Hungary’s most beautiful arboretums to visit in winter

This piece was inspired by a previous article about Erdőtelek and its beautiful arboretum. I got fascinated by how beautiful Hungarian arboretums are, something I have never realized before. Femina.hu assembled a list of the three most beautiful Hungarian arboretums in winter, and I thought these magical places should be shared.

Walking around an arboretum does not take long. Thus the cold weather should not stop anybody from exploring. Moreover, as there are not many people this time of the year, it can be quite a refreshing and peaceful afternoon activity. Even if one cannot visit them in person, take a look at the beautiful photos.

National Botanical Garden, Vácrátót

Photo: Indafoto.hu/miki3d

The National Botanical Garden in Vácrátót has the largest collection of flora in the country. Its plant collection comprises 27 hectares and contains approximately 13,000 plant species and varieties from all over the world. It has the wealthiest Hungarian open-air systematic plant collection of angiosperms. Flora from all seven continents are represented in the garden; there are even a cacti and a succulent house.

Photo: Indafoto.hu/miki3d

The garden was founded in the first half of the 19th century, in the style of the English gardens of the Georgian age. Count Sándor Vigyázó, a devotee of science, had it transformed into a vibrant botanic garden. The botanical garden opened its doors to the public only in 1961.

Opening hours between 1 November and 31 March:

Monday: closed
Tuesday to Thursday: 8:00-15:45
Friday: 8:00-13:15
Saturday and Sunday: 8:00-15:45

Arboretum and Natural Reserve in Alcsút

This English garden was also constructed in the 19^th century. The garden has grown throughout the years; today it is a 40-hectare area. The Arboretum and Natural Reserve in Alcsút is famous for its beautiful snowdrop fields.

Photo: www.alcsuti-arboretum.hu

Of course, the garden contains many more plant species such as pines, cypresses, and firs which are all glorious even in winter.

Opening hours between 1 November and 28 February:

Monday to Wednesday: closed
Thursday to Sunday: 10:00-16:00

Folly Arboretum and Winery

Photo: www.follyarboretum.hu

The Folly Arboretum and Winery is a unique collection of cedars and cypresses. At the beginning of the 20^th century, dr Gyula Folly (1867-1915), a doctor from Pecs, decided to replace his native oaks with exotic tree species. The area where he started the planting covered only 0.4 hectares. He was eager to collect species which fitted the microclimate of Balaton and could tolerate dry conditions.

Photo: www.follyarboretum.hu

Today, the arboretum has approximately 400 different kinds of conifers and 200 broad-leaved trees and shrubs. All 25 cypress species and their 3 varieties are represented in the Folly Arboretum which is unique in Central Europe. The arboretum has a lookout tower which offers a panoramic view of a landscape.