Anna Grand Hotel
Why we like it: A five-star hotel in the historic building on Balatonfüred's spa square, with a spa, restaurant and café, two minutes from the lake.
Duration2 nights
From Budapest1 h 45 by car to Tihany
Best timeAll year; lavender in late June
Budget€220–420 pp
Hévíz lake2 h from 3,000 Ft
The plan
The plan, hour by hour
Designed for a hire car, collected at the airport or in Budapest on Friday afternoon. The first night in Balatonfüred or Tihany; the second in Hévíz, to bathe in the thermal lake in the morning before heading back.
Friday
- 117:00From Budapest to Balatonfüred
About 130 km on the M7 and the northern shore. Dinner at the Anna Grand restaurant and a night in Balatonfüred or Tihany.
Saturday
- 109:30Tagore Promenade at Balatonfüred
The lakeside walk and the harbour in the morning light, and a coffee on Gyógy tér.
- 210:30Tihany Abbey
The church, the tomb of King Andrew I and the view of Balaton from the esplanade. In winter it opens at 10:00.
- 312:00Walk to the inner lake
An hour and a half on the paths of the volcanic peninsula.
- 414:30Ferry to Szántód and back
Eight minutes in the middle of the lake; cross over and come back on the next one.
- 515:30Tapolca Lake Cave
On the way to Hévíz, 180 metres rowing beneath the town. Book a time.
- 618:00Arrival in Hévíz
A night at the Hotel Spa Hévíz, by the lake, or at the Lotus Therme.
Sunday
- 109:00Bath in the thermal lake
Two hours in the hot water, outdoors. In winter you enter through the Festetics Fürdőház.
- 211:30Walk through the lake forest
The circuit of the lake through the protective forest.
- 313:00Festetics Palace in Keszthely
6 km away: the rooms, the Helikon Library and the park. Return to Budapest in the afternoon, about two hours fifteen minutes.
Balaton falls short in a day from Budapest, and Hévíz, an hour further west, deserves a night there so you can bathe in its thermal lake unhurriedly. With two nights you combine both: the Tihany peninsula with its abbey, the Balatonfüred promenade, the ferry in the middle of the lake and an outdoor bath in Hévíz, which works all year, even with sub-zero air.
What does it cost?
| What | How much | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Tihany Abbey | 3,400 Ft | Family (2 + 2) 9,700 Ft |
| Szántód–Tihany ferry | BAHART ticket | All year, every 30 min in winter |
| Tapolca Lake Cave | 5,000 Ft | Children 3,400 Ft; by reservation |
| Hévíz lake, 2 hours | 3,000 Ft | With wellness 5,000 Ft |
| Festetics Palace | From 4,600 Ft | Summer 2026 price |
Where to sleep
On Balaton, the Anna Grand Hotel in Balatonfüred, a five-star on the spa square, or the Club Tihany Resort, with cottages and its own beach next to the ferry, better with children. In Hévíz, the Hotel Spa Hévíz, the spa's own hotel, on the lake promenade, or the Lotus Therme, a five-star with a thermal spa.
Where to eat
In Balatonfüred, the Anna Grand restaurant, open at midday and in the evening all year, and the Anna Café for an afternoon snack. In season, from Easter to mid-October, the csárda of Ferenc Pince at the top of Tihany. In Hévíz, the Platán Étterem, by the lake.
With children
Hévíz lake is free for under-6s and costs 1,500 Ft from 6 to 14 years; the sauna, only from 12. The Tapolca cave by boat and the miniature train at the Festetics Palace are the two outings they like best.
Map
The stops, in order
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Plan the trip
Lake Balaton, step by step
Each choice narrows the next: the season shapes how best to travel, and how you travel decides where you stay and where you eat.
When to go
When to go to Lake Balaton
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Best timeGood timeLow season
How you travel
The same break, your way
The plan stays the same. What changes is where you sleep, how you get there and how much you spend.
Balaton by Car Along the Northern Shore
By car, Balaton is seen as it should be: Balatonfüred, the Tihany peninsula, the ferry to the southern shore and, to the west, Hévíz and Keszthely. From Budapest it is about 130 km on the M7, with an electronic vignette. The budget is per person per day, with accommodation, food and petrol.
