Szántód on Lake Balaton: Ferry, Manor and Beaches

Agriculture and exhibitions at the Szántódpusztai Majorság

The Szántódpusztai Majorság is a historic agricultural estate and one of the oldest estates of its kind in Hungary. Its history dates back to the Middle Ages. Its agricultural past is explored in several specific ways: displays at the Kukoricagóré share information about corn and its processing, while the interactive “Búza útja” (Journey of Wheat) exhibition in the barn is devoted to wheat. It covers the cultivation of grain for subsistence in the past, knowledge of the traditional farmhouse loaf, and the importance of wheat as an essential food grain.

The barefoot path, also known as the Kneipp stepping path, offers a sensory way to explore the site. At its tactile stations, visitors can explore embedded materials, as well as raw materials and tools used in the past. The stations are also accessible to people with disabilities. For visitors with visual impairments, the station names are provided not only in Latin script in Hungarian but also on Braille signs. The path thus focuses both on feeling a range of materials and on making the station labels easy to understand.

A rotating exhibition space in Building 21 can serve as a venue for local and regional artists and creative practitioners. The exhibitions offer a different way to experience the Majorság than the agricultural themes explored in the barn and at the Kukoricagóré. If you are interested in art, you can check the current program before your visit.

The Tihany–Szántód ferry is also part of the Majorság’s history: visitors can learn about its development there. The crossing was established at a natural narrowing of Lake Balaton and was once part of the Tihany Abbey’s estate. This historical perspective complements the ferry’s role today as a connection across the lake, without conflating the two.

Ferry and beaches on Lake Balaton

The only ferry connection across Lake Balaton runs between Szántódrév and Tihanyrév. It carries vehicles and passengers year-round. Extreme weather or ice can disrupt service, so it is worth checking the timetable for a specific crossing.

The two free beaches in Szántód differ in their described shoreline features. The beach on Juhász-Gyula Street, also known as Beach Party, has fine sand and slopes gradually into deeper water. At the beach on Rigó Street, bathers have access to a grassy sunbathing area. The sand and water depth at one beach, and the sunbathing area at the other, therefore offer different points of comparison when choosing a beach.

Another way to explore walking and cycling in the area is the separate pedestrian and cycle path, which was built on a new route running parallel to Móricz-Zsigmond Street and Szent-István Street. If you plan to use it, take current path conditions into account.

Chapel and local landmarks

The Szent-Kristóf Chapel stands above Szántódpuszta on the site of a former chapel. The earlier chapel was built in 1735 with a wooden-shingle roof and a wooden tower, renovated and rebuilt in 1820, and consecrated again in 1821.

A statue of Kossuth Lajos stands in Kossuth Park. Together with the chapel, it provides another historical landmark alongside the Majorság’s agricultural history. Szántód’s history thus spans everything from its farming past to specific chapel and memorial sites.

Discover more destinations: Balatonkeresztur, Alsöörs, Kisapáti, Balatonszepezd, Balatonhenye, Balatonederics, Óbudavár.

More about the destination

Useful information for planning your trip:

Szántód: Ferry to Tihany and peaceful days on the southern shore | Balaton-Netz.