Lake Fertő and Hanság on two wheels (Great Lake Fertő circuit)

Itinerary:

• From Fertőszentmiklós railway station we head north on the Fertődi road, soon arriving at the neighboring Fertődre.
• In Fertőd, turn onto the EuroVelo 13 cycle route. Follow its signs through Sarród and Fertőújlak to the border.
• After the border, turn left onto the B10 marked bike path heading north. Continue on this path all the way to Illmic (Illmitz).
• In Illmic (Illmitz), leave the B10 and reach the B20 cycle path via Apetlonstrasse and Seegasse, which we follow to Hölle.
• From Hölle to Fertőrákos we follow the B10 road again.
• From the Fertőrákos quarry, we follow the EuroVelo 13 cycle route through Balf to Fertő.
• In Fertőd, turn right onto Vasút sor street to return to Fertőszentmiklós railway station.

Detailed tour description

Departure from Fertőszentmiklós

Fertőszentmiklós railway station is located south of Lake Fertő, along the Sopron–Csorna–Győr railway line. From here we start the lake circuit: from the square in front of the station, we head east, then at the T-junction at the end of the street, turn left onto the pedestrian and cycle path alongside the road to Fertőd. The two settlements practically merge, and we soon arrive in Fertőd.

Fertőd (3 km)

In Fertőd, turn right onto the Main Road, then immediately left onto Sarródi road. Going straight is a short detour to visit the town’s primary attraction, the Esterházy Palace, more information about visiting can be found via this link. If satisfied with an outside view, it can be freely and publicly viewed from the garden. This 18th century Baroque complex was one of the most splendid palaces of its time, described historically on par with Vienna’s Schönbrunn and Paris’s Versailles palaces. Before heading towards Sarród from Fertőd, it is recommended to shop for provisions as the next store will only be reached hours later in Austria.

Leaving Fertőd northward on the Sarródi road, our route follows the EuroVelo 13 route all the way to crossing the border. This long-distance cycle path runs from Norway to Bulgaria along the former Iron Curtain line, so the domestic section passes near Austrian-Hungarian, Croatian-Hungarian, and Serbian-Hungarian borders.

Lászlómajor (10 km)

In Sarród, merged with Fertőd, it is worth examining the roadside houses, some of which represent “peasant baroque”: this style trickled down from aristocracy to lower social strata. We cycle past the administrative building of the Fertő–Hanság National Park, Kócsagvár, and then cross the Fertőszentmiklós–Nezsider (Neusiedler am See) railway. Before reaching Fertőújlak, we bypass Lászlómajor, the former estate center of the Esterházy family, where the national park’s administration set up a visitor center showcasing old Hungarian domestic animal breeds.

One kilometer past Lászlómajor, we cross the Hanság main canal, constructed during the drainage of the approximately 60,000 hectares of the Hanság marshy region in the southwest of the lake. In contrast to past centuries, recent years have focused on restoring the natural state and habitat reconstruction of the area, with nearby Nyéki-szállás meadow purposely flooded again. It’s worth stopping here to look around the lock gate and the dirt path toward Fertő, where there are some climbing platforms for bird watching and informational signs. We can also go to the former border tower, though unfortunately climbing it is prohibited.

Hungarian Mexico (18 km)

Just after crossing the Hanság main canal, we arrive in Fertőújlak’s dead-end village, a small part of Sarród surrounded almost entirely by Austria, connected to Hungary only from the south. The settlement, originally called Mexikópuszta, was named after its owner, the Esterházy family, to honor Emperor Maximilian of Habsburg, executed in Mexico in 1867. The village took its current name in 1970, but older residents still call it “Mexico.” During socialism, it was an important border guard base and today remains a significant bird-watching location.

In Austria (22 km)

At Fertőújlak cemetery, we leave the main road and turn left onto a cycle path. After passing the signed border point, we reach the road between Pomogy (Pamhagen) and Mosonbánfalva (Apetlon), along which a dedicated bike path runs. Apart from German signage and the smaller size of agricultural parcels, nothing noticeably marks us as being in Austria; although everything is a bit tidier, the landscape and architecture have not changed markedly.

