Hungary - Balaton Keszthely

After the exciting time in the Puszta and in Budapest, we need some relaxation from traveling and are looking for a nice place to unwind. We find this place in Keszthely by Lake Balaton.

Between Lake Neuchâtel and Lake Balaton, people settled as early as the La Tène period, also known as the later Iron Age (450 BC). Lake Balaton is a lake that radiates tranquility and serenity. For the first few days, we are looking for a campsite and find the Gärtnerhof https://www.campinggartnerhof.eu/. The campsite offers a swimming pool and simple but clean showers and toilets. We meet a German couple there who have been coming here for vacation for 17 years.

Arrival in Keszthely (27.7.25)

Here the campsite owner tells us that the citizens of Hungary, after the expropriation under communism, did not receive their land back, unlike in Romania, which is still painful for many Hungarians. The village is first mentioned in records in 1247, was able to defend itself against the Turks time and again, and took on a leading role in 1797, thanks to the agricultural university.

Just as the weather report predicted, the weather is clearing up and we will explore the surroundings in the evening. The beach resorts are adventure parks with volleyball nets and soccer goals in the water. The piers with bathing houses, which you know from the Baltic Sea, can also be found here.

Chill and Laundry Day (28.7.25)

Today, we are taking it even more relaxed than usual. The sun is shining. Therefore, we are trying out the mobile washing machine and the mobile tumble dryer. It works better than expected and we are grateful for how quickly the wind and sun dry the clean laundry.

We enjoy lunch/dinner under our awning, which we use far too little on our trip.

In the evening, we still have some energy and walk into town. We are surprised by the monuments and the castle in this small place with 18,000 inhabitants.

The castle garden is already closed and a large sign warns of the armed guard. Therefore, we only peek through the castle wall.

This and that - Day (29.8.25)

Today, some work will be done and administration tasks will be completed. Tamara is researching our next trip, which will either be Morocco or the Canary Islands. I am working on a new module for www.salesolution.ch.

In the afternoon we are expecting a visit from Roadtrip2Paradise. We met the Swiss couple a year ago in Norway. Today they are already in their 3rd year of van life. Tamara has baked a pear-apple cake and we chat about life and exchange travel experiences. Their stories from last winter in Tunisia are also exciting, with desert tours and the lonely villages in the mountains.

Before dinner, we take a short walk in the castle park. The nice couple spontaneously decides to stay overnight camping. So we sit together late into the night and tell each other exciting stories.

The wine festival begins (July 30, 2025)

Today, the wine festival starts with a parade of the winemakers. Our travel acquaintances are visiting a dog beach today, and we are walking along the lake. Of course, we don’t pass by 'our' ice cream stand empty-handed ;-).

Excited, we make our way and are surprised by the extent of the festival. We arranged to meet at the main square at 5:30 PM to witness the start of the wine festival.

One by one, they all arrive at the main square. First the music, then the ladies in wide dresses from the turn of the century, followed by a dance choir with children and adults in traditional costumes. The riders and carriages follow a men's choir.

The parade ends at the lake by the Ferris wheel. The stalls with handmade items, wine, and Langos are already set up.

There is dancing and singing together. The wine festival has started appropriately with these performances. We are grateful to be here at this time. Feet, sticks, and hands are being tapped on the ground, accompanied by the "whoops" of men and women.

A men's choir is sitting behind us at the table and takes advantage of every break during the performances to sing one of their favorite songs. And they have many favorite songs... A singer bids us farewell in German and tells us his story. During the time of communism in Romania, he fled to Germany with his family and was able to build a good life. Now he has bought a house by Lake Balaton and enjoys the community in the men's choir.

Salsa Night at the Wine Festival in Hungary (31.8.25)

Roadtrip2Paradise continues today to the nearby thermal springs. Tamara and I are going to the Libas beach bath, which was awarded four stars in 2025. The beach is just a few kilometers from Keszthely and to the south, there are reed and wooded areas.

Tamara is SUP'ing along the reeds and I am recovering from the short night at our beautiful spot under the tree.

The Swiss couple loves to dance salsa. That's why a message comes with the question of whether we are going to the wine festival tonight as well. It's clear, of course, that we will be there. We are looking forward to spending another evening with them.

After the performances, there will be a salsa warm-up dance before the Colombian band encourages us to dance. Afterwards, the DJ will play music from the 80s to the 90s, and of course, we will stay until after midnight.

Trip to Hungary (1.8.25)

Well-rested, we prepare for the onward journey. We refill our supplies, refuel, and top up on water. The drive takes us again through the beautiful and vast landscapes of Hungary. Of course, we want to enjoy it once more and take only secondary roads to Austria.

We are excited about a new country that is near Switzerland, which we do not know at all yet...