Why this ride
From Keszthely it runs 71 km to Balatonfüred; allow about 1 h 24 of riding. On the way it passes Badacsony and Tihany. A steady touring day rather than a sprint.
CURVESCOUT / MOTORCYCLE RIDE
Hungary Balaton North Shore Wine Road
Plan this ride
- Recorded distance
- 71 km
- Riding-time estimate
- 1 h 24
- Journey
- One way; return travel is separate
Distance and timing basis
Ordered leg totals agree within rounding. Stop distances are approximate sums of rounded legs. Stops, delays, approach and any separate return travel add time. Basis: producer-declared routed record.
Reading history stays on this device. My road watch requires a separate selection; opening it does not subscribe this ride.
Distance and riding time are measured on the routed road. Check local closures and conditions before you ride.
Scenic road chapters
Hungary Balaton North Shore Wine Road
Expect company on a summer weekend. Early is better than fast. For about 26 km this is Hungary Balaton North Shore Wine Road, a road with a name of its own and a reason for it.
Chapter facts
- Length
- 26 km
- Named road
- Hungary Balaton North Shore Wine Road
Waypoint introductions and full write-ups
1. Keszthely
The Festetics Palace, built in the eighteenth century by the Festetics family, has a famous library and a large park, and the town has a long academic tradition. The Georgikon, founded in 1797, is said to be the first agricultural college in Europe.
Read the complete Keszthely write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Keszthely is where the day begins. Next is Badacsony.
2. Badacsony
Badacsony is a volcanic hill that stands over the north shore of Lake Balaton like a lump of dark bread left on a table. It rises to 438 metres, a flat-topped basalt butte, the product of eruptions millions of years ago when the area was a shallow sea. Time has cut the lava into hexagonal columns, and near the top the cliffs form a long wall of organ pipes, with a famous natural gateway, the Kőkapu, or Stone Gate. The slopes below are terraced and planted with vines, and they catch every ray of sun, with the lake adding reflected light and warmth.
Read the complete Badacsony write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Badacsony comes up about 26 km into the recorded legs. Next is Tihany.
3. Tihany
Tihany is a peninsula that pokes into Lake Balaton like a thumb, a hilly, volcanic outcrop in the middle of the largest lake in central Europe, and it narrows the lake almost to a strait. From the top, the water spreads out on both sides, with the vineyards of the north shore on one side and the low southern shore on the other, and on clear evenings the light on the water is unforgettable. The village sits on the ridge, a neat place of white houses and thatched roofs, with a Benedictine abbey at its heart.
Read the complete Tihany write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
about 63 km into the recorded legs you reach Tihany. Next is Balatonfured.
4. Balatonfured
Balatonfüred has been taking the waters since before anyone thought of calling it a holiday. On the north shore of Lake Balaton, Hungary's inland sea, this town of about thirteen thousand grew up around its mineral springs, which were known for treating heart conditions, and in the nineteenth century it became a fashionable resort for the aristocracy and writers. The old spa park and the promenade are still the heart of the place, and the long line of plane trees along the lakeshore makes a pleasant, shaded walk after a day on the bike.
Read the complete Balatonfured write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Balatonfured closes the day.
Leg by leg
Keszthely to Badacsony
Keszthely → Badacsony is 26 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
Badacsony to Tihany
Badacsony → Tihany is 37 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
Tihany to Balatonfured
Tihany → Balatonfured is 8 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.