Badacsony is not all about the souvenir shops and the buffets selling not-so-fresh lángos. We explored the place looking for the best spots, in which Bence Laposa (a young, Badacsony-based winemaker, one of the "frontmen" of the Badacsony Circle) was a priceless help to us. It turned out Badacsony has far wider options than the Kisfaludy House, good wines and the far-famed panorama. You can stay at a hostel, eat a salad full of edible flowers and healing herbs, or pop over to Szigliget to dine on bream.
If you ask the successful young vintner, Bence Laposa Badacsony is the centre of the world - and you won't find anything wrong with that belief when you're enjoying the breath-taking view from the terrace of the Laposa Winery. In addition to his vineyard, Bence is bound to the area by the activities and plans of the Balaton Circle (an association of Balaton-based vintners and caterers to promote the Lake and Balaton-specific gastronomy built on locally produced goods). He believes that the idea of Lake Balaton open all-year-round with superior services is not far-fetched at all. The evolution is already under way, you only have to keep your eyes open: we entrusted ourselves to our enthusiastic guide to compile a Badacsony-itinerary.
Badacsony by night
Unsurprising, but true: as the highest monadnock of the Tapolcai-medence, Badacsony is full of climbs. Ascending and descending will make you sweat even without the weight of a backpack, so you should begin your Badacsony-tour by finding accommodation and dropping your baggage off. You have a wide range of options, but, luckily enough, there are expressly pleasant places in the lower price category as well.
Be sure to book your room at Patent Hostel well in advance, because for now it only has 4 rooms. It is a youthful, modern accommodation, where each room has a separate bathroom and there is also a common kitchenette. The terrace furnished with huge, soft couches and equipped with colourful lanterns is ideal for barbecues and chats with wine that last long into the night. The hostel is run by Bence Molnár, known as DJ Sosemvolt in the nightlife. If you ask nicely, music will also be provided for the night.
In the mid-priced category, there's the Óbester Pension with 2 apartments and 8 refined rooms. According to Bence Laposa, the primary attraction of the place run by a Hungarian-Swedish couple is its 200-year-old, cool building and the oasis-like, closed yard. The pension also has a grill restaurant, which is open to everyone. Óbester is but a stone's throw from the centre of Badacsony, so everything is within walking distance. Thanks to its cooperation with the nearby Villa Sandahl, the guests of Óbester can pop over for a quality wine tasting after dinner, while the restaurant of Óbester awaits the guests of the Swedish-owned Villa Sandahl with arms wide open.
Wandering around Badacsony
Once you dropped off your baggage, you can start your wanderings. Despite Bence's hints at caution, we had a go at the speeding hill taxi. Hair blown to every direction and screaming passengers hanging on for dear life in the open-top car: this is your authentic hill taxi feeling. It is practical to catch a ride to the Kisfaludy House or at least to the Szegedy Róza Literary Musem, in case you wanted a bit of culture to accompany the panorama in your itinerary. Talking of museums: you can also see the colours of the Balaton on canvas at the Egry József Musem.
Lots of cellars, only a few great bottles
The real territory of Bence Laposa is that of good wine cellars; he knows all the wineries and wine cellars of the area, both small and large, in and out. On the climb up to the Kisfaludy House, you keep bumping into family wine cellars, but if you're looking for something superior, just hold on for a bit longer. Apart from the Laposa Winery, Bence recommends the Istvándy Winery, the Németh Pince, and the Skizo Winehouse in Badacsontördemic. We also grew fond of the fresh, light items of the latter during our night-long chat. The youthful shop at the front of the family home and the shady terrace in the centre of Tördemic was full of faces glowing with the joy of wine tasting upon our visit.
Lunch in Badacsony, dinner in Szigliget
As for gastronomy on the Badacsony hillside, we'd recommend the Szent Orbán Winehouse and Restaurant. There is the obligatory Balaton-panorama, plus the vine-covered trellis of the terrace which ensures a pleasant temperature even in the sweltering heat. The traditional Hungarian flavours come with a twist thanks to the edible flowers grown in the kitchen garden and the salad-herb mixes. Naturally, we also asked Bence for his opinion, and we visited one of his favourite spots, Attila Bakos's family restaurant in Szigliget. It was the homely atmosphere of this reliable, Hungarian restaurant that captured us most. The walls are covered in pictures, paintings by Balaton-based artists and books after books on shelves. It is a restaurant frequented by artists and ministers alike, which must have something to do with the intimate vibes and the attentiveness of Attila Bakos. Once you're in Szigliget, Oszi bácsi's bream fry joint is a must: a bream picked by the customer, fried in peppered flour, with bread and Dabas pickled gherkins on the side. It doesn't get any better than that.
Leisure beyond Badacsony
If you feel a need to move, take Bence's advice, sit in the car and ride 20 minutes to the Vonyarcvashegy Water Ski and Wakeboard Course. After the filling wines and dishes of Badacsony, you'll definitely need the exercise.
We also have something for those who prefer romance over sports. You can stroll among the large trees and special flowers of the Folly Arboretum in Badacsonyörs even with a glass of wine in the hand, as the hillside family arboretum comes with its own winery. And if this puts you in the mood for a bit of hiking, then reach for the top in Badacsony: you won't find a higher spot than the Kisfaludy observation tower around Lake Balaton.
