The Esterházy Mansion in Szigliget, also known as the Writers' Retreat, is a classicist country house tucked inside a sprawling park near Lake Balaton. For decades it has been a gathering place for Hungary's greatest writers and poets, and visitors today can still feel that creative, tranquil atmosphere among centuries-old trees.

The surrounding landscape park covers 9.2 hectares and holds one of Hungary's largest conifer collections, with around 120 species and roughly 520 plant taxa in total. The oldest plantings — yews, white poplars, chestnuts and pedunculate oaks — line the banks of the Tapolca stream. In spring and summer the park is lush and green, in autumn it turns golden, and a small lake with a plane tree on its island adds a peaceful touch. The nearby Szigliget castle hill and views over Lake Balaton make the setting even more memorable.

How to get there

• Szigliget village center — a short, easy walk from the main parking areas and bus stops, flat terrain
• Can also be combined with a wider walking tour around Lake Balaton and Szigliget castle hill

Practical information

• The mansion now operates as a Writers' Retreat with 30 guest rooms and about 75 beds
• The park has been protected since 1954, with enhanced protection status since 1997
• Sculptures by Pál Pátzay and Miklós Borsos can be seen in the park
• The József Attila Circle organizes an annual literary camp, and concerts take place here during the Szigliget Summer festival

One room preserves a framed section of wall signed by the many famous writers who once stayed here — a living monument to Hungarian literature.