Sopron / Bük & Sárvár region for Families - 5 days

Sopron region

How long it takes?

5 days

Best vehicle choice for this plan:

car

public transport

bicycle

This region is famous for:

Day 1

The old town of Sopron, the Fire Tower, the Macskakő Children’s Museum and the Károly Lookout Tower. You can complete the tour of the old town in Sopron in one day. It’s a perfect family activity and you will also have time to visit the Lővérek.

The Fire Tower is the first thing that comes to mind when one mentions Sopron

The tower is the symbol of the town, and had great practical use in the past: the guards who once served in the Fire Tower warned the citizens of the town if there was a fire, if enemy was approaching or if someone wanted to enter the town with foreign wine. Once you have seen enough of the old Roman city walls, walk up to the top of the 58-metre tall Fire Tower. The staircase that takes you up to the top consists of 200 steps, which are easily climbed if you stop for a few short rests. Once you reach the top, walk all around the tower and enjoy the wonderful view of Sopron, Lake Fertő and neighbouring Austria.

Macskakő Children’s Museum in the Eggenberg House

The Macskakő Children’s Museum is a veritable treasure in the middle of Sopron. The museum, set up in the Eggenberg House, teaches kindergarten and primary school children about the way people lived in the past. Old articles of everyday use from Roman times to modern days open up a whole new world for children, and they can even try and experiment with the items on display on their own.

Károly Lookout Tower / Boszorkány educational trail

Head to the forest of the Lővérek, where you’ll find a story trail of eight stops that starts from the car park on Károly Hill, and takes children along the trails of local legends with the help of a map. Children can collect stamps at each of the stops and get a reward when they get to the last one if they have all the stamps. As soon as you get to the Károly Lookout Tower, you’ll know why locals like to come here. The walk in the forest of Lővérek is very pleasant: the air is clean, and you will see plants such as cyclamen and animals including squirrels and, if you are lucky, deer along the way. There is a museum at the foot of the lookout tower, while the view of Sopron from the top is amazing. From the direction of Lővérek, you can see Lake Fertő, neighbouring Austria and Schneeberg.

The old town of Sopron

In the Middle Ages, Sopron was one of Hungary’s seven most important free royal cities. It was not only a coronation city but also a border town, which, given its geographical position, always played an important role in facilitating intercultural dialogue throughout history. Ancient Roman roads lead through it, while the buildings, houses and narrow streets in the town centre are an embodiment of history, and many of the buildings here today are home to different museums. The Fabricius House, the Pharmacy Museum, the Scarbantia Forum, the Old and New Synagogues, the Eggenberg House, the Lábas House and the Cézár House are all within a short walking distance of each other.

The Storno House is one of the most beautiful buildings in the town. This is a palatial corner house built in the Baroque style, a monument to the history of the town between the 17th and 20th centuries. Ferenc Storno, after whom the building was named, came to Sopron as a result of being given wrong directions. He started working here as a chimney sweep and soon discovered real treasures in the attics of certain houses in and around Sopron. Interesting fact: this same building was also used by King Matthias as accommodation in the winter of 1482-1483.

The Goat Church looks back on an ancient past: manuscripts first make mention of it in 1280. Above its entrance, you can see the coat-of-arms with the goat, alluding to the benefactor of the church. The story of the Goat Church will tell you who that benefactor was, why the church is called the Goat Church and what historical events and coronations took place here.

Finally, discover the streets around Fő tér: Szent György utca, Új utca, Kolostor utca and Templom utca have many beautiful buildings and monuments.

Day 2

If you have two days in Sopron and have visited the Old Town and Károly Lookout Tower, it’s time to indulge yourself with a sweet treat in the Harrer Chocolate Workshop and visit the ‘Hungarian Versailles’ in Fertőd.

