Tihany Lavender Festival: Hungary’s Enchanting Escape

ByCathy Bennett Kopf

My go-to aromatherapy scent is lavender. The oil extracted from the purple flowers of this Mediterranean evergreen has a calming, anxiety-reducing effect. Remember the old Calgon “take me away” commercials? That’s how I feel when I sniff lavender. It’s why I routinely choose it for my laundry detergent, hand soap and body lotion.

Obsession of the moment – Trader Joe’s lavender hand soap. Photo credit: Cathy Bennett Kopf

I love the scent so much, I’ve planted several plants in my garden, including four recently installed Hidcote lavender mini-hedges I purchased at a seedling sale from Gilbertie’s Organics. They’re not much to see now, but I’m hoping that by next year, they’ll look and smell great.

You can barely see my three lavender plants today, but they’ll be gorgeous…some day. Photo credit: Cathy Bennett Kopf

Tri-State Lavender Farms

While I wait, I daydream about wandering through a sea of lavender. There are several lavender farms within a day trip drive of my Hudson Valley home, including:

aerial view of Tihany Hungary lavender field
Imagine what it smells like! Photo credit: Visit Hungary

Tihany Hungary Lavender Festival

A more exotic lavender destination is Tihany, Hungary. Located about 90 miles southwest of Budapest, Tihany hosts an annual lavender festival during the last week in June.

Visitors savor culinary delights including lavender coffee and pastries while sampling the soothing benefits of lavender-infused wellness products.

Assortment of lavender products featured during the Tihany lavender festival in Hungary.
Tihany lavender products include gin! Photo credit: Visit Hungary

Other festival highlights include:

  • lavender harvesting
  • themed events
  • guided tours

What to See Near Tihany

Tihany is one of Hungary’s hidden gems, located on freshwater Lake Balaton, Central Europe’s largest lake and a popular vacation destination for locals. It was noted as one of the top experiences in Hungary by Lonely Planet.

Towering above the village is the Benedictine Abbey of Tihany which dates back to 1055 and is one of Hungary’s most important ancient holy sites. Guided tours are conducted daily.

Getting to Tihany

The drive from Budapest to Tihany will take you approximately two hours. Public transport is also an option. Bus and rail service is available and takes approximately three hours.