Visit the Thermal Lake of Heviz in Hungary

A relaxing place to visit in the Lake Balaton region of Hungary is the Thermal Lake of Hévíz. It 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 thermal lake of Hévíz has warm waters which are known to have health benefits. It’s also a great place to swim or float and enjoy the views. They also have both an indoor and outdoor spa with a variety of services. You can also choose from many sun loungers by the water for sitting, or visit a cafe bar on site.

About Lake of Hévíz

The Thermal Lake of Hévíz is the largest swimmable thermal lake in the world. It is 47,500 square metres. It’s also the second-largest thermal lake in the world; however, Frying Pan Lake in New Zealand is too hot to swim in. The flow of water into the lake is very strong, and it completely replaces the lake’s water every 72 hours.

The depth of the lake ranges from 2 metres to 38 metres at its deepest point. The deepest point is where the hot water arrives from to warm the lake. Apparently, the waters here are good for people with rheumatic diseases and locomotor disorders, among others. Because of the benefits, there are lots of health tourism services in the area.

The flora and fauna are unique due to the water’s temperature and chemical composition. The water contains carbonic acid, calcium, magnesium, hydrogen carbonate, reduced sulphuric compounds and oxygen in solution.

Tickets and Entry Options

There are a variety of options for entering the lake, from short 3-hour tickets to longer all-day tickets. Sadly, they were not dog-friendly, so we were short on time and had to get back to Henry using public transport, so we opted for the 3-hour option. You can find their full range of pricing options and booking information on their website. If you fancy a treatment, it’s best to book in advance.

Changing Facilities and Lockers

When you arrive, you get a wristband to wear. These act as locker keys to store your items and monitor the time you have left. You can hold the wristband up to the monitoring machines throughout the lake to see how long you have left. They have penalties for getting out overstayers, apparently. If you got extra treatments, they also linked these to your wristband.

The locker rooms are unisex, with side rooms for changing in privacy. The lockers were robust, and I was happy to leave my stuff there.

Map of The Site

Throughout the site, there are maps to help you find your way around, including to the treatment areas and changing rooms. These are in a variety of languages, including English and Hungarian.

What to Expect?

The lake has a pier-like structure on which many of the facilities lie. It is also home to the hottest water, with steps leading into this part of the lake. The outer parts of the “island” have loungers and steps leading into the thermal waters.

Lovely lawns and nature surround the lake. Thus, it’s a beautiful place to sit and relax. Along the edges of the lake, there are many options for getting in via steps. It is great for swimming or floating. They also supply floats if you book one on entry.

Swimming in lakes is lush, and it’s nice to be up close to nature. While swimming, you will see local wildlife and, no doubt, encounter plants, including lily pads.

They also have a few lifeguards to ensure visitors’ safety. These seemed on the ball and always watching, and I felt reassured swimming there.

It’s a rather chilled-out place, with most people spending time between the lake and the loungers out of the water. It was very relaxing, and I wish I had spent more time here; however, commitments to the dog made it not possible on this visit.

During the colder months, the water under the pier is rather nice to spend time in. It is sheltered from the elements and gets rather warm. There are various sections with differing water temperatures. There are also loads of loungers to sit and chill after a soak inside.

Refreshments

To enhance the relaxation, they also have an on-site cafe and bars. You can buy some nice snacks or a meal here. For drinks, they do coffee, beer and some healthier fruit drinks too. Beers include some Hungarian options, including Soproni.

When Is It Best to Visit?

The site is open year-round, so you can visit any season. We visited for the first time in June, and it was rather busy with people enjoying the lake. On a sunny day, it’s a pleasant place to relax in or out of the water.

Our subsequent visit was in the autumn, which was pleasant too. The water remains warm, which is the principal attraction. It was much quieter during this time, and the autumnal colours added to the vibe. My latest swim in the lake was in early spring, and it was very quiet; I was one of five people in the water. This was a cold and windy day, which added to the experience.

Hévíz a town in Hungary

Hévíz is a pleasant town and seemed geared toward serving tourists visiting the lake. They had lots of restaurant options and many souvenir shops for visitors. Hévíz is also a great place to do some regular shopping and pick up supplies when on holiday. There are also many options for spa hotels in Hévíz, many of which offer health treatments and massages.

Getting to Lake Hévíz

You can easily reach the town by local bus, which is rather cheap. There are frequent buses to Keszthely and other towns in the region. Google Maps seemed very accurate when choosing buses to and from Hévíz.

Buses arrive at the town’s bus station, which is centrally located and a short walk from the thermal lake. The buses only accept cash for a ride.

If you are short of time and fancy visiting from the capital, there are options for private tours of the Balaton area. You can find out about these on the Viator or GetYourGuide websites.

Hotels & Holiday Accommodation

Hévíz offers plenty of accommodation options for visitors, including luxury resort hotels. There are also options for budget-friendly rooms throughout the town. You can also find some dog-friendly options too if you travel with a dog like us. We didn’t stay but found plenty of options on Booking.com.

Is Lake Hévíz Worth Visiting?

The Thermal Lake of Hévíz is a fantastic place to relax in a natural environment and be at one with nature. Ideally, it is a whole day out to enjoy the full benefits. They geared the site towards having a good time with minimal fuss. As a bonus, there are some fantastic places to dine out at after a swim.