Sopron throws open its streets, towers, and forests this December with free guided city walks led by the Sopron Tourinform Office. On December 20 and December 27, the tours titled Sopron, the Royal City invite locals and visitors to dive into centuries of history, step inside sacred spaces, and wander the living green belt of the Lőverek (Lőverek). The meeting point: 9400 Sopron, Szent György u. 2. Phone booking is encouraged.
Expect a compact route through the city’s landmarks and lesser-known corners, with stories of churches and religious sites, and a nature chapter introducing the wildlife of Sopron’s surrounding woods. Whether you’re in it for architecture, faith, or fresh air, the walks are designed to stitch it all together in a single, vivid narrative of the “Loyal City.”
When and where to walk
The free Sopron, the Royal City tours run on Saturday, December 20, 2025, and Saturday, December 27, 2025. Guides meet participants at Szent György u. 2., a convenient Old Town address. The experience blends street-level history with sweeping views and a final flourish in the Lőverek (Lőverek) hills if conditions allow. Bring curiosity and comfortable shoes; the rest is handled by the city’s expert storytellers.
Staying close to the story
If the walks have you sticking around, Sopron’s accommodations cover everything from family-run guesthouses to classic pensions, most within walking distance of the medieval core.
– Adorján Guesthouse: A two-level, seven-room guesthouse with 1-, 2-, and 3-bed options, offering space for up to 32 guests across its family-run properties. The city center is about a 10-minute walk. Located in a green pocket of the Lőverek (Lőverek) near the swimming pool, the buildings are quiet, independent, and built for rest.
– Alpokalja Guesthouse: Set in a calm residential area roughly a 20-minute walk from the historic center, this spot appeals to travelers who want the Old Town within reach but crave an easy, quiet return at day’s end.
– Anita Apartment Sopron: Choose from several apartments in a western border town embraced by the foothills of the Alps. Vienna is only about 60 km away, making Sopron a smart home base for cross-border day trips.
– Lőverek Pension Houses: Multiple pensions in Sopron’s most picturesque district, a 15-minute stroll from the center. From here, marked trails begin right at the edge of the neighborhood, leading deep into the hills. Lower Austria’s ski resorts lie roughly 60 km from Sopron, with well-kept slopes and traveler-friendly services in season.
– Átrium Pension: Just minutes on foot from the historic heart of Sopron, a young, welcoming team runs this pension for travelers who prize a central address and easy Old Town access.
– Bástya Pension: Built into the outer medieval city wall near a small bastion, this two-story hotel rises by Coronation Hill at the intersection of Vienna Street (Bécsi utca) and Stream Street (Patak utca). It’s a calm setting in the city’s core, near the gate that historically faced Vienna—hence the name Bastion.
– Downtown Apartment House: If you want to sleep next door to history yet enjoy a quiet night, this apartment house sits about 150 meters from the Old Town. It’s car-friendly and central, set in one of Hungary’s oldest, most photogenic cities.
– Belvárosi Vendégház Sopron: Inside you’ll find a family apartment with 2×3 beds and a fully equipped separate kitchen, a three-bed guest room, and a two-person studio. Every unit has its own bathroom.
– Bianco Pension***: A five-minute walk from the historic center, with fast access to the main railway station, intercity bus stops, and the Lőverek (Lőverek). Large, safe parking—including for buses—makes group arrivals easy.
Eat, drink, play
Beyond the walks, Sopron serves up a social scene that swings from beer gardens to board games to serious coffee.
– The city’s newest beer garden: An atmospheric venue with quality specialties and regular programs. It’s the kind of place you find yourself returning to because there’s always a reason—new brews, live events, good company.
– Board game café: More than 200 games and a growing collection. Whether you favor something light and quick, a deep strategy title, or a raucous party game, they’ve got you. Staff happily help with first plays and rule explanations. Drinks list: wide and welcoming.
– Coffee Clinic: Cups brim with carefully crafted coffee, with a menu that stretches into breakfast and brunch—sandwiches, classic morning plates, sweet pastries, and vegan desserts. There’s a terrace for sunny sips and long chats.
– Diána Pension: In one of Sopron’s loveliest corners, neighbors include resort hotels and the State Sanatorium. The heart of the Lőverek (Lőverek)—famed for its climate—sets the tone. Rooms are well appointed, and there’s guarded parking for a hassle-free stay.
How to plug in
For details, schedules, and to secure your spot on the free tours, call the Sopron Tourinform Office. December is a sweet time to see the baroque lanes, church steeples, and evergreen hills without the crush—two Saturdays, one city, a hundred stories. Walk them. Then make it a weekend with a bed in the Lőverek (Lőverek), a coffee on a terrace, a game at dusk, and a beer garden nightcap. Sopron’s past is here for the listening, and its present knows how to make you stay.
