The 15 Best Lake Balaton Day Trips from Budapest

1.Lake Balaton Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 108 reviews · 9.5 hours · from $128Our pick

Review of a Lake Balaton day tour from Budapest, with a boat cruise, nostalgia train, Balatonfüred, Tihany Abbey, and practical booking tips.

“The trip was excellent but was marred by the state of the bus - all chairs were broken & leaned back & I had no back support. Our lovely guide organised some cushions for me which helped greatly. Also - no seat belts!! We were late leaving and lost an hour of the time we could have had at Tihany because we sat in a hotel car park waiting for a late arrival Otherwise the experiences were excellent & our guide Yolanda was outstanding.”

Check availability →Read our full review

2.Lake Balaton Tour

★★★★★★★★★★3.9 · 107 reviews · 9.5 hours · from $128

Review of the Lake Balaton day trip from Budapest, with a boat cruise, Balatonfüred, Tihany views, timing tips, and honest value advice.

“Elizabeth is a wonderful tour guide. Would’ve liked more time at the peninsula, felt a little rushed.”

Check availability →Read our full review

3.Private tour from Budapest to a top hidden treasure region of Europe: Lake Balaton

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 79 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) · from $265Top rated

Explore Lake Balaton from Budapest by private car, visiting Tihany, Balatonfüred, the Benedictine Abbey, and crossing the lake by ferry.

“Attila accommodated our whims and eccentricities without missing a beat. We had a great day of frolic, fun, swimming, eating, and sightseeing at Balaton. Extremely fluent in English - one might say he’s downright scholarly. Good driver, too! Highly recommended!”

Check availability →Read our full review

4.Lake Balaton & Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 35 reviews · 9 hours · from $100

Review a 9-hour Lake Balaton tour from Budapest with Tihany Abbey, Balatonfüred, lunch time, and a scenic boat ride.

“Escursione completa al Lago Balaton, la suora ha spiegato molte cose interessanti; luogo tranquillo, dorata e tappe giuste”

Check availability →Read our full review

5.The Turquoise Sea of Hungary: Lake Balaton Private Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 25 reviews · 8 hours · from $235

Review of a private Lake Balaton tour from Budapest, with Tihany, Balatonfüred, ferry views, local food, and practical booking advice.

“I thought that paying about 220 euro per person would give us a better experience. It is true that the continuous drizzling rain did not help, but I expected visiting a small village by the lake and maybe spend some time on our own going round.”

Check availability →Read our full review

6.Sailing at Lake Balaton

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 21 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.)

Sail Lake Balaton with Szilárd Goda from Balatonföldvár, learning the ropes, swimming, and enjoying a private 35-foot boat trip.

“The trip was extraordinary! Szilárd is a very good captain. He has a lot of sailing experience and he is a good teacher too. I always like to sailing with him.”

Check availability →Read our full review

7.Lake Balaton & Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 19 reviews · 9 hours (approx.) · from $102

See Lake Balaton, Tihany Abbey, and Balatonfüred on a guided day trip from Budapest with a lake cruise and free cancellation.

“Our day started by getting picked up from the hotel by taxi which took us to the meeting point. Our guide was very informative and made a good job by switching from French to English languages. Lake Balaton is indeed HUGE, Hungarians consider this to be their seaside. The view from the Tihany Abbey makes you appreciate the lake even more so. The tour round Herend Porcelain Manufactory is recommended if nothing else but to respect and admire the skills of the craftspersons. We were very lucky with the weather on the day, the peace and tranquillity of the area were soaked in!”

Check availability →Read our full review

8.Paddle Board Tour of Tihany National Park

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 14 reviews · 2 hours · from $94Best value

Paddle 3 km through Tihany National Park on a guided SUP tour, with equipment, nature views, swimming breaks, and free parking included.

“We had an amazing time with our guide Hetti! She taught us how to sup and she was so kind. The lake is beautiful and the temperature of the water was around 26 degrees so really nice! I recommend this a lot, we had so much fun. The trip was relaxing due to the sunbathing and swimming we had in between but at the same time it was a great outdoor activity to bring some action into your holiday :)”

Check availability →Read our full review

9.SUP Course and Tour at Lake Balaton

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 11 reviews · 2 hours · from $94

Learn SUP at Lake Balaton with patient instruction, proper equipment, and a self-guided paddle through Tihany National Park.

“We had a really great time at this paddle boarding lesson. By the end of the lesson we felt confident and were enjoying being out on the water on the paddle board. Andreas was a great teacher. Very patient with lots of helpful tips to improve our technique. We would really recommend this activity.”

Check availability →Read our full review

10.Lake Balaton Tihany & Tapolca Cave Lake trip by Private Transport

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 10 reviews · 6 to 8 hours (approx.) · from $270

Explore Tapolca Cave Lake by boat, historic Tihany, and elegant Balatonfüred on a private day trip from Budapest.

“Tapolca Cave Lake is an amazing place. You do not want to miss the fun underground boat ride through the caves. My adult son and I had a blast. The beauty of the water and caves is stunning and otherworldly.We had a wonderful lunch nearby and saw the beautiful town and mill pond. Lake Balaton was also a part of the tour and it was absolutely beautiful. I had two tours with Peter during our week in Budapest, and we learned so much from him. He really gives you a personalized tour that is unique and he is very attentive to your needs. We didn't feel like tourists, we felt…”

Check availability →Read our full review

11.Budapest to Lake Balaton and Porcelain Museum Private Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 9 reviews · 10 hours (approx.) · from $385

A private 10-hour day from Budapest to Lake Balaton, with Herend porcelain, Tihany, Balatonfüred, and a Hungarian lunch.

“Our tour guide Atilla made the trip wonderful! Informative, attentive, and authentic. Lake Balatan is such a beautiful area. We got lucky with the weather. Rode a ferry boat, fed the swans, and immersed ourselvs in the history of the area. What more would you want?”

Check availability →Read our full review

12.See the Hungarian Sea: Lake Balaton

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 9 reviews · 10 hours (approx.) · from $131

Explore Lake Balaton from Budapest with a nostalgic train, one-hour cruise, Tihany Abbey, lavender fields, and free time to wander.

“Such a beautiful experience! Wonderful little city by the lake. Took a little train ride around the city. Had free time to eat/shop. Took a 1 hour boat ride on the lake followed by a short drive to a close by village know for lavender.”

Check availability →Read our full review

13.Lake Balaton & Herend Porcelain Private Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★3.9 · 7 reviews · 9 hours · from $412

Review the private Budapest to Lake Balaton, Herend Porcelain, Tihany, and Balatonfüred day tour, with costs, stops, and practical advice.

“Our guide was very attentive and courteous. He explained the area we drove through and made every effort to insure we saw all that we wanted.”

Check availability →Read our full review

14.Lake Balaton and Herend Full-Day Private Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 5 reviews · 10 hours · from $436

Explore Lake Balaton, Tihany Abbey, Balatonfüred, and Herend Porcelain on a flexible private day tour from Budapest.

“Wspaniale spędzony czas w towarzystwie profesjonalnego i sympatycznego przewodnika. Niezwykle informatywna wycieczka.”

Check availability →Read our full review

15.Sunset SUP Tour along the Tihany National Park

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 4 reviews · 2.5 hours · from $94

Paddle into sunset near Tihany National Park on a guided SUP tour, with calm water, wildlife, swimming breaks, and free parking.

Check availability →Read our full review