A small Hungarian spa town built around Europe's largest swimmable thermal lake, warm enough to bathe in even when there's snow on the shore. Here's what HĂ©vĂz is like, when to go and how long to stay.
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Temperatures are the average daytime high in °C.
HĂ©vĂz works all year. The lake is fed by a hot spring, so the water stays around 23 to 26°C in winter and reaches 33 to 35°C in summer, and steaming water under a frosty sky is a winter highlight. Spring and early autumn are mild and calm, and the pink water lilies flower from late spring through summer. July and August are the busiest months, when nearby Lake Balaton fills up with holidaymakers.
Swim or float in the warm lake from the pavilion on stilts. Rubber rings are handy, as the lake is deep and there's no bottom to stand on.
Most hotels have their own thermal pools, saunas and treatments, often included with the room.
A grand baroque palace in nearby Keszthely, with a carriage museum and gardens.
Central Europe's largest lake is a short drive away, with beaches, ferries and cycle paths.
Wine villages on the hills north of Balaton, such as Badacsony, sit on old volcanoes.
A hillside village above town with small wine bars and a Romanesque church.
It suits a relaxing break more than an action-packed one. Children enjoy floating in the warm lake, and Lake Balaton's beaches and the Keszthely palace are close by. Spa hotels often have family pools.
Three to five nights is ideal for a relaxing spa break, or combine it with a few nights in Budapest for a week.
Fly into Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport, then drive or take a transfer of about two and a half hours. The small HĂ©vĂz-Balaton Airport, about 10 km away, has a few seasonal flights from Europe.
Many people visit HĂ©vĂz for the water's minerals and its gentle warmth, which can ease aching joints. Doctors advise bathing for no more than about 90 minutes at a time.
Put HĂ©vĂz on standby with everyone's other ideas. You each spread your points in secret, get one veto, and the draw picks where you go.