📷 Photo by Ervin Lukacs on UnsplashLake Balaton
Tihany’s lavender and abbey, wine hills on the north shore and the thermal lake at Hévíz.
- Distance
- 207 km (128 mi)
- Driving
- 2 h 51 min
- Suggested days
- 3
- Stops
- 4
- Countries
- Hungary
- Updated
- May 8, 2026
At a glance: 3-day road trip of about 207 km (128 mi) with 4 stops, from Budapest to Hévíz. About 2 h 51 min of driving in total.
More road trips in Hungary · More road trips from Budapest
Route description
Leave Budapest on the M7 motorway, which runs south-west to the eastern end of Lake Balaton, the largest lake in Central Europe. Hungarian motorways require an electronic vignette.
Take the north-shore road 71 to the Tihany peninsula, where the Benedictine abbey looks over the lake and lavender fields flower in early summer. A car ferry crosses from Tihany to Szántód on the south shore.
Continue west along the north shore past the volcanic hills of Badacsony and Szigliget, covered in vineyards and dotted with wine cellars. The scenery changes from resort towns to quiet hills with views across the water.
Keszthely at the western end has the Festetics Palace, and just inland the thermal lake of Hévíz is warm enough for bathing year-round. The lake shore is busy on summer weekends, while spring and autumn are quieter.
Stop-by-stop itinerary
In driving order. Distances are estimates between consecutive stops.
- 1Start
Budapest
Hungary - 2136 km
Tihany
Hungary - 364 km
Keszthely
Hungary - 47 km
Hévíz
Hungary
Suggested stages and overnight stops
3 days, split by driving time. Campsites from OpenStreetMap: check opening dates before you go.
- Day 1: Budapest → Tihany · 136 km · 1 h 52 minOvernight nearby, for example: Csopaki Üdülőfalu és Kemping (8 km); H und R mobil camping (16 km).
- Day 2: Tihany → Keszthely · 64 km · 0 h 53 minOvernight nearby, for example: Tündérkert Kemping (3 km); Tekergő (8 km).
- Day 3: Keszthely → Hévíz · 7 km · 0 h 06 minOvernight nearby, for example: Tündérkert Kemping (8 km); Tekergő (14 km).
Best time to go
The most pleasant months are usually May–June and August–September. Still fine, with some compromises, in July and October. Cold, short days in December–February. July and August are the busiest months: book campsites early.
Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons
Practical notes for the road
- Hungary: Vignette needed for motorways. Buy the e-vignette online before you drive on motorways. Motorway limit for cars: 130 km/h.
Road rules and fees change. Check official sources before you travel.
FAQs
How long is Lake Balaton?
3-day road trip of about 207 km (128 mi) with 4 stops, from Budapest to Hévíz. About 2 h 51 min of driving in total.
How many days do you need for Lake Balaton?
We suggest 3 days: about 2 h 51 min of driving, which leaves time for the stops.
Where does Lake Balaton start and end?
It starts in Budapest and ends in Hévíz.
Which countries does Lake Balaton pass through?
Hungary.
Where can you camp along Lake Balaton?
OpenStreetMap lists 61 campsites and motorhome stopovers within 20 km of the stops on this route. For example: Haller Camping, Ave Natura and Csopaki Üdülőfalu és Kemping.
When is the best time for Lake Balaton?
The most pleasant months are usually May–June and August–September. Still fine, with some compromises, in July and October. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)
