Balaton
Central Europe’s largest lake, Balaton is one of the country’s foremost tourist destinations. The major resorts around the lake are Siófok, Keszthely and Balatonfüred. Siófok is known as the "Party Capital" and attracts many young party goers in summer, Keszthely with is historical centre and the famous Festetics Palace is a peaceful resort, while Balatonfüred is a historical bathing town and home to the annual Anna Ball. Other main resorts include Badacsony, Balatonalmádi, Balatonboglár, Balatonlelle, Fonyód, Tihany and Vonyarcvashegy.
The high tourist season extends from June until the end of August. The country has a temperate climate, with alternating maritime and continental influences; around Balaton the Mediterranean influence prevails. The 80km long lake's water surface receives, on the average 2,000 hours of sunshine a year, the sunniest month being June. The shallower waters quickly follow the air temperatures. Each summer the water temperatures reach as high as 22-26 °C (70-78 °F) which is one of the reasons that Balaton has become one of the favourite bathing lakes in Central Europe. The prevailing wind on Balaton, known by the fishermen as the "main wind", is from between N and NW; SE and SW winds occur more frequently in autumn and winter.
Most of the beaches consist of either grass, rocks or the sand (silt) that also makes up most of the bottom of the lake. Many resorts have artificial sandy beaches and all beaches have step access to the water. The southern shores and the lake are plain and shallow, while the northern shores are hilly and the water deepens quickly. The water is often described as silky, or at any rate that is the sensation the skin conveys. This is not an illusion: the water is slightly alkaline and gentle - because of the fineness of its suspended matter and mineral particles it could as well be described as heavily diluted mineral water. The therapeutic sunbathing in the sun's rich rays, the microclimate and the non-salty but mineral rich water make bathing as enjoyable as in the sea - often from as early as May through to early autumn in October. The average depth of the water is between 3 and 4 metres, but the so-called well of Tihany is 12.2 metres deep. The 'Balaton Riviera' along the Northern shore of the lake stretches from Ábrahámhegy to Balatonfűzfő. The Zala River provides the largest inflow of water to the lake, and the canalized Sió is the only outflow.
Leisure activities include sailing, fishing and other water sports such as surfing and kite surfing, but visiting the countryside and hills, horse-riding and biking around the lake is also popular; wineries on the north coast attract many tourists as well as night life and festivals on the south shore. The Tihany Peninsula is a historical district. Badacsony is a famous volcanic mountain and wine growing region as well as a lakeside resort.
According to some visitors, instead of calling Balaton the Hungarian Sea, it would be more accurate to refer to the surrounding region as the world's largest poolside Restaurant! At Balaton, refreshment is always close at hand. While driving, cycling or coasting along the shore of Balaton you are, on average, never more than five minutes from good coffee, some superb wine, stuffed pancakes, fried fish all done with a distinct Hungarian flourish.
Each year water sports, the various sailing and swimming races across the lake, the famous Anna ball and scores of events draw thousands of visitors to the lake. Although the peak season at the lake is the summer, lovers of Balaton think that it is also worth visiting the lake in winter, when you can go fishing through ice-holes, or, if the ice is thick enough, brave visitors can even skate, sledge or ice-sail on the lake. A variety of events take place all year round, such as cultural festivals, excursions, gastronomic events and cellar tours on the Balaton Uplands, in Zala and Somogy.
The entire shore of Balaton is suitable for vineyards and thus it has developed into one of Hungary's significant wine-producing areas. On the north shore there are the Csopak-Füred and Tihany areas where the most famous wines of Badacsony are grown, such as the grey monk (pinot gris), 'szürkebarát'. The centre of the southern shore wine region is Boglár and Kőröshegy, where white and burgundy type grapes grow equally well, producing the basis of both white and red wines.
A history of centuries has transformed the north shore into a virtual outdoor museum. The unparalleled natural endowments are enriched by historical heritage. The ruins of medieval churches and castles carry the messages of the past, including the remains of the castle of Szigliget, the Kinizsi dungeon in Nagyvázsony, the castle of Hegyesd perched on a steep peak, as well as the remaining walls of the castles of Rezi, Tátika and Zádor. The vernacular residences with their pillars and arched porches are gems of architecture as it was popular among the minor nobility of those days.
The Balaton Uplands National Park (Balaton-felvidéki Nemzeti Park) is a guardian of environmental protection on the northern shore from Balatonszőlős to Kis-Balaton, managing a strip of land between 1 and 15 kilometres wide. Among the stunning natural formations there are caves, volcanic cones, seas of stones and marshlands with rich wildlife to discover.
Come to Hungary and come now, to experience the wonders of this colourful region, to enjoy the abundance of programmes and to immerse in gastronomic delights!
