Hungary Postcards Evoke Childhood Memories
Holiday Destinations in Hungary on Historical Postcards: Balaton and Budapest
Historical postcards from Hungary feature seven holiday destinations that German-speaking tourists or expats can still visit today: Siófok, Keszthely, Hévíz, Balatonfüred, Zalakaros, Lake Balaton in general, and Budapest.
For each place, we list the sights depicted on the postcards that are still relevant for your holiday in Hungary today.
Siófok: What sights do the postcards show?
Siófok is located on the southern shore of Lake Balaton and is considered the "capital of Balaton." On the postcards, the town appears both with its own card and as a motif on the general Balaton map.
Siófok's landmark is the Water Tower from 1912, designed by engineers Árpád Guth and Jenő Gergely. It originally served the city's water supply and is about 40 meters high. Since 1992, the tower has belonged to the municipality; today, it houses a Tourinform office with an observation deck instead of the former water tank.
Siófok also features Jókai Park, named after the writer Mór Jókai and extensively redesigned since the early 1990s. The park has a small lake with a wooden bridge and a Japanese garden. The Jókai Villa stands in this park: Mór Jókai spent his last summer here in 1903. After nationalization in 1947, the building served various public purposes, and since 1995, it has been back in private ownership.
Other postcard motifs you'll find in Siófok include the harbor with its pier and the Great Beach on the lakeshore.
Keszthely Sights: What makes Festetics Castle the city's landmark?
Keszthely is located on the western shore of Lake Balaton. Festetics Castle, officially called Helikon Castle since 2012, is the city's defining building and has been operated as the Helikon Castle Museum since 1974. Construction began in 1745 under Kristóf Festetics, and the Baroque castle received its current form during a renovation in the 1880s.
The most significant part of the castle is the library in the south wing, completed around 1800. It is considered the only preserved private aristocratic library in Hungary and houses more than 80,000 volumes, including the Chronica Hungarorum by János Thuróczy from 1488.
Keszthely Castle Park is a nature reserve. It was laid out in the 1880s by the English landscape architect Henry Ernest Milner and recently reconstructed according to this historical model. The castle grounds also include a palm house, an aquarium, and a bird park.
In addition to the castle, a stroll through Keszthely's historic city center to the harbor and lakeside area of Balaton is worthwhile. The city's Balaton Museum is dedicated to the history of the lake and its surroundings, complementing the castle visit with a natural history and regional history aspect.
Hévíz: What is known about the thermal lake?
Hévíz is located near western Balaton and is known as a bathing and recreation resort. The Hévíz Thermal Lake is considered one of the largest biologically active thermal lakes in the world and covers an area of about four hectares.
A spring at a depth of around 40 meters continuously feeds the lake with warm water, so the entire lake renews itself within a few days. This keeps the water temperature warm enough for swimming even in winter, while it rises significantly in summer.
Around the lake are Hévíz's historic bath facilities, surrounded by a well-maintained park area with walking paths. Water lilies grow on the lake all year round, giving the place its characteristic appearance.
In the center of Hévíz, you'll also find a pedestrian zone with historic spa architecture along the Schulhof Promenade, which can be easily combined with a visit to the lake.
Balatonfüred Sights: What motifs do the postcards show?
Balatonfüred is located on the northern shore of Lake Balaton and was first mentioned in 1211 in the property registration of the Tihany Abbey. The town is known for its lakeside promenade, its historic spa district, and its harbor.
Balatonfüred's Tagore Promenade has borne the name of the Indian poet and Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore since 1957. He was treated at the local cardiac hospital in 1926 and, in gratitude, planted the first tree on the promenade.
At the Kossuth Spring in Balatonfüred, you can taste the famous Füred mineral water. The Neoclassical pump house was built around 1800 and remodeled in the mid-19th century.
In the old spa district around Gyógy tér, historic villas and the spa house characterize the townscape, including the former villa of actress Lujza Blaha, which now serves as a hotel and restaurant.
Excursion boats depart from Balatonfüred harbor, connecting it with other Balaton towns. In 1831, the poet Sándor Kisfaludy opened the first stone theater in Transdanubia here.
Zalakaros Thermal Bath: What does the town and its surroundings offer?
Zalakaros is located in western Hungary, near the Kis-Balaton nature reserve. The town is known as a bathing and family destination.
The Zalakaros Medical and Adventure Bath offers a sports pool, a family pool, and a thermal pool for water gymnastics. For about a decade, an adrenaline slide park with five slides and about 20 meters in height has complemented the offer for older children and teenagers. For younger children, there is a separate water play area with around 60 attractions.
In the vicinity of Zalakaros lies the Kis-Balaton nature reserve, a wetland protected under the Ramsar Convention. More than 250 bird species have been observed there so far, about 30 of which are under strict protection.
