Villány wine region in Hungary – wine tasting and vineyards

Writer: Helena Bergström

Updated: September 2026 | Villány is one of Hungary's most famous wine regions, with rolling vineyards, historic wine cellars and, above all, really good red wines. We visited a family winery, tasted wine in the cellar and ate Hungarian specialties in the balmy evening air. We also managed to combine the wine experiences with thermal baths in Harkány.

The Villány wine region in southern Hungary

Located in southern Hungary, close to the border with Croatia and not far from the city of Pécs, Villány has a long history of winemaking, and today it is one of the country's most established and well-known wine regions.

The landscape is characterized by vineyards, smaller communities and numerous wine cellars. Some producers are large and well-known, while others are small family vineyards where the visits are much more personal. It was the latter variant that we experienced.

During our trip to southern Hungary, we came here after first visiting Pécs and Harkány. And if Pécs stood for culture and history and Harkány for thermal baths, then wine and food were definitely on the agenda in Villány.

What is Villány known for?

Villány is primarily associated with red wines. International grape varieties such as Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are grown here, but also grapes with stronger Central European roots, such as Kékfrankos and Portugieser.

Cabernet Franc has been given a special status in the area. Wines that meet certain quality requirements can be sold under the designation Villanyi Franc, and the grape has become something of a hallmark of the region.

The funny thing is that, despite all the red wines in Villány, we were particularly fond of the white wines we tried during our trip to Hungary. Sometimes, taste buds simply have their own opinions.

Wine cellars and wine villages in Villány

A big part of the charm of traveling in Villány is the wine environments themselves. Here, it's not just about vines and modern vineyards, but also about old cellar streets where small cellar houses are located close to each other.

Several historic wine cellars are still in use in the region, some open for tastings and sales, while others are open by appointment only.

It is therefore a good idea to plan at least some of your winery visits in advance. This will also increase your chances of getting down to the cellar, meeting the producer and perhaps pairing the wine with local food.

Villánykövesd and the historic wine cellars

Very close to Villány is the small town of Villánykövesd. Here is an unusually beautiful historical spring area, where characteristic cellar houses are located on several levels along the slope.

The area is protected as a cultural and historical site and is a must-see even for those who don't plan on trying the entire wine region's selection. Behind the small facades are hidden wine cellars that extend into the mountain.

And that's actually where we ended up. We visited the Blum family and their winery Blum Pince, in the middle of the historic wine environment of Villánykövesd.

Our visit to Blum Pince

This was one of those travel experiences that we still remember very clearly. The family had set a table outside and we settled in the warm evening air, surrounded by greenery and wine landscapes. It was quiet and rural, but at the same time far from sleepy.

Every now and then a taxi would stop and drop off a new small group who came to eat, drink wine, and socialize. The atmosphere became increasingly cheerful throughout the evening.

Blum Pince is still a family-run winery and produces Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Kékfrankos, Kadarka and Portugieser, but also some white wines. You can still book wine tastings and cellar visits here. It feels extra nice to discover that a place we liked so much is still alive.

Hungarian flavors for wine

It wasn't just salty sticks that were served with the wine. The table was filled with local delicacies: salami and hams, cheeses, vegetables, potato salad and bread. One of the favorites was körözött, a Hungarian cheese mixture that is usually flavored with paprika, among other things.

Paprika is a ubiquitous ingredient in Hungarian cuisine. Here it was excellent with the cheese, bread and wine. It was simple, rustic and very tasty. And above all, it was a meal that fit perfectly into the setting.

Wine tasting down in the cellar

After dinner it was time to go down to the wine cellar to try more of the farm's wines. We started with white wine, but since we were in Villány it was mainly different red wines. We tried several varieties while learning more about the wines and the production.

Everything was delicious and pleasant. Nevertheless, we stuck to our somewhat rebellious conclusion from our trip to Hungary: we were particularly impressed by the white Hungarian wines. That may not be the expected conclusion after a wine tasting in one of Hungary's premier red wine regions. But that's how it can be.

Visit vineyards and taste wine in Villány

There are many opportunities to taste wine in the Villány region. There are both small family producers and larger wineries, and several offer cellar visits, tastings and food. Some places also have a restaurant or accommodation.

However, it is not certain that you can just show up at any time. Opening hours vary and smaller producers may require advance booking. Therefore, check current conditions directly with the winery before visiting.

Another option is to visit the area in conjunction with one of the wine year's events. The region hosts various festivals, tastings and other activities centered around wine.

And if you're planning a proper wine tasting, there's of course another practical detail to consider: who's going to drive you from there. On our evening at Blum's, we noticed that a few local visitors had solved the problem by coming by taxi. Not so bad.

Combine Villány with thermal baths in Harkány

The Villány wine region is close to Harkány, one of Hungary's classic thermal spa towns, making it easy to combine wine and gastronomy with a few hours or a night at the spa.

Harkány is famous for its mineral and sulphurous thermal waters. The water is used both for regular bathing and for various treatments, and the bathing tradition in the resort dates back to the 19th century.

Today, Harkányfürdő is the large bathing area, with thermal pools, wellness and during parts of the year also a larger outdoor pool.

When we traveled here, we stayed at a spa hotel and of course took the opportunity to swim. It was nice, but our most intractable problem in Harkány actually had nothing to do with thermal water.

We needed a plastic knife. The staff had made nice breakfast packages for us before departure and we tried to ask for a knife. No one understood English. One of us tried in German. More and more of the staff got involved in the matter. No plastic knife materialized. It would probably have been easier to order an advanced medical treatment …

Pécs, Harkány and Villány on the same trip

Pécs, Harkány and Villány are so close to each other that they are perfect to combine on the same trip.

Pécs offers history and culture, with Roman remains, an early Christian world heritage site, Ottoman traces, churches and the colorful Zsolnay cultural quarter.

Harkány Suitable for those who want to bathe in warm thermal water and take it easy for a while.

And in Villany Vineyards, historic cellars, wine tastings and Hungarian flavors await.

For us, the combination was very successful. In a fairly short distance, we managed to experience three completely different sides of southern Hungary.