In the first half of May, the Savaria Tourism Nonprofit Ltd. held the VeloTour project's final cycling tour in the framework of the Veloregio programme.During the four days, the participants gained insight into cross-border, Hungarian and Austrian cycling tourism developments. Travelogue by Tivadar Domaniczky. The development of the Veloregio programme aims to bring the region of Eastern Styria, the Vienna Alps, Southern Burgenland and Vas County, with their excellent potential, up to the level of the premium cycling tourism regions of Europe. The four-day tour was attended by decision-makers, service providers and future users (such as tour operators). The planned route was very promising from the moment it was announced, and the atmosphere was good. The conclusion was that the Hungarian cycling...
Self-service bicycle service point in Szombathely
In the framework of the Veloregio project, a self-service bicycle service point has been set up in Szombathely next to the Tourinform Office (Király u. 1), where bicycles can also be rented. Thus, those who want to explore the county seat of Vasa, the region and Burgenland on two wheels can use the full service of the Tourinform Office in Szombathely. The office is open every day of the week. The self-service bicycle service station is available 24 hours a day: tools and equipment are provided for self-repairs. The service station is equipped with screwdrivers (flat, star), Allen key sets in various sizes, torx sets in various sizes, star-fork wrenches in various sizes, adjustable wrenches, spoke wrenches, tyre levers, pumps, tyre pressure gauges. The service point is fast becoming a popular...
Cycling in and around the Iron Mountains: the Iron Curtain Museum, Pinkaó Castle, Weinblick
Several of the Veloregio hiking trails (Iron and Wine Trail, Monarchy) include the Iron Mountain (Eisenberg in German) on the border between Hungary and Austria. The area, which is accurately described as a low-altitude mountain range, is cut in two by the gorge of the Pinka River - worth a separate visit. The Iron Curtain Museum - Felsőcsatár On the Hungarian side, in Felsőcsatár, you will find the Iron Curtain Museum, run and run by former border guard Sándor Goják. The Hungarian side of Vas Hill was part of the border zone before 1990, and only residents of Uppercsatár and those with a border zone pass could cross the vineyard via the military checkpoint on the Pinka Bridge. It was inaccessible to foreigners - the former forbidden zone opened its restaurant,...
Veloregio tours: castles and fortresses from Szombathely to Sárvár and back
The castles and fortresses, the Veloregio route from Szombathely to Sárvár was presented by László Wawrzsák, tour guide and section leader. The route follows the settlements along the Gyöngyös stream until Tanakajd and the parts of Szombathely with several castles and mansions - seven in Táplánszentkereszten. Ikervár is one of the hubs of the route along the low-traffic roads, with the Batthyány Castle and Hungary's first hydroelectric power station on the Rába. The route is easy to follow as far as Sárvár, where cyclists will find many attractions - a special film about the city's sights can be seen on the Veloregio channel. You can spend several days in the city, even in an active way: in addition to the Sárvár Spa, you can also explore the surrounding area by bike. There are several ways to get from Sárvár...
Following the Roman aqueducts: canals, reservoirs, hills and mountains
Gergely Szabó, the tour guide, recommends the Veloregio routes called "In the footsteps of the Roman aqueducts". The tours follow a system built by the Romans - fresh water from the Kőszegi Hills was brought to Savaria (Szombathely) via an underground canal. Both the longer and the shorter version of the route follow cycle paths and side roads westwards from Szombathely. At the border of Dozmat, the routes pass the reservoir and the Krisztina Lookout on the hill above the village, from where you can enjoy a magnificent view of the Kőszeg Hills. In the outskirts of Bucsu you can visit the excavated section of the Roman aqueduct and the transport memorial, which is a guardhouse of the former Szombathely-Pinkafő railway line. At Bucsu you can turn back towards Szombathely, but you can also...
About the Veloregio project: thematic tours, bikes for hire, signposting
Savaria Turizmus Kft. joined the Veloregio project as a Hungarian project partner with the aim of strengthening cycling tourism in Szombathely and its surroundings - said Stefánia Grünwald, the company's managing director. Several thematic routes have been set up, starting from Szombathely's Main Square, in front of the Tourinform Office. The cycling tours are of different lengths, some of them are in the easy category and can even be done with children. One of the routes follows the Roman aqueducts all the way to the Kőszegi Hills, and at certain places (Bucsu and Rohonc) you can even see the intact canal system. The hike towards Rum passes twenty castles and follows a well-maintained, protected route, suitable for cycling. The Iron and Wine...
