Somehow, it’s already been four months since I visited a new country, my latest being my travels to Thailand and Liechtenstein in February and March. In need of a change of scenery, I booked a spontaneous two-week trip through four southeastern European countries: Hungary, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia.
I visited Hungary last year but only had time for a long weekend in Budapest. This time, I wanted to head west.
My first stop of the trip was a few days at Lake Balaton, the largest lake in central Europe. So large that it can be seen with the naked eye from space! I've had Lake Balaton on my wish list for quite a few years now and it thrilled me that the opportunity presented itself to spend a long weekend there. Lake Balaton is probably the most popular summer destination in all of Hungary, with Budapest residents flocking there in droves to escape the city.
→ Check out my complete guide on how to spend a weekend at Lake Balaton!
One of the highlights of my time visiting Lake Balaton was my morning spent exploring Tihany. Tihany is a little peninsula jutting into Lake Balaton, south of Balatonfüred. It is famous for its lavender and produces countless gorgeous products - from body and home care to food, teas, jewelry, clothes and other goods.
According to Hungarian Conservative:
"The first lavender field in Tihany was planted in 1926 by Gyula Bittera, a Hungarian expert of medical herbs, on a parcel rented from the nearby abbey. The lavender brought to Hungary from France found fertile soil on the peninsula."