Sopron Forest Park

As soon as you get to the Károly Lookout Tower, you’ll know why locals like to come here. The walk in the forest of Lővérek is very pleasant: the air is clean, and you will see plants such as cyclamen and animals including squirrels and, if you are lucky, deer along the way. The view of Sopron from the top of the lookout tower is amazing. From the direction of Lővérek, you see Lake Fertő, neighbouring Austria and Schneeberg.

Spend a little time in the Kőhalmy Hunting Museum, where you can learn about natural values, and the fauna and fauna of the forest park. The exhibition includes many mounted animals, as well as the legacy, personal belongings, desk, trophies, notes and books of the forestry engineer and wildlife biologist who gave his name to the museum.

The Cyclamen educational trail is one of the most well-known trails in the Sopron Mountains. It is impossible to get lost on it: all you have to do is follow the cyclamens painted on the trees.From the valley of the Kecske stream to the Fáber meadow, Szalamandra lake, Hétbükkfa, Tacsi ditch and the Várhely lookout tower – the trail takes you through the most beautiful parts of the forest near Sopron.

Lővér Adventure Park and the Summer Bobsled Track

The Lővér Adventure Park will be an immediate hit with the kids. On the way to the Károly Lookout Tower, you will find a rope course for babies and three courses of varying difficulty for children and adults, as well as a zipline where you can have outdoor fun under the huge canopy of the trees.

The Summer Bobsled Track in Sopron is located on Bécsi Hill, and has a 900-metre-long track with 13 bends and an end-point that is 26 metres lower than the starting point. The track is safe, and has strategically located signs that tell you when you need to slow down. All in all, great fun for everyone. And while the older members of the family are racing down the track, the little ones can have fun on the playground with a swing, a slide and even a fully operational tractor so they can practise excavating.

Day 3

If you spend more than one day in town, you should visit the Fertő-Hanság National Park, which offers a range of activities and outings that are perfect for active recreation.

Harrer Chocolate Workshop

Austrian confectioner dynasty Harrer has been delighting visitors for four generations now, and 10 years ago they also added chocolate to their repertoire.

They purchase cocoa beans from the best locations, then roast them themselves. All their products are handmade and they only use natural raw ingredients, adding only seeds, dried fruit and herbs to season their products.

As a result of constant experimentation, the range of chocolates on offer is unique, and their products continue to win awards at prestigious competitions held around the world. Try the dark and milk chocolates, the bonbons, the truffles, the hot chocolate, and, of course, the ice-cream on hot summer days.

It is advisable to book a date and time for the chocolate tasting beforehand.

‘The Hungarian Versailles’ - Fertőd, Esterházy Castle

The building of the Esterházy Castle in Fertőd we see today was designed and created in the 18th century and the castle – with its 126 rooms – is a worthy match for Schönbrunn Castle in Vienna or Versailles in Paris.

‘The Hungarian Versailles’ was a place of music and splendour. It was regularly home to parties, and even Maria Theresa took part in one such magnificent ball. By the end of the 18th century, the castle became one of the cultural centres of the country, so it’s no wonder that even Joseph Haydn lived and worked here for two decades.

Walk through the exhibition of the history of the era on display in the rooms of the castle, then take a long walk in the castle park and imagine how the members of the prince’s family lived here.

Day 4

If you have almost a week in and around Sopron, you will be able to see and visit much of the town and the surrounding area: Nagycenk, Fertőd and Bükfürdő all await you.

Fertő-Hanság National Park

Start your tour from Kócsagvár with a name that literally means ‘Egret Castle’ in Hungarian, which is most fitting, as the great egret is one of the characteristic birds you’ll find here. You can also go to Öntésmajor, just 7 km from Kapuvár, to visit the exhibit on the fauna of the Hanság region, as well as on the preservation of the remains of the former swamp and marshland. Sarród and Lászlómajor used to be one of the nerve centres of the great Esterházy estates, and you can visit to catch a glimpse of contemporary village life.

