4 magical fairytale kingdoms, not just for kids!

In the 1990’s, the fairy tale of Bikal began with the rescue of the Puchner Castle. The complex has been under construction ever since, with a bathhouse, various types of accommodation and finally the experience estate. The facility could be found unique also by European standards. The Bikal Experience Estate is actually a medieval theme park. As anyone who has been here knows, it is more like a monumental, professionally designed medieval set. Here you can dine in period Renaissance costumes, learn from skilled craftsmen in the craft workshops, and watch exciting demonstrations by battle-hardened horsemen, archers and birdwatchers in the square. Every corner of the estate is packed with things to discover, including an inviting wellness section, restaurants, playhouses, not to mention medieval and Renaissance themed activities. There are plays, treasure hunts, page boy trainings, jousting and lots of fun on the estate. Up to three generations can feel at home in Bikal, even together. Here it is unlikely that we will see teenagers on the phone or parents bored.  

One of the safest choices, not just for the kids but for ourselves too, is to choose an adventure park for the family, even as a weekend activity. There are many great parks in the country that are worth a visit once in a lifetime (read more about these great places here)! One of these is the Sobri Jóska Adventure Park in Kislőd, north of Lake Balaton, near Ajka – a 30-hectare park named after the legendary outlaw of Bakony Mountains. As you would expect from an adventure park, there is plenty to be brave about: a forest strength test, an extreme wire rope course, quads, a water obstacle course, jet skiing and more. For adults (and the really brave), we recommend the wire rope course, where you can speed at up to 80 kilometres per hour for a kilometre – and even take a night slide. Once you have “recharged” your adrenaline, you can dive into the petting zoo, the 5D cinema or the Vashámor Restaurant.

One of our favourite fairy tales is set in the heart of the Zselic, in a tiny picturesque village called Patca. The village in Somogy County is home to a fantastic place; families come to Katica Tanya (Katica Farm) from far and wide almost every day of the year. No wonder, as phenomenal activities await the young and old alike on the estate. With 13 hectares of land, there is plenty to excite everyone, while you can experience the beauty of traditional animal husbandry first hand. It would be a bold undertaking even to list the programmes and attractions of Katica Tanya, but we definitely recommend you to try the water park, the adventure cave and for adrenaline junkies the electric go-kart track in summer! We love the fact that it is also important to the farm (from the very beginning) that visitors leave as little ecological footprint as possible while having fun, and they do a lot to achieve this. And we should take their good practices as an example. Extra tip: you can even pay with waste on the farm, up to 500 HUF per occasion!

At the Kerekerdő (‘Round Forest’) Experience Park in Debrecen, you can see right from the gate that this is a place that sucks you in and is likely to leave you with a fabulous experience. In the park, you are likely to be left scratching your head, so it is a good idea to plan ahead for the attractions you will visit – but it is also good practice to just “go with the flow”. There’s a jungle train, a carousel, a talking tree, a haunted castle and a wire rope course (we highly recommend tracks 3 and 4 for adults!). Moreover, the fairytale world of Debrecen is located on the line of the ‘Zsuzsi’ Forest Railway, which is not only a means of transport or a programme element: it is a kind of Debrecen icon and tradition, a memory of 140 years, a childhood memory of many generations, a nostalgia of family and friends’ trips. If you are heading to the theme park, be sure to hop on the Zsuzsi Railway and experience the perfect harmony of metropolitan life and the diversity of nature. We wrote more about Zsuzsi here: