Biking in Hungary
Hungarians arrived to the Carpathian Basin on horse-back from Asian steppes 13 centuries ago. Since then quite a lot of things has changed and a growing number of us uses saddle of a bike as well though horses still play an important role in many of our lives. During the last decade plenty of brand new bicycle routes were built in attractive areas. There are plenty of different possibilities for biking you can choose from.
In terms of visited areas:
- depending on your interest, biking skills and fitness from the Great Hungarian Plain, the so called "Puszta" which is a piece of an Asian steppe in heart of Europe
- through rolling countryside
- up to the hills
- and even in the capital city, Budapest and nearby areas there are hundreds of areas waiting for you with generally good biking roads.
Regarding accommodation and conditions you can either spend your time at:
- campings
- friendly guesthouses, inns, pansions
- hotels
We would like to show some examples of this wide variety by introducing some of our different types of tours ranging from easy through moderate up to really challenging ones:
AROUND LAKE BALATON, "THE HUNGARIAN SEA"
Easy tour, best during hot summer days, as there are plenty of possibilities to swim and cool down in the lake. We cross part of the Tapolca Basin among marvelous volcanic cones, pass some nature reserves and stop at the best places. Whether you interested in nature or culture one thing is certain: you definitely will enjoy the scenery and biking here. We won't forget to taste the excellent local wines and special dishes.
Distance: 230 km
Time: 3days/2nights
Accommodation: camping
Food: half-board
LAND OF BUSTARDS & MEDITERRANEAN HILLS
There are several cultural monuments in addition to protected natural areas during this tour. First we cross the Ócsa Landscape Protection Reserve with a European Award Winner church which was built in the 13th century, reed-thatched traditional houses and cellars, a small visitor centre and a bird-banding centre at a wet meadow. Loess and sand hills covered by unique Orchids; plains with soda soils and characteristic vegetation. We pass some strange traditional breed of Hungarian domestic animals and wild birds at soda lakes, look for Great Bustards, bike among sand dunes and spend some time in the attractive cities of Baja, Siklós, Szigetvár and Pécs at the foot of the mediterranean Mecsek Hills.
Budapest-Ócsa-Baja-Mohács-Siklós-Szigetvár-Pécs
Distance: 480 km
Time: 8days/7nights
Accommodation: camping
Food: half-board, dinner in restaurant
TOKAJ-ZEMPLEN CIRCLE
Discover the wonders of the protected areas of Zemplén Mts. by biking through it. Most of the hilltops decorated by ruins of mediaeval fortresses. Visit Sárospatak, "The Athens of Hungary". Brush off the dust of the road and quench your thirst in a wine-cellar, tasting the excellent, world-famous wines of Tokaj Hills.
Miskolc-Szerencs-Füzér-Sárospatak-Tokaj-Miskolc
Distance: 280 km
Time: 5days/4nights
Accommodation: camping
Food: half-board
ACROSS NORTHERN-TRANSDANUBIA
Start from the foot of the Alps, pass Lake Fertő-Neusiedler-See National Park, cross the dense woods of Bakony Hills, jump in Middle-Europe's largest lake and encounter ancient, half-billion-year-old granite rock-formations before arriving to the capital city, Budapest. There is a wide variety of lakes and wet habitats on this area, starting with a huge swampy area called Lake Fertő and finishing with Lake Balaton, "The Hungarian Sea" and Lake Velence. The various possibilities for sight-seeing, visits of castles, fortresses and an abbey listed as a World Heritage Site make this program very rich. Within less than a week you can see the best of North-Transdanubia.
Sopron-Fertőd-Pannonhalma-Zirc-Balaton-Agárd-Budapest
Distance: 450 km
Time: 6days/5nights
Accommodation: camping
Food: half-board
TOP OF HUNGARY
This is the most demanding tour which connects almost all of the North-Hungarian Hills except Zemplén and Tokaj. Have you yearned for a tour through hills and mountains covered by spacious deciduous forests filled with outstanding geological wonders, ecological rarities and cultural delights unknown to the most-seasoned traveler? Look no farther! This tour is for you. Within a week you will visit sights created by both man and nature that appear on the World Heritage List: village of Hollókő and Aggtelek Baradla Cave. We cross 3 different National Parks during our way.
Budapest-Holloko-Salgotarjan-Aggtelek-Szilvasvarad-Eger-Gyongyospata-Godollo-Budapest
Distance: 560 km
Time: 8days/7nights
Accommodation: camping
Food: half-board
