This is how Hungarians like to spend their holidays: nothing beats a day on the beach at Lake Balaton!

According to the latest online survey by Csodásmagyarország.hu, the most popular holiday activities in Hungary are beach holidays, sightseeing and spa days. Lake Balaton is the overwhelming favourite, followed by lakes Tisza and Hévíz. Almost half of the respondents said that they drew inspiration from social‑media sites and online articles when choosing a destination in Hungary, while more than a fifth relied on recommendations from friends.

An online survey conducted by Csodásmagyarország.hu in July 2025, with 2,198 participants, found that almost one third of Hungarians look for experiences near water during their summer holidays. Seventeen per cent of respondents said they prefer to spend their holidays at the beach, while 13 % said they prefer spas and wellness facilities. However, many people prefer active leisure activities: 16 % opt for sightseeing and 11 % for hiking. Similarly, one in ten people prefer to visit cultural attractions such as castles, palaces and museums, while a similar proportion seek tranquillity by taking walks in parks, arboreta or zoos.

Openness to hiking is particularly high among the 18–29 and 30–45 age groups. The youngest respondents also prefer to attend festivals and other events. There is no significant difference between the 46–65 age group and the overall figures, but holiday habits differ among those aged over 65. Spa‑bathing was the most popular activity for this group, with 20 % choosing this option. This was followed by nature walks (15 %), city visits (14 %) and exploring historic buildings such as castles and palaces (11 %). Beach‑going was the fifth most popular activity. However, this age group showed a higher‑than‑average interest in pilgrimage sites.


Lake Balaton remains unbeatable

When asked which Hungarian lake they would most like to spend their holiday on, almost two‑thirds of respondents (65 %) chose Lake Balaton. Lake Tisza came second with 13 % of the vote, while Lake Hévíz came third with 9 %. Lake Velence came fourth and Lake Fertő fifth.

A similar trend is observable across all age groups, with Lake Balaton consistently ranking first and Lake Tisza second. The only exception is the over‑65s, who prefer Lake Hévíz, with nearly a third of them voting for it. Among 30–45‑year‑olds, Lake Velence is more popular than Lake Hévíz. The youngest respondents (aged 18–29) also included Lake Orfű in their top five, replacing Lake Fertő. The same ranking holds true for 46–65‑year‑olds, where Lake Orfű has also moved ahead of Lake Fertő.

Almost half of Hungarians look online for holiday inspiration

The research shows that social‑media sites are a major source of inspiration for 26 % of respondents when choosing a destination in their own country, while 23 % base their decision on online articles. A similar proportion (22 %) cited recommendations from friends. Meanwhile, 9 % of respondents are inspired by podcasts and travel shows, and 6 % by books and magazines. Four per cent use Tourinform offices. Three per cent choose their destination based on films and TV shows, and the same proportion use travel agencies. Travel exhibitions, radio programmes and adverts influence the decisions of 2 %–2 % of people.

Similar proportions are visible across the age groups, but personal recommendations play a particularly strong role among those aged over 65, with 26 % relying on them to choose a destination. Social‑networking sites (18 %) and online content (13 %) follow, with books and magazines (9 %) after that. Among the youngest age group, social media platforms are much more important than average: 32 % cite them as a source of inspiration. The 30–45 age group also relies heavily on those channels, with 28 % choosing that option.