The Bakony is Hungary's best-kept hiking secret — a green, karst mountain range covered in beech and oak forest, riddled with caves, and edged by vineyard-covered hills sloping down to Lake Balaton. It feels wild, quiet, and refreshingly untouristy.

Spanning roughly 4000 km², this is the westernmost and largest block of the Transdanubian Mountains. Expect rolling ridges, limestone crags, hidden caves, and dolomite plateaus in the north, while the southern edge — the Balaton Uplands — turns into a Mediterranean-like landscape of old villages, vineyards, and lakeside views often nicknamed the 'Balaton Riviera'.

Highlights:

• Kőris-hegy (709 m) — the highest peak of the whole Bakony, with sweeping forest views
• Kab-hegy (599 m) — highest point of the Southern Bakony, near old volcanic remnants
• Tihany Peninsula — an extinct volcanic landscape jutting into Lake Balaton, with geyser cones
• Csodabogyós Cave — one of the region's protected karst caves

Practical info:

• Best time: May-October — warm summers and colorful autumn foliage make for great hiking
• Base town: Veszprém, Zirc, Balatonfüred
• Trail difficulty: easy to moderate — family-friendly with occasional rocky sections
• Getting there: by car from Budapest (about 1.5-2 hours), or by train to Veszprém or Balatonfüred

The name Bakony likely comes from an old word for oak forest — fitting, since ancient oaks and beeches still dominate much of the landscape today.