At Lake Balaton, beloved by Hungarians, “reality catches up with nostalgia”

A beloved holiday destination for Hungarians, Lake Balaton, one of the largest freshwater lakes in Central Europe, is gradually becoming a luxury due to inflation and the economic crisis. “The retro atmosphere remains, but prices have soared,” notes RTL, which spent a day there . Essential summer activities on the banks of Lake Balaton, “a langos [iconic fried pancake], an hour of pedal boating, and a crepe cost thousands of forints [Hungarian currency] that are painful,” notes the report. It regrets that “reality is catching up with nostalgia.”

Adult tickets for paid beaches “have increased by 13% on average,” with a peak of 46% increase in Fonyod, on the southern shore, 168 Ora also notes . However, “everyone can find services according to their budget,” Origo cautions . The most economical have the choice among “around sixty free beaches,” but can also turn to the less expensive beaches on the lake, in Balatonszepezd, Tihany, Keszthely and Badacsonytördemic, where adult admission costs 1,000 forints (2.5 euros), the online media specifies.

Restaurants and buffets, for their part, struggle to offer affordable prices, says Telex . “When we see the prices, we shed a tear, then we eat pasta with pesto for a week,” say two friends, who say they sometimes give in despite the high prices. A retiree “always brings something to eat with her,” while a senior couple buys snacks “for the grandchildren when they are there,” but “doesn’t spend money in beach restaurants.”

“Dinner has become the main meal, along with breakfast,” hence “a drop in restaurant traffic at lunchtime,” Nepszava explains . At the same time, short stays have become the norm in the face of skyrocketing prices for seasonal accommodation and restaurants, which are “20% to 35% more expensive” than in 2024, the newspaper points out. “Holidaymakers staying for several weeks have practically disappeared,” as most “come for two, three, or four days,” says a hotel and restaurant owner.

The reduction in the number of nights booked is mainly “related to budgetary reasons,” confirms the Hello Magyar portal . “Price sensitivity remains decisive: three-quarters of bookings do not exceed 170,000 forints (424 euros), and most accommodations are less than 70,000 forints (175 euros) .”

Furthermore, the heat of the previous weeks has not attracted as many tourists as expected. "While the weather has turned autumnal in recent days, the heatwave of late June and early July has not brought much in the way of tourists," observes a report by Magyar Narancs. "Room owners are complaining" and "some restaurateurs are stunned to see empty tables," the magazine continues, noting a "25 to 30 percent drop" in local tourist numbers, according to independent industry officials.

However, the Hello Magyar website qualifies, “the 'Hungarian Sea' retains its role as leader in domestic tourism,” with “a third of domestic bookings.” In 2024, Balaton recorded a “record year with 3.2 million visitors, 6.7% more than the previous year, three-quarters of whom were Hungarian,” reports Vilaggazdasag . Thus, if “stays are getting shorter,” “the considerable rise in prices in the Adriatic is encouraging Hungarians to rediscover Balaton,” adds the portal. It is also Siofok, a renowned seaside resort on the southern shore, which “dominates domestic bookings” this summer, far ahead of the capital, Budapest.