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Badacsony: Special home to breathtaking panoramas and diverse attractions

Badacsony Hill and The Lake BalatonBadacsonyBalaton

If you’re looking for spectacular panoramas and a stunning landscape, your perfect destination in Hungary is Badacsony on the banks of Lake Balaton. Check out your choices!

Badacsony is situated in Veszprém county, on the northern shore of Lake Balaton, opposite the town of Fonyód. It is the highest butte (438 metres) of the Tapolca Basin, wedged between two bays of Lake Balaton. The volcanic mountain offers spectacular trails and fantastic panoramas for hikers on 365 days of the year so most visitors organizing programs at the “Hungarian sea” usually also visit Badacsony. Their choice is a good one!

 

A few reasons why Badacsony is called the “king of the Balaton mountains”:

 

Although the butte stopped spewing lava millions of years ago, it is now home to special geological formations called “basalt organ pipes”.

 

A special grape is grown on its hills, used for making the superb Badacsony wine.

 

It is part of the Upper Balaton National Park. The park directorate made considerable efforts to create a comfortable and exciting geological-botanical-zoological nature trail.

 

It has several spectacular look-out stations and attractions so you can easily spend a day here.

 

You can discover the surroundings on foot by taking a Nordic walking tour or on a bike.

 

The hospitality of locals is a heart-warming experience.

 

There is also no shortage of culinary encounters; there is a large offer of wine cellars and pleasant restaurants.

 

If we’re tired from hiking, a plunge into the smooth freshwater of Lake Balaton would be a good option.

Badacsony of the distant past: A brief history of the area

There is such a rich variety of natural treasures in Badacsony that according to legend, giants once played here with cubes, hills and cones, and then suddenly had to leave and they left their toys behind. Our ancestors soon discovered that this place was perfectly suitable for vine-growing. According to some sources, the Celts planted grapes on the hillside in the 4th century BC, and the Romans also cultivated this fruit in the Upper Balaton, a place that very much resembled their Mediterranean homeland. As the conquerors succeeded one another, all of them enjoyed wine. So the vine-growing cultures inherited from the distant past have been fortunately preserved and we can still enjoy the unique taste of local wines.

Attractions to see while on a trip to Badacsony

If you’re taking a pleasant excursion to Badacsony, make sure you don't miss these attractions:

 

  • the Kisfaludy look-out station offers a spectacular panorama of Lake Balaton and the surrounding mountains;
  • the monument named after the sub-prefect Károly Hertelendy, offering a view of the Tomaj bay and Örs Mountain;
  • the Kő Gate, consisting of giant basalt towers created through the erosion of natural forces and the surrounding rock stream;
  • the Rodostó chalet built in 1936 in memory of Ferenc Rákóczi and his hiding partner, leading a fight for freedom against the Habsburgs;
  • the Tördemic look-out station offers a view of the basalt organ pipes in the side of Saint George Mountain and ruins of the Szigliget castle;
  • the Ranolder Cross raised by Bishop János Ranolder on the southern edge of the mountain’s plateau;
  • the Saint Donatus chapel built in the 19th century in a Neo-Gothic style;
  • the thatched roof house of the Hungarian poet Sándor Kisfaludy;
  • the press-house of the poet’s wife, Róza Szegedi, which now accommodates the Sándor Kisfaludy and Róza Szegedy Literary Memorial Museum;
  • the local historical and ethnographic collection of the Rural Heritage Building.

If in Badacsony, taste the wine!

Badacsony is not only a great destination for nature lovers, but also for wine enthusiasts. The proximity of Lake Balaton to the mountain has a very positive effect on its climate, supporting a flourishing wine-growing culture spanning thousands of years. Welschriesling, Müller-Thurgau, Pinot gris, Kéknyelű, Zeus – whichever type of wine you prefer, you can be certain to taste some unique wines in Badacsony.

We wouldn't leave these places out, either

One thing is certain: we could go on and on about the things to see in Badacsony. There are, however, a few more places there you may find worth visiting:

 

  • Tour the Folly Arboretum in Badacsonyörs and enjoy the fresh air among cypress and cedar trees that are several centuries old!
  • Take a walk up to the ruins of the Szigliget castle and you will not be disappointed by the panorama. Do you know that this is the only castle by Lake Balaton that was destroyed by a lightning strike?
  • Meet some indigenous Hungarian domestic animals at the Salföld Manor! It’s a great program for kids but adults are also able to find things of interest there.
  • Visit the Hegyestű (Needlepoint) in Monoszló where a 50-metre-high mine wall reveals secrets of volcanic rock!

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