natural wonder
Lake Balaton
Central Europe's largest freshwater lake, known as the Hungarian Sea, a beloved summer destination with vineyards and resort towns.
15 km · about 30 min drive
EuropeHungaryVeszprém
Tihany
Veszprém, Hungary · Europe
About Tihany
Tihany is worth a stop: 10 minutes from Balatonfüred, 15km from Lake Balaton.
Tihany is in Veszprém, Hungary, with about 1,400 people. You drive on the right here. The nearest town is Balatonfüred, about 6 km away.
Tihany (Hungarian: [ˈtihɒɲ]) is a village on the northern shore of Lake Balaton on the Tihany Peninsula (Hungary, Veszprém County). The whole peninsula is a historical district.
The center of the district is the Benedictine Tihany Abbey, which was founded in 1055 AD by András (Andrew) I, who is buried in the crypt.Read more
The founding charter of this abbey is the first extant record of Hungarian language, preserved in Pannonhalma Benedictine Archabbey. The church itself was rebuilt in baroque style in 1754. The still functioning abbey is a popular tourist attraction due to its historical and artistic significance. It also has the best view of Lake Balaton.
The abbey also features as a footnote in Habsburg history - the last Habsburg Emperor of Austria, Charles I was held prisoner here following his second attempt to regain the throne of Hungary. He was later sent to exile to Madeira in Portugal.
Tihany is famous for the echo, existing since the 18th century. There were poems written for this echo, like by Mihály Csokonai Vitéz and Mihály Vörösmarty, but the most famous is by János Garay, summing up the legend of the place. The echo has since abated, due to changes in the landscape. The other part of the legend concerns with the "goats' nails", washed ashore from Balaton, which are in fact corners of prehistoric clams. According to the story, there was a princess with golden-haired goats, but she was too proud and hard of heart and was punished (cursed by the king of the lake): her goats were lost in Balaton, only their nails remained, and she was obliged to answer to every passers-by. A stone, remembering the Shouting Girl, is still to be seen near the village.
On the shores of Lake Balaton stands the former summer residence of the Habsburg imperial family, which remained in the private ownership of the family until the end of the Second World War. It has since been used as a hotel, but is now in private hands and not accessible to the public.
Tihany's inhabitants have the highest per capita income, and the village has the highest housing prices in the whole of Hungary.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Tihany?
Within an hour or so of Tihany: Lake Balaton (15 km), Hegyestű Geological Visitor Site (19 km), Balaton North Shore Drive (Route 71) (33 km), Sumeg Castle (47 km).
Are there any good drives near Tihany?
The nearest famous roads are Balaton North Shore Drive (Route 71).
Where is Tihany?
Tihany is in Veszprém, Hungary, about 6 km from Balatonfüred.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 1,438
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- Hungary
- Region
- Veszprém
- Timezone
- Europe/Budapest
- Coordinates
- 46.9137, 17.8892
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in Hungary
e-vignette required for motorways. Zero alcohol limit for drivers.
Full driving guide for HungaryTags
Worth the detour from Tihany
6 notable places within an hour's drive.
photogenic
Hegyestű Geological Visitor Site
A quarried-open basalt volcano near Monoszló above Lake Balaton: a 50 m wall of vertical polygonal columns showing the inside of an 8-million-year-old eruption, with Káli Basin views from the rim.
19 km · about 20 min drive
coastal drive
Balaton North Shore Drive (Route 71)
Route 71 hugs Lake Balaton's northern shore beneath volcanic hills and vineyards, linking Balatonfured, Tihany and Badacsony in one of Central Europe's finest lakeside drives.
33 km · about 40 min drive
castle
Sumeg Castle
One of Hungary's best-preserved medieval fortresses crowns a bald limestone hill above the town of Sumeg near Lake Balaton, hosting jousting shows and commanding views over the Bakony hills.
47 km · about 55 min drive
castle
Bory Castle
A romantic castle in Székesfehérvár built almost single-handedly over 40 summers by sculptor-architect Jenő Bory as a monument to his wife: towers, courtyards and studios crammed with the couple's paintings and statues.
54 km · about 60 min drive
natural wonder
Lake Heviz
Largest thermal lake in Europe open for bathing, near the western end of Lake Balaton, warm enough for year-round swimming.
55 km · about 65 min drive
Driving roads near Tihany
- 33 kmBalaton North Shore Drive (Route 71)Route 71 hugs Lake Balaton's northern shore beneath volcanic hills and vineyards, linking Balatonfured, Tihany and Badacsony in one of Central Europe's finest lakeside drives.
Driving in Hungary
- Drives on
- the right
- Petrol
- ~€1.58/litre
- Motorway tolls
- None
- Vignette
- Required, around €16 for a short-stay sticker
When to drive here
April to October
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