Hévíz
Hungary · Lake Balaton · 120 m
Description
Hévíz holds the largest thermal lake in the world that can be swum in, a natural crater pool west of Lake Balaton fed by a spring that replaces the entire volume of water every three days. The temperature never drops below twenty three degrees even in January, so bathers swim through rising steam under snow-covered trees in winter. Indian water lilies flower across the surface in summer. A wooden bathhouse on stilts stands in the middle of the lake, and the town around it has been a spa resort since the eighteenth century. The lake is a medical spa first, and bathing times are limited.
Length of stay
Recommended length of stay: 2 to 7 days (optimal 3 days)
Travel season
Best time to visit: May – June or September – February
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Highlights
- Hévíz thermal lake
- Winter bathing in rising steam (December - February)
- Wooden bathhouse on stilts
- Indian water lilies in summer (June - October)
- Spa treatments and mud packs
- Egregy hill and its Romanesque chapel
- Festetics Palace at Keszthely(Day trip)
- Kis-Balaton wetland bird reserve(Day trip)
- Egregy wine cellars
Getting there
- Train stations:
- Keszthely