If you are visiting Budapest in summer, take a perfect day trip to Lake Balaton, Hungary, and thank me later!
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What is Lake Balaton?
Dubbed the Hungarian Sea, about a 50-mile-long lake with charming little towns, rustic villages, resort towns, and vineyards stretched along its shorelines, Lake Balaton is Hungary’s and Central Europe’s largest freshwater lake.
Balaton is Hungary’s second-most-visited destination after Budapest, for good reason. Hungarians flock here every summer for some outdoor fun.
We visited Lake Balaton on our way from Zadar, Croatia, to Budapest, Hungary. It can be a great destination for travelers looking for a peaceful day trip from Budapest.
PS: If you’re spending a few days in the capital, read our complete Budapest Travel Guide and detailed Budapest itinerary to plan your stay before heading to the lake.
Away from crowds, time seems to have stopped here.
Whenever I recommend people to add Lake Balaton to their Hungary bucket list, they respond with a question mark on their faces – Is Lake Balaton worth visiting?
Ah! I get that. Balaton is not your typical city-break destination. It might be famous among the locals, but it is still largely unknown among tourists.
As typical Indian tourists, when we plan a dream Europe trip from India, the places that make it to our list are almost always the famous European capital cities like Paris, Budapest, Prague, Zagreb, Vienna, Bratislava, Rome, and so on.
Well, I’ve never been one to follow convention and crowd. Replacing touristy destinations with lesser-explored towns and villages (whether in Europe or elsewhere) has become a tradition now.
Okay. Before I go off on a tangent, let’s get back to the main question.
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Is Lake Balaton Worth Visiting?
Hell yeah! Lake Balaton has been a top-rated and most-visited family destination in Hungary for decades.
If you’re already exploring the capital and looking beyond the usual best things to do in Budapest, Lake Balaton makes a refreshing escape.
It has been billed as the most thrilling gourmet region in the country because of its intriguing food, wine, and arts scene.
Over the years, the Hungarian Lake District’s popularity resulted in many spa towns and resorts along its foreshore.
Untouched countryside, thermal spas, pretty villages, wildlife, and a big blue lake shimmering under the summer sun – Welcome to Balaton!
How Far is Lake Balaton from Budapest?
Well, there are a plethora of resort towns and villages spread out around the lake’s southern and northern shore – Siófok, Zamárdi, Balatonszemes, Balatonlelle, Badacsony, Veszprém, Balatonalmádi, Fonyód, Keszthely, Tihany, Csopak, Kapolcs, and many more.
From Budapest, Siófok, and Veszprém will be the closest resort towns. It takes about an hour on the M7 motorway to reach them from Budapest.
The journey time from Budapest to Balaton depends solely on the town or region you choose to visit.
Here are the driving distances and directions from Budapest to some of the major towns on Lake Balaton:
- Budapest to Siófok – 1 hour 6 minutes via M7
- Budapest to Veszpr̩m Р1 hour 21 minutes via M7 and Route 8
- Budapest to Balatonlelle – 1 hour 24 minutes via M7
- Budapest to Csopak – 1 hour 27 minutes via M7
- Budapest to Fonyód – 1 hour 28 minutes via M7
- Budapest to Balatonfüred – 1 hour 33 minutes via M7
- Budapest to Tihany – 1 hour 40 minutes via M7
- Budapest to Kapolcs – 1 hour 45 minutes via M7 and Route 8
- Budapest to Keszthely – 1 hour 53 minutes via M7
- Budapest to HévÃz – 1 hour 57 minutes via M7
- Budapest to Tapolca – 2 hours and 4 minutes via M7, Route 8, and Route 77
- Budapest to Balaton Uplands National Park – 2 hours 20 minutes via M7
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Things to do in and around Lake Balaton
Many of Balaton’s best attractions are away from the shore. Southern lakeside resorts like Siofok have been thronged by tourists, but the northern shore is peaceful and untouched, a place for outdoor lovers.
Siófok
The party capital of Balaton (as Hungarians call it), Siófok, is one of the most popular holiday destinations along Lake Balaton’s southern shore, best known for its beaches and nightlife.
Recommended Hotel in Siófok: Residence Balaton Wellness Hotel
Zamárdi
A little away from Siofok, Zamárdi is a popular family destination with an adventure park, Balaton’s longest beach, and a bobsleigh track.
It’s also a famous destination for music lovers as it hosts the Balaton Sound, one of Europe’s largest open-air electronic music festivals.
