| Lake Balaton |
Welcome to Lake Balaton - Central Europe's largest freshwater lake, some 60 miles southwest of Budapest. This beautiful lake is Hungary's number one vacation resort and a major wine-producing region. Easily reached by car, bus or train, Balaton offers dozens of resort hotels for longer stays. The north shore of the lake is noted for its resorts, wineries and spas. Jutting into the lake, the Tihany Peninsula is one of the country's most interesting National Parks and site of a Benedictine Abbey founded in 1055. In fact, the abbey's deed of foundation is the earliest written record of the Hungarian language.
Villages with special appeal include the 12th century Dörgicse, Kővágóörs with its charming peasant cottages, and the resorts of Balatonrendes and Ábrahámhegy. A legendary view of the region is from the Rózsakő (Rose Stone) near Badacsony. Lake's water temperature is about 76F during the summer, which together with its shallow depth, make it an ideal family vacation spot.
On the south shore you'll find a series of resort towns and villages: Buzsák, known for its unique folk art; Várhegy, a Turkish hill fortress near Fonyód, and Balatonboglár, one of the oldest resort towns, dating back to 1211 with evidence of Roman occupation and Iron Age earthworks. Little Balaton at the lake's south- west end is a nature conservation area, a shelter for many rare and protected bird species: white herons, spoonbills and cormorants. Another untouched natural region is the Káli basin
| Places of Interest |
Loczy Cave found in 1894 on the western side of the Tamás Hill and was opened to the public in 1934. Helikon Castle Museum is one of the three largest baroque style castles in Hungary. Badacsony, Geological and Botanical Nature Trail English information boards tell us about the geological, botanical, zoological values of the volcanic hills Dollmuseum (Collection of national costume) shows the national costume of last century of historical and the national cultical. |
| Special Events |
July Balaton Film Festival August Wine Sign Wine Festival of Zala September Dance Panorama of Keszthely |