Tata Castle and the Kuny Domokos Museum
1 h 30All agesAll year; closed on Monday
The water castle on the shore of the Öreg-tó, a residence of King Matthias, with the town museum inside · 1 h 30
From BudapestTrain or car, around 1 h
Time neededOne day
Fényes trail2,300 Ft
Best timeApr – Oct · geese in winter
What to do
What to do in Tata
Each plan says how long it takes, who it's for and whether you can book.
Walk Around the Öreg-tó Shore
1 h 30All ages; flat, fine with a pushchairDog-friendlyAll year; in autumn and winter, with wild geese on the water
Tata's old lake on foot, from the castle to the trees on the southern shore · 1 h 30 · Free · Flat
Must-see
Fényes Springs Boardwalk
1 hAll ages; flat walkway, fine with a pushchairAll year, from 8:00 to 16:00
A walkway over karst springs of clear water and protected marshes · 1 h · From 2,300 Ft · No dogs
From Ft2300
Book
Itineraries
Itineraries that pass through
Days and weekends already planned out, with how to get between each stop and who to book with.
Plan the trip
Tata, 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 Tata
From April to October, with everything open, including the mill park. In November and winter the lake fills with wild geese and the town sets up an ice rink and an Advent market; Malomkert closes from November to April.
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How you travel
Tata your way
Choose how you're travelling and we'll tell you where to stay, how to get around, where to eat and which services you'll need. We only show the ways of travelling that make sense here.
Tata by Car, an Hour from Budapest on the M1
By car, Tata is about 70 km from Budapest on the M1 motorway, the one to Győr and Vienna, with an electronic vignette. With a car you reach the Fényes trail, 3 km from the centre, and the Kiss hotel, in Tóváros, without waiting. The budget is per person per day, with accommodation, food and petrol.
70–130 €per person per day, approximate
- SleepingÖreg-tó Hotel, with free parking…
- Getting aroundM1 from Budapest, about 70…
- EatingPlatán Bisztró, next to the…
- ServicesHello Tata, information and tickets
Sleeping
- Öreg-tó Hotel, with free parking and dogs welcome
- Hotel Kiss, with a pool and wellness
Getting around
- M1 from Budapest, about 70 km
- Free parking next to the Fényes trail
- On foot between the castle, the English garden and the lake
Eating
- Platán Bisztró, next to the castle
- Veranda Bistro, with free parking
Services
- Hello Tata, information and tickets
Tata Without a Car, by Train from Budapest
Tata can be done without a car: the train on the Győr line gets you there in about an hour, and the castle, the lake, the English garden and the shot tower are within walking distance. Only the Fényes trail is 3 km away, by city bus or on foot. The budget is per person per day, with accommodation, meals and tickets.
65–150 €per person per day, approximate
- SleepingPlatán Udvarház, opposite the castle
- Getting aroundTrain from Keleti or Kelenföld
- EatingPlatán Bisztró, also on Sunday
- ServicesTrain to Tata
Sleeping
- Platán Udvarház, opposite the castle
- Öreg-tó Hotel, a 20-minute walk from the Tóvároskert stop
Getting around
- Train from Keleti or Kelenföld
- On foot along the lake shore
- City bus to Fényes
Eating
- Platán Bisztró, also on Sunday
- Veranda Bistro, by the lake
Services
- Train to Tata
Fly to Budapest and Continue to Tata by Train or Car
Tata has no airport: you fly to Budapest-Ferenc Liszt (BUD), with direct flights from Madrid and Barcelona. From the airport to the centre, take the 100E bus; from Kelenföld or Keleti, a train to Tata in about an hour. By hire car it is about 90 km via the M0 and the M1. Tata is also on the way if you continue to Győr or Vienna.
- Getting thereBudapest Airport (BUD), 100E bus…
- Getting aroundOn foot between the castle…
- SleepingÖreg-tó Hotel, with 24-hour reception
- ServicesTrain to Tata
Getting there
- Budapest Airport (BUD), 100E bus to the centre
- Train from Kelenföld or Keleti to Tata or Tóvároskert
- Hire car at the airport, via the M0 and the M1
Getting around
- On foot between the castle and the lake
- City bus to Fényes
Sleeping
- Öreg-tó Hotel, with 24-hour reception
Services
- Train to Tata
How much does it cost?
People2
Nights3
Who you're with
Tata for whoever you're with
A trip with a toddler is not the same as one with a teenager. Pick yours to see what works and what to bear in mind.
Tata with the Family
Tata is a quiet outing with children: a lake to walk around, a wooden walkway over springs that can be done with a pushchair, a tower to climb and, from May to October, a mill park where water makes things move.
- What works bestThe Fényes trail, with a…
- SleepingÖreg-tó Hotel, with a park…
- EatingVeranda Bistro, with pizza and…
- Bear in mindMalomkert closes from November to…
What works best
- The Fényes trail, with a family ticket and flat
- The shot tower, 175 steps with a reward
- Malomkert, from May to October
- The castle and the walk around the Öreg-tó
Sleeping
- Öreg-tó Hotel, with a park and dogs welcome
- Hotel Kiss, with a pool
Eating
- Veranda Bistro, with pizza and burgers
- Platán Bisztró, with artisan ice cream
Bear in mind
- Malomkert closes from November to April
- Dogs are not admitted on the Fényes trail
What to do as a family
Tata with Small Children
For the youngest, Tata is water: ducks and geese on the lake, clear pools under the Fényes walkway and mills that move with the current.
