The Great Lake Balaton Neon Overview – Part I

The summer season has begun, so let’s head down to Lake Balaton and take a look at the current neon situation. In this four-part series, I’ll explore the world of Balaton neon signs: from the pieces that can still be found today to the long-lost signs preserved only in archival photographs.

In this first part, I’ll focus on the neon signs that are still around today. Just like in the capital, not many have survived around Lake Balaton either, even though Balatonfüred, Siófok and Tihany were once literally bathed in neon light. After all, the lakeside restaurants, hotels and shops had to impress the many tourists spending their holidays here.

At the moment, I know of five Balaton neon signs that can still be found today. If you know of any others, please let me know and I’ll update the list.

Let’s start with Tihany. Near the ferry station, the former sports hotel, built in 1923, is still decorated with a “Sport” sign. Until last year, the building was home to Sport Terrace, where, although the neon itself was not restored, visitors could eat and drink all year round, and a small exhibition also commemorated the history of the building. An old photograph shows that there used to be another sign on the lakeside façade reading “Sportszálló” – Sports Hotel – but this is no longer visible today.

Photo: Lechner Tudásközpont

The listed building also has a rather peculiar story attached to it: according to the Szellemvárosok blog, in the 1980s there was a reserved VIP room in the building’s dome, where guests were sometimes shown porn films brought in from Germany. In the 1990s, the building was still operating as a café and entertainment venue.

Photos: the Sport sign today, photographed by Szellemvárosok.blog.hu, and a 1961 Fortepan image of the opposite side of the building, showing the former SPORTSZÁLLÓ sign

On the southern shore, several neon signs can still be found. One of them is on a truly iconic building: the waiting hall of the Szántód ferry terminal. The hall, designed by János Dianóczky, has recently been covered with an inexplicable wavy sticker decoration, but according to an article on Építészfórum, its original appearance will soon be restored.

Photo: Fortepan, 1968

Photos: Fortepan, 1968, on the left; photo by Domonkos Wettstein – Építészfórum, 2025, on the right.

The next find is the charming little neon sign of the Zamárdi open-air cinema. The outdoor cinema has been welcoming visitors since 1962, and it still offers a truly authentic experience for anyone in search of a bit of Balaton nostalgia.

Photos: Fortepan, 1970 on the left; photo by Kőrösi Tamás – WeloveBalaton, 2025 on the right

Next up is the neon sign of the thatched-roof Kukorica Csárda in Balatonföldvár. The sign can already be seen in a photograph from 1969, and the restaurant remains popular to this day.

Photos: Fortepan, 1969 on the left; photo in 2026 on the right

And now for another csárda: the wonderfully named Becsali Csárda in Balatonlelle, whose neon sign is also among the surviving Balaton pieces.

Photos: Fortepan, 1969 on the left; photo in 2026 on the right

Finally, a bit of an outlier, returning to the northern side of the lake: I highly recommend Káli Kapocs, a pub in Mindszentkálla. Not only is their túrógombóc excellent, but their inner courtyard is also something special, as it is full of old neon advertisements. Thanks to the owner’s years-long collecting work, a mini neon museum was created here in 2023, where you can admire restored signs such as Szivárvány, Grillcsirke, Optika and Ofotért. I have mentioned this place in an earlier post, but it definitely deserves a place in this Balaton neon overview as well.

In the next parts, I’ll show you what neon signs once lit up the northern and southern shores of Lake Balaton, so make sure to follow along and don’t miss the rest of the series.

 

Sources: Fortepan, WeloveBalaton, Építészfórum, Szellemvarosok.blog.hu, egykor.hu