Discover Szantod: Beach, ferry connection and manor estate

Agricultural history at Szántódpusztai Majorság

Szántódpusztai Majorság is a historic agricultural estate whose history dates back to the Middle Ages. It is one of Hungary’s oldest agricultural estates. The grounds offer several different ways to explore this past: topics include former working methods and raw materials, as well as food and the importance of agriculture in everyday life. This offers a cultural contrast to a holiday centred mainly on time by the water.

The barefoot path, also known as the Kneipp stepping path, features sensory stations with embedded materials. Here, visitors can experience materials and tools used in the past. The stations are also accessible to people with disabilities. For visitors with visual impairments, station names are shown not only in Hungarian lettering but also on Braille signs. These specific features make the path an experience that brings perception and history together. If you are travelling with others, you can explore the stations together and discover different materials and their former uses.

Exhibitions on grain, corn and art

The barn houses the interactive exhibition “Búza útja”. It explores grain cultivation for self-sufficiency in the past, knowledge of the traditional peasant loaf and the importance of wheat as an essential grain. In the Kukoricagóré, information boards share knowledge about corn and its processing. Both topics invite visitors to explore how basic foods are produced, but from different perspectives: wheat and bread in one exhibition, corn and its processing in the other.

Building 21 houses a temporary exhibition space that can serve as a venue for local and regional artists and creative practitioners. Alongside the agricultural themes, visitors interested in visual art will find another cultural aspect of the estate. Visitors can also learn about the history of the Tihany–Szántód ferry there. It was established at the Balaton’s natural narrowest point and once belonged to Tihany Abbey. The historical connection and the ferry service operating today should be distinguished chronologically.

Beaches and connections across Lake Balaton

The free beach on Juhász-Gyula Street, also known as Beach Party, has fine sand and a gently sloping entry into deeper water. The also-free beach on Rigó Street has a grassy sunbathing area for swimmers. These different features can help you choose what you want from a beach day: sand and a gradual transition into deeper water, or a green area for lounging. Szantod is also the starting point for the only ferry connection across Lake Balaton. It runs between Szántódrév and Tihanyrév and carries vehicles and passengers year-round.

More places to discover in the village

A separate pedestrian and cycle path has been built in Szantod on a new route, parallel to Móricz-Zsigmond Street and Szent-István Street. A statue of Kossuth Lajos stands in Kossuth Park. The Szent-Kristóf Chapel stands above Szántódpuszta on the site of an earlier chapel. This earlier chapel was built in 1735 with a wooden shingle roof and wooden tower, renovated and remodelled in 1820, and reconsecrated in 1821. These details refer to the earlier chapel and its history. Together, the path, statue and chapel add further, distinct points of interest to the picture of the village and your trip planning.

More places to discover: Koröshegy, Teleki, Kötcse, Balatonszemes, Szólád, Balatonszárszó, Balatonőszöd, Nagycsepely.

For the broader travel overview: Balatonföldvári.