- What works bestThe Fényes trail, with a…
- SleepingÖreg-tó Hotel, with a park
- EatingVeranda Bistro, with pizza
- Bear in mindThe tower's 175 steps are…
What works best
- The Fényes trail, with a pushchair and free for under-3s
- The walk around the Öreg-tó, flat
- Malomkert, from May to October
- The English garden, with walkways
Sleeping
- Öreg-tó Hotel, with a park
Eating
- Veranda Bistro, with pizza
Bear in mind
- The tower's 175 steps are a lot for the youngest
What to do with young children
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
Hotel Kiss
Why we like it: A four-star hotel with wellness and a pool in Tóváros, north of the centre, with its own restaurant and rules for guests arriving with a dog.
Platán Udvarház
Why we like it: Ten rooms with a view of the castle and the moat, with a Michelin Key and a mirror-cabin spa in the old castle moat.
Öreg-tó Hotel
Why we like it: A three-star hotel with 31 rooms in a park of plane trees and pines 100 metres from the lake, with wellness, free parking and dogs welcome.
Services for this trip
Where to eat
Where to eat in Tata
From set lunch menus to Michelin stars. We mark the price level and what to order at each place.
Platán Bisztró
What to order: The tányérhús, the boiled beef of the monarchy served in two courses, and a dessert from its pastry kitchen.
Book by phone or on its website; on Sunday the kitchen closes at 18:30.
Veranda Bistro & More
What to order: A board to share after the walk around the lake, or a pizza if you are with children.
Nearby
Near Tata
The closest places, whichever country they are in.
47.79° N · 18.92° E
Danube Bend
Car-freeBy carBy plane
47.50° N · 19.04° E
Budapest
Car-freeBy planeLuxury
47.67° N · 19.08° E
Szentendre
Car-freeBy planeBy car
47.78° N · 19.13° E
Vác and Nagymaros
Car-freeBy plane
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Go to the Fényes trail in the morning
It opens at 8:00 and closes at 16:00; at weekends the car park fills up.
- 2Book Platán on Sunday
It is the most sought-after table in town.
- 3Bring binoculars in winter
The wild geese are best seen at sunset.
A day trip from Budapest: Tata is about 70 km west of the capital, on the Vienna motorway, and hardly anyone coming from Spain knows it. It is a small town built around water: a large lake in the centre, the Öreg-tó, with a castle of the kings of Hungary overlooking it; karst springs that well up clear in a protected area; an English garden with water mills, and a shot tower converted into a viewpoint. It is a quiet outing for strolling and eating, and in winter it has a spectacle of its own: thousands of wild geese on the lake.
Getting there from Budapest
- By train, on the Budapest–Győr line from Keleti or Kelenföld, in around an hour. Get off at Tata or at Tóvároskert, the latter 20 minutes' walk from the lake.
- By car, on the M1 motorway, about 70 km. Park by the castle or in the free car park at the Fényes trail.
If you are coming from Spain, Tata is also on the way if you continue to Győr or Vienna with a hire car.
What to see in a day
Start at Tata Castle, on the water, with the town museum inside, and go out to the shore of the Öreg-tó, the town's flat promenade. North of the castle, the Esterházy English garden, free, with walkways and a ruined church built as a set piece, and next to it Malomkert, the water-mill park, from May to October.
3 km from the centre, the Fényes springs boardwalk takes an hour to wind past pools of clear water and protected marshes: it is what surprises most in Tata. And to see it all from above, the Fellner Jakab shot tower: 175 steps and the whole Tata basin.
Where to eat and sleep
For lunch, the Platán Bisztró, with a Michelin Bib Gourmand, next to the castle and under a plane tree from 1785: its signature dish is the tányérhús, and it is open every day, including Sunday. More informal, the Veranda Bistro, by the lake. To sleep, Platán Udvarház, with a Michelin Key and a mirrored spa in the castle moat; the Öreg-tó Hotel, 100 metres from the lake and welcoming dogs; or the Hotel Kiss, a four-star with a pool.
How much does it cost?
| What | How much |
|---|---|
| Fényes trail | 2,300 Ft; family 5,900 Ft |
| Shot tower | 1,500 Ft; family 3,500 Ft |
| Malomkert, May to October | 1,500 Ft; family 3,500 Ft |
| English garden and lakeshore | Free |
When to go
From April to October everything is open. In autumn and winter the lake belongs to the wild geese, which arrive by the thousand to spend the night: go at sunset with binoculars. The castle closes on Mondays, and the shot tower is open Wednesday to Sunday.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How do you get from Budapest to Tata?
By train from Keleti or Kelenföld, around an hour, or by car on the M1, about 70 km.
What are the must-sees?
The castle, the shore of the Öreg-tó and the Fényes springs boardwalk.
Is it good with children?
Yes: everything is flat except the tower, and there is a family ticket at almost every site.
Can you go with a dog?
Along the lakeshore and in the garden, on a lead; not on the Fényes trail. The Öreg-tó Hotel and the Hotel Kiss accept dogs.
Is it open on Monday?
The castle and the tower are not; the Fényes trail is.