Lake Balaton
Lake Balaton is a shallow, warm summer resort in western Hungary: swimming and nightlife on the flat south shore, wine and volcanic hills on the north.
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Balaton sits in western Hungary and is the largest lake in Central Europe. Hungarians call it 'a Balaton' with the article, and poetically call it the Hungarian Sea. It is about 77 km long, up to 18 km wide and roughly 600 km², yet only about 11 to 12.5 m deep at its deepest point, near Tihany. The water warms enough for swimming in summer, and the lake became a major tourist destination in the 1960s and 1970s.
The two shores feel different. The south shore is flat, with resort towns, nightlife and beaches of grass, rock or silty sand, though many resorts have added artificial sandy beaches. Siófok draws young people to its large clubs, while Balatonfüred is an older bathing town on the north shore. The north shore is hilly, with wineries, the Tihany Peninsula and the volcanic hills around Badacsony. Peak season runs from June to the end of August, when beaches are busiest and the average summer water temperature is about 25 °C.
Lake Balaton in five
- Pick a shore firstThe south shore around Siófok is shallow and sandy, good for small children. The north shore has deeper water, wine villages like Badacsony and quieter towns.
- Come from June to August to swimThe lake warms fast in summer because it is shallow. Outside summer many beaches, ferries and restaurants run reduced hours or close.
- Expect to pay at managed beachesMany managed beaches (strand) charge a small entry fee in summer. Free beaches exist but have fewer facilities.
- Cross by ferry at TihanyA car ferry links Szántód on the south shore with Tihany on the north. The route planner for the lake and the south has the operator link and the crossing time.Balaton and the south
Things to do in Lake Balaton
See all attractions in Lake Balaton
Need to know
- Airport
- Budapest (BUD), about 2 hours by road
- Getting there
- Trains from Budapest Déli or Kelenföld, about 1.5–2 hours
- Getting around
- Trains on both shores, summer ferries, a car for the hills
- Best base
- Siófok for beaches, Balatonfüred or Tihany for the north
- Time needed
- 2–3 days
Weather by month
- Rainy days
- Snowy days
- Best
- Good
- Mixed
- Poor
- JanuaryPartly cloudy8 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh5°Low-1°Cold, closedJanuaryPartly cloudy
Poor
- High
- 5°
- Low
- -1°
- Precipitation
- 42 mm
- Rainy days
- 8
- Snowy days
- 1
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, closed
- FebruaryPartly cloudy8 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh8°Low2°Cold, closedFebruaryPartly cloudy
Mixed
- High
- 8°
- Low
- 2°
- Precipitation
- 40 mm
- Rainy days
- 8
- Snowy days
- 1
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, closed
- MarchPartly cloudy8 rainy daysHigh12°Low4°Cool, quietMarchPartly cloudy
Good
- High
- 12°
- Low
- 4°
- Precipitation
- 45 mm
- Rainy days
- 8
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cool, quiet
- AprilPartly cloudy8 rainy daysHigh16°Low8°MildAprilPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 16°
- Low
- 8°
- Precipitation
- 40 mm
- Rainy days
- 8
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mild
- MayPartly cloudy12 rainy daysHigh20°Low12°Warm, quietMayPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 20°
- Low
- 12°
- Precipitation
- 73 mm
- Rainy days
- 12
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, quiet
- JunePartly cloudy10 rainy daysHigh26°Low17°Swimming startsJunePartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 26°
- Low
- 17°
- Precipitation
- 73 mm
- Rainy days
- 10
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Swimming starts
- JulyPartly cloudy8 rainy daysHigh29°Low18°Peak seasonJulyPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 29°
- Low
- 18°
- Precipitation
- 57 mm
- Rainy days
- 8
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Peak season
- AugustClear7 rainy daysHigh29°Low19°Peak, festivalsAugustClear
Best
- High
- 29°
- Low
- 19°
- Precipitation
- 49 mm
- Rainy days
- 7
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Peak, festivals
- SeptemberPartly cloudy8 rainy daysHigh24°Low14°Calm, harvestSeptemberPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 24°
- Low
- 14°
- Precipitation
- 77 mm
- Rainy days
- 8
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Calm, harvest
- OctoberPartly cloudy7 rainy daysHigh17°Low10°Wine harvestOctoberPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 17°
- Low
- 10°
- Precipitation
- 53 mm
- Rainy days
- 7
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Wine harvest
- NovemberPartly cloudy10 rainy daysHigh11°Low5°Most places closedNovemberPartly cloudy
Mixed
- High
- 11°
- Low
- 5°
- Precipitation
- 66 mm
- Rainy days
- 10
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Most places closed
- DecemberPartly cloudy9 rainy daysHigh6°Low1°Cold, quietDecemberPartly cloudy
Poor
- High
- 6°
- Low
- 1°
- Precipitation
- 57 mm
- Rainy days
- 9
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, quiet
Average daily high and low in Siófok, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.
