Eger Attractions
Vineyards in the valley © lyng883
Szépasszony Valley (Valley of the Pretty Woman)
The beautiful valley with its rolling vineyards and century-old
cellars and taverns is a favourite attraction in Eger. Wine
producers welcome visitors into their quaint old cellars, hollowed
out of the porous rock hundreds of years ago, where some of the
country’s finest red wines can be tasted, including the
unique Bull’s Blood. Legend has it that the name Bull’s
Blood originated from the times of Turkish occupation when,
forbidden to drink wine by their religion, the soldiers told their
officers that they were drinking bull’s blood to make them
strong for battle. The rows of cellars are numbered and each has a
particular charm, whether it is the sociable owner, the chequered
tablecloths of an underground tavern or the wooden barrels of
fermenting grapes in the uneven rock passageway. It is possible to
visit, by prior arrangement, the 'Istenes Pince' or Godly Cellar,
the oldest historic cellar in the region. It operated as a secret
church during the Turkish occupation and the stone altar and
religious work of art still remains.
