If Budapest and the great bustle is boring, and you want a bit of relaxation in nature, then head to the Budaörs mountains. Superb hiking opportunities await you in the immediate vicinity of Budapest.
First of all, an average tourist doesn’t come to Budapest to search for large green areas or to explore the fauna and flora of the city. This is understandable if we set a metropolis as our destination.
However, I can almost feel in my bones, dear Reader, that you are fear for mediocrity and only use the average to have anything to go above. Allow me to give a helping hand – lines – so that the capital of Hungary can give you more than just the streets rubbing of Budapest and admiring the facades of the buildings.
Hardly known, unprecedented sights in Budapest which are not included in any guide books.
Budapest is more than one of the most beautifully built, best-located, most interesting, historic, busiest European capitals in Europe – this, of course, not only sounds stupid but also quite grandiose. Well, of course! After all, thanks to the mountains surrounding the capital, it is a great destination for omnipotent tourists who appreciate the opportunities for active recreation and who spend many kilometers with enthusiasm similar to Hungarian cuisine.
Budaörs Mountains
The hills around the area sweetening the time spent here for those who wish to do so by its many hiking trails. We can choose between different lengths and difficult hiking trails, the common point of which if we walk on any one of those, we will definitely leave with a lasting experience.
Their common point in a more practical sense is Budaörs. The settlement, which is almost touching Budapest, is located in the southern hills of the Buda Hills, which border the capital from the northwest. If I want to make a bit of a spoiler alert, then I would add that these southern peaks are just hills according to a strict geographical requirement system, but let’s forget about scientific gluttony now.
Those who are seeking an easy route, even active children, will take the Csíki Mountains. At a distance of about 7-8 kilometers, we will have to cope with 350 meters of elevation, which can be an obstacle we need to overcome.
Starting from the Town Hall of Budaörs, the route soon begins to rise, one of the first stops of the not very rich peak of Farkas Hill. In return, there is nothing that obscures the view of the city and the surrounding forests below. The next milestone is the rocky peak of Szállás Hill, from where we can stare at the more distant stretches of the Buda Mountains.
Our journey is colored by forests and clearings changing each other, looking north, we can admire the slopes of the Csík Mountains. Unfortunately, there is no designated route to these, so if we don’t want to use the rescue teams for taking us down then let’s avoid conquering the unknown.
Going further, we can take the 288-meter-high peak of Huszonnégyökrös-hill (Twenty-four Oxen-Hill), which also offers a wonderful panorama. The name of the mountain, by the way, is a memento of our own overdoing: according to the legend, a butcher had bet on twenty-four oxen that he could rush to the summit without stopping, which all came to him, but he couldn’t take his winnings; he dropped dead when he reached the top.
From the mountain, we return to Budaörs, where we can reward ourselves with a good lunch, or we can buy some simple carbohydrates at the famous pastry shop.
- Tip: On this tour, we can get into the Sorrento rocks with some detours. These interestingly shaped limestone cliffs are named for their resemblance to the Sorrento coastline in Italy. The formations hidden in the cozy pine grove are a bonus to the hiking trails which lead here.
Stone Mountain Chapel
A slightly shorter but more exciting hiking trail leads up to the nearby Odvas Hill. However, before climbing the Odvas Hill, it is worthwhile to climb the Stone Mountain Chapel, which counts as one of the attractions in the area.
To the pilgrimage site, a 235 meters high built-up staircase leads up, so it won’t hurt. Although the chapel is currently inaccessible, it is still worth a trip, as we can enjoy the view of the Odvas Mountain from the barren summit of the Stone Mountain in a very special atmosphere, as it sets us up for the challenge ahead.
The hardest part of the hike is the steep, rocky stretch to Odvas Mountain, which we only can go for in proper footwear. Don’t even try the stunt trick of a successful butcher, God bless him, because of the terrain, just like in a bad board game, is quickly thrown us back to the starting point, and not quite in the physical state, we were set out for.
We take the 315 meters high section in a specially protected area, from where we have a truly unparalleled panorama of the countryside.
Don’t be surprised to see dozens of people plunging into the depths from the summit: chances are that there will be a paraglider on their backs, as Odvas Mountain is a popular starting point for paragliders in the area. (If someone would jump without a paraglider, we should close our eyes.)
Coming down from the mountain – on foot -, we get back to the village, where we can crown our hike in one of the most famous snack bars in the area.
It would be difficult for Budapest to burn the stamp of unanimity without blush. However, in addition to “traditional” tourism, those who are looking for nature-friendly activities will find their way here too. The mountains of Budaörs are within a considerable distance from the bustle of the big city, encouraging visitors to explore them.
They mean a fresh variation compared to the sometimes oppressive bustle of the city, and we can also charge up our minds before immersing ourselves in the cavalcade of the capital. It is up to us how to take advantage of the opportunity, but most importantly: we have to live with it!
