- WINE & GASTRONOMY We recommend a 2 day wine trip in the Tokaj region.

Louis XV of France called the Aszú wine of Tokaj “Wine of Kings, King of Wines” ("Vinum Regum, Rex Vinorum”). If you enjoy good wine and creative cuisine, you simply must visit this region called Tokaj-Hegyalja in North-East ! Apart from exploring the century- old wineries and wine cellars, you can also go hiking in the rugged wilderness of the nearby Zemplén Mountains. Nature trails, rock climbing spots and ancient castles provide excellent opportunities for active relaxation.

Known as Tokay in many places, the Aszú wine of Tokaj is considered one of the most unique wines in the world. Its birthplace is the legendary wine region in North-East Hungary, boasting centuries of viniculture and traditions. In 2002, UNESCO honoured the region by declaring it a World Heritage Site.

Tokaj has also been the world’s first closed wine production district since 1737. Composed of 27 settlements, this historic wine region’s volcanic soil, its unique microclimate, its favourable sloping hills, the autumn mist above the Bodrog and Tisza rivers and the noble rot on the walls of the wine cellars carved into the rhyolitic tuff rock all play a role in ensuring that the and Hárslevelű grapes of this region make for excellent, exciting white wines.

Many of the wineries and wine cellars are open to visitors. You can explore them by yourself if you like, or with professional guidance – often you can even have the proprietor as your guide!

You can get around on foot or by bicycle but some locations even offer Segway or SUV tours. The wineries, wine houses and restaurants of the region all invite you to participate in the premium wine tastings, wine dinners and cheerful picnics that are special in the region. Experts of new wave cuisine have also been coming to Tokaj-Hegyalja in ever greater numbers, to places like Mád, , Tállya and . The creative meals are all made using fresh home-grown ingredients. Every year, the Tokaj-Hegyalja Market is a concentrated treasure trove of unique products made by local artisans. Located in the town of Tokaj, the World Heritage Wine Museum allows visitors an insight into the history and winemaking processes of the region through an interactive exhibition.

While visiting the region, you can lodge in cosy little village houses. These charming, traditional homes still use tile stoves for heating and cook with beehive ovens. If you prefer more luxurious accommodation, however, you will find quality hotels – even some five-star ones – in the area. In the international market, the message of the unique wine-growing region still needs to be strengthened; a theme-based destination based on wine will be a viable value that can reach the high-spending, high international travelers seeking high quality services along with the simultaneous development of the supply.

Touring also attracts large numbers of excursionists to the Tokaj-Zemplén region, which shows a particularly more romantic and untouched natural picture than its competitors. The Zemplén Adventure Park, located in Sátoraljaújhely, with its ski resort, the country's longest bobtail and its chairlift, as well as its new piste make it the active touristic USP of the region. Further cultural attraction of the destination is given by historical monuments, castles and fortress remains of the region

In the Upper Tisza region, active and ecotourism is the primary product, where water, cycling and fishing tourism are outstanding. In the longer term, the region is considered to be a premium ecotourism site.

Wine • Gombos-hegy cellar, Tokaj-hegyalja: Götz Winery is a traditional family wine cellar which envisaged to create excellent wines produced with meticulous care from vine-growing through the ripening of wine to bottling. The village has two rows of wine cellars, in Kőporos and Gombos-hegy, both form part of the World Heritage Site. • Holdvölgy cellar system, Mád: The Mád basin holds a special position in the world of winegrowing because of its unique soil, macroclimate, and microclimate.Their cellar is one of the oldest cellar system in the region. The goal was and still is to achieve the vision of creating an iconic brand by international standards. • Demetervin, Mád: It is important for us to present the local conditions - soils, varieties and vine-growing culture - so all our efforts are aimed at harvesting a characteristic and perfect raw material from the Mád dunes. • Erzsébet Winery, Tokaj: Erzsébet Pince (Elizabeth Cellars) is a family winery founded by one of the first female winemakers in Tokaj, Erzsébet (Elizabeth) Prácser. All of the wines are made in small lots, from low-yielding vineyards that use sustainable and organic viticultural practices. The family team also includes a Master of Wine and Master Sommelier who assists in quality control and blending.

Gastronomy

• Gusteau Culinary Workshop, Mád: In Mád, in the heart of Tokaj-Hegyalja, life is about wines in their restaurant. Their dishes are inspired by wines, and terroir is expressed not only in wines but also in raw materials. • Anyukám mondta Restaurant, Encs: All the food has the "my mother said" character for example the homemade pasta in the consommé. But my mother is like Woman's Own or like a literary character - she never makes a mistake. The bread is as homemade as the snail's own house - we knead it at night, bake it in the morning and serve it fresh at lunch. The desserts are also homemade, homely Hungarian and homely Italian. • Percze Élményközpont, Mád: There is a restaurant in the side of Percze, one of the historic first class taverns of Mád, where we are looking forward to our guests with unique gastronomy, Szepsy wines, townships and vineyards and a unique view of the countryside. • Első Mádi Borház, Mád: This is the first attraction in many ways. The village's first house, which welcomes guests arriving and passing through. This is the first institution that seeks to unite and to present the essence of the work of the winery in Maryland. • A Boros Wine Bar, Sárospatak: We select fresh ingredients from our food from our local growers carefully and one of our most noble goals is to represent the most beautiful wines of the Tokaj-Hegyalja region with our local produce ingredients. We want our guests and people living and working here to think of a Boros wine bar where the food and wines are combined in perfect harmony.

