Rockenbauer Pál Southern Transdanubian Blue Trail

The hilly landscape of Southern Transdanubia easily captures our hearts. The gentle region nestled between the Danube, Dráva, and Balaton is first touched by spring sunshine and thanks to the Mediterranean effect, it remains sunny and warm the longest into autumn. There is no rushing here; on the evenings of the hikes, you can relax with a glass of fruity Szekszárd or full-bodied Villány red wine and enjoy as time slowly flows by.

From the mountain peaks, you can admire not only the sparkling waters of Lake Balaton and the landscape below but also travel back in time by visiting castles accessible with small detours. There is no shortage of natural values: the dripstone cave in Abaliget, the romantically situated Dombay Lake in Pécsvárad, the famous spas in Sikonda and Harkány, and the gorges of the Mecsek are just a few of many sights. After Kardosfa, you can observe celestial wonders in the Star Observatory Park, ride a narrow-gauge railway at Mesztegnyő embraced by nature, and if you are interested in the marvels of folk architecture, the world of Őrség farmsteads, the open-air museums in Szombathely and Szenna, and the church in Ják will surely not disappoint. Culture lovers can indulge in Pécs, Szombathely, the downtown of Szekszárd, the Pécsvárad fair, and the folk art of Sárköz or visit the famous horse archery valley of Lajos Kassai.

“Set off on a journey!” – encourages the legendary main title of the Half a Million Steps in Hungary. This was exactly what Pál Rockenbauer, the author and director of the film, believed, after whom this section of the National Blue Trail was named.

The history of the Southern Transdanubian Blue Trail

The Southern Transdanubian Blue Trail, established between Kaposvár and Szekszárd in 1974, was connected to the National Blue Trail based on Pál Rockenbauer’s TV series “...and one million more steps” in 1989. The crew of Half a Million Steps in Hungary set off again in autumn 1986; the filming of the second film presenting the natural values, diversity, folklore, and people of Southern Transdanubia lasted nearly two months.

The officially *541.5 km long hiking route – which together with the National Blue Trail and the Great Plain Blue Trail forms the National Blue Circle – is divided into 11 sections. Following the decision of the EWV (European Walking Tourists Association), the Rockenbauer Pál Southern Transdanubian Blue Trail was included in the network of European Long Distance Paths, so the section between Bajánsenye and Szekszárd became part of the E7 pilgrimage route in 1995.

• All stamping locations displayed on the map
• Official list of stamping locations downloadable (PDF, 2025-10-09)

*Data as of September 2024. The route length may vary slightly over time.