This is how Hungarians vacation at home – beach vacations at Lake Balaton are everything!

By: Trademagazin Date: 2025. 08. 05. 11:17

Hungarians prefer to spend their domestic holidays by going to the beach, sightseeing, and taking a spa and wellness break – according to the latest online survey by Csodásmagyarország.hu. The vast majority spend their holidays at Lake Balaton, the second most popular waterfront location is Lake Tisza, followed by Lake Hévíz. Nearly half of those surveyed are inspired by social media sites and online articles when choosing a domestic destination, while more than a fifth of Hungarians rely on recommendations from friends.

Nearly a third of Hungarians are looking for experiences near the water during their summer vacation, according to an online survey conducted by Csodásmagyarország.hu in July 2025 with the participation of 2,198 people. 17 percent of respondents enjoy spending their holidays by the beach, and 13 percent enjoy spending their holidays in spas and wellness facilities. At the same time, many people prefer active recreation: 16 percent choose city sightseeing, 11 percent choose hiking. Every tenth person finds visiting cultural attractions – such as castles, manor houses and museums – attractive, and the same number seek peace by taking walks in parks, arboretums or zoos.

Openness to hiking is mainly characteristic of the 18–29 and 30–45 age groups, at a higher than average rate. The youngest respondents also prefer to visit festivals and various events. There is no significant difference among 46–65 year olds compared to the overall data, however, people over 65 follow different holiday habits. For them, going to a spa proved to be the most attractive activity, with 20 percent of people over 65 voting for this option. This is followed by nature walks, which were indicated by 15 percent, then city visits by 14 percent, and exploring historical buildings – castles, fortresses – by 11 percent. Beaching is only the fifth most popular program category among them. At the same time, they show a higher interest in pilgrimage sites than average.

Lake Balaton remains unbeatable

When asked which Hungarian lake they would most like to vacation at, nearly two-thirds (65 percent) of respondents indicated Lake Balaton in first place. Lake Tisza came in second with 13 percent, while Lake Hévíz came in third with 9 percent. Lake Velence came in fourth place in the ranking, and Lake Fertő came in fifth.

A similar trend can be observed in the age group breakdown: in all groups, Lake Balaton is in the lead, and Lake Tisza typically takes second place. The exception is those over 65, among whom Lake Hévíz is more popular, with nearly 33 percent of them voting for it. For those aged 30–45, Lake Velence is ahead of Lake Hévíz, while for the youngest respondents aged 18–29, Lake Orfű is also on the list, displacing Lake Fertő from the top five. The same order applies for those aged 46–65, where Lake Orfű is also ahead of Lake Fertő in the ranking.