Hegymagas lies in the Tapolca Basin on the southern and southwestern sides of Szent György Hill. The village is located roughly halfway along the road between Tapolca and Szigliget. Local highlights include seasonal cuisine at Tarányi Présház and wines from winemakers on Szent György Hill. For more nature and culture, see the broader destination of Northern Balaton.

Wine and cuisine on Szent György Hill

Tarányi Présház has a set menu and a menu that changes weekly. The changing menu is prepared with fresh, seasonal ingredients. This means a regular selection is offered alongside seasonal changes; if you have a particular dish in mind, it is best to check the current menu.

The wine list includes white, red and dessert wines, and features only wines from winemakers on Szent György Hill. The specific selection may change. It ranges from white to red and dessert wines, while all the wines come from winemakers on the hill.

After a period when it was nearly abandoned and many years of effort, Tarányi Présház was restored in the summer of 2020, in its 240th year. The wine and cuisine are accompanied by a history shaped in part by the restoration of the house.

Szent György Pince has a 120-seat cellar that also serves as a restaurant. It also has a garden area, a separate room and a wine shop. If you have specific service requests, it is worth asking in advance, as current dining options may change.

More highlights in the broader destination of Northern Balaton

Tapolcai-tavasbarlang offers boat rides and a guided exhibition titled “Csodálatos karszt” (“Wonderful Karst”). It is part of a cave system beneath the town, which has so far been explored over a length of 14.6 kilometers. While Hegymagas brings together specific food and drink offerings, including a wine list and seasonal cuisine, Tapolcai-tavasbarlang focuses on boat rides and interpretation of karst landscapes.

Another landscape highlight is Hegyestű, a 337-meter-high mountain between Zánka and Monoszló. It reveals the interior of a basalt volcano that was active around eight million years ago. At the viewpoint on the western edge of the quarry grounds, visitors can use a panorama board to identify the surrounding hills. A rock garden displays characteristic rock types from Transdanubia. Geology, views and rock formations are the focus here.

Another regional link between landscape and wine can be found at Badacsony: special grapes are grown on its slopes and used to make Badacsony wine. Among its distinctive geological formations are features known as basalt organ pipes. The wine connections are distinct: at Badacsony, grape growing on the slopes and wine production are mentioned; the wine list at Tarányi Présház features wines from winemakers on Szent György Hill.

For historical highlights, Sümeg Castle is another regional point of reference. It is a relatively well-preserved medieval fortress on a bare hill rising above the surrounding area. Extensive renovation work was completed in 2022, and an interactive exhibition opened there in spring 2023. Herend offers a different cultural highlight: the Herend Porcelain Museum presents a permanent exhibition and changing exhibitions on the history of the manufactory. The visitor center explores porcelain production, the techniques involved and the traditions of applied arts. In workshops at the mini manufactory, visitors can handle porcelain paste and a brush for painting. The broader destination of Northern Balaton thus brings together a variety of themes: fortress history, exhibitions and hands-on exploration of porcelain.

Discover more destinations: Nemesvita, Badacsonytomaj, Mindszentkálla, Kékkút, Badacsonyörs, Szigliget, Ábrahámhegy, Lesencetomaj

Back to the main travel overview: Tapolcai.