History and nature, or from Visegrád to Pap-rét

Itinerary:

• From Visegrád, follow the green bike trail sign passing the royal palace, the Salamon tower, the bobsled track, the Sástói meadow, the Mester meadow, and the József spring all the way to Pap-rét!

• From Pap-rét, heading northwest, follow the blue bike trail sign back through the Apátkút valley, passing the Telegárthy and Magda springs, the Miklós Bertényi Botanical Garden, and the Trout pond to return to Visegrád.

Detailed description of the route

Leaving the station, we cross road 11, then turn left at the first opportunity and continue parallel to the Danube. Riding along the quiet little street, we first glimpse the royal palace with its 350 rooms. The noble residence from the early 14th century was expanded by Louis I, then King Matthias, with increasingly magnificent decorated terraces, fountains, marble statues, and a bath.

The path first changes to cobblestone, then gradually starts to climb. Arriving among the castle walls, you really have to grip the handlebars – luckily, we soon reach the hexagonal, five-storey Salamon tower. Its name is surrounded by historical mystery: some say King Ladislaus I imprisoned the rebellious King Salamon here between 1081 and 1082 – but this is disproved since the tower was built much later, in the 1250s. It is worth reading the plaques on the walls that tell the area's history from prehistoric times to the early 20th century. Looking back from the tower, the Danube and the opposite bank show their beautiful face.

Rolling out through the castle gate, after 300 meters we reach Panorama road. Remember, we are again in traffic! On the steep climb, we cycle past the Visegrád ski slope, the yurt camp, then the bobsled track, and finally leave the asphalt by turning left behind the barrier.

Cycling deep in nature

We climb past a spacious clearing, then take a fast descent into the magical world of the Visegrád forests. Arriving at the side of Sas hill, we ride up two-lane forest roads higher and higher. The resting place developed on Sóstói meadow tempts for a short but well-deserved breather, since we have already completed the harder part of the climb. After a short but steep descent, we reach the Visegrád gate. If we have good strength and time, it is worth making a 300-meter detour on foot following the K and then the K▲ signposts, as a spectacular view of Visegrád unfolds from Borjúfő. Continuing our original route, enjoyable stretches follow with comfortable, not too demanding climbs. Upon reaching the clearing of Mester meadow, be observant at the intersection: first keep left, then turn sharply back right! After finding the right direction, the next section only requires attention so that the ruts left by forestry machines do not mislead our wheels.

Soon we reach a significant forest junction. It is worth memorizing the spot next to Etető meadow, as from this point you can reach several directions by bike. The northbound branch of the red bike trail leads to Dunabogdány, the eastern one to Tahitótfalu. We continue on the green.

Challenges before Pap-rét

After a few minutes, we arrive at the József spring, which offers an excellent opportunity for a thorough refreshment. We will need it as one of the toughest sections follows: we cross contour lines increasingly frequently on the stubbornly persistent climb. The final challenge comes when the bulldozer trail branching from the right crosses our path. Give it all you've got, hold on! At the end of the climb, we reach a wider road where the P signs and the National Blue Trail K signs also join us.

Gravity is on our side!

We are now at the highest point of our route, from where we roll about one kilometer on a dirt road to Pap-rét. At the famous forest junction, turning northwest, we begin the descent on asphalt. For 10 kilometers we can enjoy effortless, carefree gliding, with the cooling breeze caressing us – all the more so because there are few more beautiful asphalt road sections in the area. Don’t hesitate to stop sometimes and marvel at the impressive beauty of nature! On this section, we find springs, a quarry, and impressive rock formations.

We reach the forest edge at Telgárthy meadow, where a developed resting place and a restaurant invite a short stop. Following the Apátkúti creek, we can also look around at Magda spring, Miklós Bertényi Botanical Garden, and the Trout pond before rolling into Visegrád to the starting point of the tour.