Meet the Makers
Meet the People Behind the Craft
What does it take to turn a piece of clay into a beautiful tiled stove, blend a wine that is entirely your own, or transform a handful of porcelain paste into something extraordinary?
Around Lake Balaton, fascinating traditions are kept alive by craftspeople, winemakers and producers whose knowledge is often passed down through generations. Their workshops and estates reveal a side of the region that visitors rarely discover through conventional sightseeing.
Meet a master stove-maker in Keszthely, experiment with wine blending in Badacsony, follow trained dogs in search of truffles or discover the intricate skills behind world-famous Herend porcelain.
Meet the Makers is about more than admiring finished products. It is an invitation to discover the people, techniques and stories behind them — and, where possible, try something yourself.
Some workshops and guided experiences require advance arrangements or operate seasonally. Always check the official website for current visiting information and booking options.
The House of Stoves – Discover a Traditional Craft with Imre Szalay
Just a short walk from Festetics Palace in Keszthely, an unusual collection reveals how clay, fire and human ingenuity shaped everyday life for centuries.
At the House of Stoves (Kályhák Háza), master craftsman Imre Szalay preserves the traditions of Hungarian pottery, tiled-stove making and oven building.
The exhibition includes dozens of detailed models showing the remarkable variety of stoves, fireplaces, cooking ranges and ovens once used in Hungarian homes. Some were designed primarily for heating, while others combined warmth with cooking and baking — essential functions of family life long before modern kitchens.
But the most fascinating part is discovering how these objects were made.
Traditional tiled stoves are assembled from individual ceramic pieces that must fit together precisely. Their production requires an understanding of clay, shaping, glazing and the behaviour of heat.
In the adjoining pottery workshop, visitors can learn about the processes behind stove-tile making. Specially arranged demonstrations may also provide an opportunity to try working with clay and create a personalised tile.
This is not simply a collection of old heating appliances. It is an encounter with a traditional craft that combines technical knowledge, decorative art and practical everyday design.
For workshop demonstrations and hands-on activities, contact the House of Stoves in advance and confirm current visiting arrangements.
Istvándy Wine Workshop – Become a Winemaker for an Afternoon
Most wine experiences begin with a glass. At the Istvándy Wine Workshop in Badacsony, you can go a step further and create your own wine.
This interactive experience introduces visitors to one of the most important decisions in winemaking: blending different wines to achieve a particular character, balance and flavour.
After an introduction and a preliminary tasting, participants can step into the role of a winemaker — complete with the workshop's playful professional outfit of a work coat and traditional cap.
The challenge is to experiment with different proportions, discover how each wine contributes to the final blend and create a personalised cuvée.
Once you are happy with your creation, the experience continues with bottling your own wine.
It is a surprisingly engaging way to understand why blending is about much more than simply mixing different varieties. Even small changes in the proportions can influence the aroma, structure and overall impression of the finished wine.
The experience also offers a different perspective on Badacsony, a wine region celebrated for its volcanic landscape and distinctive grape varieties.
Whether you are a curious beginner or an enthusiastic wine lover, this is an opportunity to bring home more than a memory: a bottle you helped create.
Check the official website and contact the organiser for current workshop availability, reservations and participation details.
Truffle & Beef – Follow the Dogs in Search of Hidden Treasures
Some of the most valuable ingredients in the culinary world grow completely out of sight, hidden beneath the forest floor.
At Truffle & Beef, a family-run estate in the Sümeg area, visitors can discover the fascinating relationship between truffles, their natural habitat and the specially trained dogs that help find them.
The estate works with trained Labrador dogs whose sensitive noses can detect truffles growing underground. Watching them search reveals a remarkable partnership between people and animals — and shows why this delicacy cannot simply be gathered like an ordinary mushroom.
During organised truffle-hunting experiences, guests learn about the conditions in which truffles grow, the importance of the surrounding environment and the work involved in finding them.
But the discovery continues beyond the forest.
The estate also offers gastronomic programmes where truffles become the highlight of specially prepared dishes, accompanied by opportunities for wine tasting.
There is another interesting connection to the land: the family business also raises Aberdeen Angus cattle, bringing together truffle cultivation, animal husbandry and countryside gastronomy.
It is a chance to follow an ingredient's journey from its hidden natural habitat to the dining table.
Truffle-hunting experiences are organised on selected dates or by prior arrangement. Check the official programme page for current opportunities and booking information.
Herend – Discover the Art Behind the Porcelain
Herend porcelain has travelled far beyond Hungary, but the extraordinary craftsmanship behind each piece is best understood close to where it is created.
At the Porcelanium Visitor Centre in Herend, the Mini-Manufactory introduces visitors to the traditional techniques that have made the town internationally famous.
Here, porcelain-making becomes a story of patience, precision and remarkable manual skill.
Visitors can discover how delicate porcelain objects take shape and how intricate decorations are created by hand. Watching experienced craftspeople at work reveals how much expertise lies behind even the smallest decorative detail.
The creative workshops offer an opportunity to go beyond observing the process.
Depending on the available programme, visitors can try making a porcelain rose, assembling a small figurine or experimenting with traditional Herend motifs through watercolour painting. More extensive porcelain-painting courses may also be available.
An especially memorable detail is the precision involved in porcelain decoration: a single piece may require numerous careful brushstrokes before the design is complete.
The experience can be combined with a visit to the Porcelain Museum, where historical pieces and decorative styles trace the development of this celebrated Hungarian manufactory.
The Porcelanium Visitor Centre operates according to seasonal opening arrangements, and creative workshops may require advance booking. Check the official website for current opening dates, guided visits and available activities.
