Special habitat

Water lily, pond lily, candock, lotus - there are so many names for this flower but there is no doubt that the pink and purple flowers swaying on the water fascinate everyone in Hévíz.

WATER LILIES IN THE LAKE

The lake's flora and fauna are unique due to the temperature and composition of the water. Some of Hungary's plant and animal species can only be found here and one of the most spectacular of these is the water lily.

The white water lily (Nymphaea alba L. var. minor) is native to the lake - although it is almost crowded out of the lake, there are many of them in the stream.

In the late 1800s, several attempts were made to plant different species of water lilies, of which the Indian red water lily (Nympaea Rubra var. loniflora) was successfully introduced. In 1898, the Indian red water lily was introduced by Sándor Lovassy, who was a teacher at the Academy of Economics in Keszthely. Since then, the plant has become a true symbol of the town, and several colour variations can be seen in the lake and the stream.
Actually, the home of the red water lily is the tropical Bengal, East India. A single stock develops up to 50-90 leaves in summer, with stems rooted in mud and growing up to 4-5 metres long. The flowers open late at night and close only the next morning. Flowering lasts from June until the end of November and the flowers are not only aesthetically important but also play a major role in slowing down the cooling of the water, while the stalks that crawl along the bottom protect the medicinal mud. In autumn the water lilies go back into the mud and sprout again in spring.

Water lily, pond lily, candock, lotus - there are so many names for this flower but there is no doubt that the pink and purple flowers swaying on the water fascinate everyone in Hévíz.

 

The protective forest

The 4.44-hectare Lake Hévíz is surrounded by approximately 50 hectares of forest in the north, west and south. Some of the tree species in the forest are not native. When the Festetics family decided to turn their estate into a bathing resort in the 18th century, they started to drain the swamp to a certain extent, build roads, divert the overflowing water into streams, and plant trees. The 1920s and 1930s were the most important period in this afforestation process when bald cypresses and other tree species were planted in the forest. Characteristic species that have grown into giant trees include planes, ashes, beeches, oaks and dawn redwood trees, which are special. Of course, there are also species typical of the landscape, such as hornbeam, privet, dogwood and hazel trees.
The forest has several functions: it protects the lake from wind and thus from rapid cooling. The trees of the forest also protect the lake from airborne pollutants, offer shade, filter urban noise and, last but not least, produce oxygen. They also provide habitat and shelter for many small forest animals. In the protective forest around the lake, the Tavirózsa (Water Lily) nature trail has a board system to help you find your way around and learn about the flora and fauna of the area.

The symbolic tree of the forest is the bald cypress

The characteristic trees of the Festetics alley leading to Hévíz are the bald cypresses (Taxodium diistichum). These spectacular trees with lush green, light foliage in the summer, are actually ornamental trees of North American origin. There are many bald cypresses in Hévíz as a lot have been planted in the protective forest surrounding the lake, presumably because the soil and climate conditions are ideal for the species. They are characterised by the fact that, unlike other cypresses, their leaves turn glowing reddish-brown in autumn and then fall off in winter. Their appearance is magnificent both in green and in reddish colour.

Canopy walkway

Would you like to see the canopy of trees at a height of 6-8 metres? And listen to the chirping of birds and rustling of trees? The Canopy Walkway in the northern forest of Hévíz offers all of these and even more. If you walk all the way to the end, to the highest point, you can even catch a glimpse of Lake Hévíz. In the lower forest, on the other hand, there are pleasant running trails and a boardwalk through the marshland.

"What is needed for animals and plants that prefer tropical conditions to be present in Hungary under completely natural conditions? The answer is simple: Lake Hévíz.

Special animals, some of which can only be found in Lake Hévíz

In addition to the flora, the fauna of the lake is also very diverse. There are small unicellular animals and also vertebrates. They don't bother bathers, as only those who look hard enough for them will be aware of their existence. Planktonic crustaceans, water snails, fish, dragonflies, leaf and flower beetles and even many species of butterflies live in the lake and its surroundings. In addition to the smaller animals or perhaps because of the large number of small animals and the ideal summer-winter natural conditions, Lake Hévíz and its surroundings are also home to several larger species. These include waterfowl, some of which breed or spend the winter here, but there are also birds that permanently reside here and birds that visit from the area of Kis (Small) Balaton.

A keen birdwatcher may encounter wild ducks, little grebes, coots, barn swallows and house martins, grey herons, egrets, little cormorants, occasionally swans, kingfishers and many smaller songbirds. The thermal water is not only home to small animals, but also to fish, crabs, grass snakes, frogs, which are very well adapted to the temperature and water composition of the thermal water. These animals include smaller crucian carp, tench, mosquitofish, rainbow cichlid, common bream, and ide. Some of these species are native to the lake, and others have been brought in from other waters or introduced. The most unique species is the Hungarian wild carp, which only lives here. In addition to fish, the water is also home to the dice snake, which is completely harmless. And the outfalls are home to smaller crabs, which are good indicators of water clarity.

