Ball season opens at Lake Balaton

On July 25 in Hungary, at the popular resort of the northern Balaton, Balatonfüred, will be held the most significant event of the resort - "Anna’s Ball". The history of this tradition is rooted in the distant past when, in 1825 János Horváth (at that time an influential aristocrat and maecenas) held a magnificent ball in his mansion on the Gyógy tér square in honor of one of his daughters Anna-Christina. And at this ball, where had been invited the most noble and famous people in Hungary, Anna-Christina met her future husband. The success of a luxury ball was so great that since then it has been a custom to held every year the ball on the nearest Saturday to the day of St. Anne (25 July). Traditionally during the ball the jury selects the three most beautiful girls, one of which is proclaimed the Queen of the ball, and two others her maids of honour. This year's Anna’s ball will be held for the 184th time.

Balatonfüred is an old small town situated on the shores of Lake Balaton and is famous for its natural carbon dioxide sources. It became popular in the XVIII century, when the city opened the first spa resort on the lake. The spa resort specializes on the treatment of cardiovascular diseases (coronary heart disease, myocardial infarction, hypertension, atherosclerosis, peripheral vascular, etc.) Cardio Center, built in 1810, is famous as one of the best rehabilitation facilities in Europe.

Balatonfüred is a spa of hundred hotels. The most fashionable and prestigious hotels in the city are located along the shores of Lake Balaton. However, due to the excellent service, unique microclimate and well-developed infrastructure, even such a great number of hotels are not complaining about the lack of visitors. Balatonfüred is also called the "City of Wine and Grape", each year in early August here is held the wine festival Borhetek. During which along the main embankment of Robindranata Tagore are established cozy tents, where winemakers offer the best sorts of wines of their own production.