Things To Do In Keszthely: Beaches, Museums & Historic Sites

Keszthely, Hungary, is a city on the shores of Lake Balaton with plenty of things to do. The city has some pretty historic buildings, including a palace, churches and an attractive centre.

There are beaches in Keszthely, some of which are private and linked to resorts and others for the public. These are interlinked by cycling and walking trails, which are pleasant for a walk.

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Things to Do in Keszthely

There are historic sites and museums in Keszthely and the Lake Balaton region. Also, there are activities to enjoy the area, such as water sports on the lake and hiking in the nearby countryside. You can arrange tours of the region via the Viator website.

Festetics Palace

One of the most popular tourist attractions in Keszthely is the Festetics Palace. It is a Baroque palace that Kristof Festetics started construction on in 1745 and is one of the largest country houses in Hungary.

It is a very grand palace, home to a few museums and a scenic park. You can visit the museums on site.

You can visit Kastélypark and see the entire exterior of the Festetics Palace for free; the grounds are dog-friendly. Kastélypark has a lake, fountains and colourful gardens.

Libás Strand

The beach at Libás Strand is a sandy beach and a good spot to hang out near Keszthely Yacht Kikötő. The water in June is warm and ideal for swimming. It’s not too deep in the swimming area, at 1.2 metres.

The beach has a swimming area, reeds and sand to play with. They hire kayaks, canoes and SUPs from here. They also have some cool pedal boats that have slides and steps.

The grass area at Libás Strand is perfect for sitting and enjoying the views of the lake. They also have changing rooms and showers for bathers to use after a dip. Libás Strand is home to a few street food venues and bars.

Városi Strand: Beach

Városi Strand is a public beach and the oldest in the Lake Balaton region. It has a dog-friendly park area.

They also have a beach, some piers and a colourful park to explore or relax in. Városi Strand has a massive sandpit, playgrounds, a pool and free water slides. They certainly geared up the Városi Strand for fun. If visiting with your dog, south of Városi Strand has a dog beach and park.

Kjavse Harbour

Kjavse Harbour is a pretty place to visit while walking along the shore of Lake Balaton east of Keszthely. There are boats moored in the harbour, which is surrounded by reeds. If walking along the shore, there is a wooden bridge with superb views of the harbour.

Island Bath

The Island Bath in Keszthely is a pier you can visit, with ornate features and splendid lake views. It looks a bit like a wooden castle and has changing rooms and a cafe. Its entrance has two towers at the end of the walkway. This was the first bathhouse built on the water back in 1864. It has been restored and added to since then.

Day Out at the Thermal Lake of Hévíz

A relaxing thing to do nearby is to visit the Thermal Lake of Hévíz. Lake Hévíz is in the town of Hévíz, a 20-minute bus trip from Keszthely. It is the largest swimmable thermal lake in the world and is rather impressive.

The lake has warm waters which are reputed to have health benefits. It’s also a great place to swim or float and enjoy the views. They have both an indoor and outdoor spa with a variety of services. You can choose from sun loungers around the lake to sit on, or visit one of the on-site cafe bars.

Keszthely Sign Next To Lake Balaton

At Városi Strand, on the shore of Lake Balaton, is the Keszthely sign. It is a popular spot for people to take photos of the sign against the stunning lake in the background. It can get popular, and you might have to wait your turn.

Fő tér

Fő tér is the main square in Keszthely and is home to the stunning Our Lady of Hungary Church. Beautiful buildings surround the entire square, including a theatre, a school and a former monastery.

It is a lovely place to sit and relax or peruse the sights. There are some statues to see and information boards about the area.

Our Lady of Hungary Church

In Fő tér, the main square in Keszthely, is the stunning Our Lady of Hungary Church. The tower of Our Lady of Hungary Church dominates the square and is a must-see attraction. They have a garden on the side, which is rather pretty. You can visit the inside for free.

This is a Gothic church that was completed around 1390. As such, Our Lady of Hungary Church is the oldest building in the city. The wall paintings inside are some of the largest Gothic frescoes in Hungary. A recent addition to the church building is the tower, added in 1878 above the rose.

