Programmes

The Bakony Mountain

Tha Bakony Mountain is a mysterious myth. This is where the favourite hunting grounds of King Matyas were and it is not by chance that our famous poet: Endre Ady chose Bakony for charging his intellectual batteries. The ruins of the Hungarian founded Paul order's rock church are signs of intellectual life deep in the forest. The rocks and gorges meant secure hiding-place for the refugees fleeing from those in power at the time. Amongst these were the famous Bakony outlaws ("betyarok"). The Hungarian folks in Bakony used to be of pagan origin, who never resigned themselves to foreign power. The Habsburg court, too, feared the tough and unbribable "wolfmen" living here. The expression "bakonyer", deriving from the time of Maria Teresia, is still known around Vienna. It means "tough, hard to deal with". Bela Hamvas, the significant philosopher of the last century, used to wander around here, in the nearby forests. He writes about Bakony in his book titled "Hungarian Huperion": "I can't free myself of the thought that the entire Bakony is undoubtedly and evidently King Matyas-like... that is the harmony of grandeur and charm, magnificent and varied, that it is something stern and rough and yet it is fine and kind, attractive and cheerful."

Programmes

Although Szepalma is the island of calm, there is plenty to see and do in the area all year round.

Nature Reserve Park (“arboretum”) in Zirc (15th March- 30th November)
The Cistercian Abbey in Zirc
Antal Reguly Folks Museum, Zitc
The Bakony Museum of Natural Science, Zirc
Individual and group trips to Pannonhalma (48km), Gyor (62km), Veszprem (32km), Balaton (47km) and Herend (49km).
Vinorum Wine Seminar, Szepalma cookery school, Szepalma competition
Bakony outlaws (“betyar”) route, No Motor Rally, Bakony outlaws days
5-29 February Valentine’s in Szepalma
21-24th March Easter Programmes in Szepalma
April: spring asparagus weeks
4th May: gastronomic offer fof Mother’s Day
9-12 May: long Whitsun week-end, cheerful family programmes
24th June: Midsummer Night’s grill party
July: Italian week in Szepalma
12th-19th July: Csesznek Summer Festival: programmes in the Csesznek castle
Party in Zirc
1st August: Swiss National Festival (Swiss gastronomic specialities)
September: wine dinners in Szepalma
October: Rost Festival, special gastronomic offers
23rd October: long week-end in Szepalma
11th November: Goose feast in Szepalma on the occasion of Marton’s Day
Bakony village days
6th December: Nicolaus evening in Szepalma
29th December-1st January: New Year’s Eve package programmes

If you would like to find out more about the programmes above, please, call the hotel.

Outdoor Park

Subject to prior booking, there is an opportunity for groups of 15-20 people to use the outdoor park (high cable adventure course). It is an extraordinary adventure that provides edifying entertainment for the group.

Life on the Farm

Let’s take a walk in the nature park of Szepalma, where with a bit of luck, beside botanical interests we can meet some red squirrels! Or let's take a look at the large living statues of calm: the ancient Hungarian grey cattle! Let's jog along the paths of the forest exercise ground and let’s take a short break to listen to the silence of the forest! Let's enjoy a little romance on the lovely small wooden bridge by the nearby lake and let’s not think about others desperately trying to find a parking space in town! :)

Active Rest

There are numerous opportunities waiting for those wishing to exercise and rest actively: Nordic walking, hiking routes, bicycles, forest exercise ground, table tennis, table football, sauna, massage, Jacuzzi, outdoors volley-ball and football ground, ice-skating, cross-country skiing, horse carriage ride, horse driven sleigh, horse riding indoors, cross-country horse riding, riding lessons with the horse on lead.

Hiking, head for the Koris Mountain!

When taking part in our week-end special offer, a packed picnic of sandwich, cake and fruit, rucksack, Nordic walking sticks and maps are part of the package waiting for the hotel guests at the reception before they had for the forest and the meadow. Enjoy your trip!

"Kitchen Fairy Course" or else: Cookery School in Szepalma

It is a 3 days course in Szepalma organized by our grand chef. During the course, participants can learn how to prepare local and international specialities. Hotel Szepalma provides food, equipments, ingredients and 4hrs (2x2) of training per day. Surprise your loved one with a cheerful and most unusual present!

Wine Seminar

What kind of wine shall I get for my partner, friend, business partner and colleague as a present? What kind of wine shall I order to go with my meal in the restaurant? What kind of glass shall I choose, how am I supposed to serve wine reserved especially for my important guests? In what order do we need to drink different types of wine? Is it worth keeping a 10 years old bottle? Which, how and until when?

During the wine seminar we get an answer to these and many more questions. With the help of professionals, the participants of the programme can get to know the theoretical basics (types of grapes, grape ripening, harvest, alcohol fermentation, work in the cellar... etc.), the jargon of viticulturists and the rules of serving, drinking and storing wine. They will learn the desirable signs and qualities of wine and also their faults and illnesses. There is an emphasis on the practical aspects of wine tasting and valuation.. The participants will expand their knowledge on viticulturist technology and gastronomy. They will become more self-reliant and conscious in the specialist wine shops. Their knowledge will be apparent not only in the cellars and friends but in elegant restaurants as well. The Vinorum Seminar is a 4 days long light hearted course including cellar visit, wine tasting and a presentation at the restaurant for those who would like to be more familiar in the world of wine.
At the end of the Wine Seminar- following prior orientation on the process- the participants can test themselves on their new knowledge gained during the seminar. After a successful test, they receive a Vinorum Seminar certificate.

Competition in Szepalma

It is a competitive team building programme, during which - in an unusual way- not one, but at least two companies participate. During the event, beside the fun and the morals element of the usual team building event, there will be an opportunity for rock hard competition and genuine capability test. It will be possible for the teams to compare and valuate their attitude, coherence and their willingness to fight. When organizing the event, we aim to get together companies that are possibly business rivals or those that work on similar or linked fields. By doing this, it will be obviously more of a question of prestige to achieve a better result and to beat the opponent.

The participating companies delegate the same or almost the same number of employees (i.e. 15-15, 20-20 people) who will then represent their employers. Selecting the participants is the job of the managers of a certain level within the companies.

The aim of the event:

team building within the company
networking outside the company
recreation, entertainment, recharging batteries
incentive: it is an honour for the participants to be representatives of the company and in the same time they will definitely enjoy themselves.

Programme for Regular Guests

As the ever changing nature presents the visiting guests with different sights in every season, we as well try to please those who would like to visit us regularly. For the hotel guests who visit us at least 3 times a year, we offer 10% discount in the year following their 4th stay at Szepalma. Following the 5th stay within a year, we offer 2 nights stay free as a present, which can be taken up after arranging it with the hotel.