Balaton Gokart Fövenyes

In Balatonudvari, on the northern shore of Lake Balaton, Balaton Gokart Fövenyes offers an open-air track a short walk from the beach. The outdoor layout is driven in the open air, in one of Hungary's great holiday spots, which makes it a fine outing for summer visitors after a little speed between swims. People come as a family or with friends to string together timed laps.

Karting stays open to all, with no licence or experience: a briefing, a helmet, and you head off to find the best line. The short format suits beginners as much as regulars, and the relaxed summer mood makes it an easy sporting break to fit into a stay by the water. As the activity takes place outdoors and to the rhythm of the tourist season, it is best to check opening times before coming, with summer the busiest spell.

Lake Balaton, nicknamed the Hungarian sea, is the largest freshwater lake in central Europe, lined with beaches, holiday villages and green hills. The northern shore holds a few gems: the Tihany peninsula and its Benedictine abbey perched above the water, the volcanic hills of Badacsony and their views, and charming fishing villages. The region is easy to reach by road or rail from Budapest, in under two hours, for a lakeside escape.