“Lake Balaton is perfect,” enthuses Denes, an international tour guide from Hungary. “You have good food, great wine and beautiful scenery.”
Central Europeans have long been holidaying on Hungary’s Lake Balaton, making the most of its wonderful climate and beautiful beaches for sunbathing, swimming and water sports from canoeing and paddleboarding to sailing, windsurfing and jet skiing. But for those looking for something different from their vacation, Lake Balaton offers the wonderful opportunity to unlock the unexpected upgrade of exploring ‘The Hungarian Sea’ by eco-friendly bicycle.
“A cycling vacation around Lake Balaton is more about exploring than cycling,” explains Denes. “It’s a lovely leisurely way of seeing the natural beauty of this place.” And it’s so easy to make it an eco-adventure.
The most scenic way to reach Lake Balaton is by taking the train from Budapest to Siófok on the lake’s shore where you can hire a bike or e-bike. “And wherever there’s tourism they’re going to speak English,” adds Denes. If you really want to extend your green miles, you could even cycle along the River Danube from Vienna to Budapest first. But with Europe’s train travel so eco-friendly, save your legs for the lake!
Not that the cycling is hard. “It’s not challenging terrain,” Denes encourages. “The southern shore is pretty flat and even the hillier northern shore is easygoing. Anybody who can cycle can do it.” The clearly signposted, purpose-built cycle paths wind their way some 130 miles around the lake, often following the shoreline on dedicated lanes separate from the road and sometimes detouring through secluded stretches of scenic countryside. “It’s one of the easiest and safest routes I’ve cycled in Europe,” Denes confides. Which is why it appeals to families, amateurs and anyone who simply wants to travel greener and build closer connections with a destination by being outdoors in it.
“What I love about cycling around a place,” explains Denes, “is that you actually experience that place. You see things you would never see from a car and end up chatting to locals by the roadside. You are getting the sights, smells, tastes and encounters that you can’t experience from inside a car.” With the fresh air all around and the time to stop and take in the views, cycling is simply a more laid-back way to explore and a more meaningful way to connect with the Great Outdoors. And Lake Balaton has so much to discover.
“Lake Balaton is great,” explains Denes, “because you only have to cycle a short distance before there’s something to do. You’re breaking up the bike ride with little adventures.” Along with the stunning scenery, the picturesque villages and the chance to cool down with a spontaneous swim, there are historic churches and chateaus, dramatic caves, fragrant lavender fields and wetlands teeming with birds. This means you can discover something new every day.
Perhaps you cycle to Festetics Castle in Keszthely. “It’s a beautiful Baroque chateau,” explains Denes. “You can stop there for a couple of hours, visit the gardens, have a coffee and a cake, and then continue on your bike.” Another day you might visit the historic Benedictine Abbey or the basalt cliffs at Hegyestű. And after a few days cycling, maybe head to the extraordinary thermal lake at Hévíz. “I’ve not seen anything like it anywhere in the world,” marvels Denes. “It’s like a hot spring; you can just float there with all these water lilies – it’s very very relaxing.”
And wherever you go around Lake Balaton, you never feel far from a vineyard such as Pátzay Borbirtokon or St.Donat. Making your way gently up the hills of the northern shore, the reward of fantastic views and equally fantastic wine awaits. “You’re sitting on a lovely terrace with spectacular views and they’re serving you wonderful wine and great food. That’s as good as it gets after pedaling 10 or 12 miles,” Denes laughs. In fact, some vineyards, such as Figula Pinceszet and Borbarátok, have become more like a gastro experience. “They take classic Hungarian dishes and give them a modern twist,” explains Denes. “Foodies will love it.”
And knowing you’ll be burning off any added calories on your bike makes indulging all the more pleasurable. In fact, exploring the delights of Lake Balaton on two wheels instead of four brings the enormous satisfaction of knowing you’re traveling responsibly, minimizing your carbon footprint and helping to preserve the stunning scenery and wildlife for future generations. “It’s really quite world-class for sights,” recalls Denes. “The views are quite fantastic. And you experience it so much more by bike.”
Denes’s experiences around Lake Balaton can be found at http://vividincoming.hu
