Transdanubia/Pannonia

The innumerable small delights make this a loveable countryside. A baroque terrace in Sopron, the early morning bell ringing in Veszprém, the ancient highway's stone, worn silky smooth over time in Szombathely, the glitter of a green and gold tilled well in Pécs. In Kőszeg we can taste roasted chestnuts, in Villány we can drink kékoportó, in Lake Velence we can dine on roast fish, and can feast on wild boar pörkölt in Bakony. There isn't a region in Hungary which has this many tastes, colours, scents, that is as varied as Dunántúl, west Hungary. That is, Pannónia. The region got its name two thousand years ago, when the Roman legions were stationed there.

Three sites are listed in the UNESCO World Heritage list, the convent at Pannonhalma, the catacombs of Pécs, and lake Fertő. Here, everyone finds a destination to their tastes, be they sailors or rock climbers, those who crave city nightlife, or those who want to disappear in a small village. In Pannónia, everything is possible, from fine dining, touring, swimming in clear waters, healing in thermal springs, to fishing, hunting, castle climbing, strolling in gardens, enjoying the wine trail and marveling at palaces. There's one thing that isn't possible in Pannónia, and that's being bored. An attractive area with a host of small things to tempt the visitor. The sight of the balcony of a baroque mansion in Sopron, the concert of bells at dawn in Veszprém, an ancient stony road worn silk-smooth in Szombathely, or the golden-green glimmer of a ceramic well in Pécs. One can sample roast chestnuts in Kőszeg, quaff Kékoportó wine in Villány, bite through crispy fried fish by Lake Velence, and taste wild boar stew in Bakony. No other area in Hungary has a landscape with as many flavours, scents and colours as Pannonia. In other words, Pannonia. This name was given it two thousand years ago, when the Roman legion was stationed along the Danube. The river was the border of the Roman Empire. Known as the “limes”, the border was defended by those who dwelt in the military camps 15-20 kilometres apart. The Romans founded many flourishing towns in the province of Pannonia, and these were linked by a well developed road network. Comparing maps of the time with modern ones, we can see that most towns of Pannonia still stand where their Roman predecessors were built.