A popular excursion destination nearby is the Kápolnapuszta Buffalo Reserve, home to Hungary's largest buffalo herd accessible to visitors. Additionally, a thermal lake with an ecopark and an observation tower invite further walks.
Balaton Holiday: What makes the lake a central holiday destination?
Lake Balaton is the largest lake in Central Europe. Its shallow southern shore, with numerous beaches, is suitable for families with small children, while the volcanic mountains and wine regions of the Balaton Uplands are located on the northern shore.
The Balaton Cycle Path, extended since the 1990s and popular with active holidaymakers, leads around Lake Balaton. Several harbors along the shore enable boat trips between towns, including the harbors of Siófok, Keszthely, and Balatonfüred.
Among the most famous destinations on the northern shore are also the Tihany Peninsula with its Benedictine Abbey and the wine village of Badacsony with its basalt formations.
On historical postcards, Balaton appears as a collective motif, also showing places like Siófok, Keszthely, and Balatonfüred. If you want to experience the lake as a whole, it's best to combine several lakeside towns in a round trip for your Balaton holiday.
Budapest Sights: What buildings do the capital's postcards show?
Budapest is Hungary's most important city break destination and, with its architecture on the Danube, a classic postcard motif.
The Fisherman's Bastion in the Buda Castle District is one of the city's most famous sights and offers a panoramic view of the Danube, Parliament, and Chain Bridge. Right next to it stands Matthias Church, founded in the 13th century and officially known as the Church of Our Lady of Buda Castle; during the Ottoman period, it served as a mosque and was later rebuilt in the Baroque style.
The Hungarian Parliament Building directly on the Danube riverbank houses the Hungarian Crown in its historic interiors, which can be viewed during guided tours.
The grand Andrássy Avenue connects the city center with Heroes' Square and shows you Budapest's historic city architecture beyond the Castle District.
A Danube boat trip along the Danube riverbank connects the city's classic motifs: Chain Bridge, Buda Castle, Fisherman's Bastion, Parliament Building, and Liberty Bridge can be experienced from the water in a route often depicted together on historical maps.
Conclusion
The holiday destinations in Hungary captured on historical postcards can largely still be visited unchanged today:
- Water Tower and Jókai Villa in Siófok,
- Festetics Castle with the city center and harbor in Keszthely,
- the thermal lake with bathing facilities and park area in Hévíz,
- the Tagore Promenade and the old spa district in Balatonfüred,
- the bath in Zalakaros, Lake Balaton as a whole, as well as Fisherman's Bastion,
- Parliament,
- Andrássy Avenue and Danube riverbank in Budapest.
For a round trip, the Balaton towns are a good combination, supplemented by a city trip to Budapest. If you want to compare the historical postcard motifs of Hungary with the current appearance of the places, you can find further information at the Tourinform offices on site.
Frequently Asked Questions about Holiday Destinations in Hungary
Which holiday destinations in Hungary are shown on the historical postcards?
The Hungary postcards show Siófok, Keszthely, Hévíz, Balatonfüred, and Zalakaros on and near Lake Balaton, as well as Lake Balaton in general and Budapest.
What is the most important sight in Keszthely?
Festetics Castle with its library and castle park is the most important sight in Keszthely; additionally, a stroll through the city center and a visit to the Balaton Museum are worthwhile.
Is swimming in the Hévíz Thermal Lake possible all year round?
Yes. As the water renews itself within a few days, the temperature remains warm enough for swimming even in winter.
What is Zalakaros known for?
Zalakaros is known for its medical and adventure bath with a slide park, as well as its proximity to the Kis-Balaton nature reserve and the Kápolnapuszta buffalo reserve.
What is the landmark of Balatonfüred?
The most famous landmark is the Tagore Promenade, named after the poet Rabindranath Tagore, who planted the first tree there in 1926 after his recovery at the cardiac hospital.
What does the Fisherman's Bastion in Budapest show?
The Fisherman's Bastion in the Buda Castle District offers a panoramic view of the Danube, Parliament, and Chain Bridge and is one of Budapest's most famous sights.
Sources
Official city website Siófok with sights: siofok.hu
Official city website Keszthely with castle information: www.keszthely.hu
Official museum website of Festetics Castle Helikon: helikonkastely.hu
Official spa town website Hévíz with thermal lake information: www.heviz.hu
Official tourism portal Balatonfüred with sights: turizmus.balatonfured.hu
Official city website Zalakaros with bath and surroundings: zalakaros.hu
Official national tourism portal for all of Hungary: visithungary.com
Official tourist information of the city of Budapest: www.budapestinfo.hu
