Lake Balaton

Lake Balaton is the largest lake in Central Europe at 48 miles (77 km) by seven miles (11 km) at its widest. Lying in the Transdanubia region of landlocked Hungary, it is the summer playground for all Budapest, a great freshwater expanse in the foothills of the Bakony Mountains about an hour’s drive outside the city.

The north and south shores of Lake Balaton are entirely different in character; the southern side is well developed, with a series of modern resorts strung beadlike along the beaches, while the north is wilder and volcanic, with fewer resorts. Chief among these are Keszthely, home of the ornate Baroque Festetics Castle, and the historic spa town of Balatonfüred. The distinctive, twin-spired church at Tihany stands high on its rocky peninsula, surrounded by reed lands, and there are wineries scattered along the northern hills, some dating from the 14th century and many open for sampling the wares.

On the southern shores of the lake stands Hungary’s party capital of Siófok. Youngsters pour in at the weekends for all-night clubbing and chilling out by day on the beaches. Despite the influx of visitors, the waters of Lake Balaton are pristine and shallow enough for safe swimming, and while some beaches are grassy, other have imported sand and all have modern amenities, including showers and restaurants. Most charge a small fee for entrance and there are sailing, water ski-ing and surfing schools as well as rentals available everywhere.

In summer cycling, jogging and horse-back riding are popular lake-side pastimes and in winter the lake can freeze over, providing a temporary paradise for ice skating and ice sailing.

Lake Balaton makes the perfect weekend escape from the in-your-face buzz of Budapest but is also close enough for day trips. Along the northern shore of the lake, watch pretty Herend china being produced at Hungary’s famous porcelain factory and cool off with a dip Lake Balaton, before exploring the Baroque abbey and wildlife reserve at Tihany and taking the waters in the spa town of Balatonfüred.