Hungary perfect location for meetings, incentives, conferences, exhibitions

Central Europe’s largest fresh water lake lies almost 70 km long in the western Hungarian region of Transdanubia. Its silky water and natural beauty as well as the harmonious landscape make it a favourite of Hungarians and the main destination for summer holidays. 

The shallow parts of the lake shore make it perfectly suitable for bathing and swimming and the huge surface of water mainly used for sailing and boating. For reasons of protection of the environment, motor boats may not use the lake. All Hungarians have their favourite place, but opinions are divided into two camps: the southern or the northern shore. The north shore is hilly and the water is deeper, the south shore is flatter and the water is shallower. The latter is therefore especially suitable for family holidays. The quality of the water is constantly under observation by the Balaton Limnological Research Institute of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. Almost every beach has a Blue Flag flying to indicate excellent quality water. The Balaton and the region have the cleanest air of any area in Hungary.

Central Europe's largest freshwater lake – with particular holiday culture

There are many small settlements around the lake and in the summer season their population multiplies several times over. Three settlements compete for the title of capital of the Balaton: Balatonfüred on the northern shore, Siófok on the southern shore and Keszthely at the southern tip.

The Balaton is easy to reach by highway, but it has its own international airport at Sármellék (Balaton Fly Airport) near Keszthely. There are several airports with grass runways suitable for small planes. Around the lake, travellers are served by networks of trains and a well-developed network of cycle paths.

Diverse natural attractions and historical heritage

Because of the climate and tradition, the summer holiday season is strictly defined. But the commercial accommodation prepared for the busy summer season is also open in winter and is available for conference tourism. There are mainly 3 and 4 star hotels of various sizes and most fit neatly into the landscape. The majority of these hotels contain spaces for events where conferences for as many as 1000 participants can be held. Due to the many sights, the various natural phenomena and its historical heritage, the region is very suitable for team-building and incentive trips. The hotels  used for conferences can be heated or air-conditioned and the majority have wellness sections. The hotels generally offer accommodation with breakfast and dinner included.

Because of the emphasis on tourism, there are programmes and festivals in quick succession from June to September. Tempting programmes in villages and towns attract children, young people ready to party and older people who want to rest. There are fields of lavender, a characteristic abbey from Hungarian history, caves on the lake that boats can enter, a baroque castle library with several hundred thousand volumes, internationally renowned bird watching sanctuaries, lookout towers, basalt volcanoes, hilltop forts, extreme sports requiring special courage, horse riding – if only there were time for everything. Due to its unique warm water lake, Hévíz near the Balaton is one of the top attractions of Hungarian health tourism.

In winter, the Balaton often freezes over and this makes for an unusual tourist attraction. You can even skate on the surface as smooth as a mirror.

Great wines and gastronomy

There are several excellent wine districts on the northern shore (Csopak, Badacsony…) and you can also explore the National Park of the Balaton Uplands and its rich plant life.

Gastronomic delights are the fish dishes and the delicious local fruit.

Communities on the shores of the Balaton are different in every way from seaside summer resorts. They are smaller scale and have a family atmosphere. They are perfectly suitable for rest as well as for work in a calm ambiance.

The so-called hinterland settlements, not directly on the lake, have their own attractions. When attending a conference on the Balaton, these are worth a visit; among them is one of the most important towns, the town of queens, Veszprém.