Budapest has no seashore, but at a party zone found just an hour’s journey away from the city center, we can experience a pretty authentic beach feeling while walking on soft white sand and drinking cocktails under the shade of palm trees. Lupa Beach opened in Budakalász – located just beyond Buda’s northern border – last summer, although then it only operated in trial mode; now this refined playground for grown-ups welcomes guests with all of its sun-splashed facilities ready to rock.
This beach project can be linked to the name of Károly Gerendai, the Sziget Festival founder and head honcho, who asserts that Lake Lupa resembles real seashores with its white sand, turquoise water, beach furniture, and services.
There’s no denying that the scenery and the atmosphere are beachy enough to remind us of the seaside, even in cloudy weather – so in the summer heat, when the water is lukewarm and the sand burns our feet, it’s even easier to feel like we’re at a tropical beach, even if the artificially planted palm trees won’t ever grow much higher.
There have been several changes to the establishment since last year’s trial period: the shoreline suitable for swimming was quadrupled, so the beach is now 2.5 kilometers long, and the main entrance was moved closer to the bay. Entering here, we can access classic beach services for the price of a daily ticket (1,000 HUF). While Lake Lupa is listed as the cleanest lake in the whole country – we could safely drink from it – the organizers don’t recommend us quenching our thirst after a tiring volleyball match by sipping its water.
Instead, we can drink and eat at the waterfront bars and at the gastro promenade, offering typical beach foods like corn on the cob, lángos, or ice cream, and unique dishes, as well. At the private Costes Beach section, we’ll even be able to dine from an à la carte menu and rest on canopy beds.
A prominent feature of the beach is a so-called “airport” in the middle of the lake, which is actually an old airplane set to be transformed into a nightclub, recalling the atmosphere of the former Coca-Cola Beach Club in Siófok on Hungary’s Lake Balaton. This can be accessed by a few minutes’ walk, even after dark, as the beach is open after sunset, as well; in the evening, guests will be able to dine, have cocktails, or just take romantic walks on the beach (with prior registration).
As for the other services, the sports opportunities might be the most outstanding. In addition to the many sports fields, we can also rent athletic equipment. Moreover, by the middle of June, the beach will also have the largest wakeboard center of Central Europe, as well as a diving center at the deepest point of the lake. By the time development is complete, guests will be able to try a variety of water sports, including canoeing, sailing, and flyboarding, and children can play at the inflatable water park.
An entry ticket to Lupa Premium Beach costs 3,000 forints, which isn’t much more expensive than most pool complexes in Budapest, yet allows us to wade in natural water instead of chlorine. The premium services are available for additional fees; you can find out more about the details on the official website (in Hungarian). Payments work with a card and chip system, so we don’t have to bother with cash. To get there, we can board the HÉV train from Batthyány Square and ride it to the Budakalász-Lenfonó stop, from which point it takes an additional 20-minute walk to get to the beach – however, there will be also a beach-bound bus service available during the summer season.
