Balaton is coming back to life with ferries now transporting passengers between key resorts, beaches again in operation and great jazz names to look forward to in August.
Ferries
This Whitsun weekend, from Saturday 30 May, Bahart ferry services start up again, the routes Siófok-Balatonfüred-Tihany, Balatonboglár-Révfülöp, Fonyód-Badacsony, and Balatonmáriafürdő-Balatongyörök operating three or four times a day. Fewer passengers will be sold tickets and masks will be mandatory in queues and inside the ship.
Beaches
The water by Balaton’s beaches is largely safe, in terms of the coronavirus but objects such as sunbeds and inflatables can spread the virus, which stays on the surface for a significant length of time. The golden rules apply: don’t touch your face, disinfect your hands and keep your distance from other people.
Beaches opening this Whitsun weekend include Almádi, Alsóörs and Csopak on Saturday. For Alsóörs, beach tickets can be bought online. The beaches are also open at Zalakaros and Keszthely, as is the spa at Hévíz.
Upcoming events
The Paloznak Jazz Picnic, reorganised for 20-22 August, has already announced a number of star names. On the national holiday of 20 August, legendary trumpet player Randy Brecker will perform with the Finucci Bros Quartet. The next day’s headliner is Dutch saxophonist Candy Dulfer and for Saturday’s closing night, singer Mario Biondi then MF Robots take the stage.
New developments
Zoltán Guller, CEO of the Hungarian Tourism Agency (MTÜ), said that the government will allocate another 150 billion forints for the renovation of accommodation and amenities. Guller hopes that foreign tourists may return to Balaton this summer, for example, with specific German interest in Hévíz. The beach at Szigliget is being renovated for 40 million forints, and the contract for the renovation of the Sümeg Castle has been signed, rebuilding expected to take about a year.
