Vonyarcvashegy on Lake Balaton’s north shore packs the calendar with culture, food, and the kind of small-town energy that spills from the beach to the Keszthely Hills. Concerts, theater, festivals, swims, guaranteed and optional tours, plus a serious selection of wineries and family-friendly eats make it a year-round draw. The village of about 2,400 winds from the lakeside up into the hills, where a sweeping panorama rewards the climb. It wears its motto proudly: “Forest behind us, water before us.”
December Highlights
December 20 brings Open Cellar Days inside the 200-year-old Festetics Helikon Tavern Cellar (Festetics Helikon Taverna Pince), a national monument incorporated into the Zenit Hotel Balaton complex. The cellar preserves centuries of lakeside architecture under its arches, pouring top bottles from the Balaton wine regions. The same day, a Christmas concert lights up Vonyarcvashegy. On December 21, Klára Hajdu (Hajdu Klára) and Milán Szakonyi (Szakonyi Milán) perform an intimate Advent concert. Open Cellar Days return on December 27, giving holiday travelers another reason to toast underground.
Winter on the Trails
The Keszthely Hills go full hygge with the “Winter Hikes in the Keszthely Hills!” (“Téli Túrák a Keszthelyi-hegységben!”) series. The Bejgli Hike on December 27 is built for working off festive sweets, while the New Year’s Clinking Hike on January 1 welcomes 2026 with a scenic stomp and a celebratory toast. Also on January 1, the New Year’s Toast Hike (Újévi Koccintós túra) invites walkers into the new year with crisp forest air and views that stretch from ridge to lake.
Stay Near the Water
A few minutes’ walk from Vonyarcvashegy station (about 984 feet) and roughly 1,312 feet from the shore, Fészek Restaurant & Apartment House serves up an easy base with a covered outdoor pool and free parking. Each apartment has a fully equipped kitchen, shower bathroom, TV, and a terrace overlooking the garden and pool. Fishing is within 1,640 feet; surfing and kayaking are around 1,969 feet away.
Classic Pension Comfort
Jáger Pension sits 3.1 miles from Keszthely in one of the prettiest parts of town, balancing modern comfort with a home-like atmosphere. Just 492 feet from the shore, the guesthouse offers 39 rooms with bathrooms, WCs, and balconies facing Central Europe’s largest lake. Rooms for 2, 3, or 4 guests include satellite TV, a phone, and a fridge, and rates include a lavish buffet breakfast.
Zenit Hotel Balaton: Views, Wellness, Wine
Zenit Hotel Balaton**** blends a panoramic terrace, a Bock Bistro (Bock Bisztró) restaurant with standout culinary experiences, and an interactive wine exhibition. Choose modern lake-view rooms, interconnecting garden-access family rooms, suites, or premium suites. Set by the Balaton Uplands National Park in a quiet, forested zone near the water, it’s designed for families: a playground, outdoor games, a kids’ pool with a slide, and an indoor playroom turn downtime into playtime.
Cellars and Bottles Worth the Trip
The 200-year-old Festetics cellar’s patina pairs with the Bacchus Restaurant’s menu, framed by a four-branched wooden sculpture at the entrance and a Bacchus mural inside. Papp and Sons Wine Cellar (Papp és Fiai Borpince) and Csereze Wine Bar (Csereze Borozó) pour varietals that define the Balaton Uplands, marrying traditional methods with modern technique for quality barrel-aged wines. The region’s vintners aim high: premium barrel and bottled wines for retail and wholesale, appearing across local and national events.
Eats With a View
Neapolitan pizza, tapas boards, bright soft drinks, Balaton wines, and creative cocktails headline several panoramic apartments and event-ready spaces—think weddings, anniversaries, birthdays with friends, or even conferences. Terasz Restaurant & Pizzeria (Terasz Étterem & Pizzeria) keeps it relaxed with a wood-fired oven in the dining room turning out blistered pies, a timbered roofline with fans that make summer heat manageable, and a front-garden playground so kids can burn energy while parents exhale. Open from spring through fall, it’s a reliable magnet for Balaton summer lovers.
Fine Dining on the Hill
Modern gastronomy meets local tradition on a hilltop where à la carte dinners, family gatherings, weddings, and special occasions all get an upgrade. One of Balaton’s most beautiful restaurants lives up to the view.
Before You Go
Organizers reserve the right to change dates and programs.
