General informations about the Lake Balaton
Lake Balaton the "Hungarian Sea"
Lake Balaton is the largest freshwater lake of Central and Western-Europe and an important destination for domestic and international tourism. The lake is 76 kilometres long, its width varies between 1.5 and 13 kilometres; the water surface is 596 square kilometres. The average depth of the lake is 3 metres, with the exception of the Tihany peninsula, where the lake bottom plummets to 11-12 metres. The lake is supplied by the River Zala and some springs, and the surplus water is carried to the River Danube through the Sió canal.
Lake Balaton is an established holiday area mainly visited by families with children. There is a 210 km cycle path around the lake which gives you the chance to make a "Tour de Balaton".
Lake Balaton is an ideal spot for water sports such as sailing, windsurfing, kiting and kayaking. The 42 different kinds of fish in the lake are just waiting for fishermen. Several sights, such as the ruins of Szigliget, the Festetics Manor-House (located in Keszthely), the fortress of Sümeg, Kis (Little) Balaton, the Balaton Museum (located in Keszthely) are attractions to visit while you are staying in the region.
There are 5 wine regions around the lake, and the wines of the Balaton region are internationally known and also strongly attached to the world famous Hungarian cuisine. Badacsony (the biggest wine hill of the region) is famous for its white wine called Grey Monk, but other sorts like Chardonnay, Riesling, Muscat and Ottonell are also typical of the Badacsony wine region.
The landscape, the Hungarian hospitality and the reasonable prices are good arguments for a visit to the "Hungarian Sea".