Venture across Lake Balaton on a Sunday and make a day of it: speed over from Fonyód by fast boat or glide from Balatonfenyves on the Szent Benedek sightseeing ship, roll into Badacsony, and hop a minibus to the famed Káptalantóti Artisan Market (Káptalantóti Kézműves Piac). There’s a solid 1.5 hours to browse, shop, and wander the artisan market, then an afternoon split between two very different, very Balaton add‑ons: a leafy escape at Folly Arboretum and Winery (Folly Arborétum és Borászat) or a Badacsony wine tour at Istvándy and Laposa. Trips run Sundays, bookings required, and yes—there’s tasting involved.
Two Ways to Cross the Water
Pick your launch point. From Fonyód, the program starts with a fast boat to Badacsony, then a quick minibus transfer to the Káptalantóti Market. You’ll have 90 minutes to shop and explore at your own pace before the afternoon program. Price: about $25 per person. This ride runs every Sunday, departing at 10:00 and returning by 15:00.
Prefer a slower roll? Depart from Balatonfenyves aboard the Szent Benedek sightseeing boat. Again, you’ll dock in Badacsony and transfer by minibus to the market for 1.5 hours of free time. Price: about $33 per person. This also runs Sundays, with the same 10:00 departure and 15:00 return window.
Group minimums apply to both routes: at least 10 people for the Fonyód fast boat program, and at least 15 for the Balatonfenyves sightseeing boat. These minimums can be reached by combining multiple individual bookings. Scheduled public services aren’t limited by these caps, but the guided programs only run at prearranged, prebooked times. Organizers reserve the right to change times and programs.
Pick Your Afternoon: Trees or Terroir
After the market, choose one of two afternoon excursions.
– Folly Arboretum and Winery (Folly Arborétum és Borászat): Immerse yourself in a living collection of trees with a vineyard view. The stop includes 1.5 hours of free time in the gardens and a tasting of three varieties—your pick of house syrups or wines.
– Badacsony wineries: Head back into Badacsony for tastings at two Balaton icons—Istvándy and Laposa. Expect three wines at each cellar, with the landscape doing half the talking.
Pricing depends on where you started: Fonyód’s full program with the afternoon add‑on is about $44 per person; Balatonfenyves with the add‑on is about $58 per person. Both follow the same Sunday 10:00–15:00 timing and the same group‑size rules.
Dates You Can Plan Around
Summer Sundays are set for departures from Fonyód on 2026.07.12., 2026.07.19., 2026.07.26., and 2026.08.02., with more dates added as the season rolls on. The programs are run by József Tóth’s team, with phone and info contacts available on request when booking.
Where to Stay: From Castles to Quiet Lawns
If you want to turn the day trip into a weekend, Fonyód and Fonyódliget stack the deck with stays of every kind. The Boros Castle Guesthouse (Boros Kastély Vendégház) sits like a peninsula in the middle of the protected Nagyberek reserve, just beyond the bustle of the resort town and under Fonyód Hill (Fonyódi‑hegy). It sleeps 26 and caters to groups with sailing, boating, and wine‑tasting programs, making it a polished fit for trainings or corporate retreats. Ten freshly renovated rooms include doubles and two‑room terraces for four, with views over the hills and wetlands.
Funoldi Guesthouse (Funoldi Vendégház) bills itself as a restful pick in one of Fonyód’s prettiest spots and doubles as a conference‑friendly base. If you’re after space, several listings offer top‑floor, separate‑entrance apartments with three bedrooms (two doubles and one triple), a kitchen, dining room, bathroom with tub, two WCs, and a staircase, plus big fenced yards with grills, swing beds, kettles for open‑fire cooking, sandboxes, pools, and parking.
A lakeside hotel in Fonyódliget spreads across 1.7 hectares right on the Balaton shore, hugging the bike path and boasting its own beach for easy swims any time. Air‑conditioned apartments near the free beach in Fonyódliget offer a two‑bedroom, 430‑square‑foot setup on a fenced, landscaped lot—SZÉP Card accepted. In Fonyód proper, separate‑entrance apartments open year‑round with a northern‑shore panorama, including an American‑style kitchen apartment a one‑minute stroll from the water.
The Green Garden Restaurant (Zöldkert Vendéglő) sits inside the Fonyódliget Holiday Park (Fonyód‑liget Üdülőpark) in a calm, green pocket, pairing its restaurant with pension‑style apartments for on‑site stays. And in the town center, Hotel Balaton puts you 330 feet from the lake and marina and about 820 feet from the beach, with capacity for 50 guests. Rooms come with showers, minibars, cable TV, smoke detectors, and fire alarms; apartments add mini‑kitchens.
Where to Eat and Linger
My Kitchen Studio 365 (Konyhám Stúdió 365) anchors Fonyód’s main square with sweeping Balaton views and plates that aim for art‑with‑a‑smile—an easy pick if you want a culinary detour with mood to match. For a casual central pit stop, Barbican (Barbakán) serves Fornetti pastries, grilled sandwiches, cakes, house lemonades, specialty coffees, and draft beer. In summer there’s soft‑serve and slushies; in winter, cozy interiors and free Wi‑Fi. Back in the Fonyódliget Holiday Park (Fonyód‑liget Üdülőpark), the Green Garden Restaurant (Zöldkert Vendéglő) offers a tree‑shaded, quiet setting and those same on‑site apartments if you’d rather eat and then simply stay put.
How to Book and What to Expect
– Sundays only, 10:00–15:00
– Depart Fonyód by fast boat (about $25 base; about $44 with afternoon add‑on; minimum 10 people) or Balatonfenyves by Szent Benedek sightseeing boat (about $33 base; about $58 with add‑on; minimum 15 people)
– Market stop: 1.5 hours of free time at the Káptalantóti Artisan Market (Káptalantóti Kézműves Piac)
– Afternoon choices: Folly Arboretum and Winery with three syrup or wine tastings and 1.5 hours of free time, or a Badacsony winery tour at Istvándy and Laposa with three wines at each cellar
– Programs run only with advance arrangement and confirmed bookings; operators may change times or details
Wrap it up with a last look at Badacsony’s basalt hills, your shopping bag from Káptalantóti, and a head full of Balaton summer.
