Baja holiday cottage rental with walking, beach/lake nearby, rural retreat, TV

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Hungary cottage (cottage)

Home description

The single storey cottage has four large wooden-floored, wood-panelled and white-washed rooms plus kitchen, bathroom (shower over small sitting bath) and separate WC, and is a few minutes’ walk from the small town centre and river beach. It is about 120 years old, has thick stone walls rendered in a butter-coloured wash, and forms part of a traditional courtyard.

The property is completely enclosed and occupies a corner site. I own the whole courtyard which also comprises my own dwelling (not separately let out), a variety of outhouses available to guests including a garage, a summer kitchen and a wonderful cellar.

If you are looking for a quiet spot, where you can relax indoors or outside in privacy, combined with the opportunity to visit fascinating historical, artistic and natural surroundings, it might be just what you are looking for.

the patio, Hungary cottage, Baja	biking on Danube banks
Baja, confluence of rivers Danube and Sugovica

To see more photos please visit http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/85796

The Alfold / Great Hungarian Plains / Southern Great Plain region

Baja is a small market river resort and port on the Danube, with many interesting architectural, artistic and folklore features, close to the major Gemenc Nature Reserve and Duna-Drava National Park. Baja is accessible by rail and coach links from Budapest, and its location on the Danube Plain makes it ideal for biking holidays.

It is a convenient centre for motoring tours of Hungary, Romania, Serbia & Montenegro, Slovenia and Croatia. Please do not hesitate to get in touch with me by phone, post or email if you would like to book or want to talk it over.

I have been visiting this part of Hungary for twenty-three years now and recommend its warm hospitality, traditional cuisine and famous wines. I look forward to hearing from you.

Baja area

Walking distances from the house – 7 minutes to main square, 12 minutes to river beach, 15 minutes to bus/coach station, 20 minutes to railway station (public transport links by road and rail to Budapest – 150 km). Small supermarket for immediate needs eg milk, bread, toiletries, diagonally opposite house across the road, also fruit/vegetable stall and patisserie/ ice-cream parlour.

Baja has a classical Austro-Hungarian style town hall and immense town square with some small shops and bars. There is a thriving farmers’ market on Wednesdays and Saturdays (go early), an art gallery, a museum, a jazz club, a hospital, a small department store and a cultural centre. The main street is pedestrianised with open-air café seating. There are two fine Catholic baroque style churches, two Serbian Orthodox churches, one former classical style synagogue, restored and now in use as a library. Fascinating curio shop within 5 minutes walk.

The town stands on the confluence of the Danube (Duna) with the tributary Sugovica. This provides a quiet beach area opposite the Petofi Island, with plenty of café terraces for drinks, light meals and snacks. Pedal boats for hire in season. There are many restaurants in town offering full lunch and dinner menus, popular dishes include traditional Baja fish soup, grilled carp and pike, lecso (paprika and tomato stew), goulash, goose liver, fried and grilled chicken and duck, pork schnitzels, braised beef, game. Sweet dish specialities: crepes, walnut noodles.

On the Pandur Island and on the opposite bank of Danube is the Gemenc nature reserve, part of the Duna-Drava National Park with many species of animals and birds including deer and wild boar, also rich vegetation of wild flowers, wild fruit trees, willows and birches. Baja is a quiet resort for Hungarians, not an international tourist centre. British visitors to the cottage are usually the only such people in town.

Baja is within easy reach of Szekszard, Villány and Hajos wine regions, Pécs and Szeged – university towns with historical and artistic interest, Kesckemét – county town with eclectic architecture, theatre, galleries. Szeremle – arts and crafts colony. Davod and Nagybaracska – spa baths. Winter harbour for Danube shipping and boat repair yards on Pandur Island. Landscape mainly flat with some gentle undulation west of the Danube. Rich agricultural land supports paprika crops, sunflowers, grape vines, sweet corn, wheat, poultry and pig farms.

Baja is the "Fish Soup Capital of the World", and celebrates this annually during the second weekend of July with a massive open-air festival in the main square in which hundreds of cauldrons of the river fish soup are cooked on camp fires. Don't miss the opportunity to take part in this unique event - the cottage is open for booking at a reduced rate for the two weeks from 3rd - 16th July 2010.

How to get there

The attraction of this cottage is that it is relatively off the beaten track in terms of holiday destinations but yet fully accessible by public transport to intrepid independent travellers. It suits fly/drive arrangements and overland tourers alike.

