Natural vacation at Lake Balaton in Hungary

A Vacation at Lake Balaton in Hungary is just the right thing if you've got wanderlust again. In this article, I'll show you everything you need to know about a vacation at Lake Balaton. You'll also find out about the most beautiful beaches, the coolest Balaton campsites and the best, most sustainable accommodation right by Lake Balaton.
Here is another Table of contents for easy orientation:

• Balaton vacation
• Balaton weather
• Sustainable vacation home for your vacation at Lake Balaton
• Balaton Camping
• The most beautiful beaches on vacation at Lake Balaton
• Balaton National Park
• The Tihany Peninsula
• The Keszthely Mountains
• Hungary Balaton - Conclusion

Lake Balaton in Hungary (Lake Balaton)

Lake Balaton, also known as Lake Balaton, is located in the western part of Hungary. It is 79 kilometers long and 7.8 kilometers wide. Because of its size, it is also known as the "Hungarian Sea". The name "Balaton" comes from the Slavic word "blatna", which means "swampy marsh". It is a particularly popular vacation destination because of its spas, thermal springs and beaches. Viticulture and fishing are of great economic importance to the town. The wines from Balaton are particularly popular with locals and vacationers. After the Hungarian capital Budapest, Lake Balaton is even the most important tourist center in Hungary. Incidentally, Budapest is only 1.5 hours away from Lake Balaton by car. The Hungarian capital is therefore perfect for a day trip and simply belongs in our Nature Travel Blog.

The weather at Lake Balaton in Hungary

Of course, a vacation at Lake Balaton is most fun when the weather is nice. The high season for a vacation at Lake Balaton is definitely summer. From the beginning of May to mid-October there is perfect bathing weather with an average of nine hours of sunshine per day. In winter, on the other hand, it can get very cold at Lake Balaton in Hungary. From December to January, the average temperature is just 3 degrees. From April onwards, it gets much warmer with an average of 17 degrees. In October, it is still spring-like warm at 16 degrees.

Sustainable vacation home for your vacation at Lake Balaton

If sustainability is important to you, the question of how to have fun in the most environmentally friendly way possible will also arise on your vacation at Lake Balaton. The Hullám Villa is located directly on Lake Balaton and has set itself the goal of making its accommodation as sustainable and environmentally conscious as possible. The rooms are built from natural materials. Attention has been paid to certain details, such as energy-saving lighting and a water-saving toilet flush. The breakfast buffet, which is available in the morning, consists of regional food with organic coffee and organic tea. Also for vegetarians and Vegan There is something for everyone 🙂 For all sports freaks, the Hullám Villa also has a swimming pool, a beach volleyball court and many other facilities. Yoga is at the heart of the sports offer. Bicycle rental is available for excursions in the surrounding area. The villa is easy to reach both by car and by train. You can find more information about suitable accommodation at bookitgreen. With the voucher code "CAREBIG" you get a 20 Euro discount on your first booking.

Camping at Lake Balaton in Hungary

If a vacation home is not for you, there is always the option of camping on site. Camping is one of the best travel options for sustainable travel. Since a vacation at Lake Balaton is very popular, there are correspondingly many Balaton campsites. You can camp at Lake Balaton either directly on the lake or a little further away. The average price for renting a Balaton campsite for two adults including electricity in the high season is around 23 euros. In the high season in summer, however, you have to assume that the Balaton campsites will be quite busy. There is often a lot going on right by the lake.

Wild Camping at Lake Balaton

In Hungary, unfortunately, there are quite strict rules regarding wild camping. Wild camping is absolutely forbidden, even on private land. Even resting overnight with a caravan or camper in a parking lot or rest area is prohibited. You will therefore have to give up wild camping and look for camping sites at Lake Balaton.

Hungary Balaton - The most beautiful beaches

Lake Balaton has a shoreline of more than 200 kilometers. As you can walk hundreds of meters into Lake Balaton in many places without having to swim, the place is popular with young and old. Many of the beaches are not "typical beaches". They are more like lawns with grass. Many of the beaches offer sports activities or pedalo rides. I will now show you the most beautiful beaches for your vacation at Lake Balaton.

Siofok

There are two large main beaches in Siofok. One is particularly suitable for families. Here you will find everything a child's heart desires, such as play equipment and water slides. The other beach is subject to a fee, but there are lots of events and other interesting things to discover. DJs play here during the day. There is also a large grandstand where entertainment often takes place. Music and cultural events take place in the evenings. So it's worth paying the entrance fee. Another advantage of the two beaches is that they are very clean. In my opinion, this is a very important criterion.

Gyenesdiás

The beach in the small village of Gyenesdiás is a beautiful sandy beach. The parking spaces around the sandy beach are free of charge. The beach is very family-friendly, partly because there are several playgrounds for children to discover. But the place is also suitable for night owls. The beach bar serves delicious cocktails in the evening in a relaxed atmosphere. There are also many restaurants serving traditional Hungarian dishes. The popular spring festival takes place in Gyenesdiás every year. The program consists of a cooking duel over an open fire, a hike, a demonstration by horsemen and archers, games and folk music. The festival is suitable for families. In addition, the market season starts again in Gyenesdiás in spring.

