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The Baroque façade of the Festetics PalaceJörg Blobelt · CC BY-SA 4.0

What to do · Keszthely

Festetics Palace and the Helikon Library

One of the largest palaces in Hungary, with more than twenty rooms of the Festetics family and the Helikon Library · 2 h · From 4,600 Ft · Open all year

InformationFrom Ft4600 adult (forints), palace and one exhibition
From
Ft4600 adult (forints), palace and one exhibition
Duration
2 h
Season
All year; in winter, Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 17:00
Who it's for
All ages

What it is

The Festetics Palace is the great house of the Festetics counts, the family that turned Keszthely into a centre of culture and agronomy. Kristóf Festetics began it in 1745 and it was extended over two centuries until it took its present appearance. The visit takes in more than twenty rooms with the furniture, portraits and life of the family, and the Helikon Library, the family's great library. Behind it opens the protected park.

Opening hours and prices

  • Winter (November to March): Tuesday to Sunday, from 10:00 to 17:00; ticket office from 10:00 to 16:30. Closed on Mondays, on 1 November and from 21 to 25 December.
  • Summer 2026 prices: palace and one exhibition, 4,600 Ft; palace and five exhibitions, 7,500 Ft; with the Fenékpuszta farm, 9,500 Ft. Reduced, ages 6 to 25 and over-62s: half. Parents with two or more children under 18: 50% discount.
  • Check its website for the winter rate.

Getting there

Kastély utca 1, north of the centre. From the railway station, about a 20-minute walk along Kossuth Lajos utca.

Tips

  • Choose the ticket with exhibitions With children, the palace and the carriage or miniature railway one.

Frequently asked questions

Is it open on Monday?

No, Tuesday to Sunday.

How much time do I need?

Two hours for the palace and one exhibition; half a day with the park and the others.

As a familyWith teenagers

Opening hours and prices can change: check them before you go.

Round off the plan

Where to eat, where to stay and what else to do

To eat nearby

The lounge with bookshelves, plants and sofas© Klassz Kultbisztró

Klassz Kultbisztró

Restaurant · Keszthely · €€€€

What to order: The weekend brunch or something to share with a cocktail.

Hours change with the season; in winter it closes Monday to Wednesday.
The interior of John's Pub, with wooden tables, blue chairs and the bar at the back© John's Pub

John's Pub

Bar · Keszthely · €€€€

What to order: Pub food and a beer after the palace.

Closed on Sunday; book by phone.

To stay nearby

A room in the hotel© Kristály Hotel KeszthelyHotel

Kristály Hotel

200 m from the lake · Wellness · Terrace

Why we like it: A four-star hotel 200 metres from the lake, with deluxe rooms, wellness with a jacuzzi and sauna, and a bar terrace with the sunset.

The hotel on the lakeshore with the tennis courts in front© Hotel HelikonSpa hotel

Hotel Helikon

On the lakeshore · Wellness and saunas · Accepts pets

Dogs welcome

Why we like it: A superior four-star hotel on the Balaton shore, with 176 renovated rooms, a large wellness area, tennis and pets up to 15 kg.

Itineraries

Features in these plans