Head to Sopron and the Fertő region!

Itinerary

• Step out of the departure building and head straight down Mátyás király Street opposite towards the city centre.
• Upon reaching the Várkerület, immediately turn left at the first opportunity (Back Gate) towards the historic city centre. Leave the city core by passing under the Fire Tower, then continue down the short street opposite, at the end of which turn left and proceed straight for one block along Szentlélek Street. Upon reaching Sas Square, turn right, then continue straight towards the roundabout.
• You should leave the roundabout via the street where there is no connection built, so it can only be reached from the pavement; this is Tómalom Street. After getting over the difficulties, a straight road leads to the city border from here, just follow the cycling signs (at a Y junction, take the right fork).
• At the end of Tómalom Street choose the high-quality forest dirt road closed by a barrier, which continues after the Nagytómalom, then after about one kilometer turn left; a steep, cobbled descent leads to the Rákos Creek, crossing whose bridge you reach the Patak row in Fertőrákos.
• At Patak row turn left, then follow the cycling signs and turn right onto Malom Street, then at the second possibility turn right again (Felsőszikla row), then left, then right again onto Kőbánya row. (It may seem complicated, but the cycling signs help to follow the right path.)
• From the end of Kőbánya row a bike path leads to the Fertőrákos quarry.
• (Recommended detour: before you reach the entrance, from the road turning right, turn left towards Fertőmeggyes. The low-traffic road leads straight to the border where the Mithras sanctuary can be found. You must return the same way to Fertőrákos.)
• From Fertőrákos follow the cycling tour route around Lake Fertő, which is well marked throughout.
• Leave the bike path at Fertőboz towards Nagycenk (at the top of the climb, turn right towards the Gloriette lookout; the small building can be reached entirely by dirt road); the paved road leads straight to the castle.
• From the castle lake at Nagycenk you must travel about 100 meters on a foot and bike path parallel to Road 85 before turning left towards Hidegség. Upon reaching Hidegség continue on the bike path along Petőfi Sándor Street, turning right and following the lake bike path to Fertőd.
• From the castle lake at Fertőd return to the junction near Fertőszentmiklós either on the bike path or along the tree avenue, turn left there, and follow the bike path. Crossing the railway tracks, turn right at the first opportunity, this is already the road leading to the station.

Detailed description of the tour

Civitas fidelissima – many must have heard this Latin phrase, which has been the honorary title of Sopron since 1922. The city, with Roman roots, has held more or less importance at various times, but it is worth mentioning the period of Turkish occupation when it played an important role in the life of the country split into three parts – it can even call itself a coronation city, as two queens and one king's coronation ceremonies took place here in the 17th century. In 1759, Hungary's first coal mine was established in the city's forest, now Brennbergbánya, and in 1847 the second railway line in Hungary reached Sopron from Bécsújhely. From 1900, trams also operated in the city's streets – though only for 23 years – and in 1919 the Selmec Academy, the Mining and Forestry Academy, was relocated to Sopron. The Treaty of Trianon would have given the city to Austria, but Sopron and its surroundings were among the exceptions where a referendum decided which country nine settlements would belong to. The former free royal city is now a popular tourist destination: the winding streets of the city centre, its museums and exhibitions, the Lövérek forest and the proximity of Lake Fertő are no coincidence for attracting tourists.

The White Angel, The Black Elephant, and the Goat

From the Sopron railway station – the central station of the Győr-Sopron-Ebenfurt Railway (GySEV), notably the second railway to reach Hungary after the Pest-Vác line, arriving in August 1847 – we head straight towards the city centre. Although the bike lane runs along Mátyás király Street, you must pay attention at the lights as the infrastructure ends at every corner; moreover, two massive pillars further hinder progress – so switching lanes in good time to maintain a straight direction is advisable.

Upon reaching the Várkerület, the bike lane becomes much friendlier, but we leave it immediately at the first opportunity to wander through the medieval city core streets. While one can discover few medieval origin buildings rolling on the narrow cobbled streets, every second house is a monument from the 17th-18th centuries. It’s worth taking a closer look at the gates, and if any is open, peeking into the gateway: the most gothic window niches found next to Buda Castle are in the most loyal city. Art historians debate the original function of the window niches: perhaps they showed the wealth of the house, perhaps the staff waited there for the master or arriving guests, or simply the householders sometimes drank wine here.

