Balaton Study Tour

What do McDaniel Budapest study abroad students do with their three-day weekend? Go on a study tour of course! Not only were we able to take a three-day trip to the gorgeous Balaton region in Hungary, but we also receive credit for our trip! Adventuring in Europe is great, but what makes study tours even more fantastic is that the college organizes every step of the voyage–the transportation, meals, entrances to the museums and sights, and the hotels. Although there was a torrential downpour for a good portion of our time in the Balaton region, our entire trip was outstanding. Here are my top three adventures that occurred over the weekend.

1. Boat ride on Lake Balaton: On the second day of our tour, we were able to have an hour long boat ride on the lake. Lake Balaton is one of the largest vacation spots for families in the region, and it was exhilarating to have a view of the gorgeous lakeside and clear water. While we were able to explore a couple of towns on the lake, the boat ride gave us a nice panoramic view of the area.

2. Helikon Palace Museum: This palace belonged to the Festetics family and was built in the middle of the 18^th century. The palace was absolutely stunning with beautiful details in each room (my personal favorite was the grand library, home to over 80,000 books!).  There were three other museums surrounding the palace including a carriage museum which featured over fifty coaches and sleighs- definitely a unique collection.

3. Herend tour: To conclude our study tour, we visited the Herend porcelain manufacturers. The pieces of porcelain produced at this sight look impressive, but after the tour, I have an entirely new appreciation for the gorgeous sculptures, plates, and cups that Herend produces. Each Herend piece is hand manufactured and hand painted. During our tour of the Herend facilities, we were able to see each step of the process and learn about the Herend Company. The craftsmanship astonished me and it was exciting to learn about a craft that I had no knowledge of before the tour.

I enjoyed exploring another part of Hungary while also escaping the city for the weekend.  And while the Balaton tour was unforgettable, it is comforting to be back in our apartment and out of the cold, rainy weather.

Thank you to the professors who acted as our expert tour guides! I am counting down the days for our next study tour–our five-day trip to Venice and Vienna!