In the first half of November, Balaton will be brimming with St. Martin's Day events. The best Balaton restaurants and wineries will hold delicious goose dinners and nouveau wine tastings, so all you have to do is decide where you'd like to fill your belly with the tastiest goose treats.
According to one legend, St. Martin's Day goose feasts date back to the era of the Roman Empire. On November 11, the first day of the winter quarter, people came togeher to taste the nouveau wine and hold a huge feast to ensure that the crop would be good the following year. The Romans celebrated Asculepius, the god of medicine, and slaughtered geese, the sacred birds of Mars. The Roman expression “avis Martis” (the bird of Mars) was adopted in Christian culture as "Martin's fowl", and the day was celebrated as the nameday of Martin Luther during the Reformation.
Programs and dinners around Lake Balaton
November 7
Szent György Hill - St. Martin's Day at Szászi Estate
Alsóörs - St. Martin's Day in Alsóörs
Badacsonytomaj - Nouveau wine tasting and goose weekend at Laposa Winery
Hévíz - St. Martin's Day Family Festival
Bánd - Goose days at Udvarház Csárda
November 13
Balatonlelle - St. Martin's Day goose days
Siófok - St. Martin's Day Pálinka Festival
November 14
Badacsonytördemic - St. Martin's Day festivities and nouveau wine dinner
Szent György Hill - St. Martin's Day at Szászi Estate
Gyenesdiás - St. Martin's Day Green Night
Kéthely - St. Martin's Day Jazz and Wine Dinner
Veszprém - St. Martin's Day concert
