The 15 Best Lake Balaton Tours from Budapest

1.Lake Balaton Day Tour

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

Spend 9.5 hours exploring Lake Balaton from Budapest by air-conditioned bus, nostalgia train, and boat. Visit Balatonfüred, cruise for an hour, then see Tihany Peninsula and its 1055 abbey. Guides may speak English, Spanish, French, German, or Italian, and some tours are bilingual.

“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.”

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2.Lake Balaton Tour

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

Spend 9.5 hours exploring Lake Balaton from Budapest with a live guide. Walk Balatonfüred, cruise for one hour, and visit Tihany Peninsula for lake views, the abbey, inner lake, and lavender fields. Swimming may be difficult to fit in, so plan this as a sightseeing day.

“El guía muy buena gente, y el hecho de saber varios idiomas, gana mucho puntos…solo que 90€ por persona me parece un poco caro, sin embargo, el país es caro en general”

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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

Travel from Budapest to Lake Balaton with a private English-speaking guide such as Attila, Balazs, or Gabriel. You’ll visit Balatonakarattya, Balatonfüred, Tihany, and the Benedictine Abbey, then cross the lake by ferry. Some guides use distinctive restored classic cars, including a 1965 Volvo.

“Thank you so much Attila for the great time, it was exactly what we were looking for in a private tour. It was super relaxed , very tailored to your pace, informative and we felt we were being taken cared of all the time. It was a perfect day for us and I will be back for the Balaton again.”

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4.Lake Balaton & Cruise

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

Travel from Budapest to Lake Balaton in an air-conditioned vehicle with an English-speaking guide. Visit Tihany Abbey, stroll Balatonfüred’s famous promenade, enjoy free time for lunch, and take a boat ride. Sofia has guided recent departures, though language arrangements can vary.

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

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

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

Leave Budapest for an eight-hour private outing to Lake Balaton. An English-speaking guide such as Attila or Balascz Ackermann takes you to Balatonfüred, Tihany Peninsula, a panoramic restaurant, and a 10-minute ferry ride. Transport, ferry tickets, and hotel pickup are included.

“The guide today was just fabulous! Balascz Ackermann arrived in one of his lovely classic cars and gave us a delightful experience to the lake and back, he was attentive and kind and a gentleman. Will definitely book him when back in Budapest!”

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6.Sailing at Lake Balaton

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

Join Szilárd Goda on his 35-foot sailboat from Balatonföldvár for a private English-language outing on Lake Balaton. You may sail 3 to 30 kilometers, help with the ropes, swim offshore, or simply enjoy the wind. Life jackets are supplied, and the route changes with the weather.

“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.”

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7.Lake Balaton & Cruise

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

Travel from Budapest to Lake Balaton in a small group of up to 20, with an English or multilingual guide, an included boat ride, Tihany Abbey, and Balatonfüred’s Tagore Promenade. Expect a scenic but tiring nine-hour day, limited free time, and no lunch or hotel transfer.

“Tour operator did not take us to factory as promised in the viator description, giving a lame excuse that the entrance prices of the factory have gone up. Also, they didnt provide/pay for any tea/coffee to any of us, and in fact took us to a cafe that overcharged on all types of drinks. They made us take a local transport for an additional fee of 8 Euros saying that is a must for all. Not a great experience.”

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8.Paddle Board Tour of Tihany National Park

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

Paddle about 3 kilometers through the quiet waters beside Tihany Peninsula on a two-hour guided SUP tour. Akos, Andreas, Hetti, and the team provide boards, paddles, life-jackets, and basic instruction. The calm setting suits confident beginners, though first-timers should choose the separate 2pm beginner course.

“Akos and Andreas were super friendly. Contact around the event was really easy. My boyfriend and I had a great time as first time suppers, as the explanation was clear and it was a very small group. We ended up doing the sunset tour instead. You can take your phone in a waterproof case to take extra photos (although some pictures will be taken). We really recommend taking a big water bottle on the paddle board! We took too little and were very thirsty on the water, as it was really hot.”

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9.SUP Course and Tour at Lake Balaton

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

Spend one hour learning SUP technique with an English, German, or Hungarian-speaking instructor, then paddle independently near Tihany National Park. You’ll practise on a simulator, learn to choose the right board and paddle, and use provided equipment and a life jacket.

“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.”

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

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

Travel from Budapest with private guide Peter to Tapolca Cave Lake, where you row through underground passages, then visit Tihany and Balatonfüred on Lake Balaton. Door-to-door pickup, entrance fees, and private transport are included. Food, drinks, and a non-refundable booking are not.

“Peter, the tourist guide is a very easy going person and very good driver, we had a very nice day visiting and enjoying the day”

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

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

Leave Budapest at 9 a.m. for a private, 10-hour outing to Lake Balaton. Visit Herend’s hand-painted porcelain works, see Tihany Peninsula, walk Balatonfüred, and enjoy a three-course Hungarian lunch in Csopak. Hotel, private-address, and airport pickup are available.

“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?”

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12.See the Hungarian Sea: Lake Balaton

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

Travel from central Budapest to Lake Balaton in an air-conditioned vehicle. Visit Balatonfüred by nostalgia train, cruise for one hour, see Tihany Peninsula, and enjoy free time for lunch, lavender fields, and lake views. The English tour starts at 9 a.m. and returns to central Budapest.

“Although the weather is not so good, I enjoyed the tour very much. Lake balafon is beautiful even though on a rainy/ cloudy day. Our guide Christine is very caring.”

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13.Lake Balaton & Herend Porcelain Private Day Tour

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

You’ll travel by private car or minivan from Budapest to Lake Balaton, tour the Herend porcelain factory with a 3D film, visit Tihany Abbey, and stop in Balatonfüred. English, German, and Italian guides are available, with hotel pickup and an optional lakeside lunch.

“Le Lac balaton est à voir au moins une fois si vous êtes de passage en Hongrie et la visite de la fabrique de porcelaine de Herend est très sympa à faire, tout comme le village de Tihany. Néanmoins, notre guide était très moyen !!! (comme l'atteste l'évaluation générale de notre journée). Elle répondait que brièvement à nos interrogations, elle nous a laissée que très peu de liberté concernant les itinéraires à suivre surtout au cours de notre promenade au cœur du village de Tihany et le pire est qu'elle s'est ajoutée d'elle même à notre table pendant notre diner au restaurant panoramique de Tihany sans nous demander si cela…”

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14.Lake Balaton and Herend Full-Day Private Tour

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

Travel by private vehicle from Budapest to Herend and Lake Balaton with a live guide in English, Spanish, French, German, or Italian. Tour the famous porcelain works, see Tihany Abbey, stroll Balatonfüred, and shape the day around your interests.

“Génial ! Meme le musée de porcelaine très intéressant”

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15.Sunset SUP Tour along the Tihany National Park

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

Meet your English, Hungarian, or German-speaking guide at the SUP Center in Club Tihany. After a short lesson and equipment fitting, paddle about 3 kilometers through quiet water near Tihany National Park, with time for wildlife, swimming, and sunset views.

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