A visit to Lake Balaton Hungary is actually visiting the biggest lake in Central Europe. Called the Hungarian Sea, it is visited by many tourists each year. The Zala River provides the lake with an inflow of water. The lake is seventy seven kilometers long by about fourteen kilometers wide. The lakes average depth is three and a half meters. The summer water temperature rises to about eighty degrees Fahrenheit.

The climate around the lake receives more precipitation than the rest of Hungary. During some harsh winters, the lake may actually freeze. The southern shores are liked by families as the water is not as deep for children who like to wade and swim. On the north side of the lake, the water gets deep almost instantaneously.

The largest town on the southern side of the lake is Siofok. This town is the only boat route into the lake. Cruise boats begin from the town. The town hosts the hotels of the Golden and Silver Beaches. These hotels are often booked and sought by many visitors. This town is considered to be the “party town” of Lake Balaton.

The oldest settlement of the lake is known as Keszthely. It was an important center of commerce in the Roman era. The Balaton Museum is in this town and opens to visitors. There one can learn more about the formation of the lake as well as its inhabitants. There are also archaeological artifacts dating back seven thousand years. The museum has a nominal entrance fee and is open all year round.

This area also is home to the Festetics Mansion which is the third largest chateau in the country. It is a one hundred and one room mansion with museum and conference center. The most important room is the library which houses eighty six thousand volumes of material. Around the mansion, there are beautiful gardens. The mansion should be on a list of must sees when you visit Lake Balaton Hungary.

Lake Balaton is definitely one stop on a tourist list when visiting Hungary. There are many things to do and see. The lake is a great vacation spot with warm shallow water to relax in. There are also museums to learn about the lake and the area around it. One can even explore the Festetics Mansion and the grounds for a look into a different time period. This is definitely a fun and educational vacation spot for anyone.