By air
Budapest (BUD), ~3 h
Europe · Hungary
Tokaj, Hungary
The wine region of kings
Getting there
Best time to visit
September to October — the harvest
Don't miss
Tokaj town
The vineyards
The Rákóczi cellar
The Bodrog river
Things to do
Cellar tastings
Cycling the vineyards
The Bodrog river
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: JezW · CC BY-SA 3.0
What to pack
Layers
A quieter corner
Sárospatak's castle
Questions travellers ask
Is harvest time a good moment to visit Tokaj?
Yes — September to October is the harvest, and the time to go. Bring layers.
What wine is Tokaj known for?
Tokaji aszú. Try it at a cellar tasting, and visit the Rákóczi cellar.
What else is there to do in Tokaj?
Cycle through the vineyards, wander Tokaj town and spend time by the Bodrog river. Sárospatak's castle makes a quieter side trip.
How long is the trip from Budapest to Tokaj?
About 3 h from Budapest's airport (BUD).
About Tokaj
- Riverside
- Hills
Where it is
Tokaj is a small town in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén County in north-eastern Hungary, at the confluence of the Tisza and Bodrog rivers and at the foot of Kopasz Hill, and it gives its name to the surrounding Tokaj wine region.
History
Wine made from aszú grapes, shrivelled by noble rot, is recorded here by the 16th century, and Tokaji was later served at the French royal court at Versailles. Tokaj's vineyards were classified in the 18th century, one of the world's earliest systems of wine appellation, and the Tokaj Wine Region became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2002.
People
People in the Tokaj region speak Hungarian and have made wine for generations, and small family cellars sit alongside historic estates. Towns across the region hold grape harvest festivals each autumn.
Known for
- Tokaji aszú sweet wine
- Old cellars cut into volcanic rock
- The Rákóczi Cellar
- Cycling through the vineyards
- Boating on the Bodrog and Tisza
Did you know?
Tokaji aszú is described as the world's oldest botrytised wine, and the nectar of Tokaj's grapes is even mentioned in the Hungarian national anthem.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.