You are at the foot of the Alps in Vas county. This county is famous for its thermal springs and old ruins. It is a place to find your health and your peace. The pine forests smell sharp and clean after a rain. You can see the blue mountain peaks rising in the distance.
Szombathely was a major Roman city called Savaria. You can still see the old temple stones in the center. In Kőszeg, the town feels like a fairy tale. Its medieval square is one of the prettiest in the land. Every building is painted in a soft, bright color. You can hear the historical bell ringing every day at eleven o'clock.
Visit the abbey of Ják to see the grand stone carvings. It is a masterpiece of old architecture. The hills are perfect for a drive through the pines. This is a county of quiet strength. You can feel the mountain energy in every stream. The botanical gardens here are home to rare trees from all over the world.
Vas highlights
- Kőszeg Old Square Walk through a medieval town center with colorful houses and a gate that marks a great victory over a giant army. The air is fresh and the mountains are just a step away.
- Ják Abbey See a massive stone church with a gate covered in carved figures of saints and kings from eight hundred years ago. It is the most beautiful stone building in the western land.
- Őrség Wooden Houses Drive through a land of tiny villages where the old wooden homes are scattered among the green hills and pine woods. It is a world of quiet and old craft.
- Sárvár Castle Explore a five sided fort surrounded by a deep moat and a park full of giant trees. The halls are covered in grand paintings of battles and noble lords.
- Bükfürdő Thermal Spa Experience the hot mineral water that is famous for its power to heal the bones and the skin. The park is very large and has many pools for a long rest.
- Szentgotthárd Border Visit the westernmost town where the river flows into the mountains of the next land. The old monastery and the gardens are a quiet place for a walk.
- Velem Forest Path Hike to a small chapel on a high hill surrounded by a forest of chestnut trees. The air is famous for its health and the views of the valley are grand.
- Pankasz Bell Tower See a tiny wooden tower with a thatched roof that has called people to prayer for centuries. It is a simple and beautiful symbol of the western hills.
- Szombathely Ruins Walk on the stones of an old Roman road in a city that was once a grand capital of the empire. You can see the remains of temples and stone walls.
- Írottkő Peak Hike to the highest point in the west to find a stone tower that sits right on the border line. You can stand with one foot in each country and look at the Alps.
The local Four
History of Vas
Vas is the Amber Land, a place where the ancient trade routes of the north met the Roman Empire two thousand years ago. The 1st century Amber Road passed right through here, bringing wealth, soldiers, and the first stone roads to the region. This ancient highway is the backbone of the West Hungary alpine road. You can still see the ruts of Roman wagons in the stone and visit the ruins of a temple dedicated to the goddess Isis, reflecting the region diverse global past.
In the 1200s, the region became a sanctuary for the soldier monks, who built the massive twin towered Abbey of Ják. Its stone gate, covered in hundreds of carved figures, is the most beautiful piece of Romanesque art in the land and has survived wars and fires for eight centuries. The hills were also home to the Őrség guards (free men who lived in scattered wooden islands in the forest) to watch the western border. This era created a landscape of hidden churches and mossy stone forts.
The 1900s brought a different kind of border history as the region became the edge of the Iron Curtain, a place of barbed wire and secret watchtowers. Today, those barriers are gone, leaving behind a wild green paradise of pine forests and crystal clear streams. You can hike to the Written Stone peak to see the Alps or soak in the healing thermal waters of the valley.