The typical plants of the thermal spring are blue algae, some species of which have a special protein composition that makes them suitable for living at high temperatures. Sulphur bacteria are also typical inhabitants of the lake, they can store sulphur secreted from the water in their cells. The different strains of bacteria that live in the lake make the water disinfectant. A special species of micromonospore also lives in the lake, which has been named "Hévíz micromonospore" after its habitat. The species of actinobacteria discovered in Hévíz is also unique: it is the only place in Central Europe where it can be found.

A national treasure is the Hévíz mosquitofish, which was introduced into the lake by a Hévíz vet to control malaria mosquitoes.

In addition to the green frog, the lake is also home to the marsh frog and the European fire-bellied toad, while the European pond turtle and the smooth newt can be seen in the reeds. In the winter, it's a refuge for mute swans, black-headed gulls and Eurasian coot.

Opening hours

The central bath building located on the Hévíz Thermal Lake
(“A” building and “B” terrace = central covered section and large terrace)
will be temporarily closed from 18 March 2025 due to technical reasons.

The entrances to the Lake Bath and all other buildings remain open as usual.
Bathing in the thermal lake continues to be available without interruption, and all related spa facilities remain accessible.

Thank you for your understanding!
Lake Bath information desk:
Mobile: +36 30 959 1002
Email: spaheviz@spaheviz.hu

Summer Entrance Deák Ferenc Square

OPEN

Opening: 8:30 Closing of the cashdesk: 18:00 Closing: 19:00

 

Hévíz Lake Bath reserve the right to change the opening hours and prices.

Hévíz Lake Bath Telephone:
+36 30 959 1002

 

Hévíz Lake Bath and Festetics Bathhouse price list

Valid from 01. April 2025. until withdrawn

3-hour tickets
3-hour ticket	4 500 Ft
3-hour senior ticket / over 60 years old	4 000 Ft
3-hour student ticket / over 14 years old	4 000 Ft
3-hour children ticket / between 6 and 14 years old	2 400 Ft
3-hour group ticket / up to 20 people	4 000 Ft / p
Daily tickets
Daily ticket	7 500 Ft
Daily senior ticket / over 60 years old	7 000 Ft
Daily student ticket	7 000 Ft
Daily children ticket / For children between 6 -14 years of age. Admission for children under 6 is free.	3 600 Ft
Combined family daily tickets Minimum 3 person, if at least 1 person is a child.
Adult	7 000 Ft / p
Student (over 14) Senior (over 60)	6 000 Ft / p
Children (between 6-14)	3 600 Ft / p
Additional tickets
+ 1 hour extension (for the 3-hour tickets)	1 800 Ft
+ upgrading to daily ticket (for the 3-hour tickets)	3 600 Ft
+ additional wellness ticket (for all tickets)	2 000 Ft
Time limit fee (For exceeding the time limit, for every 30 minutes started.)	1 000 Ft
Lake Passes
10-hour Lake Pass - Valid on the day of purchase + 15 calendar days.	13 000 Ft + 2 000 Ft deposit
20-hour Lake Pass - Valid on the day of purchase + 25 calendar days.	23 000 Ft + 2 000 Ft deposit
Other ticket types
Discounted Ticket before Closing (available 2 hours before the end of bathing time)	3 600 Ft
Visitor's Ticket (bathing is not included, max. 30 min)	1 900 Ft + 3 000 Ft deposit
Luggage room (seasonal)	300 Ft / package
Swim-rig rental (daily fee)	700 Ft + 2 000 Ft deposit

 

Single-day tickets: Usable on the day of purchase only. Entitles the bearer to one-time entry. An additional charge will be levied if the allotted time limit is exceeded. Additional time extension cannot be purchased after the time limit has expired.

Lake passes: Deposits are refundable within 5 days of expiery. Refunds are payable in cash only, each day before the end of bathing time. Passes eintitle the bearer to enter the premises on two occasions per day. Following the bearer's first exit, a 15-minute wait period is required before return entry is permitted. Upon exiting the premises, locker number assignments are automatically cleared, after which we can accept no liability for contents. An additional charge will be levied if the alloted time limit is exceeded.

 

General information

• Valid from 09.05.2020 until withdrawal.
• The depth of the medicinal lake is 2-38 meters.
• Free use of changing rooms (included in the entrance fee)
• A sauna sheet is provided free of charge if you buy a ticket that entitles you to the use of the wellness facilities.
• The services of the wellness area are only available to persons over 12 years of age.
• Children under 6 years of age are admitted free of charge.
• The deposit is refundable within 72 hours of expiry.
• Daily tickets are valid only on the day of purchase.
• All tickets are valid for one entry a day only.
• We are not able to refund the price of the purchased tickets.
• We reserve the right to change prices and opening hours.
• An ATM is available during the opening hours in the building accessed from the Schulhof Promenade.

You can have more information about our special offers at the cash desks or on our website.
Hévíz Lake Baths phone number: 06 83 30 959 1002