A Guide to Lillafüred, the Romantic Lake Town in Hungary's North
Surrounded by picturesque forests that inspired great poets, Lillafüred is a must see on your Hungary itinerary! This guide covers what to see and do, how to get there, and plenty more.
The first mention we heard of Lillafüred came by way of a very unlikely source: our burly 6-foot Hungarian gas technician as he crouched on the floor, trying to fix our adolescently-natured radiator here in our Budapest flat.
He claimed that the hillside town on the outskirts of Miskolc, famous for a renaissance castle style hotel over lake Hámori, was his favourite part of Hungary to visit.
A quick google revealed a scene that looked vaguely reminiscent of Slovenia’s Lake Bled, and we knew we had to our it to our bucket list immediately.
It seems we need to take more travel tips from Zsolt in future; after spending a few days exploring this romantic lake town, we agree that it’s definitely worth making the trip to northeast Hungary for.
Lillafured was built as a tourist resort in the 1890s by Count Bethlen, who envisioned a place where the wealthy could stay, play, and recuperate by the lake. Nestled into the forested Bükk Mountains and full of outdoor adventure and pretty scenery, the area was named for his niece, Erzsebet, nicknamed Lilla.
With the iconic Palace Hotel overlooking Lake Hamori, a number of forest hikes, ancient caves, and an old-timey narrow gauge forest train, there’s plenty to explore around Lillafüred. Discover everything you need to know in this short guide!
SHORT GUIDE TO LILLAFÜRED, HUNGARY
WHERE IS LILLAFÜRED?
Technically, Lillafüred forms part of the wider Miskolc city limits - but this is pretty much in name only, as the hillside town is about 20 minutes drive into the hills from from the centre of Miskolc itself.
We’ve popped Lillafüred on the map below to give you an idea:
HOW TO GET TO LILLAFÜRED
BY CAR
Personally, we recommend hiring a car and driving (which is what we did).
The journey from Miskolc is pretty straightforward, simply take Hunyadi Janos utca towards Szent Anna ter, then follow the signs for Lillafüred straight along to Vadas Jenő u. before turning left onto Egri Országút and continuing till you get into town.
Detailed map can be found here.
BY BUS
From Miskolc, you can get to Lillafüred by jumping on the number 1 tram and travelling to the last station (Felső Majláth) and then swapping to the bus #5 or #15.
Alternatively, you can also take the #1 tram to Diosgyor Castle and then take the #5 or #15 from there.
If you’ve purchased the Miskolc Pass, all your transport is included so you won’t need to worry about tickets. If not, you can purchase them along the way (FYI, it’s cheaper to purchase from kiosks than on board with the driver).
BY TRAIN
The most scenic of all the options, you can also take the State Forest Railway from Miskolc-Dorottya utca station right to Lillafüred station. We’ve got all the information for this one below, so keep reading!
THE BEST THINGS TO DO IN LILLAFÜRED
ADMIRE THE VIEWS AROUND LAKE HAMORI
As mentioned, Lake Hamori (Hamori-to) is very much Hungary’s answer to neighbouring Slovenia's Lake Bled; a picturesque lake fringed by a peaceful forest and the romantic Palace Hotel castle towering at one end.
The lake was created early in the 19th century when the two Szinva and Garadna streams were dammed in order to provide a nearby iron furnace with a steady water supply. And in a rare instance of man-made ending up just as pretty as the real deal, the lake is a seriously picturesque place to spend a few hours.
In the warmer months, you can paddle on the lake (more on that below), or enjoy a gentle stroll around the lake’s perimeter. During the winter months, it’s quite common for the lake to freeze over and transform into a winter playground for ice skating, ice hockey, and even ice fishing too.
RENT A BOAT ON LAKE HAMORI
In the summer months, you can rent colourful row boats and head out on Hamori Lake for a paddle - something we highly recommend as the views from the lake back to the Palace Hotel are probably the best in the area.
We enjoyed it so much we actually ended up going back twice in two days just to enjoy the peaceful serenity of the lake, especially in the quieter late afternoon hours.
To rent a boat here, head to the left of the lake and down the steps trailing behind the round souvenir shop on the main road, and organise it through the super friendly boat keeper, Leslie, there. Thirty minutes costs 500 ft per person (~£1.20 / €1.50).
THE DETAILS
Where | Lake Hamori / Hamori-to
TAKE THE LILLAFÜRED STATE FOREST RAILWAY
The Lillafüred State Forest Railway is a gorgeous old-timey narrow gauge train through the Bükk forests that is the very definition of taking the scenic route.
Formerly a timber freight train in the 1920s, it’s now a small open air tourist train that weaves through the enchanting mountains from Miskolc to the little forest village of Garadna where a museum, trout farm, and some lovely forest walks can be found.
The train runs year-round on weekends and public holidays, with open air carriages between Spring-Autumn. Be sure to layer up on cooler days as the journey can get quite chilly! In winter, carriages are closed and kept wonderfully toasty by a little iron furnace in. It was running on the day we took the train and absolutely delightful on a frosty day!
Return tickets are 2600pp, and are cash only on board (don’t get caught out like we were!). You can purchase tickets using a card at Miskolc-Dorottya and Lillafüred stations though.
THE DETAILS
Where | Miskolc-Dorottya station
When | Weekends & public holidays. See timetable here.
WANDER THE GROUNDS OF THE HUNGUEST PALACE HOTEL
The Hunguest Palace Hotel is undoubtedly the most iconic feature of Lillafüred, a fairytale castle rising from the ochre and green mountains and standing guard over the pretty lake.
