Mine, cave, diamond: active and culinary tour in and around Tatabánya

Tatabánya and its surroundings were called “the Hungarian Ruhr” in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Large coal deposits were discovered here shortly before – it was calculated that the stocks in the ground could last for a hundred years – and soon major mining developments were underway. The first cart of coal was dug out of the ground in 1896, and after that, the life of Bánhida, Alsógalla and Felsőgalla changed significantly, the area developed into an industrial centre. The Alsógalla mining site was established near Alsógalla, which was already called Tatabánya in 1903. The four cities finally merged in 1947 to form the town of Tatabánya, the present seat of Komárom-Esztergom County. This is one of the most important mining towns in Hungary – although mining activity has not taken place here for some time – in addition carefully preserves its traditions. One proof is the unique Open-air Museum of Mining and Industry in Hungary and the world. At the Tatabánya Museum, you can see Tatabánya's oldest mining monument, the restored tower of the I/a shaft, which started production in 1907, but also the entire complex of an old mining plant, furnished offices, an open-air machine show and a walk-through mining area. To make our journey back in time even more complete, the typical residential and public buildings of the former mining colonies of Tatabánya have been built in the open-air museum: the two old colony houses, the official's house and the old school are the most popular attractions of the exhibition site.

After it, it's worth putting on your hiking boots or hopping in the car and heading up to the Gerecse Kapuja Látogatóközpont (Gerecse Gate Visitor Centre). More exciting experiences are available from here. A few steps' walks will take you, for example, to the Turul Statue, which is worth a close-up look and was made on the occasion of the Millennium – it is surprisingly large and imposing. The surrounding Turul Statue trail offers numerous interesting facts about domestic works of art with similar themes From here it's a five-minute walk to one of the stars of Hungarian Instagram, the Szelim Cave, which was used by caveman man based on the archaeological evidence. From the mouth of the cave, which has a collapsed roof in two places, you can take a long look: Tatabánya is literally at our feet! The cave is a very special place, and it's no coincidence that it has captured the imagination of filmmakers, – including some scenes from the Witcher series.

After all that adventure, you deserve a rest. If you combine your break with some food, you don't have to go far. You can fill up your empty stomach at one of the buffets open near the visitor centre, but for a more formal meal, we recommend the Walter restaurant in the Gerecse Gate building. A cosy interior, seasonal cuisine, friendly service, and a great favourite, the "Gift of Gerecse", also known as venison stew with bacon and cheese dumplings.

If you've had a hearty lunch, or it's just too hot outside, you might want to visit the Gyémánt Fürdő (Diamond Spa), a real family-friendly institution. Adults can relax and swim in the sauna world and the 50 or 15-metre pools, while the smallest children can enjoy the baby pools and baby food, and for the older ones, there is a children's paradise, lots of slides and a super playground - it will be hard to lure the kids home. Maybe a good ice cream will help: to end the day, including a visit to one of the best ice cream parlours in town, Caramello, where you'll not only remember the particularly friendly service but also the ever-changing “ice cream menu". At the very least, we appreciate places where the owner seems to be forever working on new delicacies.