Siofok, Capital of the Balaton
Water Sports Restaurants Nightlife History and Museums are all here
Spend a great holiday in Siofok, the tourist centre on the eastern side of the Balaton, Europe's largest lake, and enjoy a variety of water sports, history and festivals.
The resort town of Siófok was established in the 1890s, with the building of a pier, parks, gardens, hotels, spa pools, tennis courts, etc. Nowadays it's still dedicated to summer fun, with visitors flocking in to enjoy its pleasures. It was especially popular during the Communist regime as tourists who couldn't travel to the Mediterranean coastlines got their quota of sun, "sea" and sand here.
Celts, Romans and Hungarians
Celts, Romans, and finally Hungarians left their mark here. 1541 saw the Turks occupying Fok, as it then known, holding it until 1688. It also played a part in the Hungarian struggle for independence, and Rákóczi II, in 1705, gave the village a seal that is the basis of present day Siófok’s town crest. During World War II it was at the front line of the battle for two months, causing much damage to the old historic buildings.
Imre Kalman Museum
The Imre Kálmán museum is filled with exhibits of this famous composer’s life, while the József Beszédes Museum covers the fields of hydro engineering of the Balaton and associated canals. For some modern history, visit the Lutheran Church designed by the sometimes controversial modern architect Imre Makovecz.
Decorated Egg Display
And for something completely different, head to the Egg Museum (Tojásmuvészeti Kiállítás) at Szucs u4 for a display of decorated eggs from all over the world. There’s also a mineral museum, a radio museum packed with all sorts of radios from times gone by, a reptile zoo, and an aquarium.
Water Tower
One of the most noticeable structures in Siófok is the water tower dating from 1912; it's now the home of the Tourinform office. There’s also the rather magnificent railway station, a weather station, and some lovely old villas that belonged to noticeable Hungarians.
Statues
Instantly noticeable are the many statues and metal sculptures that adorn the town. They gaze out over the lake, sit solemnly under gazebos, lounge on benches. There’s a group under umbrellas peering up at the skies to see if the rain shower is over, and an unusual "floating" lady, her lacy robes spread around her.
Festivals
Siófok is also renowned for its many festivals. An Easter festivals starts off the year’s events and the season really kicks off with the Blue Ribbon sailing regatta in May, a wonderful sight as the colourful boats head out to the lake, sails straining in the brisk wind. The Imre Kálmán operetta festival runs for two months during the summer – a must for operetta fans. Then there’s a folklore festival in July, with dancing groups from many countries showing their skills, and a three day egg festival in October.
Sports and Activities
If water sports aren’t your thing, there’s plenty of other activities to chose from: paintball, horse riding, and go-kart tracks, and quad bikes are all available. For lovers of nature, there’s a nine-kilometre nature trail with explanation boards in English and German. There's also wine tasting nearby, and from Siófok you can take the ferry boat to visit the town ofTihany, on the opposite bank of the lake.
Summer Crowds
A great place to visit any time of the year, Siófok becomes quite crowded in summer. And although the lake is too cold for swimming in spring and summer, it's still lovely to walk in the parks, enjoying the sunshine, the peaceful parks and the quiet lake.
