It is a relatively young town, founded in the late 1800s. From the very beginning, it was planned as a spa resort and it was consciously developed accordingly. Due to this, the town’s structure is not very typical of the settlements around Lake Balaton, fortunately it has mostly survived to this day. The city center is full of spacious parks, promenades, public spaces. Fortunately, everything was built with the importance of community functions in mind. Uniquely, the coast is walkable almost everywhere with a beautiful promenade in the shade of sycamore trees planted a hundred years ago. The great advantage of Földvár is that noisy festivals and mass tourism have been avoided so far and it is not really crowded during the high season. It is a real family-friendly place where the focus is on relaxing and recharging.
Sights in Földvár
Of course, the main attractions remain Lake Balaton, beaches and water sports but there are a few other remarkable sights in Balatonföldvár. Here is a brief summary:
he bath resort was founded by the Széchenyi family and was aimed primarily to attract the contemporary elite. Very nice villas were built accordingly, in a row until the end of World War II. Many celebrities of the time chose Balatonföldvár, fortunately the old buildings are still mostly standing today. You can enjoy a great walk and feel the atmosphere of the early 20th century. Within the framework of the Celtic tour, there are a couple of information boards about the buildings, but it is better to find information on the Internet, fortunately the Tourist Association has collected the famous villas..
The port of Balatonföldvár is one of the largest on Lake Balaton, but it is not the only reason for being special. It was built at the beginning of the 19th century and was designed not only to entertain the sailors but also to entertain the aristocratic audience. Accordingly, it is possible to walk around completely, also a great walking area for those who are not fans of boats in particular. The end of the pier and the Pigeon Island can be reached by ornamented bridges. There is a landscaped island in the middle of the harbor that once formed from dredged mud..
There are several parks in the city center, but perhaps the most beautiful is the Kvassay promenade starting from the port. The spacious promenade is shaded by huge, hundred-year-old sycamore trees, on one side we can see the old villas, on the other we can enjoy the view of Lake Balaton, almost 2 km long
One of the characteristics of Balatonföldvár is the canyon-like loess wall, where a wonderful panorama of Lake Balaton can be enjoyed. The ‘earth castle’ remains that gave the name of the town itself can be found in the park around the chapel. You can choose between two routes to the high shore, on Petőfi Street lined with old villas which was the first street of Földvár or on the spiral staircase that leads directly from the shore.
On the high shore you will also find the recently opened lookout tower and an interactive shipping exhibition / museum, which is an almost mandatory program.
Balatonföldvár is an ideal place for families. The city center can be easily explored on foot, by bike or with a pram, there is not much traffic anywhere. The nightlife is not really intense, there are no noisy nightclubs. The beaches are safe, shallow water everywhere and there are several playgrounds throughout the town. A big advantage is that in high season you can avoid the crowds, although it is recommended to book your accommodation in advance.
Balatonföldvár - more precisely the Szántód Bay - is a special place on Lake Balaton. Between Tihany and Szántód, the lake, which is on average 8-10 km wide, narrows to only 1000 meters. So you can have a very unique sight, while swimming you can admire the panorama of Tihany up close. But in addition, there are many advantages to the geographical location of Földvár. According to the current regulations (it is possible to get away from the shore up to 1500 m) on Lake Balaton only here you are allowed to cross the lake by sailing, surfing or kayaking.The advantage here is self-explanatory, it's a great challenge, you can make wonderful hikes in Tihany, to the Peak Hill or to the Apáti lookout tower. Exploring the Tihany peninsula by kayak or SUP or sailboat is a very special experience. Földvár is the largest port on Lake Balaton, and there are several sailing associations and clubs in the city. There are races almost every weekend, you will rarely be alone on the water.
An all-arts festival, a cultural space that operates in multiple venues. Its oldest location is in the center of Balatonföldvár, on the Bajor Gizi promenade. Since 2013, Kultkikötő’s cooperating partner in the organization of the outdoor stage of Balatonboglár and the stage in Balatonfenyves. In 2014, for the first time, the variety of programs was expanded with performances by companies from abroad. Kultkikötő is one of the longest summer program series in Hungary. An all-arts festival with theatrical performances for adults and children, music concerts, and an open-air cinema. For current programs, check out the Tourist Association's website.
It has been operating since 2010, halfway between the Szántód ferry and the port of Balatonföldvár, the water sports center offers the possibility of renting sailing boats that can be driven without a license with appropriate practical skills. Beginners can learn the basics of sailing and surfing from experienced instructors, while those who like more extreme challenges must try sport catamaran sailing. .
In 2012, Lajos Szabó founded his lavender farm in South Balaton, where he grows the dark purple lavender variety, native to Tihany, and the lighter-colored, modern French varieties on several hectares. You can pick lavender here throughout June, and you can tie it with a variety of beautiful coloured ribbons. They make lavender essential oil, special lavender syrup, fish and bunnies stuffed with lavender. One of the most beautiful panoramas of the southern shore as under the dense lavender field the blue colour of the lake appears.
It is one of the oldest operating spas in Southern Transdanubia, only 40 km south of Lake Balaton, less than half an hour from the M7 motorway. The 81 ° C medicinal water, which bursts from a depth of 651 meters and has an amazing healing effect and contains an extremely high (10,358 mg / liter) dissolved mineral, has been considered one of the best in Europe for more than 50 years.
The Zamárdi Adventure Park is located about a hundred meters from the motorway and the Zamárdi-Felső railway station, in a beautiful grove of thirty-five thousand square meters - with endless possibilities for active leisure. It is located 5 km from Balatonföldvár.