If you love active recreation, the canoe tour will be the perfect activity for you. The 6 km tour will take you through the channels cut into the contiguous thick layer of reeds on Lake Fertő to an almost untouched world that will definitely be an unforgettable experience.

If you don’t feel like paddling, board one of the specially designed solar boats to discover the fauna living in the reeds and the open water on Lake Fertő. The almost non-existent sound of the engine will not disturb the water birds and mammals that hide away in the vegetation or which are less tolerant of human presence.

The tours organised by the Fertő-Hanság National Park, to bring bird life in the region closer to tourists, affords you the chance to see several spectacular migrating and resident birds living in the Hanság region. Almost 300 migrating and resident bird species have been identified that use this place as a major resting, feeding and nesting location. The National Park is primarily known for the egret, which is also the symbol of the park. This bird has become extinct in the Carpathian Basin and in most of Europe.

Day 5

If you have almost a week in and around Sopron, you will be able to see and visit much of the town and the surrounding area: Nagycenk, Fertőd and Bükfürdő all await you.

Nagycenk Museum Railway

Nagycenk Museum Railwayk runs between Nagycenk and Fertőboz on a 3,600-metre long track. One unique feature is that all the staff on the train are children. The museum railway is very popular with both the younger and older generations of railway fans, since it gives them a feeling of what it was like to go on train rides in the past: the museum railway carriage – drawn by either a steam engine or a quiet diesel engine – takes you on a journey back in time.

The exhibition park between Hársfasor and the station building displays many vehicles that are no longer operational, but have been saved from destruction or decay.

Bükfürdő Thermal & Spa

On the last day, head to the spa in Bükfürdő. The medicinal waters bubble up through four wells from a depth of 1,282 m, and ease or prevent various musculoskeletal complaints. But the medicinal waters are not the only reason to visit. Those looking to enjoy some sports or other active means of relaxation will be delighted to find both indoor and outdoor adventure and diving pools, water slides, a Kneipp pool, a jacuzzi, a sauna world, and various types of massages, all over 1,400 m2 of floorspace.

The outdoor slide complex consists of four slides and offers an unforgettable experience for both the little ones and grown-ups. You can even slide down together with your kids on the family slides. The Acapulco family pool has a bay for both waves and diving, and if you’d rather relax by the pool, just lie down in one of the hammocks. The kids will have plenty of fun on the climbing frames, swings, slides and in the water playground equipped with special elements.

The grounds of the spa are protected from direct sunlight by huge trees, so you can have carefree fun with your kids on the slides and in the pools as well.

During your visit

Wine

If you ever find yourself in the Sopron wine region, you should certainly try the Sopron Kékfrankos (Bläufrankisch) or the Sopron Zenit. The town of Sopron has a long tradition of viticulture and winemaking, and is famous for its Kékfrankos wine. At one time, it comprised a single wine region with the city of Rust in Austria, as well as the surrounding areas. Legend has it that the local Ponzichters (local German-speaking producers) would only sell this wine to Napoleon’s soldiers in exchange for their valuable ‘blue francs’, hence the name. It is a full-bodied wine, sharing this characteristic with the Zenit, also a local wine.

Gastronomy

Babsterc (also known as Bohnensterz) is a dish native to Sopron. It got its name from the Ponzichters, local producers who would grow beans between the rows of grapevines. Beans were a thrifty choice, as they did not cast shade on the vines, did not disrupt the harvest, and were also not taxed. Babsterc is prepared the same way today as it always has been: made with flour, fat or oil, and salt. It is best enjoyed with pörkölt (a Hungarian beef and onion stew), but is also excellent with sour cream, cucumber salad, or even as a sweet dish with any kind of jam.

Take a look arond

Sopron and surroundings

Explore on map

Move around like a hungarian

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Esztergom Basilica

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Romantic Szigetköz is the gift of the Danube

Places to go

The Hungarian Mediterranean on the shores of Lake Balaton: jewels of the Káli Basin

Travel Information

Hidden treasures