Eger and Tokaj: Hungary’s northern wine hills
From Eger’s castle and cellar valley to the Aggtelek caves and the sweet wines of Tokaj.
- Distance
- 351 km (218 mi)
- Driving
- 4 h 51 min
- Suggested days
- 4
- Stops
- 7
- Countries
- Hungary
- Updated
- June 18, 2026
At a glance: 4-day road trip of about 351 km (218 mi) with 7 stops, from Budapest to Rákóczi Castle. About 4 h 51 min of driving in total.
More road trips in Hungary · More road trips from Budapest
Route description
The M3 motorway (vignette required) takes you from Budapest to the Bükk hills and Eger in under two hours. The Baroque town is built around its castle, famous for the 1552 siege, and has a minaret and a thermal bath close to the centre.
In the evening walk or take a taxi to the Valley of the Beautiful Women, a ring of wine cellars dug into the rock just outside town, where you taste Bull’s Blood and white Egri Csillag at the barrel.
Head north through the Bükk and the Sajó valley to Aggtelek on the Slovak border, where the Baradla cave runs for kilometres under the karst. Then drive east past Miskolc to Tokaj, a small town at the meeting of the Tisza and the Bodrog below vineyard slopes.
Many Tokaj cellars offer tastings of aszú and dry Furmint; the villages of Mád and Tállya are worth a detour. Finish at Sárospatak and the Rákóczi castle by the river. September and October, during the harvest, are the best time to come.
Stop-by-stop itinerary
In driving order. Distances are estimates between consecutive stops.
- 1Start
Budapest
Hungary - 2137 km
Eger
Hungary - 30 km
Eger Castle
HistoryEger, HungaryThe fortress where a small garrison held off the Ottoman army in 1552, now a museum complex with bastions and casemates above the Baroque town.
- 42 km
Valley of the Beautiful Women
FoodEger, HungaryA horseshoe of wine cellars cut into the tuff on the edge of Eger, where you can taste Bull’s Blood and Egri Csillag straight from the barrel. Walk or take a taxi back.
- 581 km
Baradla Cave
NatureAggtelek, HungaryHungary’s best-known show cave, kilometres of dripstone passages in the Aggtelek karst that continue under the border into Slovakia. Tours of different lengths leave from Aggtelek and Jósvafő.
- 698 km
Tokaj
Hungary - 732 km
Rákóczi Castle
HistorySárospatak, HungaryA Renaissance castle on the Bodrog river, seat of the Rákóczi princes, with a museum on their uprising against the Habsburgs and a pleasant riverside park.
Suggested stages and overnight stops
4 days, split by driving time. Campsites from OpenStreetMap: check opening dates before you go.
- Day 1: Budapest → Eger · 137 km · 1 h 54 minOvernight nearby, for example: Tulipán Camping (2 km); VÁR-CAMPING Sirok (14 km).
- Day 2: Eger → Valley of the Beautiful Women · 2 km · 0 h 02 minOn the way: Eger Castle.Overnight nearby, for example: Tulipán Camping (< 1 km); VÁR-CAMPING Sirok (14 km).
- Day 3: Valley of the Beautiful Women → Baradla Cave · 81 km · 1 h 07 minOvernight nearby, for example: Baradla Kemping és Turistaszálló (< 1 km); Naturacamp Silica-Szilice (10 km).
- Day 4: Baradla Cave → Rákóczi Castle · 130 km · 1 h 48 minOn the way: Tokaj.Overnight nearby, for example: Camping Malá Bara (16 km); Tengerszem Camping (1 km).
Best time to go
The most pleasant months are usually June–September. Still fine, with some compromises, in May. Cold, short days in December–March. July and August are the busiest months: book campsites early.
Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons
Practical notes for the road
- Hungary: Vignette needed for motorways. Buy the e-vignette online before you drive on motorways. Motorway limit for cars: 130 km/h.
Road rules and fees change. Check official sources before you travel.
FAQs
How long is Eger and Tokaj: Hungary’s northern wine hills?
4-day road trip of about 351 km (218 mi) with 7 stops, from Budapest to Rákóczi Castle. About 4 h 51 min of driving in total.
How many days do you need for Eger and Tokaj: Hungary’s northern wine hills?
We suggest 4 days: about 4 h 51 min of driving, which leaves time for the stops.
Where does Eger and Tokaj: Hungary’s northern wine hills start and end?
It starts in Budapest and ends in Rákóczi Castle.
Which countries does Eger and Tokaj: Hungary’s northern wine hills pass through?
Hungary.
Where can you camp along Eger and Tokaj: Hungary’s northern wine hills?
OpenStreetMap lists 44 campsites and motorhome stopovers within 20 km of the stops on this route. For example: Haller Camping, Ave Natura and Tulipán Camping.
When is the best time for Eger and Tokaj: Hungary’s northern wine hills?
The most pleasant months are usually June–September. Still fine, with some compromises, in May. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)