Veloregio tours: medieval churches and castles
Vas County is an area rich in castles and manor houses: the Veloregio project has therefore set up a route that includes several of them. Starting from Szombathely, the first settlement is Táplánszentkereszt, also known as the village of the seven castles. There are three listed castles in the village: the former Inkey, Széchényi Castle and its garden in Szentlőrinc, now owned by restorer Ervin Kisterenyei; the Erdődy Castle in Bakófa; and the Széchény, Inkey, Sigray-Saint-Marsan Castles in Szentkereszt. And the Széll and Rosenberg castles in N táplánfa (shown in the video) are listed buildings. The route leads via Tanakajd to Vasszécseny, where two castles of the Ebergényi family are special: the Old Ebergényi Castle is of medieval origin. In Csempeszkopács you can see the castle of the late Kuruc brigadier Béri-Balogh,...
Veloregio tours: by bike in and around Sárvár
László Wawrzsák, the Veloregio tour guide and section leader, will present the possibilities for cycling tourists arriving in Sárvár, who will choose the Castles and Palaces route from the Veloregio tours. The ancient castle of the Nádasdy family is strategically located at the confluence of the Rába and the Kemenes dam, along important routes and crossings. Anyone visiting the town is almost obliged to visit the Nádasdy Castle, which can then be the starting point for excursions inside and outside the town. Inside the town, it is worth visiting the area around the Boating Lake, the embankment of the Rába, and the arboretum opposite the castle, which contains trees that are several hundred years old. The botanical gardens are accessible on foot...
Veloregio destination: the Church of St Michael and the Medieval Fair Day in Csempeszkopács
Csempeszkopács is a settlement located next to the main road 87 and the Rum-Szombathely cycle path.Its main attraction is the Romanesque church built in the 13th century, which has many similarities with the much larger church of Ják. The shrine is located in the former village of Csempeszi, on the Árpád Square, on an artificial hill. According to the descriptions, the east-facing building is one of the most precious gems of the Romanesque village churches. It was built using large Roman bricks found on the site. The brick building was originally intended to be unplastered, as evidenced by the profiled brick plinth and the dentil arched cornice with wolf's teeth. Only the window headers are made of stone. There is one slit window in the sanctuary and two in the south wall of the nave....
CityCross Kőszeg: mountain bike race in the city centre
There is a special mountainbike race that is not held in the mountains, but in the streets, alleys, walls and bastions of a castle and a city: the Metrinwest CityCross downtown mountainbike race in Kőszeg.In 2022, the 14th edition of the special atmosphere of the race was held, with cyclists riding laps and overcoming various obstacles in the historic streets, in and around the Jurisics Castle. Every year, more and more riders sign up, and this year the limit was already reached at the pre-registration stage.
Szombathely: the hub of the Veloregio routes
Szombathely is an excellent base for cycling tourists, which is why the routes of the Veloregio have been prepared.The central location of the town makes the surrounding tourist attractions accessible on two wheels: the medieval town of Kőszeg, the castle, arboretum and spa of Sárvár, the spa of Bükfürdő, known for its thermal waters and extensive spa complex. In neighbouring Austria there are many opportunities for cycling tourists, from easy cycling in nearby southern Burgenland, eastern Styria and southern Lower Austria to mountain biking over several days. The Veloregio routes are available here.
Szombathely, the 2000-year-old city
Szombathely, the county seat of Vasa, was built on the territory of ancient Savaria, making it the oldest inhabited city in Hungary. There are many places where you can see Roman monuments, and the people here keep the historical traditions alive with a special event, the Savaria Carnival, held at the end of the summer. The streets of the town centre itself are a reminder of the Roman and medieval past. The County House and the Bishop's Palace on Berzsenyi Square were built in the 18th century, when the town was developing. The expanding town absorbed the surrounding smaller villages and Olad, Szentmárton, Szőlős, Zarkaháza, Bádonfa, Hermán, Szentkirály became part of Szombathely - some of the former villages still retain their identity. For a time, the proximity of the Iron Curtain...
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