On the traces of the Festetics Family: a cultural tour on two wheels

Between 1739 and 1944, the Festetics Family was one of the most important families in the history of Keszthely and its surroundings, Lake Balaton and the Transdanubian region for eight generations. The members of the Festetics Faily, who also played a significant role in Hungarian history, left their mark in both cultural and educational fields, and their legacy is still a defining feature of the settlements in the region. It is worth going on a cultural tour to discover the history of this exceptional family, while not forgetting to indulge your taste buds.

Route: Keszthely, pier – Fenékpuszta – Balatonberény – Balatonmáriafürdő – Balatongyörök – Gyenesdiás – Keszthely, pier

Distance: 33 km

Difficulty: easy

This easy, 33-kilometre circular tour of Keszthely, with hardly any ascents, is a great choice for families and groups of friends. Before you hop on your bike, stop by the Madárlátta Bakery, not far from the pier, where the sourdough bread is made into the best pastries and the coffee is outstanding! Refuel with authentic Italian panettone made with mother dough and enjoy a latte made with light roast coffee, while we discuss the route and stops of the day’s tour. When you are ready, let’s head south! The famous Fenyves alley, the longest and oldest double black pine tree alley in Hungary, runs along this road. Today it is a popular hiking destination, a great choice for walking and nordic walking, not to mention an excellent photo spot. Only six kilometres away from Keszthely is the Festetics Manor. The estate of the famous family in Fenékpuszta is easily accessible by bicycle, and in the small castle, you can learn about the history of horse breeding and the Festetics stud farm. From here, cycle through the Nyugati Grove to Balatonmáriafürdő, from where you can take the BAHART scheduled boat service to Balatongyörök.

Continuing on to Gyenesdiás, you can make your next stop: here you will find the Festetics Herb Garden and Herbarium and the Diás Water Mill. You can admire the spectacular water wheel, visit the Baker Museum or, if you are feeling a bit more limber, take the 370-metre nature trail from the St. John’s Spring. An interesting feature of the Festetics Herb Garden and Herbarium is the “Healing Giant”, which is made up of plants planted according to their body parts and organs. In the Herbarium, you can also taste teas and preparations made from locally collected herbs and spices. In the nearby Imre Festetics Experience Centre, visitors can see indigenous Hungarian animal species and various wildlife species on an area of about 4.2 hectares.

Useful tip: If you happen to be passing through in August, it is worth checking out the regional preliminary round of the National Ride (Nemzeti Vágta) in Gyenesdiás, which is held on the Faludi Plain, once the training ground of Tasziló Festetics’ horses.

If you fancy a sweet treat at this point of the tour, don’t miss the confectionery called Mónisüti, just a few minutes’ ride away, where Móni Kövérné Kalmár – or “Sütis” Móni as she is known in the area – makes the most delicious cakes.   From cakes and homemade sweets to fresh, fruity wonders, you will find almost everything here. If you need more energy, Italian coffee is also available at the bar. From here it is only a few kilometres to the pier of Keszthely. If you are resting your bikes at the finish line at dinner or lunch time, stop by the nearby Pajti for a seasonally changing menu of indulgent oriental dishes, Italian pastas, wild wraps and quesadillas.

It is difficult to list the legacy of the famous Festetics Family in Keszthely. The main building of the Helikon Castle Museum presents the aristocratic way of life, while the other four buildings house a total of five permanent exhibitions: the Carriage Exhibition, the Hunting Exhibition, the Historical Model Railway Exhibition, the Aristocratic Travels and Adventures, furthermore, the Palm House and Bird Park. In addition to all this, you can also enjoy an exciting and eventful tour of the Georgikon Manor History Exhibition Centre (Georgikon Majortörténeti Kiállítóhely), where children and their parents can learn about farming and native farm animals of the time, and the Balaton Museum, which presents the history of our lake in a modern approach.