Start your Sunday with a lake crossing and end it with clinking glasses in the vineyards above Badacsony. This curated day trip blends fast boats, slow strolls, artisan shopping, and two tempting wine and arboretum add‑ons—running every Sunday, with special dates already set from late December into January.
Depart from Fonyód by speedboat or from Balatonfenyves aboard the St. Benedict (Szent Benedek) sightseeing boat, glide into Badacsony, then hop a minibus to the beloved Káptalantóti Artisan Market (Káptalantóti Kézműves Piac). There’s a solid 1.5 hours to browse, buy, and linger among producers and makers, followed by your choice of two afternoon programs: either a wander through the Folly Arboretum and Winery with tastings, or a Badacsony double bill at Istvándy and Laposa wineries, each pouring three wines.
Two Ways to Cross the Lake
From Fonyód: the speedboat gets you to Badacsony fast, then a minibus runs to the Káptalantóti market. Expect 1.5 hours of shopping and free time at the stalls. Price: $25 per person. Sundays, departures from 10:00, program runs until 15:00.
For the afternoon, pick one of two upgrades:
– Folly Arboretum and Winery excursion: 1.5 hours of free roaming in the gardens and viewpoints, plus a tasting of three syrups or wines.
– Badacsony winery tour: Istvándy and Laposa, with three wines per winery.
This full package is $44 per person. Sundays, 10:00–15:00. The Fonyód-based program runs with a minimum of 10 participants, combined from multiple individual bookings if needed. It operates only at pre-agreed, pre-booked times; scheduled public services are not subject to the headcount requirement.
From Balatonfenyves: board the St. Benedict (Szent Benedek) sightseeing boat to Badacsony, then continue by minibus to the market for 1.5 hours of shopping and downtime. Price: $33 per person. Add one of the same two afternoon extensions—Folly Arboretum and Winery with three syrup or wine tastings, or Badacsony’s Istvándy and Laposa, three wines at each—for $58 per person total. Sundays, 10:00–15:00. This version runs with a minimum of 15 participants; like the Fonyód route, it operates solely at pre-arranged, pre-booked times, and scheduled public services aren’t affected by the headcount rule.
Dates and Meeting Points
Upcoming Sunday runs from Fonyód include 2025.12.28, 2026.01.04, 2026.01.11, and 2026.01.18, with more dates to come. Contact the organizer by phone to confirm availability and finalize timing. Contact person: József Tóth.
What’s Included
– Boat transfer: Fonyód speedboat or Balatonfenyves sightseeing boat to Badacsony.
– Minibus shuttle: Badacsony to Káptalantóti market and back.
– Market time: 1.5 hours to browse artisan goods and food.
– Optional afternoon: Folly Arboretum and Winery with a three-syrup or wine tasting and 1.5 hours of free time, or the double winery visit in Badacsony to Istvándy and Laposa—three wines per cellar.
Where to Stay Nearby
If you’re making a weekend of it around Fonyód, several stays line up with this easy lake-and-wine day.
– Boros Castle Guesthouse (Boros Kastély Vendégház): rising like a peninsula in the heart of the Nagyberek Nature Reserve behind Fonyód Hill, this guesthouse hosts up to 26 guests. Think intimate, group-ready atmosphere with sailing, boating, and wine-tasting activities. Ten freshly renovated, en-suite rooms include doubles and two-room terraces sleeping four, with gorgeous views over Fonyód’s hills and the protected wetlands—in an elegant setting that’s just as suited to trainings and corporate retreats.
– Funoldi Guesthouse (Funoldi Vendégház): ideal for anyone in need of a breather, in one of Fonyód’s loveliest areas. Doubles as a conference center, too.
– Quiet attic apartment with views: a separate-entry top-floor flat with three bedrooms (two doubles and one triple), kitchen, dining room, bathroom with tub, two WCs, and stairwell. Outside: a big enclosed yard with garden grill, swing bed, cauldron setup, sandbox, pool, and parking. Calm setting, panoramic outlook.
– Fonyódliget air-conditioned apartment: on a quiet, safe cul-de-sac, five minutes from the free beach. On a fenced, landscaped plot, a 430.6-square-foot, two-bedroom apartment welcomes guests. Accepts SZÉP Card.
– Panoramic apartments on the south shore: separate-entry units open year-round in Fonyód, with sweeping views of the north shore across the lake.
– North-shore-facing American-kitchen apartment: a minute from Lake Balaton, with the kind of panorama that makes you linger.
– Zöldkert Restaurant (Zöldkert Vendéglő) and pension apartments: tucked inside the Fonyódliget Resort Park, wrapped in trees and greenery, quiet and convenient. Pension-style apartments provide comfortable on-site accommodation.
– Hotel Balaton: in the center of Fonyód, 328 feet from the lake and harbor, and 820 feet from the beach. Capacity for 50 guests. Rooms come with showers, minibars, cable TV, smoke detectors, and fire alarms; apartments add mini-kitchens.
Where to Eat and Sip
– My Kitchen Studio 365 (Konyhám Stúdió 365): right on Fonyód’s main square, with a fantastic view over Lake Balaton. It’s more than a restaurant—expect a spirited mash-up of artful flavors and good vibes, an invitation to explore tastes and enjoy life’s small pleasures.
– Barbakán: in the center of Fonyód with fornetti, grilled sandwiches, pâtisserie cakes, homemade lemonade, coffee specialties, and draft beer. Summer brings soft serve and slushies; winter cozies up indoors. Free Wi‑Fi included.
Good to Know
– Minimum headcounts: 10 for the Fonyód speedboat program; 15 for the Balatonfenyves sightseeing-boat option. Multiple individual bookings are combined to meet the number.
– Pre-booking is essential: trips only run at pre-agreed, pre-booked times. Public scheduled services operate regardless of group size.
– Prices: Fonyód base trip $25; Fonyód with afternoon extension $44. Balatonfenyves base trip $33; with afternoon extension $58.
