LAKE BALATON

Selected departure dates throughout 2008 & 2009
From 4 day durations
Return flights & hotel transfers
From 3 nights bed & buffet breakfast at a 3 star central hotel
FREE INSURANCE on selected dates

SAMPLE ITINERARY

Day 1 - Departing from your chosen airport this morning you fly to Sármellék airport in the Lake Balaton area of Hungary. In summer, whilst in most countries the residents head toward the nearest sea, in Hungary with it being landlocked, many Hungarians head inland towards what is described as Central Europe’s largest lake and Hungary’s little sea, Lake Balaton. On arrival you will be met by your guide as we travel to Keszthely which is situated at the western end of the lake for a brief walking tour. This quaint baroque town is well known for the grand Festetics Palace, Gothic style Parish Church and Balaton Museum. The baroque styled Festetics Palace, built in 1880, was the residence of the wealthy Festetics family who once own much of the land in the region. They were forced to flee in 1945, but the palace fortunately survived looting thanks to the placement of a cunning sign alerting would-be looters of "contagious" diseases. Luckily the thieves fell for the ruse and the result is a fine example of how Hungary's now lost monarchy used to live. A local guide will accompany us around the palace whilst giving us more in depth information on its history. We then cotinue onto Badacsony which is a distinct ‘table-topped’ volcanic hill which is well known for its massive basalt towers, hill top walks, and its excellent wines, the grapes of which are cultivated on its shallow southern slopes between the hill and the lake. The wines superior quality is said to benefit from the volcanic ash present in the soil and the additional light which is reflected from the lake. Here you will enjoy a typical Hungarian lunch and you will get to try two of the local wines before a short walking tour of Badascony followed by a relaxing cruise on Lake Balaton. Our last visit of the day is to Salföld and the Nature Conservation Farmstead at the point where the Káli basin opens towards the lake, near a village which preserves the traditions of folk architecture. Here there are indigenous Hungarian animal species including "rackajuh" (a Hungarian variety of sheep), buffalo, "szürkemarha" (grey cattle), "mangalica" (a breed of pigs with curly bristles) and Hungarian sheepdogs. There are also traditional agricultural tools, and an exhibition of carriages and photography for you to enjoy. Your accommodation for the next 2 nights is the 3* hotel Annabella in Balatonfüred which is hidden between trees and is situated directly on Lake Balaton’s shores. From the hotel’s private beach there are unforgettable views of the Tihany peninsula, and that of the Lake’s southern shore. A buffet dinner is included at the hotel this evening.
Day 2 - This morning you will have a little free time to enjoy the hotel's beach and pools before our walking tour of Balatonfüre. This town has been attracting those in need of its spring’s therapeutic effects since the 18th Century. Its mineral water is said to remedy ailments of the heart and nervous system and the focal point of the town’s culture of healing is the tranquil tree-shaded Gyógy tér (or Healing Square). This friendly town on the northern shore of Lake Balaton has parks, a harbour, a promenade, museums, ‘Csarda’ inn restaurants & endless wine groves. It is an ideal base from where you can explore the charming villages dotted around the ‘Hungarian Sea’. We then travel to Tihany, this steep peninsula that protrudes across the lake like a gigantic geographical uvula, is an idyllic retreat which should not be missed and which was assigned the status of nature reserve in 1955 to protect its many rare species of flora and fauna. Thatched roof cottages line the narrow lanes of the old hill-top village, first established in 1055 as a burial-place for the royal family and famous for its Benedictine Monastery, the foundation documents of which contained the first written record of the Hungarian language. The peninsula also provides excellent views of the surrounding lake and it is here that we will take lunch in Fogas Csárda a typical Hungarian tavern. This afternoon it's onto Herend where we will visit the famous porcelain manufacturer for a private tour. Herend is at the pinnacle of porcelain-making in Hungary and until recently, only a privileged few saw for themselves how Herend's marvelous works of art were made. The factory founded by Vince Stingl and revived by Mor Fischer is now more than 175 years old and brought the production of porcelain to perfection in a few short years. From 1851 onwards, its meticulous, hand-painted masterpieces of unrivalled beauty won countless gold medals at world exhibitions. Herend Porcelain soon gained the place it deserved on the tables of monarchs, princes, aristocrats, statesmen and Hollywood stars. You will be served a cup of coffee in the Apicius Café before we travel onto Veszprém for a walking tour of the historical old town. The centre of Veszprém is the castle, which together with the surrounding town was one of the significant centres of Hungary until the Turkish occupation. It was the King’s and Queen’s seat as well as an episcopal seat. The medieval castle and town suffered large-scale destruction in the Turkish period. The present-day historic town evolved during the town development constructions of the 18-19 th and the early 20th century. WWII and the following period caused relatively little damage to the old centre. We then drive back to the Balaton lake for a wine-tasting in Csopak at the St Donat Wine Cellars. Tonights a dinner is in Balatonudvari at the Lucifer Csárda with Gypsy music after which you will be returned to the Annabella hotel later this evening.
