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Six attractions that make it worthwhile cycling around Lake Velence

Velencei-tóGreater Budapest

It’s no surprise that one of the country’s sportiest areas is the region around Lake Velence, where you’ll find everything you need for active recreation: an amazing environment and countless opportunities for sports. Hop on your bike and ride around the country’s third-largest natural lake.

The 30-kilometre-long tour around Lake Velence is enjoyable for everyone – beginners, re-starters and veteran riders alike. It’s a popular destination among cyclists for a reason: the route is mostly flat and, depending on how often you stop, is easily manageable within a few hours. While you’re cycling, you can enjoy the beauty of the lake’s rich flora and fauna – even the settlements on the shore of the lake are full of surprises, which makes it worth spending a whole day here. If you arrive without your own bike, you can rent one in the bigger towns around the lake, such as Velence, Agárd or Gárdony. The cycle path runs along the shore, with a slight incline just before Pákozd.

Lake Velence

One of the country’s most beautiful public beaches awaits you in Velence

Especially in the summer, it is a good idea to take a break at the sandy beach of the promenade in Velence, where you can dip your toes into the lake water, which is rich in sodium and magnesium, and then cool off under the beach umbrellas. If the crowds are too much for you, there’s a retro public beach nearby.

Let’s watch birds: visit the Madárdal (Bird Song) educational trail

The landscape looks quite different in the southwestern bay of the lake. With its contiguous reeds, the 420 hectares of the Lake Velence Bird Reserve Nature Conservation Area provide a home for rare bird species. These include the great egret and the Eurasian spoonbill and, in the more shallow areas, the little grebe builds their nests. In the autumn, you can come across the taiga bean goose, the greylag goose and the hen harrier in the thick layer of reeds. If you’d like to get to know these special birds even better, don’t miss the birdwatching hideouts and hiking trails on the Madárdal (Bird Song) educational trail nearby.

Madárdal (Bird Song) educational trail, Velence

Remember the old times by wandering in the Castle Park of Dinnyés

This tiny settlement on the shore of Lake Velence awaits you with a unique outdoor exhibition that even made it into the Guinness Book of World Records. The exhibition shows models of Hungarian ruin castles and, just like their real counterparts, the 35 buildings are made of stone, wood, bricks, twigs and mud. Apart from the exhibition, you can also visit a village museum presenting the Árpád era and some cute backyard animals.

The Military Memorial Park in Pákozd is located in one of the most famous battlefields of Hungarian history

The Military Memorial Park exhibits the military history of several decades. In the 1.6-hectare park, you can take a peek into WWI officers’ barracks, hide in WWII trenches, and even find yourself face to face with a real T-55 tank at the 1956 memorial. The Don Riverbend Memorial Chapel, 500 metres from the park, is also a must-see feature of the exhibition.

Sukoró Arboretum

The Pákozd-Sukoró Arboretum and Wildlife Park is the home of wild boars, pheasants, roe deer and deer, where the animals graze on spacious meadows. You can take a look around the Park area from the lookout tower on Mészeg Hill, where the view toward Lake Velence is simply breathtaking. The Arboretum offers a unique opportunity to use the little fire pits for barbecues.

Halász Palace

This tiny but imposing castle is found in Kápolnásnyék, and making a detour to visit the Neo-Baroque building and the 1.5-hectare castle park is truly worthwhile. The recently renovated complex has a visitor centre and an exhibition space where you can learn more about the history of Lake Velence and its surroundings.

WONDERS OF HUNGARY: SUMMERTIME AT LAKE VELENCEWe have launched a mini-series in 2020 entitled Wonders of Hungary, occasionally presenting our country's beautiful treasures in about a minute to inspire you. Welcome to the next episode, in which we show you the summer vibes of Lake Velence.
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