Szekszárd lines up a full season of brain-tickling talks and art-history deep dives in 2026, split between two beloved venues: Kultúrkortyok popular lectures at the Mihály Babits Cultural Center (Babits Mihály Kulturális Központ) and the Art History Free University at the House of Arts (Művészetek Háza). The calendar is tight, the themes are rich, and the city’s wine-soaked hospitality stands ready to turn every lecture night into a mini getaway.
Dates You’ll Want to Save
January 13, 2026 – Kultúrkortyok Free University opens with The Don Disaster, a sobering look at the Eastern Front tragedy that scarred Hungarian history.
January 14, 2026 – “Bare Eternity…” – The Roman School, a portrait of the influential Hungarian art circle with Rome-era roots.
January 28, 2026 – “At the Inn, a Dwarf Poplar Forest…” – The Alföld School, tracing the Great Hungarian Plain’s painters and their lyrical realism.
February 11, 2026 – “In the Sections of Time…” – Szentendre, exploring the town’s avant-garde legacy and shimmering light.
February 25, 2026 – “Clustered, Chained, Dancing, Spruce…” – The European School, mapping postwar modernism and experimental currents.
March 11, 2026 – “Below: The Roaring of Horrors…” – Naives, Amateurs, Altered States, wandering through outsider art, raw visions, and untrained genius.
All events are in Szekszárd. Organizers reserve the right to change dates and programs.
Stay Where the Wine Story Begins
Hotel Merops**** sits in downtown Szekszárd, next to the Mészáros Winery (Mészáros Pincészet) and a short stroll from the center. A calm small-town vibe meets wine-country charm here, with personalized service and striking interiors. There are 8 rooms and 2 apartments, and the team arranges city and countryside gastronomic programs. Main Street Bistro in the Nádasdy House (Nádasdy-ház) wins over locals and visitors with a broad menu. Wine tastings? Absolutely. Their cellar hosts the full Szekszárd mood, from birthdays and friendly dinners to corporate gatherings that actually feel fun.
More Beds, More Flavors
Sió Motel sits at Szekszárd’s northern gate along Route 6, straddling the Szekszárd and Tolna wine regions, close to the Gemenc forest and Sárköz, on over 6.18 acres of land. Meanwhile, Hotel Zodiaco*** is the area’s only three-star hotel, sleek and modern. Their philosophy is simple: keep guests happy with steady upgrades, whether they’re in for business nights or weekend resets.
Vineyards You’ll Want to Linger In
Attila Birtok, in the Baranya Valley, cultivates 34.6 acres of vines and processes kékfrankos, kadarka, cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, and zweigelt. Harmony of food and wine is the headline in their restaurant, where chef Norbert Makk builds modernized Hungarian plates tuned to Bodri wines. And yes, Bodri Winery (Bodri Pincészet) is its own universe: a 247-acre estate and tourism hub at Szekszárd’s southern edge, tucked in a picture-perfect valley. The main cellar covers 19,375 square feet with twelve domes; a 3,229-square-foot aging cellar opens on tours; the 15,070-square-foot rosé plant scales up excellence. The estate hosts 61 guests in polished rooms and spoils them with a thermal-water underground Roman bath, jacuzzi, and sauna. Optimus Restaurant reworks Hungarian classics with flair.
Cellars With Character
Borfaragó Cellar (Borfaragó Pince), in the heart of the “upper town,” occupies a former carpenter and woodcarver’s workshop—now a cozy spot for tastings, artisanal wines, and folk woodcarving gems. It’s discreet, easy to reach, and perfect for friends or colleagues who prefer a tucked-away vibe.
On Várdomb Hill (Várdomb), the estate center champions kékfrankos for its versatility and reliability, starring solo and as a backbone in blends. They also tend riesling (Rajnai rizling), cserszegi fűszeres, kadarka, kékoportó (Blaufränkisch-based Portugieser), merlot, cabernet franc, and syrah.
A local artisan winery in the Porkoláb Valley handles only estate-grown fruit and refuses industrial yeasts, malolactic kits, enzymes, fining agents, colorants, aroma or acid tweaks, filtration, sterilization, oxygen dosing, and heat treatment. Every wine is bottled pure and unfiltered.
Tradition, Experiments, Results
Another cellar focuses on typical Szekszárd grapes while fearlessly experimenting with new blends. They press rosés from almost all available red varieties and have racked up international awards. Reds remain a point of pride, leaning on kékfrankos and kadarka, complemented by merlot, cabernet, and pinot noir to keep the Szekszárd signature intact.
The Eszterbauer family, with Swabian and Serbian roots, runs a tradition-rich winery where family members themselves lead tastings in a show cellar. They host 8 to 50 guests with pairings from simple snacks to multi-course dinners, and their webshop brims with award-winners.
A family estate cultivates 16.3 acres across four Szekszárd sites, focusing on syrah, merlot, cabernet sauvignon, and kékfrankos.
Plan, Book, Sip
The free university talks will fill your mind; Szekszárd’s wineries will fill your glass. Build a weekend around both and let the city do the rest. Organizers reserve the right to alter dates and programs.</final
