Music, all kinds, all across the beach. And no watered-down beer, since Heineken will be there in full force. No watery wine either, because Hungary’s finest wine makers will be there, many of whom work their magic right there by the Balaton shore. Food? Classy stuff – how about snacking on sushi as the sun sets?
But of course Balaton Sound is all about the music. Yes, the inimitable American musicman Moby will be there, as will the British technoguru Carl Cox and the German electronic music craftsmen Kraftwerk, and you can also enter the world of Underworld, who are of course best known for the Trainspotting soundtrack. And club legend DJ T will keep the party going until dawn at the T-Mobile Terrace’s techno club. Enter the marathon house party world of Extrawelt and the Winghnomy Brothers, or revitalize to Finland’s Five Corners Quintet. Over at the Samsung Mobile Arena, see Berlin’s Richie Hawtin, and the lovely looker Lucca, the Czech Republic’s most popular DJane, who will have you dancing your feet off, plus Ibiza’s favorite French touch DJ Richard Grey.
All this for four days, in the sun, in Zamárdi, with all of Balaton before you. The music’s pumping, grab a beer, watch the sunset – so gorgeous it’s called the Golden Bridge – and then get back to the all-night party…
Get to the Zamárdi Zone
Located on the southern shore of Lake Balaton, dazzling Zamárdi boasts a 3.9 km free beach – perfect to catch some rays in tranquility or take a dip in Balaton’s cool waters. Although, from July 9th to 12th you’ll have to get there early to enjoy the tranquility, as the beach is the location of the Balaton Sound festival.
There’s plenty of other cool stuff to see in Zamárdi, too. The legendary Szamárkő, which translates as The Donkey Stone, is popular with tourists. You see, it’s a source of much lore as the stone has played an important role throughout history. It’s said to possess the footprint of Jesus and a donkey from when they passed through the area. Other tales say it was spewed from the Tihany volcano, was the site of magic rituals and sacrifices and even a Celtic castle was built around it. Maybe you should go and check it out and make your mind up – the stone lies in the hills on the western end of the town.
Ticket prices:
Day ticket: Advance/From July 1st – 48 €/50 €,
Festival pass: Advance/From July 1st – 120 €/125 €
Camping: 4.50 €
How to get there
To get to Zamárdi by car, just take the M7 from Budapest about 1 hour south to the lake. Trains leave Déli and Keleti stations throughout the day and take 2-3 hours depending on the train and number of connections. Train times can be found at www.elvira.hu
For scheduled acts, see www.balatonsound.hu for more information. See you at the lake!
Dates: July 9-12
Balaton Sound
8621 Zamárdi, Kossuth Lajos utca 16.
Email: zamardi@tourinform.hu
www.zamardi.hu, www.balatonsound.hu