Jewish Heritage points of interest in the Tokaj Region

• Mád Synagogue is an example of beautiful and now rare Hungarian synagogue architecture. Situated on a hill overlooking the majestic vineyards of the Tokaj Hegyalja region, it is one of the oldest surviving synagogues in Hungary. Built in 1795, the baroque structure sits between a Catholic Church and a Reformed Church, evidence of these sizable communities’ peaceful coexistence in this period. • Jewish Cemetery in Mád:The largest Jewish cemetery of Hegyalja region is located in the outskirts of the village. One can find 200 to 300-year-old tombstones in this stone-fenced, well-kept cemetery. The famous Rabbis of the congregation such as Ábrahám Schwartz (born in 1824 in Mád) and Mordeháj Winkler (died in 1932) are buried here. • Footsteps of Wonder Rabbis is a 150 km long route touching 10 towns and villages as it winds its way through the jewish memorial sites and the architectural heritage of the tokaj- hegyalja region. During the pilgrimage pilgrims visit the gravesites of late wonder rabbis, learn about the rabbis' lives, the legends surrounding their lives, the history, traditions and regional role of the former Jewish population of the towns they visit, and get the opportunity to experience the breathtaking scenery of Tokaj-Hegyalja. The start and end point of the pilgrimage route is the Jewish Cultural Information Centre in Mád, which used to be the Rabbical school. The pilgrimage is bookable as a touristic service package that includes a guided tour of a section of the pilgrimage route. Visitors are free to choose the length of the section they would like to visit.

Culture • Füzér Castle, Füzér: The Castle of Füzér is one of the 7 natural wonders of Hungary, located in the Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén county, on the easternmost part of the Zemplén Mountains, on a steep-sided volcanic cone. • Sárospatak Castle, Sárospatak: Sárospatak is situated in the northeastern corner of Hungary, at the foot of the Zemplén Hills and on the edge of the Great Hungarian Plane. The present appearance of the building was formed during nineteenth century. • Boldogkő Castle, Boldogkőváralja: Perched above the village of Boldogkőváralja amid northeast Hungary’s Zemplén Mountains, a dramatic hilltop castle is a living relic of the country’s medieval history, where families enjoy battle reenactments, fascinating exhibitions, and panoramic views over the entire region. • Blessing Christ Statue and Panorama Walk, Tarcal: The most monumental spectacle of the is the statue of the Blessed Christ crowning the hill above Tarcal, near the breathtaking mining town. In 2015, the largest statue of Jesus in Hungary was erected on top of the beautiful panorama of the hill.

Active tourism • Helia-D Herba Castle, : Helia-D is opening a herb and beauty centre in Tolcsva, in the heart of the famous Tokaj wine region for those interested in beauty care and in the charms of the wine region, the cradle of Tokaji Eszencia, a nectar legendary for its healing properties. • Zemplén Adventure Park, Sátoraljaújhely: One of the most important investments of the city and the region is the Zemplén Adventure Park. The investment was partly financed from the European Union tender sources and partly from the Municipality of Sátoraljaújhely City Own Source. • Megyer-hegy tarn (tour), Sárospatak: The Megyer Hill, which is more than 300 meters high, rises north of Sárospatak, with sloping vineyards on its slopes. Hotels • Andrássy Residence, Tarcal: he 500-meter-long cellar located beneath the building of Andrássy Rezidencia Wine & Spa***** was built in the 15th century, which is still in use. Andrássy Mansion, an aristocratic manor house was built in Baroque style in the 18th century. • Hotel Botyrytis, Mád: Hotel Botrytis is the latest jewel of Mád, located in the Tokaj wineyards and surrounded by nature. While it fits the town’s traditional values, with its fresh and unique profile also broadens the landscape of Mád as a boutique hotel providing premium services. • R40, Mád: A total renovation of the more than 200 year old building was completed in 2016 to create a friendly guest house was created with a traditional ambiance and modern comforts and to make it ideal for families, couples, friends and small business gatherings alike. • Gróf Dégenfeld, Tarcal: The Tokaj wine region is unique in the Tokaj wine region and is a chateau-style estate center, built by the Count Degenfeld family, which is a close association of castle, vine and cellar. • Oroszlános Borhotel, Tállya: Tállya once was a beautiful market town and an important commercial centre, and, today, it has a charming outdoor village museum of wine culture. The mansion, built over 400 years ago, has been refurbished to meet the demands of this day and age.