Cycling around Balaton Lake, Hungary, 2023

Balaton, also often called the Hungarian Sea, is the largest lake in Central Europe. The main attractions at Lake Balaton are: bicycle trails, water sports, picturesque views of the lake and vineyards on slopes of extinct volcanoes, historical places of Keszthely, Szigliget and Tihany, Hungarian cuisine, Balaton wines tasted straight from the barrel and healing geothermal waters (especially in Heviz).
There is a bicycle trail marked out around the shore of the lake called in Hungarian Balatoni körút. Its length is 210 km and with branches to nearby attractions it it may be even twice as long. For the most part, it is a separate route but sometimes it is shared with a pedestrian path or car road with marginal traffic. Generally, the route is very well marked, easy, safe and optimally adapted to the needs of cyclists. Bicycle trail can be divided into a southern and northern section. Southern section runs on flat terrain with plenty of places to rest. The views of Lake Balaton are truly magical there. The northern section is of slightly lower quality, worse marked, sometimes unlit and the terrain becomes slightly undulating. However, it is compensated by historical sites and stops in vineyards.


Map of Lake Balaton (source - Internet).


First view of Lake Balaton, Siofok.


Balatoni körút - Hungarian name for the bicycle trail around the shore of Lake Balaton.


























Three in one - a junior high school, a technical school and a church in one building, Keszthely.


In front of the Polish consulate in Keszthely.


How people traveled in the days before bicycles were invented. Now only helmets remain similar.


Doll museum.


Palace in Keszthely.




The world's largest natural geothermal lake with an area of 4.4 hectares and a depth of up to 38 m, Heviz.


The waters of Heviz have a particularly strong healing effect on the spine and joints.


Ruins of the medieval castle in Szigliget built between 1260 and 1262.


Chapel from 1789 located on one of the Balaton vineyards.


Vineyard on the slopes of an extinct volcano.


One of the roadside wine shops (called here vinoteka) where you can buy wine straight from the barrel.


Tasting of wines in barrels before purchasing is mandatory here.


After the wine tasting I gained strength but the bike unexpectedly lost motivation to carry me and persistently was refusing cooperation.






Historic church belonging to the Benedictine Abbey on the Tihany peninsula.


That day was very windy and rainy with stormy waves on the lake.


Breaking news in Hungarian TV on harsh weather conditions at Lake Balaton.


Fallen trees, destroyed roofs, a car and a bus blown off the road. I cycled it with the wind, so I'm not complaining.


A local cutie with a heart of stone.


Hungry in Hungary? Orjaleves - traditional Hungarian pork soup.


Playing with the mirror.


Sunset at Lake Balaton.


Moonlight night at Lake Balaton.