Page 209 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Hungary
P. 209
SOUTHERN TR ANSD ANUBIA 207
from the same starting point.
The Hungaricum Festival held in
summer features a huge folk art
fair, folk dancing, sports events
and evening concerts.
h Herend
7 km (4 miles) northwest of Veszprém.
Road Map B4. * 3,400. @ from
Veszprém. ∑ herend.com
The small village of Herend is
famous mainly for its porcelain
manufactory, which has been
producing some of the finest
A café near Lake Balaton in the elegant resort of Balatonfüred porcelain in the world since 1826.
The structure itself is a master
f Balatonfüred g Balatonalmádi piece, and a listed building. A late
Classi cist edifice built in 1840, it
23 km (14 miles) southeast of Vesz 13 km (8 miles) south of Veszprém.
prém. Road Map B4. * 13,000. Road Map B4. * 8,000. £ from has an amazing entrance, topped
£ from Budapest. @ from Buda pest. Budapest. @ from Buda pest. with an eggshaped dome
4 from Siófok. n Tourinform, Blaha n Tourinform, Városház tér 4, (88) guarded by two giant angels.
Lujza utca 5, (87) 58 04 80. _ Anna 59 40 80. _ Hungaricum Festival Porcelanium, the visitor centre
Ball (last Sat in Jul). (last week in Jul). of the manufactory, is a museum
of porcelain as well as a brand
The site of the first medicinal The secondlargest resort on shop. It has displays of the
retreat on Lake Balaton, Balaton’s northern shore, decorative Herend china and
Hungary’s first sailing club Balatonalmádi has welcomed porcelain, from dinner plates
and one of its oldest bathers since the to intricately painted figurines.
balls, Balatonfüred 1870s. It has a fine There is also the opportunity
remains the grandest sandy beach, and to visit a workshop to watch the
resort on the lake. is an excellent base production process. Visitors can
Though its streets for exploring the also try their hand at shaping and
have a faded air, the Balaton hinterland painting of porcelain objects.
villas, such as that and hills on foot. There are demon strations by
of the romantic From the railway artists who meticulously hand
novelist Mór Jókai station, a 6km paint every detail. A vast factory
(1825–1904), still (4mile) path shop sells some 12,000 porcelain
convey ele gance; (marked with blue items made here and painted in
Jókai’s home is today A sailing boat on crosses) leads up about 350 different patterns.
a museum dedi cated Lake Balaton to the Wesselényi
to his works. Primarily Viewing Tower at E Porcelanium
a health spa, patients flock the top of Öreghegy (132 m/ Kossuth Lajos utca 140. Tel (88) 52 31
to the town’s hospital to drink 433 ft). A much tougher walk 97. Open Apr–Oct: 9am–6pm daily;
its minerallaced water. The leads to the top of Felsőhegy Nov–Mar: 9:30am–5pm daily (Nov–
“miracle” water is available to (321 m/1,053 ft) Dec: Tues–Sat). & 8 7
all from the colonnaded
drinking fountain in Gyógy tér.
Gyógy tér is also where
the grand annual Anna Ball
is held at the Árkád Hotel in
July. The first ball in 1825
was a showcase event for
the grand daughter of a local
businessman. Traditionally,
the debutantes all wear
exactly the same gown, and
the high point is the election
of the belle of the ball.
Two great sandy beaches
flank Balaton füred’s landing
stage, from where the Lake
Balaton ferry departs. The astonishing entrance of the Porcelanium
206-207_EW_Hungary.indd 207 14/11/2017 16:48