Day 3 - After breakfast today we check out of the hotel as we start our next stage of the tour travelling to Hévíz via Balaton Highlands National Park. Our first stop is at The old town of Tapolca which nestles behind Szent Gyorgy Hill it also holds another delight for those who love the wonders of nature: the cave lake.This was formed by volcanic activity when hot water gouged out the labyrinth of winding corridors and halls in the limestone, which were then flooded by crystal clear karst water. You could be mistaken that you are in Charon's ferry in a mythological underworld, while rowing around the mysteriously lit, twisting waterway, except that this is an underworld from which there is a way back. The caves under the town are not only a tourist sight, their climate is ideal for the treatment of serious respiratory diseases. After this unusual experience there will be a short walking tour of the town before we continue onto Sümeg where lunch is in the restaurant Knight Hall. Having refreshed ourselves we continue to the Sümeg Castle, a paved path leads from the Franciscan church to an imposing, extensive ruined castle on the 260m high hill above the town. In the 16th century the castle was the property of the bishops of Veszprém, who extended it in 1552 with Renaissance Italian-style bastions against the Turks, who were unable to take it. At the beginning of the 18th century it was an important military base of the Rákóczi rebels resulting in its being set on fire and blown up by the imperial troops in 1713. Some parts were reconstructed after 1959 including a residential tower in the south of the courtyard which is now the castle museum. From the castle hill there are wonderful views of the surrounding area. We will arrive at our hotel in Hévíz where you will be based for 2 nights later this afternoon and you will have ample time to relax and enjoy your surroundings before your buffet dinner at the hotel. The world famous thermal lake of Hévíz, with its largest water surface in Europe, offers open-air bathing the whole year. HUNGUEST Hotel Helios***superior is situated in the middle of a 4,5-ha-large well-kept nature conservation park, 500 m far from the thermal lake. The two buildings of the hotel, Helios ANNA and BENJAMIN are connected each other with a heated corridor and have a unique ambience and the hotel also has its own medical and wellness centre.
Day 4 - After your Hungarian style breakfast we start today with a leisurely sightseeing tour of Heviz by 'Mini Train' that will give you a tour around the town. We then arrive at the Hévíz Lake Spa which is warm as a result of geothermal energy. The water is heated deep under the earth, after this it passes through rocks taking in various metals and minerals before emerging as a spring. If you look at the surface of the lake, you can see it moving slightly and when you are swimming sometimes you feel some bubbles rising up !!(No comments please)! The beginnings of the lake go back to the time when this region of Europe was under a tropical sea and it was then that mineral deposits formed in this area. Later as the sea was replaced by land there came an era of hot springs and volcanic activity which is still active today, although not to the same degree. According to researchers, the lake was formed about 22 thousand years ago at the same time as Lake Balaton and even in summer the water temperature is higher than the outside temperature. We walk back to the hotel for a light lunch before a water gymnastics session at the hotel. This afternoon you can make the most of the facilities on offer at the hotel which also include one 20 minute massage per person as part of this tour. Having fully relaxed this afternoon we drive to Keszthely for a wine-tasting followed by a finale dinner to this exciting tour at the Restaurant Bacchus. We return you to the hotel late tonight.
Day 5 - After breakfast we depart the hotel and return by coach to the airport for your flight back to the UK from where you will return to your original departure points.

PRICE & SUPPLEMENTS

Price on application
Single room supplements & minimum numbers apply

HOW TO BOOK

Choose your departure date
For your instant quote / more information:
Call Simply Groups on 01943 605999 or
click here to use our online enquiry form.

WE WILL DO THE REST