The symbol of the city, the Fire Tower, however, has a completely clear function. Nomen est omen: indeed, a fire guard operated in the 58-meter-high building, whose lower, cylindrical part originally served as the northern city wall gate tower in the 13th century and took its current form following the fire in 1676. The Baroque round gallery now functions as a lookout; it’s worth climbing up to observe the city from above. Its foundations were built on Roman remains; the city of Scarbantia was one of the most important Roman trade routes, founded along the Amber Road. Like a true Roman city, it had a forum, baths, an amphitheatre, a sanctuary (the Capitol building featured giant statues of Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva), and aqueducts – today all almost five meters below ground level, so mostly only unearthed during archaeological excavations.

Returning to ground level, taking a look around the Main Square before the Fire Tower reveals a number of interesting buildings. On the corner near the tower is the Storno House, housing a similarly named collection that provides a thorough insight into a modest bourgeois home’s turn-of-the-century furnishings. Even more exciting is the history of the house and the naming family: the building (or its predecessor) existed already in the 15th century; it even housed the city’s first pharmacy, the Black Elephant, where King Matthias was lodged during the winter of 1482–83 when Vienna was besieged. In the 18th century, it came into the possession of the Festetics family, and in 1872 the Storno family bought it. The Swiss origin family first moved to Bavaria, then the nearby Kismarton (Eisenstadt); Ferenc Storno came to Sopron as a chimney sweep’s assistant. After his master's death, he married the widow and, thanks to his artistic interest, increasingly positioned himself as a restorer and art collector.

Opposite the Storno House is the White Angel Pharmacy Museum (furnished with the Black Elephant’s original furniture), the first museum of its kind in Hungary, opened in 1968 on the site of a pharmacy founded 367 years earlier. On the other corner of the square is the Goat Church, officially known as the Church of the Assumption. Built in Gothic style in the 13th–14th centuries, its folk name comes from the 47-meter-high tower’s goat, the heraldic animal of the builder Henrik Geisel. One of the most significant early Gothic architecture works in Hungary, it was started in the 1270s by the Franciscans, and today multiple styles mingle in its design, especially inside. Important historical events occurred in the church: during the Turkish occupation, it was the site of several coronation ceremonies. In 1625, King Ferdinand III was crowned here, and the royal statuses of two queens – Eleonóra Anna Gonzaga (wife of Ferdinand II) and Eleonóra Magdaléna of Pfalz-Neuburg (wife of Leopold I) – were also ratified here.

Wandering in Sopron city centre, right next to the Goat Church is the legendary institution called Gyógygödör, where it’s worth tasting the marrow toast or cellar roast, accompanied by a good local wine from the Sopron region. Just a few steps away are the Central Mining Museum and the Forestry Museum. The Macskakő Children's Museum is interesting by name too: in the Eggenberg House, children can playfully discover the world of past eras, with objects linked to everyday activities such as sleeping, washing, dressing; the exhibition won the Exhibition of the Year award in 2018.

Leaving Sopron city centre behind, we head north on a designated cycling route towards Fertőrákos. Passing along the charming Szent Mihály Street, we pass the imposing St. Michael Archangel Church, whose original building was Romanesque from the 13th century, and over the centuries almost every major architectural style (Gothic, Baroque, Neo-Gothic) has contributed to it. The nearby St. James Chapel preserves Romanesque features, and the orderly church garden, featuring the stations of the cross and old gravestones, radiates endless peace.

Heading to Lake Fertő!

Immediately after the church, we reach a busy roundabout, which must be left through the street that has no access to the junction; this is the continuation of the bike path – a cyclist’s exit here would be welcome; thus, it is only possible to roll onto Tómalom Street from the pavement. The street first runs through a suburban area, then a closed garden zone, leading to a pleasant forest road. The cycling route continues on well-maintained, yellow tourist-marked hard-packed dirt road towards Lake Fertő. Although the road is better quality than many paved roads, those fearing for their road bike can take the Balfi Road from the roundabout and go through Sopronkőhida to reach Fertőrákos on asphalt. Looking left from the charming forest road, the water of a lake soon glistens among the trees. The route passes the Little Malm and the Big Malm – these are *speaking names* like the Fire Tower; indeed, mills operated here from the 16th century. The first public bath was also established by a miller from Big Malm in 1842: slowly, the industrial character receded and pleasant lakeside recreation arose, with a bathing resort established by the first half of the 20th century and even a 14-room hotel built. The resort character still dominates, and a small beach operates by the lake. Near Big Malm, we pass a cyclist traffic counter on the road where daily and annual traffic can be read.