90–170 €per person per day, approximate
- SleepingAnna Grand Hotel, five stars…
- Getting aroundM7 from Budapest and the…
- EatingFerenc Pince, in season
- ServicesCar parks in Tihany
Sleeping
- Anna Grand Hotel, five stars in Balatonfüred
- Club Tihany Resort, by the lake and the ferry
- Ferenc Vendégház, at the top of Tihany, March to December
Getting around
- M7 from Budapest and the northern-shore road
- Szántód–Tihany ferry, all year
- Park at Akasztó-domb to go up to the abbey
Eating
- Ferenc Pince, in season
- Anna Grand restaurant, all year
Services
- Car parks in Tihany
Balaton Without a Car, by Train, Bus and Ferry
Without a car, the base is Balatonfüred: the train arrives from Budapest in about two hours and the bus goes up to Tihany in a quarter of an hour. The ferry crosses to the southern shore. In winter there are fewer services: plan your returns. The budget is per person per day, with accommodation, food and transport.
80–150 €per person per day, approximate
- SleepingAnna Grand Hotel, in Balatonfüred…
- Getting aroundBudapest–Balatonfüred train
- EatingAnna Grand restaurant and Anna…
- ServicesTrain to Balatonfüred and bus…
Sleeping
- Anna Grand Hotel, in Balatonfüred, next to the lakeside promenade
- Club Tihany Resort, next to the ferry stop
Getting around
- Budapest–Balatonfüred train
- Balatonfüred–Tihany bus
- Szántód–Tihany ferry
Eating
- Anna Grand restaurant and Anna Café, in Balatonfüred
Services
- Train to Balatonfüred and bus to Tihany
Fly to Budapest and Continue to Balaton by Car or Train
Lake Balaton has no airport of its own with flights from Spain: you fly to Budapest-Ferenc Liszt (BUD), with direct flights from Madrid and Barcelona. From there, Tihany is about 130 km on the M7, around an hour and three quarters by hire car; without a car, take the 100E bus to the centre, a train to Balatonfüred in about two hours and a bus to Tihany.
- Getting thereBudapest Airport (BUD), with car…
- Getting aroundHire car to travel the…
- SleepingAnna Grand Hotel, in Balatonfüred…
- ServicesTrain to Balatonfüred and bus…
Getting there
- Budapest Airport (BUD), with car hire in the terminal
- Train from Budapest to Balatonfüred along the northern shore
- Bus from Balatonfüred to Tihany
Getting around
- Hire car to travel the northern shore and reach Hévíz
- Szántód–Tihany ferry to cross to the southern shore
Sleeping
- Anna Grand Hotel, in Balatonfüred, two minutes from the lake
- Club Tihany Resort, next to the ferry
Services
- Train to Balatonfüred and bus to Tihany
How much does it cost?
People2
Nights2
Where to stay
Where to stay if you're drivingwithout a carif you're flying
We show you what suits the way you travel.Change how you travel
Club Tihany Resort
Why we like it: A lakeside complex at the tip of Tihany, next to the ferry, with its own beach, wellness, rooms, suites and cottages for families.
Ferenc Vendégház
Why we like it: The guesthouse of the Ferenc winery at the top of Tihany, with family rooms and a terrace with a view of the lake; open from mid-March to mid-December.
Services for this trip
Where to eat
Where to eat in Lake Balaton
Anna Café
What to order: The Jókai cake, with almond cream and rosehip jam, with a coffee.
Anna Grand Hotel Restaurant
What to order: If there is lake fish on the menu, order it with a white from Balatonfüred-Csopak.
Ferenc Pince
What to order: Hungarian cooking on the terrace with a house white, and a tasting at the wine museum.
Open only from Easter to mid-October.
Tips
Worth knowing first
Local tip
In winter, change the order: arrive in Hévíz on Friday and bathe at dusk on Saturday, when the steam over the lake is greatest; Balaton looks best in morning light.
We'd skip it
Going to Balaton in July and August without a booking: it is the Hungarian holiday season and everything fills up.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take from Budapest to Balaton?
An hour and three quarters by car to Tihany; about two hours by train to Balatonfüred.
Can you do it without a car?
Half and half: train to Balatonfüred, bus to Tihany and long-distance bus to Hévíz. With a car you do it all.
Is it worth going in winter?
Yes, above all for Hévíz. On Balaton, many seasonal restaurants close from October to Easter.
How much does the break cost?
With two hotel nights, meals, tickets and a shared car, about €220–420 per person depending on the hotel.