Wine route

Several towns in the wider Bratislava Region, all within an easy day trip of the capital, have rich histories – and the architecture and cultural attractions to prove it. A select few enjoyed the status of royal free towns within the Hungarian Kingdom, mainly due to their role in the wine trade: as well as Modra, famous for its distinctive pottery, and Pezinok, home to dozens of winemakers, Svätý Jur is another small town with an attractive centre and a winemaking tradition which enjoyed royal free status. All of them are only minutes away from Bratislava by rail or road.

In fact, the south- and south-east-facing slopes of the Small Carpathians, north-east of Bratislava,form the main part of Slovakia's oldest winemaking region. The industry in this region has a proud tradition, dating back centuries: wines from what is now Slovakia were a favourite at the court of Maria Theresa, and wine-trading was one of the largest businesses in Bratislava during the pre-industrial age. Family winemaking revived after the fall of communism in 1989, and is now thriving. Most of the local producers, who range from small single-plot owners to industrial-scale operations, are linked by a tourist initiative, the Small Carpathian Wine Route, which now lists over 150 members. Several tour operators in Bratislava and the main local centres, Pezinok and Modra, offer wine-tasting tours of the region, but many of the vineyards have cellar-door sales and welcome walk-in visitors.

For more information please visit: www.mvc.sk

Photo: Bratislava Region