Tapolca
©
Tapolca

Tapolca

Hungarian town above a flooded karst cave, where visitors row beneath the old centre.

The old town of Tapolca, nestling behind Szent György-hegy, holds an extraordinary natural attraction: the Cave Lake. Hot karst water gouged out a labyrinth of winding corridors and halls in the limestone beneath the town, which were then flooded by crystal-clear groundwater. Rowing through the mysteriously lit, twisting waterway feels like being ferried across some mythological underworld — except there is a way back.

The cave is not only a tourist sight: its constant humid microclimate is ideal for the treatment of respiratory disorders, and a separate clinic at street level still offers the cave cure. Above ground, the Malom-tó — the central mill pond fed by the same karst springs — is the picturesque heart of the town.

Guide

Day Trips

Tapolca makes an excellent base for the western end of Lake Balaton. The volcanic wine villages of Badacsony, Szigliget with its ruined hilltop fortress, and the historic spa town of Hévíz are all within a half-hour drive. The Káli Basin to the east — with its restored stone-walled wine cellars and lavender fields — is another easy afternoon's exploration.

Guide

Getting There

Tapolca lies in the western Balaton hinterland, about 180 km from Budapest by road via the M7 and Route 77. The drive takes roughly two hours. Trains from Budapest (Déli or Kelenföld) run to Tapolca via Székesfehérvár but take three to four hours; the bus from Veszprém or Keszthely is often quicker.

Most visitors combine Tapolca with a stay at one of the Balaton resort towns — Badacsony, Szigliget, or Keszthely are all within half an hour.

Guide

Things to Do

Tapolca's main attraction is the Cave Lake beneath the town centre, the only one of its kind in Hungary that visitors can row through. Beyond the cave there is the old mill pond at the heart of town, a small basalt-organ geology trail, and easy access to the Káli Basin's volcanic wine region.