Are you ready to wander through a garden of over 150 healing herbs, inhale the fresh mountain air, and discover the secrets of glassmaking in the Bükkszentkereszt (Bükkszentkereszt) forest? With one-day personalized herbal tours running throughout the summer and fall of 2025, this is your chance to experience the legendary garden cultivated by “Uncle Gyuri” (Gyuri bácsi), sample both well-known and intriguing medicinal plants, and even get a taste of the region’s glass artisan heritage.
Explore the Herbal Heart of Hungary
Set in Bükkszentkereszt (Bükkszentkereszt), each one-day herbal knowledge tour lets you roam through Uncle Gyuri’s (Gyuri bácsi’s) famous herbal garden, a haven where more than 150 types of medicinal plants flourish, now also featuring must-know culinary herbs. Discover what’s in your spice rack—not just for the kitchen, but for your health, too. Whether you’re an amateur botanist, a home remedy enthusiast, or just eager to try something new in the beautiful Hungarian countryside, these tours have something for everyone.
New for 2025: Glassmaking Secrets Revealed
This year, there’s an extra layer to the experience: the “Following the Trail of Herbs and Glass Wonders” tour, spotlighting not only herbs but also the centuries-old tradition of glassmaking in the Bükk Mountains (Bükk-hegység). Besides immersing yourself in flora, peek into the world of local glass artisans, see how their “glass wonders” are born, and perhaps take home a piece of the region’s sparkling history.
Tailor Your Herbal Adventure
Tours begin on July 5, 2025, and run on select weekends through October 18. There’s something for everyone:
- Herbal knowledge tours (multiple dates in July, August, September, and October)
- A special “Practical Remedies for the Family Herbal Medicine Cabinet” tour
- Children’s adventure in the garden (“Gnomes in the Garden”), designed for young herbalists
- Crisp autumn “Leaf-fall Tours” during October’s golden hours
The highlight? Each program concludes with a scenic stroll through the surrounding forests, ensuring visitors experience nature’s magic to the fullest.
Stay in Style: Where to Sleep Off Your Herbal High
Bükkszentkereszt (Bükkszentkereszt) offers a variety of accommodations to suit every taste and group size. For those seeking comfort, the Oxygen Apartment House (Oxygen Apartmanház) is a premium, modern retreat with panoramic mountain views. Located on the first and second floors, these apartments let you gaze out at endless greenery—and are as stylish as they are comfortable.
Looking for something more social, or planning a bigger family getaway? The Bükkszentkereszt Youth and Sports Camp (Bükkszentkereszti Ifjúsági és Sporttábor) is open year-round, perfect for hikes in any season or week-long escapes.
The Geopark Guesthouse (Geopark Vendégház) hosts up to 28 guests in five twin and four quadruple rooms, each with its own bathroom and shared tea kitchen per floor. Enjoy your morning coffee on a terrace overlooking the Bükk Mountains (Bükk-hegység), ideal for families, couples, friends, or even companies needing a retreat space for training sessions or team-building.
For researchers or large groups, the newly renovated Rejteki Research House (Rejteki Kutatóház) offers not just beds, but also a lecture hall, a well-equipped kitchen, and spaces for outdoor events.
If you prefer boutique accommodations, stay at the Glass Artist Guesthouses (Üvegműves Vendégházak). Choose the “Mámor Apartment” (for 2 guests, with its own 75 sq ft terrace) or the “Glass Artist Apartment” (Üvegműves Apartman, sleeps 2 plus a child if needed). Alongside cozy lodging, you can try your hand at making leaded glass (“Ólomüveg”) and Tiffany-style glass art, fuse jewelry, or browse unique gifts in a little shop. Don’t miss their industrial glassmaking history exhibition—a tribute to the craft’s legacy in the region.
Eat, Drink, and Live Like a Local
Refuel to the beat of ’90s and 2000s hits at the Bogács Wine Cellar Row (Bogácsi Pincésor), where you can savor local classics and seasonal specialties, along with wines from Bükkalja and the Eger Wine Region (Egri Borvidék). Step into the nearly 300-year-old cellar for a taste of living tradition, now refreshed with modern flair.
If you prefer something grander, Mátyás Restaurant (Mátyás Étterem) lets you dine among stained-glass windows depicting iconic Hungarian cities, serving up everything from Hungarian home-style dishes to international favorites (open from autumn to spring).
Noszvaj’s De La Motte Restaurant (De La Motte Étterem) delights foodies with healthy and irresistible chef-inspired plates, while Avalon Ristorante in Miskolc (Miskolc) offers a taste of Italy—wood-fired pizza, seafood, and fresh pasta—earning praise from the Michelin Guide for its honest, delicious food.
Raise a Glass to the Bükk (Bükk-hegység)
Wine lovers should not miss the Avasi Cellarium (Avasi Pince), a 17th-century wine house reborn with a 21st-century twist, home to atmospheric concerts and food events that bring new life to the Avasi wine cellars (Avasi Pince). Bacchus Wine Bar (Bacchus Borozó), a certified member of the Bükkalja Wine Route (Bükkaljai Borút), keeps the festivities alive year-round with tastings and live music.
For those enchanted by local glassmaking, the region’s glasshouse exhibition and workshops allow you to get hands-on and even purchase unique gift items to take home.
The Fine Print
Ready to book? Please note, organizers reserve the right to change schedules and programs, so be sure to check for the latest updates. Whatever your interest in herbs or glassmaking, Bükkszentkereszt (Bükkszentkereszt) awaits you—with open arms and an encyclopedia’s worth of botanical wisdom.
