Tapolca

The pretty little town of Tapolca lies 10km from Balaton’s northern shoreline. Its main attraction is a cool, clear lake lying deep within a karst cave; you can row a boat through the craggy chamber, and the microclimate is said to alleviate asthma. The Hotel Pelion is perched directly above and offers health and luxury treatments. It even has a passage providing guests with a direct link to the cave!
 
Near by is a pond with an old watermill, a romantic backdrop to relaxing walks around the water’s edge, while other sights include the scant remains of Tapolca’s 15^th-century castle – destroyed by Turkish invaders – and a tiny Town and School Museum.