Virginia Odysseys - Hungarian Bike Rhapsody

Hungarian Bike Rhapsody

Sorry, this tour is full for 2009.

In 2009 Austria and Hungary will celebrate the 200th Anniversary of Joseph Haydn’s death. The Year of Haydn will be full of concerts and special events. We’ll also learn about another famous Hungarian composer – Franz Liszt and visit places he performed. As bicyclists, the music we’ll hear as we pedal along will be the sounds of nature and Hungarian cyclists saying hello as we pass on country roads and bike trails along the Danube, beside lakes, through forests, farmland and vineyards. We’ll bike along the shores of Lake Balaton, and visit the Eszterhazy Palace, the Ferto National Park, the Pannonhalma Abbey, and the world-famous Herend Porcelain factory. In fact, we’ll visit 13 of the 22 places mentioned in The Rough Guide as "not to miss." Of course we’ll find time to soothe any sore muscles in the thermal spas we visit along the way.

Tour Name	Hungarian Bike Rhapsody
Tour Length	9 Days, 8 Nights
Start & End	Donnerskirchen, Austria (near Vienna) – Budapest, Hungary
Activity Level	Moderate
Daily Mileage	Options from 20-50
Bicycle Rental	Yes
Off-the-Bike	Hiking, Educational and Historical Presentations, Architectural and Cultural Tours, Musical Entertainment, Wine Tastings, Herend Porcelain Factory
Price	$2,495 $300 single occupancy supplement
2009	September 10 – 28

Highlights

Day 1 | Donnerskirchen to Sopron

Wollner Hotel
Transfer by bus from Vienna to Donnerskirchen, Austria. Pedal along the shore of Lake Neusiedler (Austrian name) and later Lake Ferto (Hungarian name). After crossing the Hungarian border, we’ll explore Sopron, the only Hungarian town where the entire city center has survived from the middle ages.

Day 2 | Bike from Sopron to Rojtokmuzsa

Castle Hotel Szidonia
Bike through an area of Hungary known as Northern Transdanubia. Enjoy the beautiful views along Lake Ferto with the eastern Alps as a backdrop and bike through the Ferto-Hansag National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Visit the baroque palace of the Prince Family Eszterhazy where Haydn was the court musician.

Day 3 | Rojtokmuzsa to Hedervar

Castle Hotel Hedervar
Ride through alder woods, along bog meadows, small lakes and rivers. This area is home for rare and protected flowers and animals, such as marsh orchids and harriers, owls, egrets, grey herons, black storks, eagles, great bustards, and Hungarian grey cattle.

Day 4 | Hedervar to Porva-Szepalmapuszta

Hotel Szepalma
Cycle through charming villages to Gyor, the Town of Rivers. Visit the Cathedral on Chapter Hill, and then stroll by the Baroque houses with lovely oriels. Visit to the Benedictine monastery at Pannonhalma. Bike through the woods to a 150 year-old Lipica stud farm and Eszterhazy Estate, where we spend the night at the Hotel Szepalma.

Day 5 | Porva-Szepalmapuszta to Magyarpolany

Panorama Panzio
Bike through the small town of Zirc, and visit the beautiful Zirc Cistercian Abbey. Enjoy a scenic, rolling ride to the famous Herend Porcelain factory, then on to wine tasting in the Somlo-hill historical viniculture region where we can walk and explore the vineyards of Tornai Pince.

Day 6 | Magyarpolany to Heviz

Danubius Spa Resort
The “magic of two lakes” is our theme today as we cycle though lovely villages enroute to Lake Balaton and Lake Heviz. Enjoy wine tastings and the spa resort at Lake Heviz - the largest natural thermal lake in Europe.

Day 7 | Heviz to Balatonfenyves

Hubertus Hof
Leisurely bike along the shore of Lake Balaton. Visit the Festetics Castle, one of the most beautiful Baroque palaces in Hungary with an enchanting English garden.

Day 8 | Balatonfenyves to Visegrad

Silvanus Hotel
Spectacular biking along the Danube. Visit the historic towns of Visegrad, Esztergom, and Vac. The Esztergom Basilica is the greatest cathedral in Hungary.

Day 9 | Visegrad to Budapest

The Gerloczy
The Hungarian Open-Air Museum is a must visit. Plenty of time to wander the back streets of Szentendre before departing for Budapest by bike or bus. Evening dinner cruise on the Danube.

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