Lake Balaton in Hungary

Long, shallow and milky-white, Lake Balaton is Europe's largest lake at 50 miles (80 km) long and 10 miles (15 km) wide at its broadest stretch. Throughout the long summer, swimmers, windsurfers, sailboats, kayaks and cruisers throng the warm and silky smooth lake.

Around the lake's 315 miles (197 km) of shoreline, vacationers cast their reels for pike; play tennis, soccer, and volleyball; ride horses and hike in the hills. First settled in the Iron Age, the Balaton region has been a recreation spot since the Roman times. From the 18th century onward, the upper classes erected spas and villas along the shoreline. In the post-World War II era, the lake opened up to a wider tourist base.

Often called 'the nation's playground', Balaton is divided into two quite different shores. The south is essentially one long resort of high-rise hotels and minuscule beaches and the north has more historical towns and sights, mountain trails and wine.

Dominating the south is Siófok, the largest of Balaton's resorts. The dedicated pursuits here are eating, drinking, swimming and sunbathing. The nearby Szántódpuszta is a recreational centre of perfectly preserved 18th and 19th century farm buildings, barns, workshops and a Baroque church.

Further west is Keszthely, a pleasant town of grand houses, tree-lined streets and funky cafés, with unique views of both shores of the lake.

The north's oldest and most popular resort is Balantonfüred where prevailing winds from the Bakony Hills sweep down over town and onto the Lake, keeping the place cool. During the 19th century, it was the gathering place for politicians and cultural leaders, then a writers' colony and by 1900, a summer retreat for the country's emerging middle class.

It remains a sophisticated, yet peaceful place and counts among its attractions a splendid promenade, a number of artist's museums and warm-water springs. Mineral springs also make Balantonfüred a haven for folks with circulatory ailments. South of here is the historical village of Tihany, while east is Badacsony, a region renowned for its scenery, excellent hiking trails and wine-producing towns.

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