Places of interest
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Balatonfenyves |
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You have probably felt that you need a short time for recreation and if you knew a calm, silent place where you feel refreshed, you would travel even hundreds of kilometres to forget work and the noise of the city for some days.
In Balatonfenyves, at the Hubertus Deposit Company everything is given for adults and for children to have a good time.
This is an island of peace. This can be the first impression of the visitor who walks through the picturesque place. It is unbelievable that only 200 metres far from the lake-shore, next to the main road, the guest does not perceive anything of the hustle and bustle of life near the lake.
Balatonfenyves, the calm and peaceful holiday resort on the southern shore of Balaton, was founded more than a hundred years ago. Only in 1912 was the settlement called Balatonfenyves, which at that time meant the part of settlement from the outskirts of Alsó-Bélatelep to the line of the "Nagyárok" (canal), but at that time the village was recorded as a holiday place belonging to Fonyód.
After the Second World War due to the successful operation of Balaton-Nagyberek State Farm, the population of the settlement, which was insignificant before the war, began to grow.
Since 1991 it has been an independent settlement again. Balatonfenyves has not become a crowded holiday resort, although its huge and comfortable free-beaches and resting-shores attract people from far countries.
The "Nagyberek" in Somogy County is one of Hungary's most mysterious and less known places. Until the middle of the last century the "Nagyberek" (marsh) was a deeply extended bay of the lake, permanently covered by water. By the building of the Sió canal, the water level became permanently low. The higher areas of the "Nagyberek" got dry. This area became covered with trees, groves, scrubs, and the other area is covered with sedge and reed.
Only a part of the former waterworld has remained, but it is still a particularly interesting natural gift even in its strongly changed state, and some of its parts still remind the visitor of the old times.
The area's avifauna is very rich, the area is rightly included to the list of
Internationally Significant Homes of Birds.
In the "Nagyberek" the area of "Fehérvízi" Marsh was declared a nature reserve in 1977.
The real draining of the "Nagyberek", which is situated average one metre under the water level of the lake, started according to the plans drew up at the beginning of the 1990s. Two things helped to control the water level: a pump crossing Balatonfenyves operating since 1911, and a nearly 200 km long system of canals.
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Narrow-gauge railway |
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The narrow-gauge railway has been running from Balatonfenyves through Nagyberek (Marshland) since the '50s. Originally, the narrow-gauge railway running on 76-cm-wide rails was used as a farm railway mainly for load and passenger transport as it used to belong to Balaton-Nagybereki State Farm. Still now it transports passengers day by day to the small thermal bath in Csiszta-puszta and to the other villages behind the marshland. Tourists are welcome here. In summer an old steam-engine is coupled to the small trains enriching the service.
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Balaton |
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 Lake Balaton is about 10 kilometres wide and 78 kilometres long. Generally its depth is between 3 and 4 meters, which means there are shallow shores for the joy of children. As motor-boats and ships with the exception of certain ferry- and boat-lines are not allowed to run on the lake, Balaton - being an untouched area from this point of view - is considerably suitable for swimming, surfing and sailing.
River Zala coming from the south-west across the Small Balaton National Park is mostly worth of mentioning among the rivers which flow into the Balaton. The various pump-systems, among others also the one of Hubertus Agro-Industrial Company, pump the water of marshland from the deep areas to the Balaton. The only canal is the Sió Canal with a dam. The affluents are regularly checked. The quality of their water has been excellent for years. You can discover the particular atmosphere of the 'Hungarian Sea' if you go on a boat trip.
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Small Balaton |
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 Small Balaton, which used to belong to Balaton Bay, is part of the National Park today. If you are a nature-lover, we suggest that you should make a picnic and visit this wonderful paradise of birds. The buffalo reservation can be found next to it. A little walk to the herd of these ancient, calm animals gives you enduring experience.
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Thermal baths |
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Occupying 4.5 hectares (109.78 acres) the largest natural warm-water lake in Europe is situated in Hévíz, which can be visited after a half-hour's driving to the north-west from Hubertus-Hof. In summer water temperature is 32-33 oC (89.6 Fo-91.4 Fo), in winter 24-26 oC (75.2 Fo-78.8 Fo), so the many-thousand-year's old thermal bath is suitable for bathing in the whole year round. Due to its high sulphur-containing water, it is particularly good for treating rheumatic disorders but healthy people can also enjoy it. Minerals in the water mg/litre: 25 Na+, 9,6 K+, 0,13 NH4, 87 Ca2+, 37 Mg 2+, total cations:158 mg/litre 27 Cl-, 0,12 Br-, 0,023 I-, 1,3 F-, 63 SO4, 353 HCO3, 2.5 S, total anions: 447 mg/litre. For more details you can contact the State Rheuma Hospital and Clinic in Hévíz.
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Museums in Keszthely |
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To the north-west from Balatonfenyves it takes you half-an-hour by car to get to Keszthely, where you can find a good selection of museums to visit. The most famous one is Festetics castle, built in 1745, which was the residence of the Festetics family descending from Croatia.
The particularly precious family library containing more than 90,000 books in good condition can be seen beyond the numerous rooms with their original furniture. The monumental sporting-gun and trophy collection can also be admired here.
 Earl Festetics became famous mainly for developing agriculture. In the 18th century he founded the Georgikon, the first agricultural school in Europe offering high standard education. The school was housed in Georgikon Museum of today, on the former estate of the family, where the comprehensive collection of the most different technical achievements of agriculture can be seen.
It is worth paying a visit to Balaton Museum where you can learn the colourful history of the origin of Lake Balaton, as well as that of the biology in the lake and in the neighbourhood.
It is worth mentioning the Doll Museum where you can admire the reduced shell-built copy of the Parliament, which is called 'Shell Parliament' on notice boards.
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Szántódpuszta |
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 Driving on the road No7 towards Siófok, shortly before Zamárdi you can find Szántód-puszta, the farmstead museum lying opposite Tihany monastery. It is worth visiting the traditional farm-yard with its original buildings. Also here in the different aquariums you can see the fishes living in Lake Balaton, which, last but not least, for children can be an exciting opportunity to watch.
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Tihany |
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Tihany-peninsula, which can be visited by the only ferry of the Balaton, is worth paying a visit. From the Abbey on Óvár Hill there is a fantastic view to the eastern part of Lake Balaton. The peninsula has got some Mediterranean features - among others lavender is grown here.
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Szigliget |
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Returning home we suggest that you should choose the road No71 towards Keszthely along the shore. Szigliget lies half-way or so. In this picturesque small village you can find the ruins of a fortress and lots of thatched houses reconstructed with care and affection. The botanical garden in the old park unfortunately can be seen only between 12 and 2 p.m.
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Sümeg Castle |
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 From the hotel it is about 1 hour by car to get to Sümeg castle, which is in rather good condition. In summer there are tournaments here every day. The steep path to the castle and the wide view to the surroundings demonstrate vividly that it used to be a fortress.
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Budapest |
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You can go for a day out to Budapest. During sight-seeing you can discover for yourself this beautiful, historical town which is often referred to as 'Paris of the East'
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Others |
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- Porcelain production in Herend
- Crystal glass production in Ajka
- Lakes in caves in Tapolca
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