When many people think of taking an holiday in Hungary, Budapest often comes to mind. Whilst the capital has many attractions and is one of the best value city breaks in Europe, the country has other opportunities to explore as I discovered on a recent trip to Lake Balaton.
Lake Balaton
You might not have heard of Lake Balaton, though if you were to ask any Hungarian where they like to spend their holidays, the answer would most likely be here. Whilst the country is landlocked people come here every summer to enjoy Lake Balaton’s clean and almost turquoise waters which with an average depth of only three metres are warm enough to swim in from May to October.
The lake surrounded by hills on the northern side is the largest freshwater lake in Europe. It’s nearly fifty miles long with plenty of picturesque villages to discover along with a hilltop castle and also a stunning baroque palace. Budapest is only ninety minutes away via the inexpensive train network.
Tihany
Tihany lies at the top of a hill in the northern side of the lake and is dominated by the abbey church, a baroque building which has virtuoso wood carvings inside. The viewing platform outside the abbey affords sweeping views across the lake.
Tihany is well known for the thatched cottages and the growing of lavender. Besides the traditional lavender pouches, soap and shampoo on sale you can even buy lavender ice cream!
Balatonfüred
A few miles to the east lies Balatonfüred, whose climate has given the town the name of the Balaton Riviera. It does have a Mediterranean feel mixed with a spa town and is more reminiscent of the more upmarket places found on the coast along the south of France. Besides a swanky marina and expensive shops, the town is centred along a tree lined promenade where you can admire views across the lake.
Keszthely
Keszthely is perched at the far western side of the lake and is the hub of the ferries, bus, and train routes along the lake. The town is famous for the Neo- Baroque Festetics Palace with one hundred halls and rooms, many which can be visited including a library, a masterpiece in joinery, the library includes over 90,000 books and sheet music. Other highlights include the gilt mirrored ballroom.
Housed in the former stables the Coach museum displays an array of carriages from the eighteenth and nineteenth century besides a section of cars, including one that featured in the famous Le Mans 24 hour race in France.
The extensive grounds feature fountains and manicured gardens which brought to mind the Bowes Museum.
Szigliget Castle
A few miles away lies Szigliget Castle perched upon a hill that requires energy and stamina to walk up the twenty minute walk from the car park. The present building dates from the sixteenth century though in the seventeenth century lightning struck the castle and burnt it down. Besides the various towers to climb there are a selection of living quarters to wander around though the main reason to visit the castle is to take in the fantastic views over Lake Balaton and surrounding hills.
Mövenpick BalaLand Resort Lake Balaton
The Mövenpick BalaLand Resort Lake Balaton has been open just over a year now, the five star resort is ideal not just for families but couples too. The hotel lies on the southern shores of the Lake at Szántód. Themed around the Jules Verne novel Around The World in Eighty Days, the hotel features a Caribbean – Colonial theme on the outside whilst inside the top floor spa are featuresd two Scandinavian saunas that offer scenic views out over Lake Balaton. There is even a well-equipped gym too to burn off the calories.
We stayed in a superior room that overlooked the lake though there are other rooms that look over the park and suites that come with separate bedrooms for children. Alongside the hotel stands the Family Park which includes a swimming pool, whirlpools and traditional water parks that I can assure you are not just for the younger members of the family.
In keeping with the Jules Verne theme, the restaurant has themed evenings with dishes from various countries around the world, we indulged in scrumptious fish and chips (Britain) one evening, another night hot curries( India) which was in addition to an array of other more traditional choices. Younger guests even have their own area where they can choose their own meals.
Whether you need a base for sightseeing or just a quality hotel to chill out, the hotel ticks all the boxes – we are already making plans to return again.
Jet2 flies directly to Budapest from Manchester airport with a new service stating from Leeds/Bradford in September.
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