Leisure Pursuits In Balaton (Hungary)
1. FESTETICS PALACE IN Keszthely:
Festetics Palace is one of the must-sees on any excursion if you are on holiday at Lake Balaton. This palace and park complex is often called the main attraction of the city of Keszthely. It is always crowded, and it will be interesting to get to know the palace and its halls for both adults and children. In the summer, many visitors with children come to see this attraction, and during the school year, group excursions from schools and other educational institutions often come here on weekends. The interior of the Festetics Palace begins to amaze literally from the first step. Its furnishings create a special mood and arouse great interest in the people to whom all this once belonged. All the decor of the premises is carefully thought out, artistic forging and oak paneling give the rooms a special style.
One thing is clear: in the 18th century, designers knew a lot about interiors! The halls of the palace are literally filled with works of art: vases made of Meissen and Chinese porcelain, made using a very complex technique, candlesticks, clocks, porcelain sculptures, as well as paintings – paintings are everywhere here. The picture gallery was created right on the flights of stairs. The ancestors of the Festetics family look at us from old portraits. One of the portraits is located separately from the others, apparently, the person depicted in it occupied a special place in the history of the family. The painting is not signed, but the resemblance of the person to the representatives of the count’s family is clearly captured: this is indicated by the refined features of the face, long moustache. But if the picture gallery will be more interesting for adult visitors, then children are traditionally drawn to the model of the palace itself. They say that it was made by the architect himself before the construction of the castle began. The model has noticeable differences from the building in its current form, and anyone can search for the differences.
The Festetics counts were very proud of one of the most extensive private libraries in Hungary. It has survived to this day in its original form and is located right here, in the palace. The collection includes the first printed books, sheet music with Joseph Haydn’s autographs, and original engravings. The library wing of the castle was built by György Festetics at the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries. Only noble wood species were used for the design of the library, and only local craftsmen – wood carvers – worked on the production of the decor. Books fill every corner of the library. They occupy the space under the windows and are located on equipped shelves from floor to ceiling, and are located in glass shelves that stand in the center of the hall. The Festetics were actively involved in the development of the sailing fleet on Balaton. The library contains drawings of sailing ships (in all likelihood, they were made by one of the representatives of the count’s family). Many visitors can always be found near the porcelain boat with a silver figure of a sailor. The Festetics Palace in Keszthely, like many other castles, has a secret door. It is disguised accordingly, imitating a book binding. The residential part of the palace is also available for visiting: you can visit not only the state rooms (living rooms and dining rooms), but also the bedrooms and boudoirs, dressing rooms and toilets. You can look into the ballrooms, the former guest wing and the Hall of Mirrors. Nowadays, various events are held on their territory, from international conferences to concerts, lavish receptions and New Year’s balls. You can also rent a room for the night here, like a hotel room: the guest rooms are located in one of the wings of the castle.
Another interesting place to visit is the palace chapel: representatives of the European nobility could afford a home church. Its interior can be called solemn, rich and strict at the same time, the room has two levels – daylight comes here from the windows of the second floor. The pilasters, setting the vertical lines, are made of dark pink marble. It goes well with the same grey material that covers the panels and niches, and the floor of the chapel is covered with almost white tiles. You can only look into this room from above. The inaccessibility of the chapel adds some mystery to this object, it seems that it is intended exclusively for a narrow circle of people. Tourists have already developed a tradition – to throw a coin into the open window of the chapel in order to visit it again. The main building of the Festetics Palace is surrounded by a beautiful park with fountains, sculptures and flower arrangements. It is pleasant to walk here in the warm season and enjoy the scenery. Well, if you still have energy after visiting the palace, take a look with your children at the local Marzipan Museum, which will be appreciated by all the sweet tooth of your family.
2. CARRIAGE MUSEUM IN KESKHEY:
On the southwestern shore of Lake Balaton, a few minutes’ drive from Heviz, there is a small town of Keszthely. Undoubtedly, its main attraction is the Festetics Castle. The building, built in the Baroque style, is surrounded by a beautiful park with fountains, sculptures and flower beds. Inside it, not only the living quarters, library, and ballroom of the noble aristocracy of Hungary have been preserved to this day, but also the Carriage Museum, the exposition of which consists of sleighs and carriages preserved from the 18th and 19th centuries. All the exhibits are in perfect condition – Viennese restoration masters had a hand in them. The Carriage Museum in Keszthely is located in the central part of a separate building, built at the end of the 19th century, in which stables were located even under the Festetics, and various “carriage” accessories are exhibited in a special room.
The museum tells the story of the time when people knew nothing about internal combustion engines and all their thoughts were formed around horses. The history of that time is reflected in pictures, household items, works of art, giving an idea of ​​the mentality, artistic styles and national character of those times. Next to each carriage there is a picture showing the typical use of this vehicle. Looking at the carriages that are presented in the museum, the thought involuntarily comes to mind that, despite their apparent primitiveness, old carriages are complex technical structures. By the way, the carriage workshops of Count Festetics carried out orders even for the court of the Habsburgs and Esterhazy. Using the example of the museum’s exhibits, it is easy for children to explain the evolution of carriages. It is noticeable how the carts begin to retreat, wings appear above the wheels of these vehicles, the seats become soft and are complemented by backs.
