# Festetics Palace

> Festetics Palace was the home of the Festetics family for some 200 years, starting in the mid-18th century.

Source: https://camping-spirit.com/places/festetics-palace-keszthely/

A grand Baroque palace with a formal park near the western end of Lake Balaton, with a famous library among its rooms. Visit on a weekday morning when it is quieter, then continue to the lakeside promenade in town.

Festetics Palace was the home of the Festetics family for some 200 years, starting in the mid-18th century. Unlike most Hungarian palaces, its buildings, interiors and furnishings partly survived the Second World War. The complex consists of five buildings with six permanent exhibitions and has been called the Helikon Palace Museum since 2012. Its heart is the library, regarded as Hungary's only fully preserved private noble library, with more than 80,000 volumes.

The park was laid out in the 1880s by the English landscape architect Henry Ernest Milner; it includes a restored lake, fountains and several garden areas. You will also see state rooms, carriages, hunting trophies, a model railway exhibition and a palm house. It is best to come on a weekday morning, when it is quieter, and afterwards walk to Keszthely's lakeside promenade at the western end of Lake Balaton.

- **Nearest town:** Keszthely, Hungary
- **Category:** History & culture
- **GPS:** 46.7650, 17.2461

## Good to know

**Best time to go:** The most pleasant months are usually May–June and August–September. Still fine, with some compromises, in July and October. Cold, short days in December–February. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)

**Getting there:**

- **Hungary: Vignette needed for motorways.** Buy the e-vignette online before you drive on motorways. Motorway limit for cars: 130 km/h.

## Sources

- [Keszthely: Festetics Castle](https://keszthely.hu/en/szabadido/festetics-kastely)

## Nearby

- [Lake Hévíz](https://camping-spirit.com/places/heviz-lake/) – 5 km
- [Tihany Abbey](https://camping-spirit.com/places/tihany-abbey/) – 52 km
- [Veszprém Castle District](https://camping-spirit.com/places/veszprem-castle-district/) – 62 km
- [Varaždin Old Town](https://camping-spirit.com/places/varazdin-old-town/) – 86 km

## FAQs

### Where is Festetics Palace?

Festetics Palace is in Keszthely, Hungary, at GPS 46.7650, 17.2461. It is about 5 km from Hévíz.

### Can you camp near Festetics Palace?

Yes. The nearest campsite listed in OpenStreetMap is Tündérkert Kemping, about 3 km away; within 25 km there are 32 campsites and motorhome stopovers.

### What is there to see near Festetics Palace?

Places worth a stop nearby: Lake Hévíz (5 km), Tihany Abbey (52 km), Veszprém Castle District (62 km) and Varaždin Old Town (86 km).

### When is the best time to visit Festetics Palace?

The most pleasant months are usually May–June and August–September. Still fine, with some compromises, in July and October. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)