Zalakaros is a lovely town set in the South West of Hungary and it boasts some of the most beautiful wildlife in Europe.Since joining the E U in 2004 Hungary has become a popular tourist destination, due to it’s cheap holidays, excellent weather and good exchange rate. At the moment one pound will buy you 270 - 350 forints. Hungary is also a popular tourist choice because of it’s vast array of therapeutic spa pools, which remain at thirty two degrees all year round, [both indoor and outdoor]. These pools have proven to be of great benefit to the handicapped, the elderly, rheumatic conditions etc. and they offer all kinds of therapeutic massage and reflexology treatments too.

The vast thermal spa complex in Zalakaros boasts a range of bars and restaurants as well as water-slides and wave-pools.The whole family can be occupied for a whole day for very little money. The complex is open 365 days a year thus making it an ideal place to visit during the quieter winter months.
The spa complex is only one kilometre from Sunnyroth Villas, and because we have excellent cycle paths, it is a lovely stroll or push, to the centre.

There is a wide variety of bars and restaurants and a family of four could enjoy a three course meal with drinks, for approximately twelve pounds fifty.

Next to the spa complex is the local market which sells local handicrafts etc.
There is a chemist, post office, bicycle hire, small fairground and a coupleof supermarkets, plus various other shops, too numerous to mention. The local nightclub is also near the spa complex and here you can enjoy 

karaoke as well. In high season every two weeks, the locals hold wine and beer festivals, with food and handicraft stalls and Hungarian entertainment.
 

Hungarians love to go fishing, and it’s no wonder, because there is a plethora of fishing lakes. The two largest ones are, Kis Balaton, which is only a few kilometres away and Lake Balaton, which is fifty miles wide and stunningly beautiful, about a half hour drive away.
On certain days of the year, the Hungarian rowing teams have tournaments on the Balaton, and this is spectacular.
 

Buffalo reserve of Kápolnapuszta

In Kápolnapuszta, situated between Zalakomár and Balatonmagyaród, approximately 80 buffalos live in a reserve. A paved road leads to the reserve. At the reserve there are parking places, esplanades and a lookout turret awaiting the visitors, who in good weather can have a splendid view of the Balaton highlands.





Little-Balaton

Once it used to be the open water bay of Lake Balaton which in the course of time became a marshy flood area. Since the last century the majority of the water has been continuously drained, and then it was declared a nature conservation area. Today it is the paradise of the birds where aigrettes, cormorants, boat-bills, squaccos, great crested grebes, herons and red herons, coots, reed-thrushes, reed-warblers and owls nest.


The village of Galambok

Once it used to be the open water bay of Lake Balaton which in the course of time became a marshy flood area. Since the last century the majority of the water has been continuously drained, and then it was declared a nature conservation area. Today it is the paradise of the birds where aigrettes, cormorants, boat-bills, squaccos, great crested grebes, herons and red herons, coots, reed-thrushes, reed-warblers and owls nest.

Zalakomár

The monument-like building was built in 1772. Its carved, richly armoured main gate and painted ceiling lends a peculiar charm to the building. The baptizing font made of marble and ornamented with coat-of-arms dates back to 1698. On its top a cue-style cover and statue can be seen. In the church nave there is an ironwork gallery on both sides which was finished around 1890. The frescos were painted by Dorffmaister.

Zalavár

Hungarian first king, St. Stephen the First founded here a Benedictine abbey in 1019, and later he placed the centre of the royal county here. To commemorate this event, Zala County erected a memorial column at the place of the late abbey and castle in 1938. Cirill and Metód, who christianized the Slav peoples and created the writing bearing their names, lived here one thousand one hundred years ago. In 1985 a monument was built in their honour with the full figure statue of the Slav apostles which was inaugurated here. Not far from the Cirill-Metód monument are the 1996-built memorial chapel built upon the ground walls of the chapel of the period of St. Stephen, the ruins of the basilica of Récéskút, and the Little-Balaton exhibition house.


Keszthely

The city is situated about 35 km from Zalakaros on the bank of Lake Balaton. The town, which is called the "capital of Balaton", has approximately 25.000 inhabitants.

Festetics Castle Museum:
Count Kristóf Festetics began to build the castle in 1745. The family kept expanding it in the course of the centuries, and it reached its present state and form in the last century.

Georgikon Farm Museum:
The museum operates in the building of the former farm. This is a "must see" if you are visiting this area.

Balaton Museum:
In the museum the "Lake Balaton and man" constant exhibition and high-quality art-exhibitions can be seen.

Doll Museum:
In the museum by the pedestrian precinct, which is the biggest dollmuseum of Middle-Europe, dolls wearing historical national dresses can be seen.

Marzipan Museum:
In the homely atmosphere of this confectionary own-made domestic and Viennese confectionary specialities and a confectionary exhibition comprising of almost 100 different decoration works can be found.

Nagykanizsa

The city is situated approximately 18 km from Zalakaros. The Elisabeth square that was named after Queen Elisabeth can be found in the centre of the city. In the northern part of the square can be seen the Turkish Well, which is named this way because according to local legend its octagonal stone lower part comes from the Turkish period palace.

György Thúry Museum:
The exhibition in the museum entitled People, routes and relations begins with the display of ancient everyday life while guiding visitors into each archeological period, and finally showing the medieval castle of Kanizsa.After these it revives the Golden Age, 18th - 19th century, blooming Kanizsa.

Synagogue:
A monument-like building which was built in the beginning of the 19th century. It has been reconstructed more times since then. Today the building houses concerts and cultural programmes.

Downtown Church:
A monument, which was built in the 18th century. At the same time a Franciscan monastery was also built. The point of interest in connection with the baroque church is that its holy water stoop once used to be a Turkish gravestone.

House of Fine Arts:
The permanent exhibition of Erzsebet Brunner and Erzsebet Sas Brunner painters, as well as of painter Istvan Z. Soos.

Hungarian Poster House
One of its kind in the country, the museum was opened in an old granary building in the city centre.

Rowing-lake:
The Rowing-lake, which can be found 5 km from the city centre, in the direction of Kaposvár, on the left side of the road, provides rowing and fishing possibilities for excursionists. The lookout turret is located 500 metres from the lake, from where it is possible to have a view of the surrounding area and Nagykanizsa.


Homokkomárom

Holy church and religious house

Monks belonging to the order of St Paul settled down in the village in 1360. Under Turkish rule their monastery and their church were completely destroyed. Between 1703 and 1744 the Franciscans rebuilt the church with the help of Count Batthyány. The icon of Virgin Mary was found in 1722, while the foundations of the current church were being dug out, according to the legend among the roots of the oak tree. The icon originated from the 17th century which is the size of 40x60 cm and depicts Virgin Mary holding the little Jesus in her arms was respected as a miraculous icon in the 18th century. Who touched it or prayed in front of the icon they were recovered.The relic of St Felix was given to the village as a present by XVÍ Benedict Pope and was brought to Homokkomárom by Otto Kopik, the previous abbot of Celldömölk. The relic of St Felix and the respect of Virgin Mary stood in the centre of the annual festival of the church in the baroque era.

The pilgrimage of “Conciliation of love flame and the rose with secretive sense” is organised on 13th of every month. This means a pilgrimage in the whole Transdanubia. In the warm summer months one-two thousand believers arrive occasionally. This festival is visited by a large number of Croatian and Slovenian pilgrims as well.

Nowadays "The Eight Happiness Catholic Community" lives in the religious house.

Hike possibilities

Hike lines: