Great spots to catch sun at Lake Balaton

Lake Balaton is the biggest and one of the most beautiful lakes in Central Europe. No wonder that it attracts thousands of tourists every year. Not only because of the great restaurants, the lovely hosts, several luxury hotels, and the festivals but also for its beaches. The **Balaton **Association chooses the **lake’s most beautiful beaches every year – they select the best ones out of more than 40 contenders. In this article, I would like to present you with my five personal favorites that are great spots to catch some sun. I assure you that all of them are worth a visit, but there is an opportunity for discovery - you can explore on your own **even more!

Zamárdi Beach

The “big beach” in **Zamárdi **deserves its name. The free **beach **is located on a three-kilometer-long coastline, and it serves as a home to many summer festivals as well. There are a whole lot of snack bars, deck chairs, trees with shade, waiting for people who want to relax. The panoramic view of the Tihany peninsula during sw*imming *is a unique spectacle. Balaton Sound and Strand Festival are both held here.

Balatonfüred – Esterházy Beach

One of the most beautiful parts of the recently renovated resort in **Balatonfüred **is Esterházy Beach, which has an extensive panorama of Tihany, the realm of lavenders. The beach, which is gradually renewing year after year, completely satisfies even the most demanding guests.

Vonyarcvashegy – Lido Beach

In my opinion, the most sports-friendly beach at Lake Balaton is Lido Beach in Vonyarcvashegy. You can find here wakeboard and water ski slopes, SUP, windsurfing and paddle boats, as well as sail rental. Beach volleyball and beach football pitches, and a fitness park are waiting for all the sports lovers at Lido Beach. Additionally, water aerobics classes and animation workshops are held every day. The longest *slide *in the area can also be found here, in Vonyarcvashegy, which is understandably very popular among youngsters.

Balatongyörök Beach

**Balatongyörök Beach **has the fantastic panorama of Lake Balaton, with a view of the Szigliget Castle and Badacsony. The **beach **is a real water paradise for families visiting the town, especially for children, with its relaxing spots in the shade, and water slides, but it won’t let you down, even if you are a *sunbathing *type. There are plenty of good restaurants in the neighborhood that you can quickly check in my previous article on fish-restaurants around Balaton.

Siófok Beach

**Siófok, **or “the Hungarian Ibiza”, how locals call it, is the most vivid town around Balaton Lake. Its main **beach, **next to the famous Petőfi Promenade, is primarily recommended for those who like the hustle and bustle. Plázs, one of **Balaton's **largest party venues, is operating on the beach. The size of the white-sanded part of the **beach **is 2000 square meters, and gorgeous palm trees surround it. Perfect **sunbathing **setting and also an infinite-looking swimming pool are there to meet everyone’s demands for summer relaxation. The town’s eastern side is popular mainly among families with small children, but its **beaches **won't disappoint you either, especially since the brand-new *swimming pool *was launched nearby.

It is quite an evident claim that visiting Lake Balaton is a must if you come to **Hungary **during the summer. It offers beautiful *sunsets, hiking trails, restaurants, bars, a whole lot of parties, festivals, *and even some history lessons if that's your thing. The main attractions will always be its great beaches. Even though Lake Balaton hasn’t got that fairy, turquoise water with endless white sand, it’s a phenomenal place to visit during the summertime. Choose one of my great spots to catch the sunlight **or explore the best **beaches **yourself, during your bike tour around the lake.