Leaving the Big Malm resort behind, we soon reach the outer houses of Fertőrákos. Here we can choose between two roads: straight right to the center of the settlement along the Rákos Creek, or left towards the quarry. The marked road for cyclists winds through small streets, showing surprisingly steep climbs. After reaching the quarry fence, we just roll down, but before the mine entrance there is an opportunity to turn left towards Austria. It is worth taking the detour on the low-traffic road, as near the border crossing lies a significant Roman relic, the Mithras sanctuary (open spring to autumn). The Mithras cult flourished in the Roman Empire from the 2nd to 4th centuries, with the sun god venerated from today’s India, through Iran, to the eastern coast of the Mediterranean basin. Within the mystery religion, only initiates could fully know the god’s secrets, whose sanctuaries were underground temples. The Fertőrákos sanctuary was discovered in 1866 and excavated by junior Ferenc Storno. An image of the cult, three altar stones, two lion statues, and 28 graves were found, then a vault was built over the sanctuary to protect it. After World War II, it was forbidden even to approach the sanctuary and its surroundings as it stood directly on the border, but now anyone can freely visit this unique ancient relic.

Returning from the ancient times and Austrian border to Fertőrákos, the quarry immediately invites a stop. The limestone quarried here, from deposits laid by the Pannonian Sea millions of years ago, was already used by the Romans, but real production started in the 19th century. Inside the quarry, in vast man-made halls, we can learn about the limestone and its utilization, as well as see remains of animals that lived in the Pannonian Sea; a unique theatre and concert venue awaits visitors in one of the cave's chambers. The quarry can be explored both inside and outside: the Sziklai Benge nature trail along the quarry’s rim presents the geological values and unique flora and fauna of the quarry. Moreover, from the highest point, a wonderful panorama awaits – but only open spring to autumn when the attraction is accessible.

From the quarry, practically to the end of the route, we follow the cycling tour route along Lake Fertő, which represents mainly high-quality, well-signposted cycling infrastructure. Riding through Fertőrákos main street, it’s worth looking at the once-magnificent episcopal palace (here, at the end of the 17th century, the bishop of Győr directed the evangelisation of Sopron back to Catholicism), and the pillory in front of the municipal hall. The latter is really interesting, as pillories – columns to publicly shame offenders by tying them to the post – are rarely seen nowadays.

Among vineyards, following the narrow-gauge railway

From Fertőrákos to Balf comes probably the most tiring but also the most beautiful part of the route. The cycling route winds among the vineyards between the two settlements (the first few hundred meters on good-quality forest road, which can be avoided on the lakeside asphalt road). Signs warning of even 8% gradients can be seen by the road. The strong but short climbs are followed by pleasant descents, amidst neatly maintained vineyards, with a view of Lake Fertő a bit farther on the left. The tradition of viticulture in the Sopron wine region goes back to Roman times; today, the 1800-hectare area mainly produces red wine grapes. Local winemakers were called poncichter (from a German word meaning bean grower) because vineyard owners grew vegetables (beans, tomatoes, potatoes, cabbage) between the rows as a side income.

Arriving at Balf, a ruined border guard barracks reminds us that we are close to the Iron Curtain that fell in 1989. (This section is also part of Eurovelo 13 – the Iron Curtain international cycling route.) Near the Balf mineral water bottling plant, it’s worth stopping at a nice water fountain to fill up on water rich in lithium, calcium, and magnesium, with a somewhat odd taste and distinctive smell. Its effects are complex: it supports digestion, bone building, cell regeneration, and helps maintain nervous system stability. At Balf, it’s worth making a detour towards the cemetery mound: on top stands the Saint Wolf castle church, next to which is the memorial for Antal Szerb. The walled church was built in the 13th century and, though later altered with Gothic and Baroque elements, the nave remains entirely original except for later heightening and new openings. On the cemetery mound stands an Árpád-era church. Besides the 1653 door of the church wall, there is the Antal Szerb memorial, commemorating not only the famous writer but countless known and unknown co-sufferers. Near Balf, the largest forced labor camp of Western Hungary was built by the Nazi occupation, filled with Jewish and Christian forced laborers, conscription service participants, and other prisoners, to erect the Südostwall (Southeastern Wall) fortress system along the German-Hungarian border. The pointless effort cost about 8,000 lives, and on January 27, 1945, the emaciated, unfit-for-work Szerb Antal also died here – beaten by his guards. “Generally, the place we are now is cursed, and everything goes very badly for us in every respect. And now I have no other hope than that the war will end soon, and this keeps up my spirit,” he wrote in his last letter.

