Vitányvár is a hidden medieval castle ruin tucked into the forested hills above Vértessomló, on the northern slopes of the Vértes mountains. It's the kind of place that rewards curiosity — the trees keep it well concealed, so you won't spot it until you're almost at its walls, but the views once you arrive more than make up for the approach.

The ruins sit atop a small forested cone near the 417-metre Nyerges hill, above Körtvélyespuszta. The castle has an irregular, roughly pentagonal layout with two internal towers connected by a courtyard, once encircled by defensive walls, a ditch, and an earthen rampart, with a second ditch further out for extra protection. Until the late 20th century, both towers still stood close to their original height, complete with Gothic stone-framed windows and traces of vaulted ceilings. From the ruins, the view stretches over the surrounding hills and the villages of Vértessomló and Környe — a quiet, atmospheric spot in any season, especially peaceful in autumn when the forest thins and the stones seem to glow amber.

How to get there

• Vértessomló — forest path, moderate difficulty
• Körtvélyespuszta — alternative approach through the woods toward Nyerges hill

Practical information

• Archaeological excavation and conservation are ongoing, led by the Kuny Domokos County Museum in Tata
• The ruins are hidden by dense forest and only become visible at close range

Built likely by a member of the Csák clan after the Mongol invasion, the castle changed hands repeatedly over the centuries, falling to the Ottomans more than once, before being blown up in 1598 to keep it out of Turkish hands for good.