We cross Mosonbánfalva straight through. In the center, the shared pedestrian and cycle path ends, and we continue on the public road, but leaving the village, we again glide on a separate asphalt lane to Illmic (Illmitz). The B10 signs direct us right, but we stay on Apetlonstrasse, then turn left to Seegasse. Here, on the border of the village, stands a reed-thatched hut and a well, which has become a symbol of Lake Fertő. Feel free to take photos, but then move on: we haven’t even reached a quarter of the tour!

Not far past this house, at a Y-junction, we turn right toward the B20 signs. Continuing straight for about 5 km, we reach the Illmic (Illmitz) ferry dock, from where ferries depart to the other side of the lake, Fertőmeggyes (Mörbisch am See). There was previously an idea to build a bridge over the lake between these two towns, but fortunately, this was rejected. The dock itself is not worth the detour, but if you want to swim, there is an opportunity here.

The B20 cycle route follows the lakeshore toward Pátfal (Podersdorf am See). About halfway, at Hölle (45 km), stands the iconic five-storey wooden lookout tower of Fertő and next to it a reed-thatched rest stop blending into the scenery. This is a must-stop point because such a high view over Fertő will not be available later.

Pátfal (Podersdorf am See) (52 km)

We arrive at Pátfal again via the B10, on a charming road between vineyards. On this stretch, we first encounter a short gravel section, which can be managed on a thin-wheeled bike, albeit cycling more slowly.

Pátfal is the only place along the lake where the shoreline water surface is not covered by reed, making the water noticeably open for a long stretch. It is recommended to go out on the pier, where there stands a white-red striped lighthouse reminiscent of ocean coasts, one of the most photographed sights of Fertő. Pátfal has a huge beach where you can swim, and those interested in water sports can try windsurfing or kitesurfing. If so far we haven't got our share of wind, we might see signs of it soon: hundreds of wind turbines work in the hills surrounding Fertő.

The landscape does not change in the next 10 kilometers either, cycling mostly on quiet, gently sloping, straight roads surrounded by reed beds and fields. Occasionally, a car passes by, but only locals working in the surrounding (vineyard) plantations drive here. After another somewhat longer gravel section, we reach Védeny (Weiden am See) and shortly after Nezsider (Neusiedl am See). Both towns have nicely developed beaches and numerous excellent dining and drinking options. On these two settlements, we again cycle alongside the GYSEV railway line Fertőszentmiklós–Nezsider, which is useful in case of any problem to exit the tour.

In the wine region

As we reach the northern tip of Fertő, the typical northwesterly wind increasingly attacks us from the side and sometimes from behind. But don’t celebrate prematurely: the asphalt strip of the cycle path from here on is less straight, with sections of less favorable wind direction, and upon reaching the western side of the lake, a small hill climb is to be managed. The landscape changes markedly: along the Pándorfalu–Vulkapordány railway line, we follow the foot of hill slopes planted with vines, beyond which Fertő itself is mostly not visible, only the monocultures of the lakeside plain.

Settlements on the western shore of Fertő almost without exception belong to the Leitheberg (Lajta Mountains) wine region, whose most significant grape variety – similar to the nearby Sopron wine region – is Blaufränkisch. We pass several wineries, it is worth stopping at least at one to taste fine Austrian wines. Water can be obtained from roadside wells in the settlements or in hospitality establishments. After Fertőfehéregyháza (Donnerskirchen), we join the country road briefly, then avoiding gravel, arrive at Okába (Oggau) with sharp bends, and soon after Rusztra (Rust).

Rust (100 km)

The next major attraction is the town of Rust, marking the 100th kilometer of our tour. According to legend, every chimney in the town has a stork – if visiting in July or August, you can verify this claim yourself. It is certain that many water birds found habitats in the reed-dense shore sections of Fertő. Near the southern border of Rust operates a stork protection association, which requires a small detour but is worth visiting as from a small wooden tower one can glimpse the life of the rescued storks.

Rust, with its roughly two thousand inhabitants, is Austria’s smallest town. Emperor Leopold I raised it to free royal town status in 1681 for 60,000 gold florins and 500 barrels of white aszú wine. At the time part of Hungary, the settlement was already the country’s smallest town and remains so despite being now on the other side of the border. Most urban buildings are protected monuments, with the main attraction being the Gothic-style Fisherman’s Church built around 1400.

Rust has a large harbor, from which you can take sightseeing boat rides, although most residents park their own boats on the lakeshore. The heavily developed shoreline does not offer much natural experience.

