Excursion tipps and tour lines in the surroundings of Zalakaros

BUFFALO RESERVE OF KÁPOLNAPUSZTA:
In Kápolnapuszta, situated between Zalakomár and Balatonmagyaród, pproximately 80 buffalos live in a reserve.
A paved road leads to the reserve. At the reserve there are parking places, esplanades and a lookout turret awaiting the visitors who in good weather can have a splendid view of the places of the Balaton highlands.
Fishing-lake near Galambok:
Near Galambok between picturesque forests and hills there is a fishpond offering pleasant entertainment primarily for the lovers of fishing, but it may as well be the destination for smaller excursions or tours.
In the fishing-lake carps, crucians, walleyes, amúrs, breams, pikes and cat-fishes live. Fishing is permitted from 1 May until 30 November daily from 4 a.m. to 11 p.m. A fishing-ticket may be obtained on the location from the river-keeper every day between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m. 

LITTLE-BALATON:
Once it used to be the open water bay of Lake Balaton which in the course of time became a marshy flood area. Since the last century the majority of the water has been continuously drained, and then it was declared a nature conservation area. Today it is the paradise of the birds where aigrettes, cormorants, boat-bills, squaccos, great crested grebes, herons and red herons, coots, reed-thrushes, reed-warblers and owls nest.

THE VILLAGE OF GALAMBOK: Roman Catholic church
The present church was built in 1801-1802. Its richly painted architecture may have been made in Dorffmaister’s workshop. The high altar painting is the work of Dorffmaister junior.
Landscape House: Somogyi Béla u.8.
This house, which was renovated in 1997, used to be a poor peasant’s home. The furniture tells about the life-style of the smallholding peasants of the 1940s, and a harrow-stable was also preserved on the irregularly shaped plot that also reminds us of the last century’s atmosphere. Different craftsman trades are awaiting the visitors.

ZALAKOMÁR: Roman Catholic Church:
The monument-like building was built in 1772. Its carved, richly armoured main gate and painted ceiling lends a peculiar charm to the building.
The baptizing font made of marble and ornamented with coat-of-arms dates back to 1698. On its top a cue-style cover and statue can be seen.
In the church nave there is an ironwork gallery on both sides which was finished around 1890. The frescos were painted by Dorffmaister.

ZALA CASTLE:
Our first king, St. Stephen I founded here a Benedictine abbey in 1019, and later he placed the centre of the royal county here. To commemorate this event, Zala County erected a memorial column at the place of the late abbey and castle in 1938.
Cirill and Metód, who christianized the Slav peoples and created the writing bearing their names, lived here one thousand one hundred years ago. In 1985 a monument was built in their honour with the full figure statue of the Slav apostles which was inaugurated here.
Not far from the Cirill-Metód monument are the 1996-built memorial chapel built upon the ground walls of the chapel of the period of St. Stephen, the ruins of the basilica of Récéskút, and the Little-Balaton exhibition house.

KESZTHELY:
The city is situated about 35 km from Zalakaros on the bank of Lake Balaton. The town, which is called the “capital of Balaton”, has approximately 25.000 inhabitants.
The city’s sights:

Festetics Castle Museum:
Count Kristóf Festetics began to build the castle in 1745. The family kept expanding it in the course of the centuries, and it reached its present state and form in the last century.
Opening hours: 1 October – 30 April: from 09.00 to 17.00, 1 May – 30 September: from 10.00 to 18.00.

Georgikon Farm Museum:
The museum operates in the building of the former farm, its exhibitions are open.
Opening hours: 1 April – 31 October: from 10.00 to 18.00.

Balaton Museum:
In the museum the "Lake Balaton and man" constant exhibition and high-quality art-exhibitions can be seen.
Opening hours: Tuesday - Saturday: from 10.00 to 18.00.

Doll Museum:
In the museum by the pedestrian precinct, which is the biggest doll museum of Middle-Europe, dolls wearing historical national dresses can be seen.
Opening hours: every day from 10.00 to 18.00.

Marzipan Museum:
In the homely atmosphere of this confectionary own-made domestic and Viennese confectionary specialities and a confectionary exhibition comprising of almost 100 different decoration works can be found.
Opening hours: Tuesday - Sunday: from 10.00 to 18.00.

Torture Museum: the first horror place of Hungary in the city centre of Keszthely, Kossuth u.11.

NAGYKANIZSA:
The city is situated approximately 18 km from Zalakaros. The number of its inhabitants is more than 60.000.
The Elisabeth square that was named after Queen Elisabeth can be found in the centre of the city.
In the northern part of the square can be seen the Turkish Well, which is named this way because according to local legend its octagonal stone lower part comes from the Turkish period palace.

György Thúry Museum: The exhibition in the museum entitled "People, routes and relations" begins with the display of ancient everyday life while guiding visitors into each archeological period, and finally showing the medieval castle of Kanizsa. After these it revives the "Golden Age", 18th-19th century, blooming Kanizsa. Computerized town and area guides colour the permanent exhibition. Open: Tuesday - Saturday 10:00 - 17:00

Tour lines:
1. A walk in the area of the Zalakaros park forest - Park forest hiking tour (4 150m)
2. "Bögre-hegy" hiking tour (5 500m)
3. "Kilátó" (observation tower) hiking tour (5 150m)
4. "Felsőhegy" hiking tour (5 850m)
5. Zalakaros bath - Zalakaros park forest - vineyards – fishpond of Galambok - Galambok.

Bicycle tracks in the surroundings of Zalakaros:
1. Around Little-Balaton (30 km)
2. Zalakaros - Zalakomár – Buffalo Reserve - Balatonmagyaród - Kányavári-island - Zalavár - Zalaszabar - Nagyrada - Garabonc - Zalakaros
3. Towards Nagykanizsa:
Zalakaros - Galambok - Nagyrécse - Nagykanizsa - Gelse - Kilimán - Orosztony - Zalaszabar - Nagyrada - Garabonc – Zalakaros
4. Towards the Somogy hills:
Zalakaros - Galambok - Zalaszentjakab - Miháld - Pat - Inke - Iharosberény - Nagykanizsa - Nagyrécse - Galambok - Zalakaros

Accommodation in Zalakaros: http://www.hungaryrooms.com/hotels/Zalakaros/

Map of Zalakaros: http://www.hungaryrooms.com/map/Zalakaros/