Blue Frankish Bicycle Tour
For thousands of years, the history of Sopron has been intertwined with the wine history of the region. Immerse yourself in the beauty of the Sopron wine region during a tour starting from Sopron, the capital of the Kékfrankos (Blue Frankish).
Route: downtown Sopron – Fertőrákos – Balf – Kópháza – Harka – Sopron
Total distance: 33.2 km
Ascent: 275 m
Descent: 275 m
Difficulty: MEDIUM
Directions
Although Central Burgenland is referred to as "Blaufränkischland", Sopron is the "capital of Blaufränkisch". The round trip from the city center leads through the typical wine-growing district of Sopron, through the Poncichterviertel, which got its name from the German-speaking winegrowers who grew beans in addition to vines (bean growers). We first drive past the second largest Gothic church in Hungary, St. Michael's Church. Our route touches the Tómalom lido and follows the bed of the Rák (Kroisbach) stream to Fertőrákos, where we can take part in a wine tasting in the Jandl cellar.
When we arrive in the town center, numerous monuments await us that are considered curiosities in Hungary. In front of the town hall is the only pillory in our country that still stands in its original place. Just a few hundred meters away, our route passes the baroque Bishop's Palace, which used to be the summer residence of the Bishops of Győr. Soon we reach the city walls, which were built in the 17th century when the settlement was given the title of country town. Fertőrákos is the only village in Hungary whose city walls have survived to this day.
From Fertőrákos we continue through the vineyard to Balf, which is also famous for its wines. If you want to admire the view with a glass of wine in your hand, you can do so on the terrace of the Fényes Cellar. Once in Balf, we can taste the characteristic sulphurous aroma of the local mineral water at the Zsolnay drinking fountain. The medieval fortress church of St. Wolfgang (Szent Farkas) and the park of the thermal bath are also worth a visit before we leave Balf and cross the vineyards of the Sopron wine region.
Szöveg
The fortified church of St. Farkas in Balf is connected with the cult of St. Wolfgang. He was the teacher in the Bavarian royal court of the later Queen Gisella, the wife of King St. Stephen. In our country, his cult only spread around Sopron and Bratislava. On the defensive wall of the fortified church there is a literary-historical memorial dedicated to the famous literary historian Antal Szerb and to the other Jewish forced laborers who were killed here.
After a few kilometers we reach the Kisbalf district in the direction of Kópháza, where we can get to know the traditions of the local Croatian folklore. Following the red stripe we leave Kópháza and soon the vines of the Kogelberg and the characteristic church towers of the medieval St. Peter and Paul Church and the Evangelical Church in Harka appear. If you are hungry, you can recharge your batteries at the Harka Fröccsterasz for the return trip to Sopron. Our route leads across the Harka Plateau on the EV13 cycle path back to the Lőverek district, which is famous for its pure alpine air and is one of the most famous climatic health resorts in Hungary.
If you are thirsty...
Steigler Winery - Sopron, Balfi út 13-15.https://steigler-wines.com
Jandl Winery - Fertőrákos, Patak sor 26. https://www.jandl.hu
Winelife Winery - Fertőrákos, Fő utca 95. https://winelife.hu/
Krois Brewery - Fertőrákos Fő utca https://www.kroisbrewery.com/
Fényes Winery - https://fenyesborbirtok.hu/
If you are hungry...
Mithras Restaurant - Fertőrákos, Fő utca 1.
Kovács Tavern - Fertőrákos, Fő utca 96-98.
Balfi Halácscsárda - Balf, Fő utca 2. https://halaszcsarda-balf.huHarkai Fröccterasz - Harka, Határőr utca 100. https://www.elmenyhelyszin.hu/
SIGHTS
Sopron – St. Michael’s Church, Tómalom Baths, Kecske-hegy lookout tower Fertőrákos – Quarry and cave theatre, Pillory, City walls, Local history house and ceramics workshop Balf – Csárda nature conservation centre (canoe tours), Zsolnay drinking fountain, Fortified church of St. Wolfgang (Farkas), Spa park with an english garden, St. Joseph’s Bath Chapel, Evangelical Church Kópháza – Church of the Holy Virgin of the Cross, Exhibition “From the tie to the afterlife – The history of Croatian culture in western Hungary” in the municipal building, Local history trail with Kő-hegy lookout tower, Croatian local history house Harka – Church of St. Peter and Paul, Local history exhibition, Evangelical Church