Over time, the carriages acquired the much-needed mobility, which was facilitated by the appearance of a fifth wheel, with the help of which the carriage turned to the right or left (later this role was performed by a spring). In order for the carriage to be more maneuverable, the front wheels were made smaller in diameter than the rear ones. Before assembly, the wheel rim was beaten on the ground to make sure that it would withstand the impact loads during movement. By and large, everything that was invented many years ago is still used in modern transport.
As in the doll museum, which is located nearby, the exhibits are divided according to their purpose. Girls will like the four-wheeled carriage with soft springs and luxurious trim, which was called a landau. It was in such a carriage that Prince William and Kate Middleton rode during their wedding. And boys will be interested in a citadel on wheels, in which it was possible to hold a siege from robbers. For greater cross-country ability, the springs of such a carriage are raised high above the ground. The hunting trip was accompanied by a dog cart, in which the dogs were delivered to the hunting ground. There are always a lot of visitors around this unique carriage in the museum.
3. Szigliget Fortress:
Szigliget is a small village on the northern shore of Lake Balaton. The main attraction of this region is the restored fortress of the same name, which was the main defensive outpost on the shore of the lake during the Turkish invasions. It is located on a mountain 242 meters high, from where tourists can enjoy wonderful views. A visit to this structure is interesting for both adults and children thanks to the theatrical performances held here on weekends. A little about the history of this attraction. Szigliget Fortress in Hungary was built by Benedictine monks in 1262. Then it was sold to feudal lords, subsequently the fortress had many owners.
It was partially destroyed in 1697, after lightning struck the gunpowder warehouse. The fortification was completely destroyed in 1702 by order of the Austrian Emperor Leopold. The restoration of Szigliget was undertaken only in 1991, and for good reason: these days the fortress is very popular among tourists. There are free parking spaces near the entrance, from which the fortress grounds are about 200-300 meters away on foot past souvenir shops with wooden weapons and other crafts that are interesting for boys. To make your vacation with children on Lake Balaton more varied, visit the fortress on a Sunday, when a performance is held here. You can check the schedule in advance on the official website of the attraction.
The show takes place outdoors, with wooden benches on different tiers for spectators. Due to this, no one interferes with the view, and from any row you can clearly see what is happening on the stage. The seats are not numbered – you can take any free one and enjoy the spectacle. And there is a lot to see here. Children, with their mouths open, watch exciting sword fights, archery and crossbow shooting, throwing axes and spears. The territory of the fortress is also interesting from the point of view of the rooms in which there are ancient household items, the furnishings of an old kitchen with a stove, and a bedroom are imitated. From the upper platform, tourists can enjoy wonderful panoramas of Lake Balaton.
There are steps on the territory for climbing up. There are many real cannons in the fortress, near which there is always a crowd of tourists. There is a buffet, next to which a huge decorative stove is installed to attract attention. You can give children the opportunity to frolic on the playground, decorated thematically – a castle, knights. On the territory of the fortress there is also a souvenir shop with handicrafts by Hungarian craftsmen, and exhibitions of ancient weapons and armor are regularly held. In the village of Szigliget there are ancient cellars, where everyone is invited to taste and buy locally produced wine.
4. BUFFALO RESERVE:
Buffaloes have long been traditional Hungarian cattle, kept for milk and meat. Now they are a local landmark. Tourists of all ages will be interested in watching the habits of these large animals in conditions close to natural. When vacationing with the whole family in Balaton, you can visit the buffalo reserve – this is a place that helps preserve the gene pool of these animals. The zone was taken under protection in 1962. The reserve occupies a large area, inhabited by about 100 buffaloes, as well as a few horses.
An ecological trail with a wooden flooring has been created for tourists, along which you can walk around the park and observe the life of the animals. Children will be interested to learn where they spend the winter, how they drink water, bathe and get dirty in the mud. The bravest can come closer to the animals – they are not afraid of people and peacefully nibble on grass. In May, the buffaloes give birth to their babies, so guests of the reserve can watch the babies grazing in the meadow with their mothers.
The nursery has an alternative for those who do not want to walk a lot – you can get to know the territory by riding in a horse-drawn carriage. Such a walk will be especially memorable for children, but you need to pay for it by buying tickets at the box office. On the territory of the reserve there is a museum-stable, in which all guests will be interested in looking at old photographs, devices for caring for buffalos, and exhibits on the theme of the fauna of the region. The nursery has an observation tower, having climbed which you can appreciate the scale of the territory and watch the buffalos from a bird’s eye view.
Near the entrance, everyone can look into the souvenir kiosk with thematic products and buy something as a keepsake. Not far from the reservation is the Balaton Upland National Park. It is interesting for its beautiful landscapes, picturesque cliffs and an abundance of rare plants. The reserve has many hiking trails of varying difficulty, which you can visit on your own or with an instructor. When vacationing on Balaton with your whole family, you should not miss the chance to get to know the region’s reserve.