2026.06.13. (Saturday), 7333, Kültelek utca 2. The 15th Kárász Pálinka Festival and Spirit Exhibition (Kárászi Pálinkafesztivál és Párlat-Tárlat) lands on June 13 with small-batch spirits, countryside charm, and a full day of food-and-fun options scattered across Southern Transdanubia. Base yourself near the foothills of the Mecsek and make a weekend out of it—there’s medieval showmanship, spa downtime, vineyard views, hilltop hikes, and plenty of hearty Hungarian cooking to power you through tastings.
The festival’s home turf is Mecseknádasd, right off Route 6, roughly 30 km from Pécs on the Budapest side. The setting is all green slopes and hushed valleys, ideal for a pálinka walkabout and a countryside reset. Organizers reserve the right to change timing and program, so double-check before you go.
Sleep in Castles, Mills, Vineyards, and on the Lake
Puchner Estate (Puchner Birtok) spreads over more than 34.6 acres at the foot of the Mecsek, a manor-and-park escape where old trees shade a castle hotel and a live-action Experience Estate (Élménybirtok) brings the Middle Ages to life. Treat it as your fantasy-land base and throw in a feast at the on-site Inn of the White Swan (Fogadó a Fehér Hattyúhoz), a medieval-style inn by the swan lake near the Southern Gate. The air is thick with tempting aromas, and the decor and menu lean full-on Middle Ages.
In Pécs’ historic center, Adele Boutique Hotel sets its four stars within a 19th-century, landmark-protected building. Rooms and apartments blend period charm with smart modern finishes for an elegant stay that keeps you close to galleries, cafés, and all the city buzz between tastings.
Orfű fans, head for Akácvirág Guesthouse (Akácvirág Vendégház), a quiet, panoramic guesthouse about 984 feet from the beach and near the Orfű lookout. Capacity: 8 people, with a wood-burning stove for winter warmth and Mecsek hillside views over the sandy strand of Little Lake (Kistó). Also in Orfű, the revamped Atrium Guesthouse (Átrium Vendégház) sits right on Széchenyi Square (Széchenyi tér) with spacious new rooms, two-room premium suites, big communal lounges, games, a huge garden and terrace, daily breakfast, a pool, an event hall, and its signature inner-courtyard atrium welcoming guests year-round.
Mecseknádasd’s Amrein Guesthouse (Amrein Vendégház) hides along the Trib cellar row beyond Dózsa György Street (Dózsa György utca), nestled in lush greenery with a sweeping mountain panorama. It’s quiet, it’s pretty, and it’s perfect for hikers who want marked trails from the doorstep. Expect two double rooms, a fully equipped kitchen, a big TV lounge, restrooms, and open parking in front.
For a Zengő-bound outing, the recently built Anna Mediterranean Guesthouse (Anna Mediterrán Vendégház) sits on a traffic-free street right by the forest. The 861-square-foot middle-floor apartment includes a living room, bedroom, well-equipped kitchen, dining area, and bathroom, sleeping 4+1. The house also offers a four-person apartment and additional guest rooms.
If a school-sized adventure calls, the Tourism and Nature Knowledge Center (Turisztikai és Természetismereti Központ) in Lengyel–Annafürdő stands in the middle of a nearly 247-acre park forest. It hosts a certified Forestry School offering nature and environmental programs plus crafts for school and kindergarten groups. The main building provides key-house-style lodging for 43, with six extra places for chaperones in a higher-category guesthouse.
Eat Well: Rustic Classics, Bistro Bites, and 40 Ways with Fish
Food is everywhere in this region, from mill restaurants to city bistros. Almalomb—housed in a restored 19th-century watermill—bridges past, present, and future as a restaurant, event space, mill museum, and guesthouse. It welcomes up to 16 guests and is pet-friendly. You’ll spot it twice for good reason: go for the story, stay for the plates.
In Pécs, an easygoing, generous-portion restaurant delivers for celebrations, match nights, or unhurried catch-ups. The list is crowd-pleasing and broad: meats breaded, grilled, or stuffed; Brassó-style pork (brassói aprópecsenye); fish dishes; oven-baked comfort; risottos; heaps of pasta, flatbreads, and pizzas; plus salads, soups, and desserts. Quality time with quality food is the vibe.
Another downtown staple sticks to the best of Hungarian culinary tradition with reliable quality, fair pricing, and menus that adapt to any appetite. Expect a changing daily menu and brisk lunch service that turns your noon hour into a mini gastro-escape. From 8 a.m., breakfast runs on foamy coffee, sandwiches, homemade pogácsa, and hand-stretched strudel. They also organize standing receptions and smaller events on-site or off-site.
Aranykacsa Restaurant (Aranykacsa Étterem) champions local ingredients and modern technique in a friendly setting that’s serious about gastronomy and wine culture. Tasting flights pour in the Vinárium; casual wine, beer, and meals happen in the Tüke room; family and protocol dining in the Zsolnay room; weddings, banquets, and birthdays flow upstairs in the Dakk hall and garden.
A family-run fish specialist rolls out 40 kinds of fish, plus freshly made grills and fry-ups, for dining in or takeout all year. Ingredients are always fresh, dishes always cooked from the heart, and the team also handles smaller events.
Between Szekszárd and Pécs on Route 6, another kitchen keeps things lively with a constantly refreshed menu and weekly specials. They deliver, and they can stage private or corporate events for up to 80 people.
Perched above Pécs on Havihegy, Bagolyvár is known for its good air, calm, and views over the city toward Zengő. Its quirk lies in 19 rooms adorned with Hungarian folk-art motifs and six suites modeled on press houses, each reflecting a famous Hungarian wine’s character and mood. The restaurant goes Hungarian and international, with a special soft spot for old-school Magyar dishes and desserts.
If you’d rather keep it bistro-casual at the gateway to the Balkans, there’s a spot that takes the definition seriously: fresh, homestyle flavors from great ingredients, plated in a relaxed, unpretentious way with strong value.
Sweet Stops and Spa Days
Craving a sugar detour? Pécs’ Angelic Temptation (Angyali Kísértés) chocolate shop sells chocolates, bonbons, and homestyle cakes. Pair that with a spa day in Sikonda, where the valley’s springs feed a bath complex pampering visitors year-round with healing thermal waters. Expect dependable wellness, solid dining, and active recreation in a lush natural setting—ideal for resetting after robust pálinka flights.
Raise a glass to 2026’s pálinka season in Mecseknádasd, map your stays and meals, and let the hills, mills, spas, and cellar rows set the scene. Program details may shift, but the spirit—fiery, fragrant, and proudly local—stays the same.
