Welcome my dear future guests!
I'd like to describe my lovely house situated at the gate of the Őrség National Park in the West of Hungary, which I call "Őrség Nest".
The village where this modernised house lies is called Felsőjánosfa, it is a small place with 200 inhabitants. I have tried to equip my two-bedroom house with all the amenities that are necessary for my guests to really feel at home and have a comfortable rest during their getaway. I hope you will be satisfied and leave as happy as possible after the couple of days spending here. The "Nest" is suitable for a family with kids, two couples, or a group of friends alike. Nobody will disturb you as there are no immediate neighbours, what's more, you won't disturd others either.
If I had to summarise who I would recommend it to, I'd say to anybody who feels like hiding from the rat race of our world, spending a little time close to nature. You can experience deer visiting the rear garden or seeing other (not dangerous) wild animals.
Naturally, nowadays just relaxing doing nothing is not enough for people, so I'd like to give you some hints regarding optional activities nearby.
In the close vicinity of the "Nest" there are two small natural lakes, that are suitable for fishing and swimming alike.
The biggest lake in Middle
Europe, Lake Balaton can be found 70kms from the village, where above the
beauty of the lake, you can find quite a few places of interest. The Castle of
Festetics in Keszthely, or the collection of famous Hungarian hunters-explorers
in Africa https://festeticskastely.hu/, many special museums like Marzipan,
Carriages, Torture, Snail Parliament etc can be found there.
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g274897-Activities-c49-Keszthely_Zala_County_Western_Transdanubia.html
The name Őrség (guarding area) comes from the historical tradition of building watchtowers on the western border of the country to protect it from the attacks from the west.
A unique feature of this area is the structure of scattered houses and farms on the hills that can be found exclusively in this part of Hungary.
https://oriszentpeter.hu/szeres-telepulesszerkezet/
Only a 10-km drive is the centre of the area, Őriszentpéter. It is worth visiting one of the folklore country houses, where you can have a glimpse into the lives of our ancestors. Pottery is a typical activity for the villagers, you can buy beautiful products there.
You can recharge physically and mentally by walking in the beautiful countryside, cycling or trekking in its forests, far from the bustling urban environment so that you can feel you have done a lot for your health and wellbeing. If you know the edible types of mushrooms and like collecting them, this place is a paradise for you!
https://femina.hu/utazas/orseg-legszebb-tanosvenyei/
On Friday mornings there is a local market (10 minutes on foot from the house) with home made and home grown products of the villagers. Pumpkin oil, honey, jam, ham – just to mention a few.
Őrség is on the border of four(!) countries, which means you can easily reach Austria, Croatia and Slovenia in 50 km! J
Rábafüzes (A) 36 km, Rédics (SLO) 34 km, Muraszerdahely (HR) 47 km. (border crossing)
Describing the tourist attractions in these foreign countries would need a whole essey J Depending on your fields of interest I can of course provide information and ideas.
For the lovers of water and wellness, there are several high quality spas that you can reach in half an hour:
Mjus Körmend Spa&Wellness, Thermal Spa Zalaegerszeg, Aqua City Waterslides right next to it, Szentgotthárd Spa&Wellness and Thermal Spa Lenti.
As for shopping facilities, the best options are the super-and hypermarkets of Zalaegerszeg and Körmend – both are 25 kms from the village – as due to its small site, there is only one little shop in Felsőjánosfa and the opening hours are also limited. 😊