From UK flights to Budapest of 2 hours are offered by: BA, MALEV, Easyjet, Jet2. Overland there are direct Euroline coaches 2 or 3 times per week from London to Budapest. Alternatively by train start your route on Eurostar via Paris or maybe Brussels. From Budapest take a bus or train to Baja - about 3 hours, or hire car at airport - should take 2.5 hours. Major car hire companies operate from Budapest and the airport, but there is no drop-off in Baja.

The overland drive from Calais to Baja is 1500km - suggest one overnight stay en route - easy motorway driving up to and beyond Hungarian border, then attractive country roads passing through picturesque villages for the final 100km. Full travel information and suggestions available to enquirers. No obligation.

Activities near Baja

Facilities

Further details indoors:
The rental charge includes full access to a wonderful ancient arched cellar, where there are benches, a table and a fridge - suitable for enjoying cool drinks on a hot summer's evening.

The kitchen is fully equipped with sufficient glassware, crockery and cutlery for you to make everything from a boiled egg to a banquet. There are coffee makers, juice maker, raclette grill, casserole dishes, saucepans and baking tins, hand-held mixer and dry-frier.

The range of books offers something of interest to children and adults, and includes contemporary novels, and classics of English and Hungarian literature. There is a collection of local tourist information leaflets updated regularly.

The collection of CDs and videos is not vast and a bit dated, but may provide some laughs and keep you occupied if you decide to lounge in one morning. Subject to the vagaries of reception, the TV offers variously Hungarian national channels, Duna regional and Baja local channels, BBC World and CBC, also a number of German, Austrian and Serbian channels from time to time.

Further details outdoors:
The cottage door opens out onto the garden within the property's own walled small estate. If we as the English owners are in residence at the adjoining cottage next door we will share with you only the gates to the estate and garden. There is a large garage with inspection pit where guests may park one or two cars.

The rental charge includes access to the 'summer kitchen' - an outhouse where laundry may be dried and where garden furniture and toys are stored. This kitchen also comprises an original solid-fuel oven with smoking cupboard (for hams, fish etc), and a deep freshwater well, safely lidded.

The garden furniture and barbecue set enable guests to dine al fresco shaded by a giant blue spruce tree.

Further details

A starter food pack is available at £15 for two persons - handy if you arrive late on Saturday or Sunday.

The English-speaking caretaker will meet you to handover keys, and is available for assistance or advice.

Conditions

Wheelchair access is currently limited only as a result of two shallow steps within the cottage leading to the WC and double bedroom.

Otherwise the property is completely accessible with no stairs or steps to negotiate outside or inside. Enquirers from disabled persons very welcome, with a view to accommodating your needs. Smoking is permitted in the garden.

Rental rates

Prices for group size 7
Period	From	To	Weekly	Nightly rate		Minimum  stay
				Weekday	Weekend
2009/2010	11 Oct 09	27 Mar 10	275£ 275	0-	0-	1 Week

Prices for group size 6
Period	From	To	Weekly	Nightly rate		Minimum  stay
				Weekday	Weekend
3 - 6 persons offer	17 Oct 09	1 Jan 11	260£ 260	0-	0-	1 Week

Prices for group size 2
Period	From	To	Weekly	Nightly rate		Minimum  stay
				Weekday	Weekend
1 - 2 persons	11 Oct 09	27 Mar 10	195£ 195	0-	0-	1 Week

NB: Prices may be subject to change at the advertiser's discretion.

For groups of 3 - 7 people the flat rate of £275 throughout the year is for weeks of seven nights commencing on a Saturday night. Flexible actual arrival/departure dates can be arranged.

I also welcome bookings for one or two persons, for which the flat rate is £195 per week.

Special offer of £260 per week for groups of 3 - 6 persons - as variously advertised.

For all bookings there is a refundable deposit of £100 payable in advance to secure the reservation. It is returned after your stay subject to any losses or extras incurred. Full payment of rental + deposit is payable by sterling cheque or PayPal in advance of your stay. Payments by Paypal - please add £5 administration charge.

Full terms & conditions available on request, no obligation.

Charge covers all services and utilities including electricity, gas, central heating, hot & cold water and the exclusive use of the fully-equipped cottage.

Availability

See below for next 9 months' availability - to see the next 24 months click here

Send Enquiry

To contact this advertiser please visit: http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/85796

Contact details for the advertiser of home 85796
Name:	Claire Weiss
Tel:	+44 (0)7753 932043
Be aware of time-zones Please mention Holiday Lettings when contacting this advertiser
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Advertiser joined: Mar 2009