A picturesque village and its surroundings – Vonyarcvashegy

The chapel of St. Michael in vonyarcvashegy is the only fishing chapel in Hungary. The 136-metre dolomite formation was once an island. A 13. A small castle was built on the hilltop in the 16th century, which was almost completely destroyed in the storm of history, except for the small chapel. According to folklore, the chapel was built in 1729 by 40 fishermen who were lucky enough to escape from a devastating storm on Lake Balaton. The legend of the chapel is a mixture of fable and reality. Next to the building is an old cemetery. From the surroundings of the monumental building there is a beautiful view of the Keszthely Mountains and Lake Balaton, from the bay of Keszthely to the shores of Berény, but also a wonderful view of the “witness hills” from Szigliget to Badacsony. The magnificent beauty of this landscape, the chapel and its legend have inspired many writers and poets.

The Cross of Light and the Way of the Cross: canon deacon Ferenc Salgó, Papal parish priest 2010. On 18 July, on the small Golgotha of Vonyarcvashegy, he consecrated the Way of the Cross and the Cross of Light, 7.38m high and 2.5m wide at the arms, pointing east-west, which was made possible by the long efforts of Zoltán Nagy and his family.

Vonyarc Marina is more than just a marina: our unique service, our restaurant on the water where you can dine on your own boat, Vonyarcvashegy beach, water sports centre and the cultural and tourist attractions of the area make Vonyarc a sailing base that offers an island of tranquillity for all owners and tourists. Vonyarc Marina is one of the youngest marinas on Lake Balaton. The new port will be able to accommodate up to 100 vessels over 40 feet in length. The Balaton Bringakörút runs directly next to the harbour. The port project also includes a cycling point, where changing and showering facilities and service facilities are available.

Szépkilátó, Balatongyörök: The Szépkilátó offers the most beautiful and most amazing panorama of Balatongyörök and Lake Balaton. Unlike the built lookouts, you don’t even have to climb to admire the scenic beauty of Lake Balaton, the witness hills of the Tapolca basin and the Gulf of Szigliget.

The Szépkilátó was named after the writer Károly Eötvös in 1855, who was so inspired by the beautiful view from the hill that he also mentioned the beauty of the Balatongyörök landscape in his work Journey around Lake Balaton.

The view is truly stunning: on the left, the witness mountains of the Tapolca basin: the Badacsony, the Szent György Hill, the Csobánc, the Gulács, the Tóti Hill, the Haláp, the Somló Hill, the Kis-Somló and the Ság Hill. Mountains with traces of former volcanic activity surround the eastern part of the bay. This spectacle can only be enhanced by the view of the Szigligeti Castle. On the left, in the foothills of the witness hills, the rebuilt castle walls rise up, evoking a historical atmosphere.

In nearby Keszthely there are also many opportunities for excursions and active recreation. In Keszthely you can find the Festetics Castle, which dates back to the XVIII. century and was inhabited by royal families. The museum in the castle and the beautiful gardens are well worth a visit.

If you’re a lover of nature and hiking, you won’t be disappointed when you visit Vonyarcvashegy. The village is located in the Balaton-Highlands National Park, so it offers many opportunities for hiking and trekking.

The most popular hiking trails in the national park include:

Keszthely Mountains hiking trail, From lookout to lookout in the Keszthely Mountains: we make a short, varied hike to two lookout towers with a magnificent panorama on the beautiful, sparse, pine-clad peaks above Balatongyörök. It is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful views in Hungary, with the water mirror of Lake Balaton, the coffin-shaped and regular cone-shaped witness hills of the Tapolca basin and the endless forests of the Keszthelyi Mountains.

Length of the tour: 5,3 km

Duration of the tour: 2 hours

Level difference: 200 m up, same down

Nature of the hike: short, easy hike on well-marked paths and trails. The road to the Pap Hill lookout is steep in several places.

Starting point: Szép-kilátó, on the eastern edge of Balatongyörök, the large parking lot along the road 71.

From Vonyarcvashegy to Vállus: a hike of about 9 kilometres. You can start the distance in Vonyarcvashegy, to do this you have to find the road marked with a green lane, which goes along Rákóczi Ferenc Street inside the village. If you continue north along the Cser Valley, you will reach the Büdöskút rest stop. From here, Vállus is only 4 kilometres along the same route, and on the way you can pay your respects at the cemetery of the soldiers’ dogs. There used to be a military base here (more precisely on the Görbe hill), a relay station that also served as an air defence post, and the area was closed to civilians. Today, only the graves of the dogs that served here are a reminder of this period.

Csobánc hill hike: one of the characteristic, coffin-shaped witness hills of the Tapolca basin, Csobánc is a barren, grassy plateau crowned by the remains of a medieval castle. From Teteje we have perhaps the most beautiful panorama of the Balaton Highlands, we can see all the famous witness hills from here, the view stretches from the Tihany peninsula to Keszthely Bay. Starting from the car park near Gyulakeszi, on the vine-covered skirt of Csobánc, you can explore one of the most beautiful and spectacular regions of Hungary on a varied circular route.

Length of the tour: 4,5 km

Duration of the tour: 2 hours (without major breaks)

Level difference: 220 m up, same down.

Tóti Hill Hike: The lowest of the major witness hills of the Tapolca Basin, but one of the most shapely with its regular cone shape, Tóti Hill (346 m) offers what many consider to be the most beautiful panorama of the area from its barren summit. The quickest way to reach the summit is from the Istvándy winery, a short hike up the mountain on signposted hiking trails, then around the north side of the mountain on unmarked dirt roads.

Length of the tour: 4,3 km

Duration of the tour: 1 hour 45 minutes

Level difference: 180 m up, same down