Springtime of Vas county in the Őrség region
Day 1: On the path of folk culture
Immersing into 19th and early 20th-century folk culture and into the world of the ’szer’ settlements (’szer’: settlement form consisting of only a few houses built on a hilltop).
In the morning: arrival to Szalafő Pityerszer, visiting the thatched-roof buildings and their furnishings, indigenous domestic animals, pumpkin seed pressing and oven baking of ’round pretzels’ of the Őrség.
Alternative programme: folk games activities, treasure hunt games for children.
’Flora and fauna in the meadow orchard’ – walking along the interactive educational trail.
(Programme duration: approx. 2 hours.)
[Prices: ENTRANCE FEE:
Adults 750 HUF/person
Adult groups (more than 15 people) 650 HUF/person
Students, pensioners 550 HUF/person
Groups of students, pensioners (more than 15 people) 500 HUF/person
Families (2 parents and at least 2 children) 1 500 HUF/family
In case of families holding membership cards of the National Association of Large Families, the third child and all further children under the age of 14 may enter the museum for free.
Baking of ’round pretzels’ or pumpkin seed pressing or games activities: 500 HUF/person/activity]
[Opening hours:
1 April – 31 May: Monday – Sunday 10am-5pm
1 June – 31 August: Monday – Sunday 10am-6pm
1 September – 1 November: Monday – Sunday 10am-5pm]
Typical regional ’Őrség’ meal for lunch, to choose from the offer of ’Pityerszeri Csárda’ (e.g.: Porcini soup with buckwheat, ’Dödölle’ with venison stew and Salads with pumpkin seed oil, Pumpkin-poppyseed strudel)
(Programme duration: approx. 1 – 1,5 hours.)
In the afternoon: walking along the educational path of ’Felsőszer’, the continuation of visiting the built heritage of Szalafő. In the meantime, making a stop at a farm to experience how to stretch the strudel dough, then strudel tasting (programme duration: approx. 2 hours).
[Price of strudel tasting: 500 HUF/person]
Additional programme: Visiting and taking photos of European bison and Eurasian wild horses (+ 1 hour)
A programme with a professional guide.
[Price of the guided tour:
Adults: 950 HUF/person
Students, pensioners 650 HUF/person
Free for people with disabilities]
[By prior appointment – booking: Őrség National Park Directorate or Tourinform Őrség: +36-94/548-034; tourinform.orseg@gmail.com]
Day 2: Roaming in the inner ’Őrség’ region, following the paths of pottery and sacral heritage
In the morning: arrival to Magyarszombatfa, to the pottery house. Visiting the pottery products of the Őrség region, getting acquainted with the ancient craft of pottery. Trying out pottery with the possibility to buy pottery items. (Programme duration: approx. 2 hours.)
[Prices: Pottery house – entrance ticket:
Adults 300 HUF/person
Students, pensioners 200 HUF/person
Group tickets (more than 15 participants) 200 HUF/person]
[Opening hours:
1 April – 30 April 10am-4pm
1 May – 31 May 10am-5pm
1 June – 30 September 10am-6pm
1 October – 31 October 10am-4pm
Monday closed]
Lunch with typical regional food in the Pension Ginti.
[Prices according to menu card – see website for more information: www.ginti.hu/]
In the afternoon we follow the traces of built cultural heritage. Visiting the frescos of the church of the Holy Trinity in Velemér, and then the wooden coffer ceiling of the reformed church in Szentgyörgyvölgy. (Program duration: approx. 2 hours.)
[Prices: Entrance ticket – Church of the Holy Trinity
Adults 300 HUF/person
Students 150 HUF/person]
A programme with a professional guide.
[Price of the guided tour:
Adults 950 HUF/person
Students, pensioners 650 HUF/person
Free for people with disabilities]
[By prior appointment – booking: Őrség National Park Directorate or Tourinform Őrség: +36-94/548-034; tourinform.orseg@gmail.com]
As an alternative programme, the visitor can spend half a day in the Vas Hegyhát region, the Land of 1000 miracles’
The ’Szentkút Chapel’ (Chapel of the Sacred well) in the town of Vasvár is a popular pilgrimage site which is of course free to visit. It is not a demanding walk to reach the chapel from different points of Vasvár (starting from the police station building the tour is a bit longer, but starting from the rowing lake it is a bit shorter). Its wooden stations of the cross, its Cave of Lourdes and its small chapel make the pilgrimage site of Szentkút a fabulous place.
(There is no signposting, but with a tourist map readily available or by the guidance of locals it’s easy to find the right track.)
(Programme duration: approx. 1,5 hours.)
The most prominent attraction of Vasvár is the 13th-century building complex of the Dominican monastery which hosts today the town museum and a pilgrim accommodation. (Suitable for use also by disabled people.)