Opened in 1930 the hotel itself is beautiful, with grand old furnishings and all the mod-cons. But it’s the hotel grounds that are, perhaps, the most romantic part of the whole area.
The Palace Hotel hanging gardens cascade down the hill from the hotel, with ornate terraced themed gardens connected to Hungarian poetry, scientists, nature, and love.
The gardens take you past Hungary’s highest waterfall (Lillafüred Waterfall) as well as Anna Cave, Garadna Cave, and a number of statues celebrating Hungarian artists and poets.
The terraces are themed (the Terrace of Music, the Terrace of Poetry, to name a few), and with the calming sound of the nearby waterfall, they’re a lovely place to go for a quiet stroll in romantic surroundings - especially as we did in early Autumn, when the leaves are changing and there’s a crispness to the air!
THE DETAILS
Where | Hunguest Palota Hotel
SOAR TO NEW HEIGHTS ON THE LILLAFÜRED LIBEGO
For those looking to get a new perspective on the region, taking the Lillafured Libegő (chairlift) up to the mountain station of Jávorhegy plonks you right in the heart of the Miskolc Resort Area, where plenty of viewpoints and forest trails are awaiting exploration.
The libegő runs for about 1km from Erzsebet promenade in Lillafüred to Jávorhegy, making it’s way peacefully up the forested mountain where mountain biking trails and the Oxygen hiking trail weave downhill below. Don’t be surprised to see the occasional mountain biker appearing beneath you like a flash before disappearing back into the undergrowth.
The ride to the top takes about 15-20 minutes and is a pretty relaxing journey. Mountain bikers can attach their bikes to the cable car rack for a stress free ride.
Once you’re at the top, the choice of where to wander is endless; trails head off in every direction, criss-crossing back and forth through meadows and forested areas.
When we visited in early autumn, what struck us most was the quiet beauty. As we wove between tall trees ablaze with ochre and russet, gold and green, a carpet of red rolled out along their base, the forest was silent, save for the singing of little birds busying themselves with winter preparations. Definitely the perfect place to spend a late afternoon before heading back to Budapest!
There’s a small wooden kiosk serving drinks (including mulled wine!), snacks, and flakey strudel if you’re in need of sustenance. No toilets up here though - so be sure to go before you head up to the top!
THE DETAILS
When | Lillafüred Libego, Erzsebet Setany
Cost | 1700ft return per adult
SZENT ISTVAN CAVE
Just up the hill from Hamori Lake and the Palace Hotel, you’ll come across an impressive medieval-style gate chiselled into the rock on the right hand side of the road. This fortress-like opening marks the Szent Istvan Cave (Szent Istavan Barlang) entrance, a limestone cave millions of years old.
Legend has it that the cave was first discovered in 1900 by an explorer of the furry kind; an enthusiastic pup who accidentally fell through the cave’s only natural opening - a 15-m deep shaft - and barked for days on end. When hoomans finally came to the goodestboi’s (sorry, we had to!) aid, they discovered the cave itself and initially named it Kutya-lyuk, Hungarian for dog hole.
A decade later, ropes were used to lower cave explorer Ottokar Kadić through the entrance, where he discovered the majority of the cave that is accessible today. In 1931 it was opened to the public.
During the war years, the cave was used by locals as a bomb shelter — and the damage to some of the stalagmites and stalactites is still visible today.
The cave has about 4 ‘rooms’ open, with a number of impressive natural structures, and is only accessible via a guided tour. Tours last about 30 minutes, and we’re pretty sure they’re only conducted in Hungarian, but we were given an English information sheet. Dress warmly - it’s 10c in there!
One free entry is included with the Miskolc Pass (which we highly recommend) purchasing!
THE DETAILS
Where | Szent István Cave, Miskolc, Egri Országút
When | 9am - 3pm every day
Cost | Free with Miskolc Pass, otherwise 1500ft
YOUR LILLAFÜRED TRAVEL PLANNING ESSENTIALS
WHERE TO STAY IN LILLAFÜRED
We actually stayed in Miskolc at an airbnb called the Vintage Apartment, right in the heart of the old town.
The apartment itself was comfortable, spacious and had everything we needed for a short stay (including a coffee machine, always a must!). There’s also a car space in the carpark out the back - something greatly appreciated in an area where parking space seemed few and far between.
BOOK | VINTAGE APARTMENT MISKOLC
Alternatively, if you’re keen to experience Lillafüred’s most famous building, we recommend staying at the iconic Hunguest Hotel Palota, aka the palace overlooking Hamori-to. This luxurious, old-world style hotel is as charming on the inside as it looks on the outside!
BOOK | HUNGUEST HOTEL PALOTA
THE MISKOLC PASS
Before we get into the nitty gritty of this guide to Lillafüred, one of our top tips for making the most your time in the area is to purchase a Miskolc Pass Tourist Card.
The Miskolc Pass gives you free or discounted access to most of the Miskolc highlights (including in and around Lillafüred), and proves to be a pretty cost effective option. Our 48-hour pass gave us free transport around Miskolc, free full-day entry to the Miskolctapolca Cave Baths, the Diósgyőr Castle, Szent Istvan (Saint Stephen) Cave, plus plenty more.
It’s entirely worth it for those keen to see as much of the region as possible while sticking to a budget.
BUY | Purchase your Miskolc Pass here
TRAVEL INSURANCE | STAY SAFE IN HUNGARY
Whatever you do, don’t travel without travel insurance, even if you’re the most experienced traveller.
Whether it be a hiking injury, car accident, theft, or lost baggage, things can go wrong in Hungary, and insurance is your only way of mitigating the issues!
BUY | Click here to get the best travel insurance deals with World Nomads
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