The Arboretum

A 5-hectare cypress and cedar grove - mainly a collection of pine trees. From its paths and shady resting places, paved with natural stone, winding through the trees, you can see hundreds of magnificent, rare pines, embraced by the hills of Badacsony, Örs, and Ábrahám and the pale blue waters of the lake. Its history goes back 120 years. The garden is now tended by the fourth Folly generation. The core of the arboretum, the 0.4-hectare rocky and stony "Old Arboretum" above the vineyards, was planted by Dr. Gyula Folly, a doctor from Pécs. At that time, he also brought in southern pine seedlings, which were rare in Europe, and water was brought from Lake Balaton on mules to the trees, which arrived in baskets of wicker. The years were hard, nationalisation came, but faith and will remained, there were helping hands - and the planting continued... Today, the family once again owns the land, the extended arboretum and the adjoining forest, where hundreds of conifers, 200 species of deciduous trees and shrubs and thousands of perennials flourish. Today, the arboretum is not only a destination for "obsessed" botanists and plant lovers, more and more people are admiring the unique trees, the stunning panorama and sipping the superbly crafted, pure-tasting Folly wines.

The Winery

In 2020 they inaugurated their new winery building, including a modern cellar, at the north-western corner of the garden. The winery produces 45,000 bottles of wine per year. The revival of viticulture can be traced back to the grandfather of the noble grandfather, who bought the estate, including the current arboretum, the building and the cellar in the mid-19th century. Not only the microclimate and the location of Lake Balaton, but also the soil make the wine region unique. Basalt is generally the dominant soil, but as in the case of the Arboretum plantations, limestone and red Permian sandstone are also found. In keeping with the tradition of the historic wine region of Badacsony, the winery produces mainly white wines, with a preference for varieties typical of the area, such as the Pinot gris, muscat ottonel, the Budai Zöld, the Welschriesling and the Kéknyelű. Most of their wines are made using the reductive method, but some, such as Cedrus, are also barrel-aged. Among their most popular wines are the fruity Boróka, the result of a blend of muscat, Welschriesling and pinot gris, and the elegant Cédrus, also made from the arboretum's grapes, blending Welschrieling and pinot gris.

Programs

At Folly Arboretum, visitors can take part in a variety of programs throughout the year like Folly Herba workshop or a wine walk with a visit to the cellar, light painting garden walks, and outdoor escape room. The information panels were renewed in 2022 which help  to learn about the plants the arboretum.

The Folly Arboretum restaurant is also open all year round and hosts wine tastings and dinners. They also serve home made desserts.

On Saturdays, there is a free children's programme called Folly Matinee. A pine cone exhibition with a stamp collecting game is open and can be visited during the opening hours of the arboretum, and there is also a self guided, 8-station, outdoor, detective escape room called "Investigate Folly".

Tickets

• Adult: 3,600 HUF
  
• Senior: 2,700 HUF
  
• Children (6-18 years): 2,700 HUF
  
• Family (2 adults+2 or more children): 9,900 HUF
  
• Additional wine tasting ticket (3 x 0,5dl wine + snack): 2,900 HUF
  
• Additional ticket for syrup tasting (3 x 1,5dl syrup + snack): 2,900 HUF
• Guided tour for groups: by prior appointment
• Group meals: by prior arrangement

Loyalty cards

(valid for 1 year after purchase) *

• Individual loyalty card: 5,900 HUF
  
• Family loyalty card (2 parents + their minor children): 15,900 HUF

For dog owners

The plants at the Folly Arboretum can be damaged by dog ​​markings. To preserve the treasures of the garden, please leave your little pets at home! Thank you for your understanding!