Keszthely as you’ve never seen it before…

Unique walking tours for curious explorers

Eva Szanto – certified tour guide, founder of Keszthely Walks

These tours are for you if you…

want to make your trip more colourful, enjoyable and memorable,
would like to explore a world that guidebooks don’t mention,
are curious about the history, legends and hidden stories of Keszthely,
want to explore the city and its surroundings in a way you’ve never seen before,
would like an inspiring introduction to further explore Keszthely on your own,
are interested in local culture, sights and the stories behind them,
wish to see the city’s classic sights from a fresh perspective,
prefer high-quality small-group or private experiences,
wish to gain new insights and enriching knowledge,
like to see connections and understand the essence of a place,
prefer information from authentic, reliable sources,
enjoy discovering connections, meanings and local culture through stories.
value learning from a professional local guide. ☺

The heart of Keszthely Walks is storytelling. Each tour is built around the idea of bringing this special town closer to you — not just by showing places, but by revealing their stories, atmosphere, and meaning.

Why Keszthely?

Festetics, Georgikon, Helikon, Balaton. These are the keywords that many people associate with Keszthely. Every year, hundreds of thousands of visitors come to see the city’s most iconic landmark, the Festetics Palace, whose owners played a defining role in the life of Keszthely and its surroundings for more than two centuries. The Festetics family made a fundamental contribution to the town’s development, shaping its economic and cultural progress. It is enough to think about the Georgikon, Europe’s first regular institution of higher agricultural education; the Helikon Festivals, famous days of culture and literature; or the Helikon Library, the only surviving former aristocratic library collection in Central Europe. The name of the family appears everywhere — whatever topic you explore in Keszthely, the Festetics family will soon come up, as their legacy is deeply interwoven not only with the town’s past, but with the life of the whole region even today.

The western end of Lake Balaton is a unique meeting point of hills and waters. Central Europe’s largest freshwater lake is soft and silky, its most characteristic colour is the turquoise — though it changes every day, always offering a new, majestic view. From the hiking trails and lookouts of the Keszthely Hills, the panorama of the lake is truly magnificent. Walking along the lakeshore, the embracing ridges of the hills provide a spectacular frame to the landscape, while monuments of the old bathing culture come to life through the only surviving Island Bath and the historic hotel buildings.

Among the settlements along Lake Balaton, Keszthely is unique. It is the only historical town on the lake, and its development has always differed from the settlements of the lake. Beyond the stories of the Festetics family and Lake Balaton, the historic town centre and many other locations offer fascinating sights and stories to tell.

Walk with me!

It was during a family trip to Italy when I decided, among others, that one day I would become a tour guide. I was deeply impressed by everything I saw there, and by the knowledge and professionalism of our guide.

I was the same age when I first worked in the museum part of the Festetics Palace – surrounded by magnificent halls and elegant corridors! So much beauty, so many fascinating details to observe and absorb! As a museum guide, I got to know even more — more stories, more secrets, more history. And then there were the local history books in the palace’s research library… which expand the space even further, opening up entirely new dimensions, taking me beyond the old walls — stepping out of the ancient walls and unfolding throughout the city, even the entire countryside and even beyond!

Later, I spent more than two decades working in tourism management in Keszthely and the West Balaton region, gaining invaluable experience and a deeper understanding of my home area — its past, its spirit, and its people.

All these experiences inspired me to create walking tours that tell stories — about places and people, legends and forgotten stories, curiosities and human destinies. They are for you — the traveler who wants to discover this town and its surroundings… as you’ve never seen it before.

Walking tours

Private themed tours

If you’d like to discover the town with your partner, friends, or family — perhaps following a special theme — you’ll find all the details here.

Sightseeing tours for private groups

If you’re travelling as part of an organised group or a coach tour, this section provides all the information tailored especially for you.

Private themed tours

If you’d like to explore the sights of the town on your own…

If you prefer discovering Keszthely in a small private group — with your partner, family, or friends — while listening to local stories presented by a qualified local guide, then a private walking tour is the perfect choice for you. As part of a personalised private tour, we create a tailor-made itinerary for you, following different routes that include both the well-known and the hidden gems of the town.
On request, the tours may also include guided visits inside buildings, such as museums, churches, or even a stop at a local café or restaurant. Please share your ideas — what you’d like to see, visit or discover — so that we can design the experience to suit your interests as best as possible.

To help you choose the most suitable option, here are a few ideas:

2-hour tour

A pleasant introduction to the town’s main attractions and landmarks. In this timeframe, we usually explore the historic town centre or enjoy a guided visit to the Festetics Palace.

3-hour tour

A classic or themed tour covering different parts of the town with an overview of its most famous sights — mostly from the outside.

4-hour walk

A longer yet relaxed city tour, allowing time to discover lesser-known spots, visit locations further apart, step inside selected attractions or simply take a short refreshment break at a local café.

6-hour walk

A full-day program in the town, including a lunch break — exploring in the morning and again in the afternoon. The morning tour can serve as an introductory walk, covering the main attractions, while the afternoon may take you off the beaten path to discover hidden treasures or include visits to museums, exhibitions, or special buildings. Alternatively, after a morning visit to the Festetics Palace and lunch, we can continue discovering Keszthely’s many faces in the afternoon.

Sightseeing tours for private (closed) groups

For group travelers, closed communities, bus trips, or team building program participants, we also undertake short (2-hour) city tours or palace visits, half-day (4-hour) walks or excursions, and full-day (6-8-hour) excursions according to an individually compiled program in English language at the following locations and programs:

• Sightseeing tour in Keszthely

• Themed walks in Keszthely

• Guided tour of the Festetics Palace

• Half-day excursions to the Kis-Balaton, Sümeg, Szigliget, Tapolca, or Badacsony

• Full-day excursions to Badacsony, Tihany, or Balatonfüred