Recommended Hotel in Zamárdi: Zamárdi Design Apartment
Fonyód
We stayed in Fonyód. It’s from here that passengers board ferries across the lake to the famous wine region on the northern shore, Badacsony.
Where to stay in Fonyód? We stayed at a pretty Airbnb. Our host, Edit, was warm and friendly. She tried her best to communicate with us and help us, even though she didn’t speak English.
We were welcomed with chocolates and a bottle of local wine.
Balatonboglár
Known as the town of grapes and wine, Balatonboglár is a popular wine region on the southern shore.
You can visit the Majthényi Présház, a family-owned winery, for an authentic experience.
Don’t forget to climb the unique lookout tower, the Globe Observatory, for jaw-dropping views over the lake area.
Recommended Hotel in Balatonboglar: Partvilla Balatonboglar
Balatonlelle
Balatonlelle has Kishegy (Little Hill). Take a walk on the hill to admire one of the best sunsets of Lake Balaton.
Recommended Hotel in Balatonlelle: Butique Apartman
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Veszprém
Located between Lake Balaton and the Bakony Hills, Veszprém is one of Hungary’s oldest cities.
It’s nicknamed the City of Queens, as the queens of Hungary were crowned by the bishop of Veszprém.
The city swaddles Hungary’s significant historic sites. You can see one of Hungary’s first stone castles, the Episcopal Palace, and the first Cathedral, St. Michael’s Cathedral.
The Porcelain factory of Herend is a recommended detour from Veszprém.
Recommended Hotel in Veszprém: Oázis Apartman
Szigliget
A little village on volcanic hills in Veszprém county, Szigliget is best known for its medieval castle, Szigliget Castle. A short hike to the castle is worth the effort!
Recommended Hotel in Szigliget: Kilátás a tóra Apartman
Hegymagas
This tiny village boasts one of the most iconic and beautiful chapels of Lake Balaton, Lengyel Chapel. Perched on Szent György-hill, the chapel features views over Szigliget.
Recommended Hotel in Hegymagas: Szent György Cottage
Balatonfüred
A traditional lakeside getaway, Balatonfüred hosts the eminent annual beauty pageant, the Anna Ball of Balatonfüred.
It’s also famous as a great yachting and fishing destination in Hungary.
Tagore Promenade is named after the famous Indian poet, Rabindranath Tagore. The poet spent quite a bit of time in Balatonfüred while traveling to the natural springs in the Balaton region.
Recommended Place to Stay in Balatonfüred: Apartment Villanna
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Tihany
Located in Veszprém County on the Tihany Peninsula (the narrowest point of Lake Balaton ), Tihany is celebrated for its 11th-century Benedictine Abbey Church, one of the oldest churches in Hungary.
The church perches on a cliff offering picture-postcard views of the lake’s southern shore.
Climb the Tihany Echo Hill to relish the views over Lake Balaton or shout your name from the hill to listen to the echo.
Come July and August, the fields of Tihany transform into gorgeous, bright violet carpets of blossoming lavender, a sight to behold, of course.
Recommended Hotel in Tihany: Oliver Lux
Csopak
It’s a well-known wine-growing region on the northern shore. Take a wine tour at Márga Bisztroand taste the signature wine from Csopak, Welschriesling.
Where to Stay in Csopak: Balatoni Élmény
Where to eat in Csopak: Borkuria Bistro located at St. Donát Winery
Keszthely
Keszthely, the largest town on the western shore of the lake, is famous among history and culture lovers.
It houses the Baroque-style Festetics Castle, the Helikon Library, and the Balaton Museum.
The town is quite close to Europe’s largest thermal lake, HévÃz Lake.
Where to stay in Keszthely: Toldi68 Apartmanház
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HévÃz Lake
Take a dip in HévÃz Lake, the World’s largest thermal lake with natural medicinal water.
Recommended Hotel in HévÃz: Lotus Therme Hotel & Spa
Tapolca
Located in Veszprém County, Tapolca is a charming town close to Lake Balaton.
It’s visited by tourists for its unique attraction – Lake Cave. It’s best explored on a guided tour. The entry fee is 2000 HUF.
Recommended Hotel in Tapolca: Tópart Apartman
Badacsony
One of Hungary’s iconic wine regions, Badascony is popular across Europe for its white wine. At 438 meters, Badascony Hill is the region’s highest point. The vineyards wrap the hill, and the landscape and the scenery reminded me of Italy’s Tuscany region.
Balaton Uplands National Park
Kapolcs
A little village in Balaton Uplands, Kapolcs, along with neighboring villages of Taliándörögd and Vigántpetend, hosts the largest multi-art festival in Hungary, The Valley of Arts Festival, every year in July.
