Balatonfüred
 Small town of 13,500 inhabitants, centre of the north-eastern region of Balaton, the first medical resort town of Hungary. The town was built on the wide, shiny side of Balaton Riviera, protected by 300-metre high hills against cold winds. Surprisingly enough, the fame of this mellow old resort is originally due not to Balaton but the aerated springs rushing up at the lake-shore. The water had been used for the purpose of drinking treatments, and as from the 1730s also for bathing.  The medical power of the water is applied for treating heart diseases in the Heart Hospital currently, too. The golden age of the spa was the reform period. Great figures of the country visited Balatonfüred one after another, a theatre was also built here in 1831, and then in 1846 the first steamship of Balaton called "Kisfaludy" was set afloat here. The well-house was erected above the Kossuth Lajos spring in the middle of Gyógy square in 1853. The memorial tablets of the Füred Pantheon commemorate the writers, artists and scientists who had a significant role in the life of the resort. The wonderful Tagore promenade lined with plane-trees was created in 1863, subsequent to the hand-over of Sió channel. The various masterpieces of the fine arts exhibited in the promenade make it a real park of sculptures. The Round Church of neoclassical style, handed over in 1864, is one of the most characteristic buildings of Balatonfüred.. Several traditional programmes are offered to the visitors of Balatonfüred.
 Our regular programmes include the outstanding Reception of the First Ship, which is a symbolic moment of the opening of the shipping season. Since 1935, the Sail-Setting Ceremony of Balatonfüred has been held every year in May, which has become the symbol of the opening of the sailing season as well as that of the summer season in the past decade. The most outstanding event is the Anna Ball, which has been held for 182 years in July every year, on the day closest to the name day of Anna. One of the oldest balls in Hungary, it is the pride of Balatonfüred as well as that of the whole country. The main event of the ball is choosing the Queen of the Ball and her ladies in attendance, who are taken for a ride in a carriage around the town the next day. Since 1994, the Hungarian Marathon Club has been organizing the cross-bay swimming competition. The event is held in memory of Miklós Wesselényi, who was the first to swim across the lake between Tihany and Balatonfüred, the distance of which is 3,6km.
 The Wine Weeks of Balatonfüred is a real celebration of viniculture. Wine-makers await visitors in their friendly stalls built in Tagore Promenade for two weeks from the middle of August. Every evening there are high-standard performances by national and international folk art groups on the Kisfaludy Stage, there is a colourful programme on 20 August with fireworks.  Preserving the traditions of vintage feasts, the Vintage Procession is held every September. In honour of the famous Italian poet, Salvatore Quasimodo the International Competition and Meeting of Poets bearing the name of the poet is held. The poet visited Balatonfüred in 1961 to recover from his illness, like Rabindranath Tagore. The poets´ competition is an important part of Hungarian as well as that of Italian culture.
The award-giving gala is accompanied by classical music concerts, performances by famous artists. In the neighbourhood of the town nice trips can be taken to Koloska-valley, Koloska-spring, or the wonderful Lóczy-cave. From the cave it is worth walking up to the Jókai look-out tower, where you can enjoy the beautiful view.
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