Sopron’s Tourinform Office is rolling out free guided city walks in late 2025, and the lineup isn’t messing around. Think winding medieval streets, churches with stories layered like a mille-feuille, and the wildlife-rich forests of the Lővérek hills. If you needed an excuse to wander the “City of Loyalty” with someone who actually knows what that ornate doorway means, here it is—on the house. Just pick a Saturday and go explore.
When to Go
Mark your calendar for a string of Saturdays when Sopron, the Royal City (Sopron, a királyi város), takes center stage. Dates: 2025.11.08., 11.15., 11.22., 11.29., 12.06., 12.13., 12.20., and 12.27. All walks are in Sopron and led by professional guides from the Sopron Tourinform Office. Expect a full-on discovery session of landmarks, secrets, and the city’s faith-filled past—from churches and religious sites to stories that connect centuries to street corners. And when you’re done soaking up the urban legends, the Sopron forests beckon, with guides pointing out what chirps, rustles, and blooms in the Lővérek. Organizers reserve the right to change times and programs, so double-check before you lace up. Also: yes, you can call them—this is one of those times when the phone is your friend.
Sleep Close, Wake Curious
If you want the walks on your doorstep, Sopron’s guesthouses and apartments make it easy. The Adorján Guesthouse (Adorján Vendégház) covers two floors with seven rooms (1-, 2-, and 3-bed options) and space for up to 32 people across their properties. It’s a family operation, green and serene in the Lővérek near the swimming pool, and you can reach the historic center on foot in about 10 minutes. Quiet, independent buildings mean you can actually sleep, then stroll out refreshed.
Alpokalja Guesthouse (Alpokalja Vendégház) sits in a calm, leafy pocket of the city, roughly a 20-minute walk from the Old Town. Alsó-Lővér Apartment (AlsóLővér Apartman) is newly set up in the lower Lővérek with two options: a double with a kitchenette and bath, and a four-person unit with a double bedroom, living corner, full kitchen, and bath. Both are fully equipped for self-catered stays because sometimes all you want is your own coffee schedule.
Anita Apartment Sopron (Anita Apartman Sopron) pitches itself as your western Hungary base camp at the foot of the Alps, about 37 miles from Vienna. Over in the Lővérek—Sopron’s prettiest district, if you ask locals—there’s a pension just a 15-minute walk from the city center. From there, you can set off into the marked hiking network, or even day-trip to the Lower Austria ski areas roughly 37 miles away, with well-groomed pistes and the kind of hearty hospitality that makes après a sport of its own.
Closer to the action? There’s a youthful team waiting at Atrium (Átrium), just a short walk from the historic core. Bastion Guesthouse (Bástya Panzió) leans into location and lore: set by a small bastion on Sopron’s centuries-old outer castle wall, this two-story hotel rises near the city’s old Vienna Gate (Bécsi kapu), where Vienna Street (Bécsi utca) and Stream Street (Patak utca) meet on the slope of Coronation Hill (Koronázó-domb). Meanwhile, a central apartment house sits 150 meters from the Old Town—easy to reach by car, surprisingly quiet once inside. If you’re traveling with family or friends, Downtown Guesthouse (Belvárosi Vendégház) offers a family apartment with 2×3 beds and a separate fully equipped kitchen, plus a three-bed room and a two-person studio; every unit comes with its own bathroom.
Eat, Drink, Play, Repeat
Sopron’s newest beer garden is the kind of place you wander into and then forget time. Atmospheric setting, quality specials, and programs that give you a reason to return—yes, they fully expect you to come back. If your thing is cardboard strategy over cold drinks, the city’s board game spot stocks more than 200 games and keeps adding: light, heavy, party—pick your poison. They’ll guide you through your first rules headache and pour from a wide drinks menu while you argue about who actually won.
Coffee people: Coffee Clinic pulls serious shots and goes beyond the espresso machine with breakfast and brunch—sandwiches, classic morning plates, sweet pastries, and vegan desserts. There’s a terrace for the sunny mornings you’ll remember later.
Diana Guesthouse (Diána Panzió) waits in the heart of the Lővérek, neighbor to resort hotels and the state sanatorium, with a microclimate locals swear by. Rooms are polished, the parking is guarded, and the chill factor is high. For traditional flavors, White Rose Restaurant and Inn (Fehér Rózsa Étterem és Fogadó) dishes up homestyle cooking with friendly, quick service. And if your heart beats Soproni: sip a local Blaufränkisch (Kékfrankos) or a light Rosé while you scan the horizon—one winery pairs tastings with a sweeping view and a strong chance you’ll adopt a new favorite bottle.
Feeling pizza? Head to the cozy spot on King Matthias Street 34 (Mátyás király utca 34). They specialize in pies across three sizes with countless variations, plus a broad lineup of freshly cooked plates. Dine in, take out, let Fortuna do her thing. Meanwhile, a family-run winery cultivates nine hectares, championing reds since the early days but also pouring whites for easy pairing. Book a tasting, then stay for lunch or dinner—think oven-crisp roast suckling pig or traditional dishes by prior arrangement. They host everything from friendly gatherings and corporate dinners to press events and business meetings, and yes, there’s a cellar tour. After tasting, you can buy at cellar prices in the onsite vinotheque.
One beloved wine bar even has a legend: visitors who came to the Lővérek seeking healing and dropped into what used to be called the Cellar Wine Bar (Pinceborozó) left cured—thus the current name. Today, the bar spans nearly 3,230 square feet with three rooms. And if you crave something sweet, Karl Harrer finally fulfilled his lifelong dream: turning his secret passion—chocolate-making—into reality. The Austrian Harrer confectioner family has been spoiling guests for years with confections that don’t ask for permission.
Plan It, Then Go
The organizers may tweak dates and programs, so check in before you set out and give them a call if you need details. Add the walks to your bucket list, set alerts, and build your weekend around them. Guided city secrets, forest air, great coffee, local wine, and plenty of pizza—Sopron is ready when you are.
