The northern shore

Lake Balaton's northern shore is particularly rich in heritage buildings, museums and natural phenomena.

As for the countryside's built heritage, the most famous is Tihany Abbey founded in 1055 by King Andrew I; the more recent abbey church is amongst the most beautiful Baroque structures.

Amongst the sights of Szigliget, the impressive remains of a 13th-century fortress atop Castle Hill also afford a splendid panorama of Lake Balaton, while the 19th-century Esterházy Mansion today also serves as a literary studio.

As for the museums and memorial houses, the most significant are the Tihany Museum of the Benedictine Abbey, the Africa Museum in Balatonederics, the Jókai House at Balatonfüred, and in Badacsonytomaj the memorial house of József Egry, known as 'painter of the Balaton'.