Somogy County: The Southern Shore of Lake Balaton and Rolling Hills
Travel guide · editorialMost people who think of a vacation in Somogy County picture the southern shore of Lake Balaton: shallow, warm water that children can wade far out into, and a string of resort towns between Siófok and Fonyód. Beyond the shore lies a quiet hill country that stretches all the way to the Drava River and the Croatian border.
A Lake for Families
Somogy County holds most of Lake Balaton's southern shore. Unlike on the north side, the lake bottom here slopes away only very gradually, and you can often still be standing in waist-deep water a hundred yards from the shore. That makes the beaches ideal for families, and in summer the water quickly warms to more than 77°F. Most towns have well-kept beach resorts with grassy sunbathing lawns, water slides, and snack stands.
Somogy County: Destinations Along the Shore
Siófok is the largest and liveliest resort town on the lake, with a miles-long golden beach, clubs, a water tower from the 1920s, and the birthplace of operetta composer Emmerich Kálmán. In summer, Zamárdi hosts Balaton Sound, one of Europe's largest electronic music festivals. Balatonföldvár, with its harbor and old villas, is more laid-back, as is Balatonszemes, where a postal museum is housed in a former post station. The vineyards begin at Balatonlelle and Balatonboglár, and from the castle hill in Boglár, with its red and blue chapels, the view reaches across to Badacsony. Fonyód lies at the foot of a twin-peaked castle hill and has one of the few steep slopes on the southern shore. Between Zamárdi and Balatonföldvár you'll find Szántódpuszta, a restored estate from the 18th and 19th centuries with stables, a chapel, and craft demonstrations; the ferries to Tihany depart right next door. In Balatonszárszó, a memorial recalls the poet Attila József, who died here in 1937.
Kaposvár and the Hinterland
Kaposvár, the county seat, is a town of Art Nouveau facades, a lively pedestrian zone, and the birthplace of the painter József Rippl-Rónai, whose villa on Roman Hill is now a museum. The Kaposvár theater long enjoyed a special reputation in Hungary. To the south stretch the forests of Zselic, a dark-sky park with an especially dark night sky. In the south, along the Drava, lie the floodplain forests of the Danube-Drava National Park. Also worth a visit is Kis-Balaton on the border with Zala County, a wetland with colonies of cormorants and herons.
Food and Drink
On the lake, fish and lángos are part of a day at the beach, along with a glass of wine from the wineries of Balatonboglár, where sparkling wine is made alongside white wines. Inland, the cooking is heartier: Somogy-style pörkölt with dumplings, mushroom dishes from the Zselic, and wild boar from the forests. In fall, the villages celebrate grape harvest festivals with parades and brass bands.
Getting There and Best Time to Visit
The M7 motorway from Budapest toward Croatia runs parallel to the southern shore, as does the railway line, so almost all the resort towns can be reached without a car. The best time for a beach vacation is June to early September; July and August get crowded. If you're looking for peace and quiet, come in May or September and cycle from town to town on the Balaton circuit trail.