Hungary Is Not Only About Budapest

The last time I wrote for this column, the topic how sport connects people. Don't worry, I will not bore you with football again, rather with other forms of connectivity like experience or enjoyment. I have been working at our Embassy in Budapest for 12 years now and even prior to that, I had the chance to spend a few more years in Hungary, hence luckily, I have travelled a lot in this beautiful country.

A group of my friends is running a very inspiring blog in Hungarian about the Czech Republic: ‘Czech Republic is not only Prague’. Personally, I like it very much: they are travelling and revealing hidden treasures of our countryside and what’s more, they are able to write about it in a very exciting way. From Hungarian point of view, of course, Prague is the most famous destination in the Czech Republic – but these guys are doing a really good job in showing other stunning regions of my country. And here comes the point: I believe the same applies to Hungary as well. Hungary is not only about Budapest. As summer is unstoppably coming, let me introduce you the region of Balaton and its surroundings.

The ’Hungarian Riviera’
When I think of the lake Balaton, I willy-nilly associate it with the first lines of a Hungarian song saying “For me, the Balaton is the Riviera…“ And yes, in my childhood, we travelled numerous times to Balaton during summer vacations. I can still hear the murmur of the streets and beaches teeming with tourists from East Germany and Czechoslovakia and recall the iconic signs saying ‘Zimmer frei’ like it was yesterday. By now these times passed away and Balaton today is an unforgettable and unmissable place. I have to confess we wouldn’t miss spending a couple of days (from time to time also a week) at Balaton with my wife and friends. It is close to Budapest and if you do not want to drive there on a Friday afternoon or Saturday morning, you are there within an hour – or in less than one and half if you go to the northern shore. I was born in a hilly country, thence I prefer the northern part of Balaton – places like Balatonfüred, Csopak or Tihany. Balatonfüred is now a ‘summer suburb’ of Budapest, the town center is reconstructed, boasting modern facilities, fantastic restaurants, wine bars and still breathes a bit of the history, a bit of Monarchy with its beautiful architecture. The Tagore promenade stretches just a few meters from the coastline. Walking under the giant platan trees gives you, along with the unforgettable scenery, a cooling shadow in the hottest times of the day.

Endless vineyards
Travelling a couple of kilometers, you arrive to Tihany, the land of lavenders guarding important pieces of Hungarian history as well. The most prominent is certainly the establishing charter of the Abbey of Tihany from 1055, being the oldest written document containing Hungarian words. And finally, there is Csopak, my favorite place for the evenings for its endless vineyards on the hillside with perfect panorama on the lake. We have discovered that a former Hungarian diplomat, who travelled a lot in the world and after finishing his career decided to establish a winery, has his vineyards here as well. This wine region is ideal both for white and for red wines, yet it is mostly known for being the Welschriesling region of Hungary. I warmly recommend everyone to visit these wineries and indulge in the fantastic local wines, beautiful panorama and quality service – everything on the highest level.

Big festival in a little village
Near Csopak lies Paloznak – a village, which was almost unknown not long ago even for Hungarians. However, a decade ago, a team of brave minds started something unique by organizing a small concert with wine-tasting in a garden of the village. By now, it has developed into a big jazz festival with four stages and 20,000 visitors each year. And, believe me, the program is absolutely phenomenal: Rick Astley, The Jacksons, Jamie Cullum, Soul II Soul, Electro Deluxe, Kraak & Smaak, Kool & the Gang, Mario Biondi, Matt Bianco, Candy Dulfer, Jazzanova, Al McKey’s Earth Wind And Fire Experience, Icognito, St. Germain, Dephazz or Mezzoforte – just to mention a few performers from the last years. For those three days of the year, Paloznak is the center of the world and with my wife we try not to miss it every year.

Gastronomy
Balaton is, fortunately, not only a summer destination anymore – it is actually a vibrant place all year long. There are more and more restaurants offering fantastic cuisine using ingredients from local producers. One of my all-time favorite restaurants is in Szigliget, cherishing a real heartwarming family story: the father of the owner is a great oenologist who travelled the world and learned a lot about gastronomy. Today, he manufactures his own cheese, Italian or Spanish style hams and sausages, produces sparkling wine from elderberry flowers and even makes his own lambrusco. The son had his restaurant in Budapest, close to our Embassy – now you can guess where our friendship comes from… Four-five years ago, he decided to leave Budapest and open his fine-dining restaurant on the top of a hill in a house rented from a former painter. Standing on the terrace you have the spectacular view of the whole Balaton lying under your feet. And have I mentioned that Szigliget has a castle too?
Near Szigliget lies Badacsony, another independent wine region with special mineral taste, coming from the volcanic soils of the hilly countryside. Badacsony is the home of pinot gris. The precious vineyards are guarded by Saint George from his picturesque hill which appears on many illustrations of the lake.

Cycling and more
Before you think Balaton is only about eating good food and drinking great wine (which is certainly a must), it is also about sports and tours. I made my first cycling challenge around the lake about 15 years ago: 210 kilometers in three days. Around 70 km per day does not seem too much, but if you carry your whole package with you, it is a bit different cup of tea. But at the end of the day, when you sit tired on the hill and watch the lake with a glass of wine, you feel, that you arrived to the right place and it was all absolutely worth it.
And finally, not only the coastline of Balaton is impressive. The Festetics castle in Keszthely, the lake cave in Tapolca, the city of Veszprém, the Kinizsi castle in Nagyvázsony, stone-sea in Szentbékkála, summer folk festival in Káli valley are all places I definitively recommend to visit. In all of them, I have my own story, a pleasant memory, but instead of boring you with my own memories I suggest you to visit some of those places and make your own stories and memories and please don’t hesitate to share them with me. Because, as I wrote at the beginning: stories connect people.