natural wonder
Lake Balaton
Central Europe's largest freshwater lake, known as the Hungarian Sea, a beloved summer destination with vineyards and resort towns.
15 km · about 30 min drive
Veszprém, Hungary · Europe
Tihany is worth a stop: 10 minutes from Balatonfüred, 15km from Lake Balaton.
Tihany is a town located in Veszprém, Hungary. With a population of 1,438, it is an important destination in Europe.
On a road trip, Tihany sits in Hungary, where you drive on the right. It's in the Europe/Budapest time zone. Below you'll find where to stay, things to do nearby, and everything you need to add Tihany to your route.
Tihany (Hungarian: [ˈtihɒɲ]) is a village on the northern shore of Lake Balaton on the Tihany Peninsula (Hungary, Veszprém County). The whole peninsula is a historical district.
The center of the district is the Benedictine Tihany Abbey, which was founded in 1055 AD by András (Andrew) I, who is buried in the crypt.Read more
The founding charter of this abbey is the first extant record of Hungarian language, preserved in Pannonhalma Benedictine Archabbey. The church itself was rebuilt in baroque style in 1754. The still functioning abbey is a popular tourist attraction due to its historical and artistic significance. It also has the best view of Lake Balaton.
The abbey also features as a footnote in Habsburg history - the last Habsburg Emperor of Austria, Charles I was held prisoner here following his second attempt to regain the throne of Hungary. He was later sent to exile to Madeira in Portugal.
Tihany is famous for the echo, existing since the 18th century. There were poems written for this echo, like by Mihály Csokonai Vitéz and Mihály Vörösmarty, but the most famous is by János Garay, summing up the legend of the place. The echo has since abated, due to changes in the landscape. The other part of the legend concerns with the "goats' nails", washed ashore from Balaton, which are in fact corners of prehistoric clams. According to the story, there was a princess with golden-haired goats, but she was too proud and hard of heart and was punished (cursed by the king of the lake): her goats were lost in Balaton, only their nails remained, and she was obliged to answer to every passers-by. A stone, remembering the Shouting Girl, is still to be seen near the village.
On the shores of Lake Balaton stands the former summer residence of the Habsburg imperial family, which remained in the private ownership of the family until the end of the Second World War. It has since been used as a hotel, but is now in private hands and not accessible to the public.
Tihany's inhabitants have the highest per capita income, and the village has the highest housing prices in the whole of Hungary.
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Tihany offers many attractions including tourist sites, museums, parks, and local restaurants. Explore famous landmarks, scenic roads, and natural wonders on our interactive map and plan your visit.
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Tihany is located in Veszprém, Hungary, Europe. The coordinates are 46.9137 latitude, 17.8892 longitude.
Tihany has a population of approximately 1,438 people, making it a town in Hungary.
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Essential numbers in Hungary
e-vignette required for motorways. Zero alcohol limit for drivers.
Full driving guide for Hungary6 notable places within an hour's drive.
natural wonder
Central Europe's largest freshwater lake, known as the Hungarian Sea, a beloved summer destination with vineyards and resort towns.
15 km · about 30 min drive
photogenic
A quarried-open basalt volcano near Monoszló above Lake Balaton: a 50 m wall of vertical polygonal columns showing the inside of an 8-million-year-old eruption, with Káli Basin views from the rim.
19 km · about 20 min drive
coastal drive
Route 71 hugs Lake Balaton's northern shore beneath volcanic hills and vineyards, linking Balatonfured, Tihany and Badacsony in one of Central Europe's finest lakeside drives.
33 km · about 40 min drive
castle
One of Hungary's best-preserved medieval fortresses crowns a bald limestone hill above the town of Sumeg near Lake Balaton, hosting jousting shows and commanding views over the Bakony hills.
46 km · about 55 min drive
castle
A romantic castle in Székesfehérvár built almost single-handedly over 40 summers by sculptor-architect Jenő Bory as a monument to his wife: towers, courtyards and studios crammed with the couple's paintings and statues.
54 km · about 60 min drive
natural wonder
Largest thermal lake in Europe open for bathing, near the western end of Lake Balaton, warm enough for year-round swimming.
55 km · about 65 min drive
April to October
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