Herend: Home of Hungary's Finest Porcelain
About 16km (10 miles) west of Veszprém lies the sleepy village of Herend. What distinguishes this village from other villages in the area is the presence of the Herend porcelain factory, where Hungary's finest porcelain has been made since 1826.
Herend porcelain began to establish its international reputation as far back as 1851, when a dinner set was displayed at the Great Exhibition in London. Artists hand paint every piece, from tableware to decorative accessories. Patterns include delicate flowers, butterflies, and birds.
The Porcelanium Visitors Center features the newly expanded Herend Museum (tel. 8/826-1801; www.museum.herend.com), which displays a dazzling collection of Herend porcelain. It is open daily from April to October, 9am to 4:30pm and Tuesday through Saturday from November to March, 9:30am to 3:30pm. Admission is 1,500 Ft ($8.10/£4.25) for adults and 500 Ft ($2.70/£1.40) for students. The Porcelanium Visitors Center also has a coffeehouse and upscale restaurant. Food is, naturally, served on Herend china.
At the factory store (tel. 8/852-3223), you might find patterns that are unavailable in Budapest's Herend Shop. The factory store is open October to May, Monday through Friday, 9:30am to 4pm and Saturday 9:30am to 2:00pm. In summer, it's open Monday through Friday 9:30am to 6pm and Saturday and Sunday 9:30am to 4pm. Herend is easily accessible via bus from the Veszprém bus station -- the destination "Herend" should be indicated on the front of the bus you want. The ride takes 15 minutes and costs 300 Ft ($1.60/85p); the bus leaves every 15 minutes.
