Prímás Pince

Prímás Pince occupies about 3,000 m² of vaulted brick cellars beneath the hill of Esztergom Basilica, in the Primate's quarter. It is run by the Szent Máté property services centre, linked to the archdiocese, which is also connected to the Szent Adalbert centre and the Hotel Adalbert.

The cellars

The cellars were built to store wine beneath the ramp that climbs to the basilica and were for a long time filled with earth. In 2009 a restoration began, largely financed with European funds, which recovered them for wine, with the entrance at street level, on Szent István tér. Today they are at once a restaurant, wine tunnel, café, shop and function room.

What it offers

The wine tunnel is set up in the Barkóczy tunnel, of about 90 metres, and is a free exhibition on the wine regions of the Carpathian Basin, their varieties and how they are made. Some wines can be tried right there, and its own selection, Vinum Primatis, brings together nearly a hundred wines from every region.

The tastings are run by the house's staff, in packages of 3, 5 or 7 Hungarian wines, with a one-decilitre glass of each, cheese, ham and bread. A 10% service charge is added to the prices. They are booked by email, choosing a time; a tailor-made tasting can also be requested.

The restaurant cooks updated Hungarian recipes and dishes of the Carpathian Basin, with a fixed menu, seasonal suggestions and gala dinners of six or seven courses for groups. The café serves coffee and house-made cakes, and the Rondella café, on the terrace on the castle hill, has views of the basilica.

Next to the free coach car park is the shop, with Vinum Primatis wines, crafts, products of religious orders, books and natural cosmetics. From it, a glass panoramic lift of almost 20 metres rises to the top of the hill, next to the basilica and the royal castle, which saves you the climb.

Opening hours and booking

Open Monday to Saturday from 11:00 to 21:00, with the kitchen from 12:00 to 20:00, and on Sundays from 11:00 to 18:00. Tables are booked on its website and tastings by email at [email protected]. It organises weddings, private parties and New Year's Eve dinners, and sells gift vouchers for dinners and tastings. They accept cards and the Hungarian SZÉP card.

Languages

The website is in Hungarian and English; it does not say in which languages the tastings are held, so it is worth asking when you book.