Badacsony
Offers stunning scenery to all nature-lovers with its hills, basalt organ pipes and mile upon mile of grapevines.
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There are also tourist paths leading to the hill from the quay and the village. (Badacsonytomaj is the home to a local architectural curiosity - the neo-Romanesque catholic church which was the first in Europe to be built from black basalt.
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There is a tarmac road leading from the quay to Róza Szegedy's wine-press and house. The thatched house has a literary exhibition on the first floor.
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A tourist path leads from here to the Kisfaludy Lookout Point (437m). It is well worth taking a walk around the summit. The Bujdosók (Outlaw) Steps lead down the western side to the shores of the lake.
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The nature trail created by the Balaton Uplands National Park provides a great day out that leads around the hill and points out interesting sights with informative signs along the way as well as introducing the plant and animal life characteristic of Badacsony. A walk along this trail will allow visitors the chance to come into contact with many natural phenomena and rarities.
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As
well as its outstanding natural beauty, Badacsony is renowned for its
famous Badacsony wines.
Wines seasoned here find their way to the four corners
of the world. Viniculture in Badacsony dates back for centuries. Records
from Roman times indicate that even then grapes were grown and wine was
produced on Badacsony Hill. This only became significant in the 19th century.
The flavour and aroma of Badacsony wine are really very special, which
is the result of various natural factors.
Experts say that it is the surface of the water of Lake Balaton that reflects the rays of the sun from spring until autumn and provides the vines with twice the amount of sunlight. This his helped by the southern slopes of Badacsony allowing the vines to be in the sun the whole day long with the hill itself shielding the vines from the wild storms coming down from the north. The Badacsony is of volcanic origin, providing a mineral rich soil that can be fully utilised by the vines.
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There is also a lot of basalt on the hill that soaks up the heat of the sun in the day and releases it at night, which, experts say, provides the vines with 1.7 times more warmth.
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Badacsony's best known wines are Italian Riesling, Kéknyelű
("Blue Stem"), Pinot Gris and Muskat.
Badacsony Italian Riesling is a pale yellow, dry white wine. It has a tart, almond taste and tends to be preferred by male connoisseurs. This grape produces the most wine in Badacsony.
Badacsony Kéknyelű ("Blue Stem") is even mentioned in Hungarian folksongs. This wine is a true curiosity as it grows nowhere else in the world, only in Badacsony. It takes its name from the fact that the stem of the vine turns blue as the grapes ripen. The other interesting factor is that the vines only have female flowers, which means that, in order to produce fruit, it has to be planted with another variety and this is most commonly Budai Zöld (Buda Green).
Badacsony Pinot Gris (Szürkebarát -"Grey Friend") is perhaps the most well-known and popular of Badacsony wines. This type of grape comes from France and was originally bought to Hungary by the Pauline monks centuries ago. It takes its name from the monks who wore grey robes.
Badacsony Muscat has a dark yellow colour, has pleasantly
sweet flavour and spicy aroma and has become a favourite with the ladies
over the years.
There are many more wines produced in Badacsony than the ones listed but these are normally available in smaller quantities in bottled form. These include: Hárslevelű ("Lime Leaf"), Juhfark ("Sheep's Tail") (the wedding night wine), Budai Zöld ("Buda Green"), Tramini, Chardonnay, etc. In recent years cuvees produced from blending wines have become increasingly popular.
There are a massive variety of programmes on offer in Badacsony in the summer and autumn. One prominent event is the Badacsony Festival and Craft Fair, which is held the first weekend in August as well as the Badacsony grape harvest in mid-September with its spectacular parade. The two-day programme includes the "unloading" fair, fireworks and the harvest ball. Badacsony Wine Week is held in the week running up to the parade when wine experts flood the village and, after tasting all the wines submitted, announce the winners of the Badacsony Wine Competition.