Balatonlelle

The town of Balatonlelle has a population of around 5000 and has a very beautiful, clean and well-kept sandy beach with a length of three kilometers. If you like a mixture of quiet relaxation and exciting nightlife, this is the place for you. Balatonlelle has a pedestrian zone with interesting stores and several discos that are open late into the night. One of the town's attractions is the harbor. It is not only during the day that round trips take place here. A party ship also docks at night, where long, lavish parties regularly take place. Definitely a special experience! Numerous events also take place here, especially in the summer. The wine festival, which takes place between the end of July and the beginning of August, is particularly popular. For 10 days, it transforms the waterfront into the traditional wine festival, where many Hungarian wines from all regions of the country are presented and served. Another attraction in Balatonlelle is the amusement park, which is also suitable for a visit with the whole family.

Balatonbereny

Do you prefer things a little quieter? Then you've come to the right place! The small village has just 1200 inhabitants. Surprisingly, many of the locals even speak German. So communication shouldn't be a problem. The atmosphere on the beach is calm and relaxing. The place is also suitable for hiking enthusiasts, as there are many natural hiking trails to discover. However, if it does rain one day, you can always head to the local thermal baths with their mineral-rich healing waters.

Balatongyörök

This village is not too big either. With a population of 1080, it has even fewer inhabitants than Balatonbereny. However, it is surrounded by hills and small mountains and is generally very green. This is why Balatongyörök is also a beautiful hiking destination. But you can also explore the beauty of nature by bike. The town is also famous for its good wines. The beach is clean and very natural. You can see the hills from a distance while swimming.

Attention dog ban!

Dogs are absolutely prohibited on all beaches on Lake Balaton. There are signs posted in many places, which you should adhere to during your vacation at Lake Balaton. However, it is of course not strictly forbidden to let your dog into the water in Hungary. If you find a small spot outside the beach where there is no sign, you can safely let your dog into the water.

The Balaton Uplands National Park

Another reason to spend your vacation at Lake Balaton is the beautiful Balaton Uplands National Park. It was created 20 years ago through the merger of six nature parks. The park has a total area of approximately 57,000 hectares. The Keszthely Mountains, the Balaton Uplands, Little Lake Balaton, the volcanic Somló Mountain and the Tapolca Basin are among the interesting territories of the park. As you can see, it is very diverse. The national park is therefore well worth a hike. Another beautiful destination is the Tihany peninsula, which can be reached by ferry from various locations. Anyone interested in the history and details of the national park can take part in a guided tour.

The Tihany Peninsula

The peninsula is approximately 27 square kilometers in size and is a nature reserve. Belső-tó and Külső-tó are also located on the peninsula. These are two crater lakes that were formed millions of years ago by volcanic activity. People from the Bronze and Iron Ages already lived on Tihany. The Romans also settled on the peninsula. Over 800 years ago, monks founded a hermitage on the northern slope of Óvár Mountain, whose caves can still be visited today. Because many animal and plant species live on Tihany, it was declared Hungary's first nature reserve in 1952.

The landmark of Tihany

The island's landmark - the baroque Benedictine abbey - stands on the top of the hill. You can either walk up to the landmark or take the slow train. The journey on the slow train only takes a short 10 minutes. There are a few stores and restaurants on the hill where you can have lunch or a snack. Tihandy is famous for its lavender, which can be seen blooming everywhere. The stores therefore offer many Souvenirs with lavender. The ferry from Siófok to Tihany takes just over 10 minutes for the crossing.

The Keszthely Mountains

The Keszthely Hills is a cave complex that is 6000 meters long and 137 meters deep. Most of the Keszthely Mountains are covered by forests where a variety of animals and plants can be observed. For example, various species of orchids and daisies grow here. The mountains are the habitat of many mammals. The bat is particularly common. The strictly protected Csodabogyós Cave can be explored in the mountains, but only under supervision and with suitable protective clothing. The Csodabogyós Cave was named after the shrubs in front of its entrance. It is full of stalactites.

The vacation at Lake Balaton in Hungary

Hungary is a very diverse country with a magnificent landscape. In contrast to the noisy capital Budapest, many of the places around Lake Balaton are true oases of tranquillity. But as you can see, you don't necessarily have to be a quiet person to enjoy a trip in nature. Vacations at Lake Balaton can also be very exciting thanks to exciting evenings at the bar and extraordinary nights out. Lake Balaton is therefore suitable for nature lovers, families and party lovers alike. Camping at Lake Balaton is definitely a great experience. If camping is not for you, you can still make your vacation at Lake Balaton environmentally conscious by spending it in sustainable accommodation. The pleasant weather in Hungary makes the trip even more enjoyable. I hope you enjoy discovering the different places.

Where was your best vacation in nature? Let me know in the comments! 🙂

Kind regards,

PS: You can find the right packing list to tick off for your next trip in the article Travel checklist.