What to See in Siofok (Hungary)
The resort of Siofok is located on the southeastern shore of Lake Balaton. It is here that the highway from Budapest leads, the distance from the capital of the country to the resort is 115 km. At this point, the Shio canal flows into Lake Balaton, dividing the city in half, from which the name Siofok came. The canal connects the lake and the Danube river. Siofok is one of the most famous resorts of Balaton. The history of this region dates back to the 1st century BC, when the Romans came here, and the first mention of the city dates back to 1055.
The center of the city is Millennium Park, which is located near the city station. The area of the park is 16,000 sq. m. Local residents and tourists like to relax here, especially in the shade of trees near the Birth of Venus fountain. To the south of the square is the Cultural Center, in front of which you can see the bust of the famous Hungarian composer Imre Kalman. Imre Kalman was born in Siofok, there is also his house-museum here.
Be sure to visit the port of Siofok, from where the city embankment begins. In front of the port, there is another park with a bronze monument to the Mermaid, and next to it is the Rose Garden with flower beds and rose bushes. On Freedom Square is the tallest building in the city – a water tower. It is a wooden structure 50 m high, Siofok. In the park of Oulu, an interesting new Lutheran church is made of wood, its entrance is crowned with wooden bird wings.
According to Relationshipsplus.com, the coastline within Siofok stretches for 16 km and is all occupied by sandy beaches. The bottom here is flat, it smoothly goes under the water. In the immediate vicinity of the beaches there are hotels, motels, cottages and campsites. Many tourists come here every summer. Siofok is famous for its entertainment centers, restaurants, bars and discos, so young people will like it more. The most popular entertainment complexes in Siofok – Disco Palace Center and Coca Cola Beach House, which stands right on the beach. Every year in July, the city hosts the International Folklore Festival “Golden Shell”.
There is a motor road around Balaton, where you can go around the lake in one day. The name Balaton is translated from Old Slavonic as “swamp”. It is located in a basin of tectonic origin. Millions of years ago, there was a sea on the site of the lake, during geological shifts the seabed gradually rose, and volcanic activity formed dolomite highlands on the northern shore. The northern coast of Lake Balaton is rocky and steep, in some places it is strongly indented, in contrast to the southern one – sandy and gentle. Balaton Square – 596 sq. km, length – 74 km, width – 10-14 km, and maximum depth – 12 m. The water in it is renewed every 2 years and the local authorities are trying to protect its purity, forbidding production on the banks of the Balaton. There are a lot of resorts where you can sunbathe, swim and engage in water sports, among which water skiing is the most popular. At every The hotel has equipment rental.
Tourists are offered boat cruises on the lake. From Siofok, you can go to the Tihany Peninsula, which is located on the northern coast of Balaton. The area has been declared a protected area. The peninsula has its own lake Belshe-To. Its radius is 700 m, it is independent of Balaton. Near the western shore of Lake Balaton is the Kish-Balaton (Small Balaton) nature reserve. This is the floodplain of the Zara River, which is a swampy area. Gulls, wild geese, storks and wild ducks nest here. It is very interesting to take a boat ride through the reserve on small islands and watch the birds.
Not far from the western coast of Balaton, in the area where mineral and thermal springs come out, there are health centers – Heviz and Zalakaros. The source in Hévíz is a geyser that forms a natural pool with a water temperature of up to 38 degrees Celsius. Similar sources exist only in Iceland. Sulfuric waters and mud from the bottom of the pool help in the treatment of diseases of the musculoskeletal system. The health centers of Zalakaros also use the mineral springs. They help in the treatment of diseases of the musculoskeletal system, respiratory tract and gynecological diseases.
In Balatonfured, which is located on the northern coast of the lake near the Tihany peninsula, there is a world-famous cardiological sanatorium. It was opened in 1700. Here, with the help of carbon dioxide sources, prevention of cardiovascular diseases is carried out.