Carriage Museum

The carriage museum covers a variety of transportation topics and gives visitors the chance to see historical transportation methods up close. The horse-drawn carriages in the museum are fascinating and have unique designs. They have carriages used for different purposes, including a few elaborate hearses and wedding carts.

Historic Model Railway Exhibition

Upstairs in the hunting museum in Keszthely is a historic model railway exhibition, which is basically an elaborate train set. The model railway has 1.8 miles of track and has 25 train stations. It is one of the longest in Europe and a must-see attraction for model railway enthusiasts.

Exhibition of Aristocratic Travels

The exhibition of aristocratic travels is in the same building as the castle’s ticket office. It covers how the Hungarian and Austrian aristocracy used to travel. This includes exhibitions on horse-drawn coaches, paddle steamers on the Danube, and luxury train travel.

Palm House and Bird Park

Count Tassilo Festetics II built the palm house in 1880 in the gardens of the palace. They made parts of its structure in Gustave Eiffel’s workshop. The Palm House was originally used to house the palace’s palms and potted plants. The Palm House and gardens are full of exotic plants and are lovely to explore.

Boat Trip on Lake Balaton

Boat trips on Lake Balaton are an excellent way to see the lake. Nosztalgia Sétahajó is a paddle steamer based at Keszthely Molo, where you can purchase tickets. There are a variety of tours available, including those with refreshments and a sunset boat trip. You can also arrange a Lake Balaton boat trip via their website.

Nostalgia Museum

The nostalgia museum was full of memorabilia and artefacts from a bygone era. They had a fascinating collection of homeware, uniforms, and cigarette memorabilia.

Toy Museum

The toy museum was the busiest of the seven and was full to the rafters with toys. This included soft toys, toy cars and a massive Barbie collection. They also have a display of hundreds of Kinder egg toys, which was a highlight for me.

Erotic Renaissance Wax Museum

The Erotic Renaissance Wax Museum in Keszthely is an adult-only museum. There are Renaissance paintings inside, which they have turned into wax model displays. This is not the sort of place for prudes.

Doll Museum

The doll museum had hundreds, if not thousands, of dolls in display cabinets from many eras. These were immaculate and dressed in costumes. On the top floor were some impressive wooden dollhouses.

Snail Parliament

The Snail Parliament is a must-visit attraction while in Keszthely. It is a replica of the Hungarian Parliament Building, made from snail shells. Apparently, it took Aunt Ilona Miskei 14 years and 19 million sea snails to complete.

Horror Museum, Museum of Torture

As with many places, they had their take on a torture museum. They had wax models to display the torture techniques during medieval times.

Historic Panopticon

The Historic Panopticon was a collection of wax models of influential people throughout Hungary’s history. This included kings and told the story of Hungary in an engaging way. The information boards were informative and were in English.

Watch Lake Balaton Sunrise & Sunset

Lake Balaton in Hungary is a fantastic spot to watch the sunset and sunrise. The Ferris wheel in Keszthely is excellent during the late afternoon sun, with some colourful views of the lake.

Balaton Museum

The Balaton Museum is housed in a neo-baroque building completed in 1926. It covers a variety of topics regarding the lake. This includes history, geology, wildlife and the people who lived on the lake. You can see how people enjoyed their holiday in bygone eras. You can find out more about visiting or book tickets on their website.

Day Trip to Szigliget

A short bus trip along the shores of Lake Balaton brings you to Szigliget, a pretty village. The chief attraction is the castle on the hill, which offers splendid views of Lake Balaton. There are other sites to see and wineries to visit.

Relax in Helikon Park

Helikonpark is a park that links the central attractions and the beaches of Lake Balaton. The park dates from 1905, and it covers 17 hectares.

During the summer holidays, it’s a nice place to get some shade and rest from the sun. Also in Helikonpark is the Helikon Monument, which was created in 1921. After the Second World War, it had to be reconstructed.