Opening hours:
1 May-31 August: Monday: closed
Tuesday – Friday: 10am-6pm
Saturday – Sunday: 2pm-6pm
1 September – 30 April: Monday: closed
Tuesday – Friday: 10am-6pm
Outside of the opening hours visit by prior appointment, minimum number of participants: 15.
Booking: +36-94/573-220.
(Programme duration: approx. 1 hour.)
[Ticket prices: (combination ticket: town museum exhibition + ’Peace House’ Békeház))
Full price ticket 1000 HUF/person
Discount ticket (pensioners, children, disabled people) 800 HUF/person
Ticket for individual exhibitions: 500 HUF/person.]
The visit to the Birkás Pálinka House, a short drive from here, could be the perfect supplement to cultural experiences. During visiting the distillery and pálinka tasting, visitors can learn about all aspects of the pálinka, starting from the distilling to the bottling.
Visit by prior appointment (above 10, resp. 15 group members). Booking: +36-30/3733-799.
Day 3: Activity and relaxing alongside the border
In the morning: guided bicycle tour (e-bike on demand) to the Border guard museum (Programme duration: 3 hours).
[Prices: guided tour with e-bikes: 4 000 HUF/person]
[By prior appointment – booking: Őrség National Park Directorate or Tourinform Őrség: +36-94/548-034; tourinform.orseg@gmail.com]
Lunch in one of the á’la cart restaurants in Szentgotthárd: Gotthard Therme Hotel & Conference or Thermalpark Szentgotthárd.
In the afternoon: wellness in St.Gotthard Spa & Wellness.
Relaxation, recreation, recovery, experiences – all in one place. The Spa in Szentgotthárd awaits all water-loving visitors in each season to experience the long-awaited pleasures of recreation in the mediterranean summer. The services of both the wellness and the sauna world serve the guests’ relaxation and well-being.
„Visit us and feel like at home!”
(Programme duration: individual.)
(Prices: Free for children under 3)
Alternative programme:
Cistercian heritage: guided tour in Szentgotthárd town centre
[By prior appointment – booking: Tourinform Szentgotthárd: +36-30/791-5372; tourinform.szentgotthard@gmail.com or Őrség National Park Directorate or Tourinform Őrség: +36-94/548-034; tourinform.orseg@gmail.com]
[Prices:
Price of the guided tour:
Adults 950 HUF/person
Students and pensioners 650 HUF/person
Free for people with disabilities.]
+1 day: Event: Easter-waiting, Pentecost festivities and Blossom days
Easter-waiting (presenting Easter traditions, families can try them) each year on last Saturday before Easter,
Pentecost festivities (presenting Pentecost traditions, families can try them) each year on Pentecost Sunday,
Blossom days („Human encounter in the light of art”) in the whole Pentecost period (from Friday to Sunday).
[More information: www.orseg.info, www.viragzasnapjai.hu]
Alternative programme:
Visiting churches from the Árpád period in the nearby Slovenia:
Guided visit to the churches decorated by the paintings of the famous painter from the 14th century, Johannes Aquila. A real cultural experience!
Departure at 10am from the Tourinform office Őriszentpéter (Siskaszer 26/a), returning to the same place at 4pm.
Travel by own car.
1. stop: Turnišče / Bántornya – the painter has captured the legend cycle of Saint Ladislaus, King of Hungary.
2. stop: Martjanci / Mártonhely – here the legend cycle of Saint Martin of Tours has been depicted.
3. stop: Selo / Nagytótlak – In the local rotunda church, in other word circular church, dedicated to Saint Nicholas, the ceiling frescoes (in the apsis) show the four evangelists with their symbols and Jesus Christ, and the wall pictures depict scenes from the life of Jesus.
Additional alternative programme: (in this case arrival would be delayed to 6pm)
Visiting a farm and tasting local foods (’rural meals plate’). On demand: tasting of local wines.
Location: Suhi Vrh / Szárazhegy
[prices:
Price of guided visit:
Adults 950 HUF/person
Students and pensioners 650 HUF/person
Free for people with disabilities.]
Entrance fee to the church in Selo: 2 EUR/person (at the other venues the entrance is for free).
Price of ’rural meals plate’: 6 EUR/person; price of wine tasting depends on the quantity consumed individually.]
[By prior appointment – booking: Őrség National Park Directorate or Tourinform Őrség: +36-94/548-034; tourinform.orseg@gmail.com]
Information on the package tour as a whole at Tourinform Őrség or from the employees of Tourinform Szentgotthárd office.
www.orseg.info/hu/info/kontakt/tourinform-orseg.html
www.helloszentgotthard.hu/