For a long time Keszthely used to be synonymous with alternative programmes for rainy days and cancelling trips to the beach, and of course with obligatory museum visits our parents used to drag us to. The region has become so well-developed by now that it is worth spending a few days here regardless of the weather.
Beach weather, finally!
The townships around Keszthely have an abundance of great beaches. You’ll find two world champions within 5-8 kilometres of the town: the family favourite Beach of Diás and Beach Balatongyörök. At Lidó Beach, the other beach in Gyenesdiás, the water is not the only thing to enjoy, as you can also lose yourself in the adventure park or the bird park for a couple of hours.
An alternative place to visit for families is the Pottery House where you can buy various pottery wares and also try your hand at spinning a potter’s wheel. Still in Gyenesdiás, we recommend that on Wednesdays you should stop at the Balaton Fish and Farmers Market for some fried bream.
A town over in Vonyarcvashegy awaits the Lidó Beach with a waterski and wakeboard course known as the Mecca of water sports. With the opening of Bock Bistro Balaton, Vonyarc has also been placed on the gastro map of the Balaton. For a romantic dinner you’d be hard pressed to find a more ideal spot in the area than the Bock terrace. And while we are on the subject of romance and smooching in the Balaton sunset, making the arduous trek up to the Szent Mihály Chapel near Vonyarcvashegy is also worth the effort.
What do snails have to do with the Parliament?
If you’ve had enough of splashing around, then it is time for Keszthely, the town of museums. The main attraction of Keszthely is the Baroque Festetics Palace and the Helikon Palace Museum located in the building. With slight exaggeration, you could say that almost everything has a museum here. The Radio and Television Museum, the Cadillac Museum, the Marzipan Museum, the Renaissance Erotic Wax Museum, the Doll Museum, the Nostalgia and Kitsch Museum, the Parliament building made out of snail shells, and the list goes on. For those coming with kids the petting zoo at the Festetics Imre Zoo is probably a more exciting option.
Need to restock on calories? Pay a visit to the Végh-Pataki Strudels and Sandwich Mecca near the Festetics Palace, and if you feel like drinking good wine, make your way to The House of Balaton’s Wine in the palace to try some.
Instead of willkommen
Nowadays you’ll find yourself in a completely different world just a few kilometres from Keszthely. If for nothing else, pop over to Hévíz for some multicultural experience: the town, which is famous for its health tourism, usually swarms with Russian tourists. Once integral parts of the town’s landscape, signs reading Zimmer frei and Willkommen in Hévíz have by now been replaced by posters and menus in Cyrillic.
A local specialty, the Hévíz Farmers’ Market is located in the town centre where farmers, potters, blacksmiths and lace makers sell their wares in long lines of market stalls. Farmers’ Markets keep cropping up around Lake Balaton, see our latest roundup here.
Leaving the touristic centre behind, you can find some peace and quiet on the nearby Egregy Hill. You can even use Hévíz’s public bike hire scheme called HeBi to get there. The path leading up the hill is lined with grapevines and an abundance of wine cellars and restaurants on both sides. The food selection of the Római Pince and the Öreg Harang Tavern is outstanding. The latter was voted the best tavern of 2013 by the restaurant critics of Gault&Millau. One of the oldest churches in Hungary from the Árpád-era sits on the hilltop. Built in the 14th century, the church attracts visitors with its noble simplicity. In the summer heat it is especially pleasant to have a rest and cool down among the church walls.