Right now in Lake Balaton
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
8
- Feels like
- 6°
- Humidity
- 84%
- Wind
- 13 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 45%
Lake Balaton
09:47 PM
Monday, November 2
- Today10°8°45%Monday: Rain. High 10°, Low 8°. Chance of rain 45%.
- Tue9°8°33%Tuesday: Rain. High 9°, Low 8°. Chance of rain 33%.
- Wed10°7°0%Wednesday: Cloudy. High 10°, Low 7°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Thu9°3°0%Thursday: Partly cloudy. High 9°, Low 3°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Fri9°2°0%Friday: Clear. High 9°, Low 2°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Sat9°2°0%Saturday: Cloudy. High 9°, Low 2°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Sun10°3°29%Sunday: Cloudy. High 10°, Low 3°. Chance of rain 29%.
Updated 09:33 PM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Money
Mid-market rate1 USD = 327.7 HUF
Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API
Day trips by train
- Hévízabout 15 min by road from KeszthelyA warm thermal lake you can swim in all year.
- Tihanyabout 15 min by road from BalatonfüredAbbey, lavender fields and walks on the peninsula.
- Badacsonyabout 45 min by train from BalatonfüredVolcanic hill with vineyards and wine cellars.
Before you go to Lake Balaton
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Rules for Lake Balaton, checked
- Hungary is in the Schengen Area. Check visa and entry rules for your nationality on the official Hungarian consular information pages before you fly.
- Non-EU visitors may be fingerprinted and photographed at the border under the EU Entry/Exit System. Check current EES guidance before you travel.
- Shore lights flash 45 times a minute in strong wind and 90 times in storm wind. The warning service runs from 1 April to 31 October, so check it before you sail or swim.
- Currents of up to 2 m/s can form in the narrows by the Tihany Peninsula when water moves between the basins. Be careful there when swimming or sailing.
Plan around Lake Balaton
Regions, rail, forint and entry
Read the guideBudapestTrains to the lake, 1.5 to 2 hours
Read the guideTrains and transportGetting around central Europe by rail
Read the guideTourist taxes in EuropeResort and city tax on your lakeside stay
Read the guideConnectivity in EuropeRoaming, SIM or eSIM for the lake
Read the guideBalaton and the southRoute planner for the lake, Pécs and the e-vignette
Read the guidePécsRoman tombs and the Zsolnay Quarter in the south
Read the guideLake Balaton FAQ
Can you swim in Lake Balaton?
Yes, from about June to early September. The water is shallow and warms quickly, especially on the south shore, where you can wade out a long way.
Is Lake Balaton worth visiting outside summer?
For wine and walks on the north shore, yes, in May and September. From November to March many hotels, restaurants and ferries close.
How do you get from Budapest to Lake Balaton?
By train from Déli or Kelenföld stations to Siófok or Balatonfüred in about 1.5–2 hours, or by car on the M7 motorway to the south shore.
Which shore of Lake Balaton is better?
The south shore is shallow, sandy and lively, good for families and nightlife. The north shore has deeper water, vineyards, hills and the Tihany peninsula, so wine and walking fans prefer it.
Can you visit Lake Balaton as a day trip from Budapest?
Yes, in summer. Trains to Siófok or Balatonfüred take about 1.5 to 2 hours, so you get a few hours at the water. For a north shore wine day, stay a night.