastings with generous tastings of 5-8 wines
Generous three-course lunch
Private, wine specialized tour guide
A cold plate of local products at one of the wineries
Gratuities
Additional admissions to museums, sights, etc.
Dinner