Tihany rolls into winter with a packed calendar of culture, light, music, and lakeside magic. From illuminated ferries skimming the water to outdoor treasure hunts and New Year’s Eve over Lake Balaton, the peninsula turns the cold season into a warm, lively escape. Exhibitions, concerts, theater, the beloved lavender festival, and bold flavors keep the vibe strong all year. Lace up for hikes within and beyond the village, wander the cobbled streets, and let the Tihany Peninsula’s natural and cultural treasures do the rest.
Headline Dates and Highlights
The season’s spotlight runs December 20, 2025 to January 4, 2026 across multiple venues. Tihany’s winter centerpiece is Tihanyi Fényvarázs (Tihany Light Magic), illuminating the town from December 20 to January 4. Bookend that with the Fénykomp (Light Ferry) linking Tihany and Szántód on select dates: December 22–28, December 29–31, January 1–4, and again January 5–31, 2026. If you want to float across Balaton after sunset with lights shimmering on the waves, this is your ticket.
Music, Mass, and Midnight
December 27 brings a double bill: Retro Xmas Disco with DJ Schneider for a dance-floor throwback, and a guitar-accompanied Mass at the Tihany Benedictine Abbey Church—two very different moods, both very Tihany. The year ends in style with Szilveszter a Balaton felett (New Year’s Eve Above Lake Balaton) on December 31, where festive energy meets sweeping lake views. Religious dates mark the calendar too: Christmas on December 25; St. Stephen the First Martyr on December 26; the Vigil of the Sunday of the Holy Family with a guitar Mass on December 27; Feast of the Holy Family on December 28; thanksgiving at year’s end on December 31; and in January 2026, Mary, Mother of God on January 1; Rosary and Mass January 2–3; the Second Sunday after Christmas on January 4; Mass on January 5; and Epiphany on January 6.
Playful Trails and Family Adventures
Tihany’s outdoor playful tour—Szabadtéri játékos túra: Tihany rejtett kincsei nyomában (Outdoor Playful Tour: In Search of Tihany’s Hidden Treasures)—runs December 22–28 and again December 29–January 4. It’s a brand-new treasure-hunt-style game that doubles as a guided exploration of streets, squares, and architecture. It’s not just for kids; adults get hooked too. Expect teamwork, clues, and a fresh angle on Tihany’s hidden gems.
Plan Your Winter in Tihany
Beyond the flagship events, the calendar lists regular Masses on December 29–30 and a steady rhythm of worship through early January. There’s also a broader year-round Balaton events stream through 2025, so you can keep the peninsula on your radar after the lights dim.
Stay: From Abbey Views to Lakeside Calm
Accommodation covers everything from cozy attic apartments to guesthouses and hotels with Balaton panoramas. Some hosts accept SZÉP cards. One new family home sits close to nature with an SAT TV lounge and a well-equipped kitchen; balconies serve up sweeping views of the Inner Lake, Lake Balaton, and the Abbey Church, sleeping up to 10. Another guesthouse in the historic old village, under the Abbey’s steps, offers rustic thatched houses, closed courtyard parking, comfy seating, and bike rentals for easy loop rides around the peninsula.
Prefer self-contained? Romantic village farmhouses split into six separate apartments come with private entrances, central heating, cable TV, and full comfort for winter and summer stays. The Balaton Limnology Institute’s guesthouse sits right on the shore, with 17 air-conditioned rooms—two suites, eight doubles, seven triples—hosting up to 42 guests, each with a fridge, TV, landline, and Wi‑Fi; suites have bathtubs, rooms have showers.
If you’re after quiet family vibes, a pension in Tihany’s newer quarter lies 300 meters from the Inner Lake—paradise for anglers—and next to the Family Leisure Park, with outdoor wooden games, mini-golf, and bowling. The Lavender House (Levendula Ház) visitor center of the Balaton Uplands National Park is open year-round. The Park’s forest school showcases the Tihany Peninsula’s natural and cultural heritage—recognized with a European Diploma in 2003.
Eat and Sip: Echoes, Abbey Goods, and Balaton Views
Foodies get choices with a view. The dining options range from old-school Hungarian comfort to refined plates on terraces made for sunsets. The vantage point at the famed Echo Hill delivers a 240-degree panorama over Lake Balaton’s eastern basin and the Tihany Abbey, named Lookout of the Year in 2013. The 100-seat terrace is a natural stage for family lunches, engagements, or weddings, with flexible setups and tailored menus.
For local flavors, the Benedictine Abbey shop anchors its lineup with abbey-made products, signature sweets, Father Gellért’s herbal teas, herbal-lavender liqueurs named for King Andrew (András) and Queen Anastasia (Anasztázia), and TICHON abbey beers. Fogas Csárda welcomes you year-round with lakeside wines and an Inner Lake-view terrace, just 300 meters north of the Abbey. Elsewhere, homespun dishes meet warm service, grills and hot plates come out in the wine bar, and rustic plates arrive straight from a traditional wood-fired oven that’s both a centerpiece and a heat source.
Coffee and breakfast spots keep things casual with pastries, sandwiches, and kid- and dog-friendly vibes, while a beloved pilgrimage ice cream stop churns 24 artisanal flavors—additive-free, premium ingredients—with gluten-free, lactose-free, sugar-free, and vegan options.
Wines of the Peninsula
Tihany’s wine knighthood champions the peninsula’s viticulture, promoting refined wine appreciation and turning wine gastronomy into a draw that amplifies Tihany’s good name. Their flagship is Tihany Cabernet: a wine with unmatched richness and elegance grown on the peninsula’s slopes, its fragrance captivating and its color a jewel of the local hills.
Practical Note
Organizers reserve the right to change dates and programs.
