On the Danube, opposite the village of Helemba, lies a quiet, forested island hiding one of the most fascinating archaeological secrets near Esztergom — the foundations of a former archbishop's summer residence, known in Hungarian as 'érseki nyaraló'. It's a spot for travelers drawn to layered history as much as to riverside nature.

The island stretches roughly 1.5 km from east to west, with a width varying between 100 and 200 meters. Thanks to its unusual geological structure, most of the island stays above water even during high river levels, giving it a stable, sheltered feel amid the Danube's current. Surrounded by greenery with views toward Esztergom and Helemba, it buzzes with birdlife in summer and turns misty and still in winter.

How to get there

• Access is mainly by water — renting a boat or kayak from Esztergom or Helemba is the practical way in
• There are no officially marked hiking trails on the island; the terrain is natural and partly an archaeological site

Practical information

• Home to the only heron colony in the Danube Bend — grey herons and cormorants nest here
• In some years, hobby falcons and kingfishers can also be spotted
• The island covers 16.85 hectares of forest and belongs to the city of Esztergom

According to historical records, the stone-built archbishop's house was the only building on the island to survive the Mongol invasion of the 13th century — and in 1599, it even hosted peace negotiations between Habsburg and Ottoman envoys.