Fertőmeggyes (Mörbisch am See)

Five kilometers after Rust, we reach the last Austrian settlement, Fertőmeggyes. This very charming village has been inhabited since the Stone Age and is named for the abundance of cherry trees nearby. Due to its proximity to Vienna, it was ravaged by Turkish and Kuruc wars in the 16th-18th centuries, and in 1945 suffered from Russian troop abuse, but the settlement has been repeatedly reborn and thrives. Wine plays a large role here, with most locals living from viticulture and wine production. Fertőmeggyes also has a beach on a part of the lake artificially filled – from here a ferry crosses to the opposite side, Illmic.

At the border (107 km)

The Fertőmeggyes border is much better developed than the Mexikópuszta one, reflecting previously heavier traffic. With the abolition of border controls, no one enforces free movement of peaceful tourists and border village commuters. Our single major climb now follows: rising 40 meters to arrive at Fertőrákos. Before starting, we should stop for an exciting attraction at the checkpoint, worthy of dismounting from the bike: here in a forest cave hides a two-thousand-year-old Roman Mithras sanctuary. The shrine’s construction and content are similar to those found across the Roman Empire, but the religion itself originates far away, in present-day India. Due to the border zone, the shrine cave was in a forbidden area during the second half of the 20th century, requiring official permission to approach. Fortunately, it is now open to all.

Fertőrákos

We arrive at the top of the climb starting from the sanctuary at the first Hungarian village, Fertőrákos. On the main street, the signs of the Eurovelo 13 cycle route guide us left, which joined the B10 road at Fertőmeggyes and is advisable to follow on the Hungarian side of the border. Before letting go on the long and pleasantly steep descent, consider visiting the famous Fertőrákos Quarry and Cave Theatre! The quarry alone can be an all-day program if you want to learn about all its geological, industrial-historical, and cultural aspects.

Of course, the winemaking culture does not end with crossing the border: after Fertőrákos, the cycling route leads through vineyard paths. Those wanting to travel faster can choose the main road to Balf with very low traffic. Although the upper road is more beautiful, slightly more winding, and its surface is not perfect everywhere, it is a bit longer and involves more elevation gain.

In Balf, we cycle past the freely visitable Zsolnay drinking water path of the mineral water plant, where you can taste the water. (The spring water emerges thanks to a tectonic fault line.) This is one of the oldest known and used mineral water sources in the Carpathian Basin, discovered by Romans, and in the 14th century, Sopron bought the entire settlement to build a bathhouse two hundred years later. Hopefully, we won’t need the services of the Balf spa now, so we continue on the busier but pleasant cycling path built along the main road. On the next section, similarly to Austria, we can cycle on separate asphalt lanes between and within settlements.

At Fertőboz (122 km), it is worth a short detour to the Gloriette lookout. This small stone pavilion, accessible on foot by a long staircase, was built in 1801-02 on the 185 m high hill, offering exceptional views of the picturesque Fertő landscape—on clear days, it reaches as far as Bratislava! As for the pavilion itself, it has stood on this hilltop since 1801 (or 1802 according to other sources), created to commemorate a walk between Ferenc Széchényi and Palatine Joseph. The troop gatherings in preparation for the Napoleonic wars took place in the area; the palatine arrived here as a visitor, and from here they looked over the Fertő region together.

In the next village, Hidegség, it is worth a short detour to the St. Andrew’s Church, whose round chapel houses original 13th-century frescoes. The church, built over various periods, is a special monument.

Fertőszéplak (132 km)

The last settlement touched on the tour is Fertőszéplak. Climbing the slope after Hegykő, the iconic Fertőszéplak water tower stands out noticeably on the horizon. Unlike the similar concrete cylinder in Tiszafüred, this one remains gray and is not decorated with decades-old lime advertisements. On entering the settlement, of course, other historical sights can be seen. Fertőszéplak is a very old settlement, with its original church dating back to about 1250, replaced by the currently visible large building. Next to it lies the Széchényi Palace, where Ferenc Széchényi, founder of the Hungarian National Museum and National Széchényi Library, was born. For those interested in railway lamps: Fertőszéplak has in a farmhouse Haragovics József’s collection of 251 railway lamps from 22 countries exhibited.

After Fertőszéplak, the circle closes, and we arrive at the already familiar section in Fertőd, at Vasút sor street leading back to our starting point, where turning right takes us back to the railway station.