Keszthely in a Day: A Dive into History and Thermal Bliss

The Festetics Palace was built in 1745 as a magnificent white palace. The palace is built in Baroque style and is located in the town of Keszthely. The original part of the palace has been turned into a museum, where you can see various old-style carriages, and the Helicon Library, with 86,000 rare books, is worth a visit.

Lake Balaton in Hungary is the largest lake in central Europe. It is located about 90 kilometers southwest of Budapest, on the southeast side of Mount Baconi, and is a lake formed by a northeast-southwest trending fault. The lake area has become a world-famous Hungarian tourist destination for its attractive lake and mountain scenery. Overview of Lake Balaton Lake Balaton is a long and narrow strip, 78 kilometers long, 1.5 to 15 kilometers wide, covering an area of 596 square kilometers, with an average water depth of 4 meters and a deeper depth of 11 meters. The water level of Lake Balaton is relatively shallow, and the water level is relatively high in April and May each year. In September and October, due to the high temperature and large evaporation, the water level of the lake is low. The water of Lake Balaton flows into the Danube along the east coast of the Shio Canal. The Tihani Peninsula on the north shore juts deep into the center of the lake, almost splitting the lake in two. Although the unpredictable "Hungarian Sea" Lake Balaton does not have the turbulent characteristics of the sea, when the wind is sunny, the blue waves are rippling, the white sails are dotted, and the white gulls are circling, like a moving seaside landscape. The climate on the lake is sometimes as unpredictable as the sea. Westerly winds from the Atlantic can cross the mountains and reach the lake, causing the temperature to drop and creating storms. The originally calm Lake Balaton will suddenly be stormy, with thunder and lightning. Therefore, Lake Balaton is given the reputation of "Hungarian Sea". Tihany Peninsula Tihany Peninsula is one of the more beautiful places in the lake area. The peninsula is about 100 meters above the water surface. The road on the island is rugged, the ancient trees are towering, and the scenery is quiet and beautiful. From the top of the peninsula, you can see the whole lake area. The mountains on the north bank of Lake Balaton stand tall and the trees are green, like a green barrier; the south bank of the lake is wide and flat, forming the longest lakeshore in Europe with shallow water and fine sand, which is a good natural bathing place. Siófok, on the south bank of Lake Siófok, has a wide and flat terrain with a shoreline of 1 km. It is a good natural bathing place and various summer resorts. In summer, thousands of tourists flock here to enjoy the sunshine and air provided by nature. Lake Balaton contains a lot of mineral salt, which is of great benefit to the human body. The lake is buoyant and especially suitable for swimming. It is also the transportation center on the lake, where ships come and go, and helicopters take off and land here. During the day, people can exercise on the large sports field; at night, they can go to the open-air theater to watch theatrical performances or watch movies. Other Regions Balatonfüred on the northern shore of the lake is a historic health resort. Today, it has been built into a beautiful garden city. Not far from the western shore of Lake Balaton, there is also a thermal lake called Hevis. Admire the ancient buildings Lake Balaton is not only beautiful in natural scenery, but also has many famous ancient buildings. In the north and south of the lake, there are ancient Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque buildings. One of the more ornate Baroque buildings is the Schumeeg Parish Church. Now, the Lake Balaton region has been turned into a national park and is also a venue for water sports competitions.