Western Transdanubia (Nyugat-Dunántúl), Hungary

Perhaps the most dynamic region of Hungary after Budapest is the Western Transdanubia where the nearness of Austria and the unique natural resources, together with the regions history and traditions enabled the area to establish prosperous industry and tourism.

Ethnic minorities living in the region (Germans, Croats) take pride in their tresaures and traditions and manage to preserve them which add a special atmosphere to Western Hungary.

Top Attractions in Western Transdanubia
Active Recreation
Thermal Baths
Wines & Gastronomy

 Map of Western Transdanubia

Western Transdanubia consists of 3 counties which are form North to South:

Historic Sights in Western Transdanubia

The nearest town to lake Fertő is Sopron with lots of historic, cultural and architectural sights. The Watertower in the inner city became the symbol of Sopron from where tourists can admire the lovely city scape.

Souh of Sopron at Nagycenk you'll find the Széchenyi Castle home of Count István Széchenyi (1791-1860) often referred to as the Greates Hungarian. For Kids: Steam locomotives pull the carriages of the Széchenyi Museum Railway on a 3.6 km long track starting form the castle and ending at Fertőboz. It operates on saturdays, Sundays and holidays during summer season.

Győr is the capital city of Western Transdanubia with its developing industry. Three rivers meet at Győr: The Danube, the Rába and Rábca, providing plenty of opportunities for fishing, kayaking or just walking, cycling along the river banks.

The most precious work of Hungarian goldsmith art the Szent László Herm (Szent László was a Hungarian king) form the 15th century is kept in the Héderváry chapel at the Basilica. The Győr-Rába Quelle wellness complex has a range of recreational facilities: jacuzzi, stem cabin, saunas, massages. The Győr Summer International Festival with dance, theatre and folk performances is an excellent event to which to time your visit to the city.

Another World Heritage place awaits you at Pannonhalma, south of Győr. The more than 1000-year old Benedictine Abbey houses one of the most valuable Hungarian libraries with around 3,000 volumes including the earliest proofs of written Hungarian. Today it is still an operating monastery. Its boarding school is one of the best schools in Hungary. Wine production looks back to great traditions in the area expoliting the benefits of the favourable climatic and geographical conditions.

Between Győr and Sopron at Fertőd stands the magnificent Eszterházy Castle Hungary's Versailles. The baroque mansion was built in the 18th century for the wealthy Eszterházy family. Joseph Haydn the famous composer lived and worked in the castle for several years composing works for the Eszterhazy-s.

You can take a tour in the stately rooms and admire the huge, gilded mirrors, chandeliers, statues, tapestried furniture. From June to October you can enjoy classical music concerts, too. You can take a rest in the beautifully designed park surrounding the building.

The Castle in Mosonmagyaróvár, the remains of which you can still see, was built on remains of buildings that were part of the limes, the borderline of the Roman Empire. The baroque Habsburg-house opposite the castle operated as an inn in the 17th century.

Kőszeg at the foot of the Alps and the near he austrian border will captivate you with its rich history and peaceful -small-town ambience all focused on the Jurisics square. The imprssive Heroes' Gate leads to the Jurisics Castle which played an important role during the Turkish occupation of Hungary in the 16th century. The castle's courtyard is a place for theatrical perfomances in summer. Kőszeg boasts some absolutely unique architectural gems: The county hall is perhaps the oldest building of its kind in Hungary, the neo-Gothic Jézus Szíve church, the Sgraffitos-manor with its ceiling frescos from the Turkish times ('6Th century)

The history of Szombathely, the seat of Vas county and an episcopal seat at the same time, started in the Roman Era. Claudius Caesar founded the city named Savaria in 43 AD and it functioned as a military center. You can still see some relics from this era in the garden of ruins at Templom tér 1-3: remains of Savaria's forum, an almost 50-m section of the 2000-year old Amber road. The Isis Sanctuary from the 2nd century in the Iseum Ruins of Garden provides a background to the Iseum Open Air Theatre performances in summer.

Baroque and Classical buildings from the18th-19th century make the cityscape memeorable like the two-towered cathedral or the bishop's palace.

Tip: at the Savaria History Carneval (Ludi Savarienses) on 24th-26th August, the largest history festival in Central Europe 2007, you can travel back in time and meet gladiators, Roman soldiers, archers, enjoy music and dance performances and a lot more.

South of Szombathely at Ják you can see one of the oldest churches of Hungary, a fine example of Romanesque architecture. Inside some 700-yaer old frescoes adore the walls.

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Active Recreation in Western Transdanubia

If you're not after historic and cultural sights, but prefer activities in fresh air Western Transdanubia is the perfect vacation spot for you.

The foothills of the Alps, the river Rába, Lake Fertő, the hills of Zala county all provide plenty of opportunities for active recreation: kayaking, canoeing, hiking, hunting, fishing, cycling, hunting, riding. The slightly cool and damp climate makes the area an even more favourable active holiday destination.

Lake Fertő in the the northwestern corner of is an UNESCO World Heritage site the largest part of wich belongs to Austria.

Reeds, muddy areas, and open water gives home to around 260 bird species. Other animals and plant life also thrives in this wildly beautiful waterland which is part of the Fertő-Hanság National Park. Towns around the lake date back to medieval times (Balf, Hegykő).

The Danube arrives Hungary in the northern corner of Western Transdanubia where well-kept camps and bycicle routes welcome adventure seekers in the Szigetköz area, the land of untouched natural beauties.

Besides the Fertő-Hanság National Park the Őrségi National Park guard the national treasures of Western Hungary.

Írott-kő Nature Park

Uninterrupetd woodland, rocking hills and the tiny villages hiding between them make Őrség a mystic place. People have preserved their folk traditions and remarkable architecture here. To see characteristic, white-washed, thatched houses go to Szalafő or visit the the open-air museum at Pityerszer.

In Őriszentpéter, the centre of the area stands a Romanesque church. The Őrség National Park was established to preserve the natural treasures living here (pine, ferns, beeches, wild aninals, wild flowers, bog habitats).

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Thermal Baths in West Hungary

Bath culture in West Hungary is founded on more than 1000-year old spa tradition of the Romans living in the area. Famous spas have been welcoming both Hungarian and foreign guests for decades.

In Vas county the at Bük and Sárvár are the best known thermal resorts, even outside Hungary. Balf near Sorpon also has great spa traditions.

Kehidakustány is the latest complex of the growing spa centers of Zala county. Its sulphuric, radon-free water is beneficial to problems related to locomotive system, nervous system and to gynaeological disorders. Just to make your choice broader, Zalaszentgrót and Lenti (close to Letenye near the Croatian boarder) also have excllent thermal bath facilities.

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Wines & Gastronomy of Western Transdanubia

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