Balatonberény offers several things to enjoy during a stay: the municipal beach with play and sports facilities, a naturist beach, the protected Csicsergő Peninsula and a Roman Catholic church with medieval origins. When planning your visit, it is worth distinguishing between the two beaches: they differ both in their facilities and in their surroundings.
Municipal Beach: Pools, Play and Sports
Balatonberény’s municipal beach has a lido-style waterfront area, a playground and a children’s pool. Sports facilities include table tennis, street basketball, teqball and sandy sports courts; there is also a pool for adults. This means visitors can swim, play and take part in sports within the same beach area.
Getting there is straightforward: the municipal beach is next to the Balaton cycle path. By car, it can be reached via side road 7119, which branches off main road 7. Cyclists can charge their e-bikes for free at the entrance. Three solar-powered lamps along the paved path provide free mobile phone charging. As seasonal activities and individual services may change, check the latest information before your visit.
Naturist Beach and Cycling Facilities
Balatonberény’s naturist beach is considered the only naturist beach on Lake Balaton. It is set in a picturesque, park-like green space, discreetly surrounded by reeds, and offers a natural bathing area with a shallow shoreline. The grounds are also home to the largest purpose-built circular sun terrace on Lake Balaton.
On the Balaton cycle path, a sign west of the centre of Balatonberény points to the turnoff for the naturist beach. Guests at the beach can use a covered bicycle parking area, an e-bike charging station and a bicycle service station free of charge. When choosing between the municipal beach and the naturist beach, visitors can take into account their location on the cycle path and the available cycling facilities.
Csicsergő Peninsula: Protected Landscape
On the eastern side of Balatonberény lies the 1.55-hectare Csicsergő Peninsula, a locally protected natural area. About ten percent of the peninsula is designated as Natura 2000. Willow-poplar floodplain forest, reeds and grassland define the landscape. A boat harbour and a sailing harbour are located on its southern and western sides.
The peninsula is a popular destination for amateur and professional photographers, as well as for day-trippers. Otters are another notable sight: they have been spotted several times along the shores. However, whether you will see an otter on any one visit remains uncertain. The protected landscape is a distinct attraction alongside the beaches, but wildlife sightings cannot be planned for.
Church and Religious Monuments
The Roman Catholic church in Balatonberény has medieval origins and is considered a special attraction for experts and interested visitors alike. In the garden of St John the Baptist Church stands a statue of Saint Wendelin, erected in 1793 in fulfilment of a vow. Wendelin is the patron saint of shepherds and farmers.
A Lourdes grotto is located in the northern part of the same garden. Halász Zoltánné had it built in fulfilment of a vow to the Virgin Mary; it was designed by Dragonits Tamás. The grotto was consecrated in 1993. The two dates refer to different events: 1793 marks the erection of the statue, while 1993 marks the consecration of the grotto. Together, the two monuments offer a tangible insight into the religious heritage of the area.
Discover more destinations: Kéthely, Böhönye, Balatonmariafürdö, Táska, Balatonszentgyörgy, Balatonkeresztur, Varászló, Balatonújlak.
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