Siófok, a cultural centre

The town of Siófok is one of the main tourist and cultural centers of the region of Balaton and therefore a great choice for a vacation in Hungary in that area of the country. This town is located within the County of Somogy, on the bank of Lake Balaton and towards the southern area of the region of same name.

Siófok is one of the most visited towns in Hungary, and therefore tourism is among its main sources of income. This town has a population of approximately 22,500 inhabitants, and an important amount of them base their economical incomes on tourism related activities, factor which allows tourists to know that they will surely be able to find anything they might need during their vacation.

According to some archaeological discoveries, Siófok and its surroundings have been inhabited since as long ago as the Neolithic period. Next fact known about this town is that it was a Roman settlement as well. In the past, tourists who were interested in these facts could learn more as well as meet several objects and discoveries dating from those époques by visiting the Scouting Museum, but nowadays most of the elements this museum had were lost.

It is also believed that this region of Hungary was inhabited during the Iron Age as well. This belief is based on the fact that several silver coins from that époque were discovered in Siófok and its surroundings, as well as experts have discover evidences of the Celtics ruling over this area and its former inhabitants as well as some other neighboring ones.

Other important époque in the life of Siófok took place between the 11th and 14th centuries. During that époque, Siófok and its surroundings counted with several different settlements, among which there was Kiliti, Holovogy, Jód, Igám, Toreki, Fok, and Losta.

One fact tourists might find interesting to know about Siófok is that this town was where the first High Speed Telegraphy Championship of the world was hosted. Besides this, Siófok has been the birth town of several famous people, such as, for example, the Jewish composer Emmerich Kalman, the theater director John Hirsh, and the father of Ferenc Karinthy, Frigyes Karinthy.

Map of Siófok in Hungary