A star park, protected landscapes and a historic ruin garden with a daffodil field give Southern Lake Balaton its many facets. When planning a trip, you can choose between nature, culture and a specific cycling stage—and arrange the destinations according to your interests.
Starry skies and landscapes in Zselic
In 2009, the Zselici Tájvédelmi Körzet was awarded the title of International Dark Sky Park because of its low levels of light pollution. The Zselici Csillagpark was built in the heart of the protected area. The designation and the park’s location make Zselic a notable destination for travellers interested in stargazing and protected landscapes.
Zselic is a landscape of about 1,200 km² in Southern Transdanubia. It includes 45 municipalities; the larger part lies in Somogy County, the smaller in Baranya. The area therefore refers to a vast landscape, not just a single excursion destination. In Somogy County, regional natural areas and protected areas include Kis-Balaton, Zselici Tájvédelmi Körzet, Barcsi Ősborókás and Babócsai Basakert, among others.
Protected areas and habitats
The Barcsi Ősborókás Landscape Protection Area, with its sandy steppes and swamp forests, is representative of the Inner Somogy landscape. The Csokonyavisontai Fáslegelő Nature Reserve offers a different perspective on the landscape: it protects a rich variety of animal and plant life, as well as a form of land management that is increasingly being forgotten. The open areas can be explored south of Csokonyavisonta via an unmarked footpath.
The Dráva section of Duna-Dráva National Park contains diverse habitats and rare, protected plant species. These include Selaginella helvetica, which is rare in Hungary. The section in the Barcs area covers 11,493 hectares between Bélavár and Szentborbás, across the territories of 19 municipalities. Baláta, located between Kaszó and Szenta, is also one of Somogy’s most highly valued natural assets.
Places of culture and history
In Szenna, the open-air ethnographic museum showcases the folk architecture of Somogy County and the Zselic hills. In Somogyvár, the Saint Ladislaus National Memorial Site has a three-storey observation tower. From there, you can see the monastery’s complete ground plan and a panorama of the surrounding area. The two places have different focuses: Szenna is dedicated to folk architecture, while Somogyvár combines the history of the monastery with views across the area.
Babócsai Basakert also brings history and landscape together. The historic, listed ruin garden in Babócsa includes a daffodil field. The 12-hectare garden has been in bloom every May for centuries. Somogyvár has also hosted Kupavári Napok, an annual series of events connected with its founder, Saint Ladislaus, since 1989; programme details may vary.
A cycling stage and choosing where to stay
For an active trip, the BalatonBike365 Kalandkör 400 offers a moderately challenging 43.62-kilometre stage between Balatonberény and Somogyvár. Route conditions and difficulty ratings may change, so check this information before setting out. The regional Dráva active tourism network has water tourism stops along its section in Somogy County. If you are planning a water-based stage, check in advance whether the stop is accessible and what facilities are currently available.
When looking for a holiday apartment, it helps to decide which places you want to visit first: the Star Park and Zselic, the towns of Somogyvár, Szenna or Babócsa, or the landscapes along the Dráva. Since these destinations are in different municipalities, check the specific routes and travel times for your choice rather than assuming there is a connection or that the journey is short. This way, you can focus your stay on one area or plan visits to several places accordingly.
Discover more destinations: Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén, Budapest, Bács-Kiskun, Békés, Zala, Hajdú-Bihar, Heves, Vas
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