Leaving Balf, we head towards Fertőboz, briefly leaving the bike path around the lake. This entails overcoming some elevation difference: the deep valley of Main Street leading to Kisboz is quite steep, but at its top we can detour (nearly all on dirt road, hard to pass in rainy weather) to the Gloriette lookout. The small domed building at the viewpoint was built by Count Ferenc Széchényi in honor of Palatine Joseph, who often admired the landscape from here with him. From here, we can overlook the whole Lake Fertő, whose part on this side of the border is essentially a vast reedbed. Most of Europe's westernmost steppe lake belongs to Austria, fed by a single stream, the Vulka. Since it is an endorheic area, its eastern part becomes saline due to strongly alkaline and salty water, which is subject to extreme fluctuations: it has dried out several times and at other times has grown to the size of Lake Balaton, flooding five villages. To the north, we can overlook settlements on the lake’s western shore (Fertőrákos, Fertőmeggyes, Rust, etc.), with the eastern ridges of the Leitha Mountains closing the view.

From Fertőboz we continue towards Nagycenk, first crossing the Győr-Sopron railway line, then the narrow-gauge track of the Nagycenk Széchenyi Museum Railway. The latter was established in the early 1970s specifically to provide a new home for vehicles rendered redundant by the closing of narrow-gauge railways. The 3.6-kilometer-long track from Fertőboz's main station to Nagycenk's castle started as a pioneering railway and is still operated by children today. Next to Nagycenk station is a vehicle museum showcasing numerous narrow-gauge vehicles (at Fertőboz station, two massive steam locomotives can also be admired). Opposite the narrow-gauge railway stands the Széchenyi Castle, where the greatest Hungarian, István Széchenyi, spent most of his childhood and became the owner in 1821 through a family lottery. He established a model farm on the estate and threw himself into national politics while renovating and modernizing the castle (for example, installing bathroom and flush toilets). The castle is expected to be closed until autumn 2022 due to renovation. In the nearby cemetery is the mausoleum of the Széchenyi family, where 47 family members rest, including István Széchenyi, who was laid to rest here in 1860 after dying in Döbling.

From Nagycenk, we continue towards Hidegség on a low-traffic road, and returning to the shore of Lake Fertő, the small village’s church is worth mentioning, whose 13th-century round chapel houses period frescoes. Passing through Fertőhomok and Hegykő, we arrive at Fertőszéplak, our last stop before the Fertőd destination. In the village, it’s worth taking a look at the unusually large and designed two-tower church in a rural environment and the nearby calvary. Here is also the Railway Lamp Museum. The retired railway mechanic József Haragovics’s private collection showcases nearly 300 lamps, each unique in some way. Lamps come from 32 countries ranging from the Netherlands to Mongolia, New Zealand to Cuba. The collection, growing for 41 years and displayed in a renovated farmhouse’s clean room, each piece naturally having its story, which the cheerful, hospitable owner shares with pleasure.

Arriving at Fertőd, we must roll through the entire settlement to reach its jewel, the castle, which acquired its current form during the time of Miklós Eszterházy (Fényes), rivaling any similar noble residence of the era. Visitors can enter the Baroque courtyard through the huge wrought iron main gate, while inside the rococo style dominates – in all 126 rooms. The refined splendour alongside incredible wealth also speaks of fine artistic sense if you carefully examine the salons, reception rooms, and the decoration and furnishings of the places that once hosted vibrant social life. Joseph Haydn’s works often sounded in the upstairs banquet hall, as the composer spent much of his active creative years at Eszterháza in the service of Prince Miklós. To conclude the tour worthily, one can wander around a neatly maintained French park behind the building, and from here, only a comfortable few kilometers of rolling remain to Fertőszentmiklós railway station.