We're back from our month chugging around Europe by train. Even with small two kids, travel by train is still romantic, civilised, and relatively easy. In Spain, France and Italy, the railway line trails the coastline, in Austria and Switzerland it cuts through gorges and climbs up to fresh meadows with the crisp mountain air I craved in India. We camped on cliff tops, in a botanical garden, nestled up to the walls of an ancient castle, beside a lavender field, in agri-campings, an eco-camping plus some some really dreadful campsites.
Each country had its charm, but the most surprising was Hungary. We were guests of Jennifer Webster and Zsolt Buday of
Hip Homes Hungary, so it was always going to be a treat, but I really didn't expect the Lake Balaton area to be so charming.
Their summer villa is in Zsolt's hometown of Balatonfured. The local mayor has made a series of successful bids for EU funding to improve the town and the result is impressive. Large wooded parks, manicured gardens, museums, handsome old buildings, a lakeside promendade with market stalls and open air concert areas.
A short drive or boat ride away is the more well-known Tihany. Set on a hilltop with long views across the lake the main attractions popular for its abbey with twin onion-domed clocktowers, grand villas, and cute shops devoted to local produce like paprika, lavender, pottery.
A drive (or bike ride, the area has an excellent network of cycle lanes) inland, past sweeping fields of lavender and sunflowers, and you reach the Kali Basin. The landscape of rolling meadows and vineyards is broken up by unusual volcanic mounds. On Sundays during the summer there's a big market in a field, selling typical local fare like ginger beer, raspberry presse, local cheeses, as well as antiques, pottery, embroidered textiles, basketware.
After our market stop we joined friends for lunch at
Kovirag Panzio, before heading across the road to the
Kali Art Inn for a nose around and a pot of lavender tea.
As the sun was setting on our drive home Jen took a detour to show me the workers cottages in the vineyards near Balatonfured. They are wonderful! Built in the late 1800s they are built into the hillside, with grass covering the wine cellar at the rear of the cottage and a small living space at the front. Most are thatched and many are in a state of disrepair. They can snapped up for around 30,000 Euros and would make an adorable weekend cottage, being just a two hour drive from Budapest.
Talking of which, we really enjoyed Budapest too, and definitely want to go back and get to know it better. We went for a drink at
Szimpla Kert, the place that was my inspiration for my proposals for the old mansion on Bolivar street in San Telmo. So sad that didn't come off as Ollie and both felt we were in Buenos Aires in that garden, it was just so incredibly similar to the space and what I had imagined for Bolivar.
With Hungary fresh in my mind, it's no wonder that
Parna, a company specialising in Hungarian textiles, caught my eye while scanning some design blogs yesterday. Kath Griffiths sources vintage linen and embroidered fabrics from Hungary and other Eastern European countries to sell online from her Oxford base. I immediately ordered some gorgeous indigo linen and a hand embroidered cushion.
A quick google search today turned up
an article in The Sunday Times about Lake Balaton and the Kali Basin. I'm not sure if RyanAir still offer flights there, but a couple of days down there could easily be combined with a short stay in Budapest. I'd definitely recommend it if you're looking for something a little bit different and off the beaten (at least by Brits) track.
