Pécs is an excellent starting point for excursions.
On highway 6, the town itself offers visitors plenty to see and do. Sopianae
was founded by the Romans and by the 4th century it had become a significant
centre of early Christianity. The frescoed tombs and other buildings of the
ancient cemetery are on the World Heritage list. The two mosques - one with
a minaret - and Memi pasha's bath are monuments from the age of the Turkish
occupation. In the Street of Museums you will find, among others, a collection
of the works of Victor Vasarely, a native of Pécs and the Zsolnay porcelain
museum.
Highway 58 to the south will take you to Harkány, the most visited spa of
the region. The thermal waters, containing sulphur, and the mud are excellent
for curing rheumatic diseases, treating symptoms of locomotor disorders and
easing skin infections.
Siklós is famous for its medieval fortress. Its Romanesque windows, decorative
Gothic balcony and chapel, Renaissance gate and draw-bridge and Baroque castle-mansion
make it a significant architectural monument. Visit the fine Turkish mosque.
The first wine route in the country was the Villány-Siklós wine route. The
region's heavy, full-bodied wines are the Blue Portuguese ("Kékoporto"),
Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. The Wine Museum in Villány,
the rows of wine cellars in Kisharsány and Villánykövesd, the press house
of Palkonya - enough to see for a whole day. But make sure to book your room
before you start tasting!
You can spend another day discovering the tiny picturesque villages of the
Mecsek Mountain. Don't try to pronounce the names of Hosszúhetény, Pécsvárad,
Zengővárkony, Mecseknádasd - just go there, relax and enjoy the welcome of
the friendly locals.
If you are looking for a different kind of refreshment, try the lake system
of Orfű. Its beaches are excellent for bathing, windsurfing, rowing or angling.
See the Mill Museum - you can buy flour and bread, ground and baked on site.
Abaliget is just 4 km further north-west. It's most significant sight is the
only built-up and open stalactite cave of Transdanubia.