If not for the festival, you can visit the village for its pretty row of water mills at Eger Stream’s shore.
Where to Stay in Kapolcs: Kapolcs Cottage
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Köveskál
There are some amazing trails near the village of Köveskál on the Balaton uplands.
Where to Spend a Night in Köveskál: Káli Art Inn
Best Beaches on Lake Balaton
Almost all the beaches on Lake Balaton are grassy with playgrounds. Some of them offer a variety of water activities, such as kayaking, paddle boating, and surfing.
Some have an entrance fee of about HUF 500 per adult, while some are free. Â
They are open from May through October.
The Balaton Association awards the Blue Wave Flags (Kék Hullám Zászló) to the best beaches on the Balaton every season. You can check the list of the best beaches on the Hungarian Sea’s shores here.
We spent time on Fonyód Sándortelepi Panorama Beach. It was clean and well-maintained.
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How to Get to Lake Balaton from Budapest
Lake Balaton is just over an hour’s drive from Budapest.
Note: The Lake Balaton region is also within a drivable distance of other European cities, including Zagreb, Ljubljana, Bratislava, and Graz.
If you have a car, the M7 motorway to Siófok is the fastest route to the lake’s northern shore. For Balatonfüred, leave the M7 onto Route 71, while for Veszprém, leave the M7 onto Route 8.
For solo and budget travelers, local public transportation is in place. Regular trains run from Budapest’s Déli Station to all main resort towns. Regular buses run from the Népliget bus terminal.
Alternatively, you can also book a private or group tour with an expert local guide. Taste Hungary is rated highly for its expert food and wine tours from Budapest to the wine regions around Lake Balaton.
Here are some more recommendations:
How to Get Around Lake Balaton
Car
By all means, the fastest way to get around Lake Balaton is by car. And the best part is that parking isn’t an issue here.
Passenger Ferries
Regular ferries and boats connect the major towns around the lake. You can take a passenger ferry from Siófok to Tihany and Balatonfüred, and from Fonyód to Keszthely and Badascony.
Rent a Boat
Renting a boat is another option if you’re willing to spend a few hundred thousand forints.
Biking
Another beautiful way to discover the gems of Lake Balaton is by bike – you can actually cycle around the lake. It’s pretty easy with dedicated bike lanes and a well-signposted cycle trail.
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When to Visit Lake Balaton
The summer months of June to August are the best time to go, but they also bring a lot of crowds. During the off-season, the lake is serene and peaceful.
Convinced to add Lake Balaton to your itinerary for Hungary? Great decision!
Recommended Read:
- Renting a Car in Europe
- Schengen Visa for Europe
- How to Plan a Trip to Europe
- 7 Most Beautiful Places to Visit in Hungary
- Hungary Itinerary: 7 Days in Hungary
- 10-Day Central Europe Itinerary
- Best Things to do in Budapest
- 3-Day Budapest Itinerary
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I had never heard of this lake, but it looks really beautiful and so does the surrounding area! Great idea for a future trip in Europe 🙂
In fact we hadn’t heard about Lake Balaton before we started planning about Hungary. But after visiting, we would recommend everyone visiting Hungary to include this lake in the itinerary.
So pretty! I’ve only been to Budapest in Hungary, but I’d love to explore more of the country!
Yes definitely, Hungary has so much more to it. Lake Balaton is one of them. Do plan to revisit Hungary and check out this beautiful lake. Let us know if you need any help.
This looks like such a pretty lake area to visit, and I love how many different types of things there are to do here as well.
Yes this lake is very gorgeous and perfect to spend a day indulging in the activities. It is a favorite among the locals.
Wow this lake is so beautiful! I admittedly never heard of Lake Balaton before, but not you put it on my bucket list for when I return to Hungary in the future. 🙂 Your photos are also so beautiful! 🙂
Isn’t it? We were blown away by its beauty. Absolutely, do add it to your bucket list for next visit. Do let us know if you need any help. Thanks for reading and liking it.
Omg wow. I didn’t know this lake even existed. But your photos are stunning and I would love to visit.
I know when we visited we were stunned by its beauty. This is so popular among locals equally as much as world travelers. Hope you can visit it someday.
So many beautiful places! I went to Hungary last year, wish I had known about all of these then 🙂 Thanks for sharing
I know sometimes we regret. But think on the positive side, this will inspire you to travel again to Hungary. Hope you can make it the next time
very well written