🇭🇺 Hungary | Off-the-Beaten-Path Tapolca: The Latest Guide 🌟

After arriving in Hungary, I chose the currently lesser-known Tapolca as my first stop. The only attraction in this small town is the incredibly picturesque cave boating experience. 🎫 Tickets are limited, so it's essential to book online in advance. A simple search for 🔍Tapolca cave will lead you to the booking site. Originally, there were guided tours, but since most visitors come for the boating, the guided tours have been canceled in favor of self-guided exploration. Once inside the cave, you can queue up to board the boats. The staff speak English and German and will basically instruct you to sit in the middle of the boat while someone at the front rows. They'll tell you to take it slow and not to rush. It's a circular route that takes about ten to fifteen minutes. If you're on the last boat, you can row at a leisurely pace without any issues, so it's recommended to enter later in the day to avoid the crowds. This attraction is truly worth a visit. The water in the cave is crystal clear, resembling jelly. Boating in such a setting was a first for me.🌟 🚌 Regarding transportation, the train from Budapest requires a transfer in Keszthely. This city has a beautiful castle, but I didn't have time to visit it this time due to lack of prior research. If you have ample time, you can definitely visit the castle before heading to Tapolca. As for the Hungarian trains, they are notoriously late, and punctuality is not expected. However, don't worry; the train from Keszthely to Tapolca will wait for the delayed previous train because it's such a small train, mostly used by locals, so it's not as rushed as larger trains. The entire train consists of only one carriage, as shown in photo 3⃣️. It's really just one carriage, and it speeds along the tracks. We departed 12 minutes late but only arrived 6 minutes late. 🌆 Tapolca is a small town, and the cave is located in the city center, just a 15-minute walk away. After visiting, we had dinner. The prices were incredibly low, with the most expensive main course costing only around 12€. I recommend the restaurant we dined at 👇: Kolibri etelbar 😋 I highly recommend the 👉duck breast with mushroom rice👈. The duck breast is not dry at all, and the mushroom rice has a rich, aromatic flavor. There's not much decoration, just a simple yet delicious taste. I also ordered a fish soup. The fish was tender, but it wasn't particularly impressive. However, at only 6€, I thought it was quite good. 🌆 The town is really small and quiet. After visiting the cave, it's very comfortable to eat and stroll around. The locals are very friendly, and the overall atmosphere is great. Shops accept ec cards and Apple Pay. There's also an OTP Bank in town where you can withdraw Forints with a 3.69% handling fee, at the real-time exchange rate. As the first stop, I loved it! It immediately gave me a sense of deep local travel. Today, I'm off to the next city. #Hungary #HungaryTravel #Budapest #Travel #TravelTips #OffTheBeatenPath