Day 3: Journey Home via Sopron and St. Margarethen

We began our last morning once again with the wonderful breakfast buffet at our guesthouse.

We took one final stroll through the lovely village where we had once again felt so at home.

Then it was time to pack our things and head back home.

We made a stop in Sopron at our favorite pastry shop. The breakfast at the guesthouse had been great—but the coffee… well… So we made sure to get our caffeine fix now.

We continued our journey toward St. Margarethen. If you drive from Sopron toward Fertőrákos, you’ll find a small turnoff to the left. A relatively narrow, straight road leads from there into the Austrian town of St. Margarethen. It’s worth stopping at the memorial site for the Pan-European Picnic right at the border.

On August 19, 1989, a peace demonstration took place there under the name "Pan-European Picnic."

That day, a border gate was symbolically opened for three hours. Many East German citizens used the opportunity to flee to Austria, unhindered by border guards.

This event became one of the most important milestones that eventually led to the final opening of the borders and the fall of communism.

The memorial is located in a huge park area. Information panels throughout the park commemorate this major historical event. Here too, you can see remnants of the Iron Curtain and many monuments.

The surrounding area also features numerous hiking trails dedicated to the event.

We walked along one of the paths and took everything in.

After this impressive walk, we set off on the final stretch of our journey home. An hour later, we were back home again. But we’ll definitely be returning soon.