Hungarian Learning Community and Resources

There is no summer for a Hungarian without a holiday by the Balaton lake, where you can also visit one of the best electronic music festivals in Europe, the Balaton Sound!

A magyar tenger (the Hungarian Sea), as Balaton is also called, is the biggest lake in Central Europe. Being only an hour's drive from Budapest, it is the country's main holiday resort. Its water has a special, soft quality and its colour is green-silver. Balaton is a shallow lake, and its water is very warm, therefore the holiday season around it starts in late spring and goes on until early autumn. There are more resorts on the sandy, shallower southern shore. The most popular one is definitely Siófok.

The towns around Lake Balaton have a lot to offer for those who are interested in museums and cultural events. The lake is famous for its sudden, unexpected storms. So watch out for the red rocket signals! When you see them, leave the water straight away. In the winter the lake is frozen over and it is used for winter sports, like skating and tobogganing. There is a variety of fish in Balaton. The most famous one is fogas (pikeperch), which is exclusive to the lake. Balaton is also famous for great events during the summer. Don’t miss the famous festival, Balaton Lake, if you visit the area!

If you want to eat something typical Hungarian by the lake, you need to try the hekk, a fried fish with some French fries. It is the Hungarian fish & chips and it is extremely popular. Another food, the most famous street food of Hungary is the lángos, what is similar to the Italian calzone, only without fillings. We put sour cream and cheese on the top, with some garlic! It's a must during a Balaton holiday!