The Hungarian Lake Balaton

Lake Balaton in Hungary for a long time is shrouded in legends and secrets. According to ancient traditions, deep under water is hidden the church in which the girl lives, and her tears fill the lake with water. And the lake will be filled until the beauty will cry.

Associate with the lake and another, no less interesting, history. Once upon a time very long on the site of the lake was a huge meadow. And then one day an ordinary Hungarian shepherd grazed his sheep in this meadow. The shepherd saw a stone lying among the emerald grass, and lifted it. The place where the stone lay was quickly filled with water from a clogged spring, and gradually the whole territory of the meadow was flooded with water. So Lake Balaton appeared.

Tourist use of the lake

The shoreline of Lake Balaton stretches for 197 kilometers. This territory brings a considerable profit to the country, about a third of all tourism revenues. Investors since 1987 are attracted by Hungary. Lake Balaton has been put in order since this year, the beaches and water have been cleared. Huge sums were invested in the construction of five new piers. Only a small part of the coastal territory has undergone natural changes. The rest of the shore was flooded with concrete and filled with holiday homes.

The northern shore of Lake Balaton is characterized by historical monuments and a rich cultural life. Here you can easily engage in tennis, water sports, horseback riding and enjoy the scenic landscape.

On the south side of the lake there are country houses. The natural landscape of the beach is disturbed only by the seaside bars and cafes. Local resorts are virtually indistinguishable from each other. The western part of Lake Balaton also admires the natural beauty. At this point the river Zala goes to the reserve of birds.

Tips for tourists

The lake can receive a large number of tourists, much more than the rest of the country. But in the summer time it is very difficult to find a place to sleep. Especially in popular places among tourists. In general, places for recreation in the vicinity of Lake Balaton are quite a lot - these are small villages, and modern resort centers, as well as private homes, villas and luxury hotels. There is an option and economy class - inexpensive comfortable camping.

Festival "Valley of Arts"

Every summer, beginning in 2000, on the northern side of Lake Balaton, in the town of Capolcha, the Valley of the Arts festival is held. For ten days the shores of Lake Balaton are filled with tourists, artists and masters of arts from Hungary and other countries. The festival covers theatrical art, music and cinema, folk crafts, literary readings and much more.

Hungary, Balaton: a bit of history

The coastal area of Lake Balaton has been inhabited since ancient times. Here lived the Romans, Germans and Slavs, and then these places attracted the Hungarians, who decided to stay here forever. The state of Hungary was founded by King Ishtvan the Holy. Until the middle of the 20th century, the surroundings of Lake Balaton were a place far from civilization. The situation changed only after the construction of railways and the development of river navigation. At the beginning of the 21st century, Lake Balaton was already considered a popular Hungarian resort with comfortable conditions for recreation and extensive infrastructure.