The small Spanish town of Villajoyosa, hidden between Alicante and Benidorm, is also on the list, which is European Best Destinations chosen as this year’s top secret destination.
In second place on the list is another Spanish city, Ares del Maestre, third was the stunning Primošten on the Croatian coast, and Hungary just missed the podium with the floating village of Bokod
– writes a Roadster.
TimeOut magazine, which presents the results, also devotes a separate paragraph to the tiny fishing village located about eighty kilometers west of Budapest, which, as it says, consists of houses built on stilts.
Here are the eighteen most beautiful hidden gems in Europe:
- Villajoyosa, Spain
- Ares del Maestre, Spain
- Primošten, Croatia
- Lake Bokodi, Hungary
- Naantali, Finland
- Bour, Faroe Islands
- Blavand, Denmark
- Ulm, Germany
- Aljezur, Portugal
- Dartlo, Georgia
- Castro Urdiales, Spain
- Landmannalaugar, Iceland
- Cicmany, Slovakia
- Pico Island, Azores
- Pont-en-Royans, France
- Wuppertal, Germany
- Le Puy en Velay, France
- Staithes, England
What do you need to know about Lake Bokodi?
The more than 130-hectare lake at the foot of Vértes is an excellent destination in winter and summer for those who want to recharge physically and mentally. The lake was created in 1961 by Vértes Power Plant as a cooling pond by swelling the Által vein. Although the plant closed in 2015, the destination remains popular with photographers.
However, it was the waste heat that created the Lake Bokodi its most wonderful feature: the water retains its warmth even during the winter snow. The fishermen soon noticed it, as all the conditions were there for a thriving, rich fish stock.
It didn’t take ten years for its shores to be flooded with stilt houses, and today it has become one of Hungary’s most popular excursion destinations.
Since the Bokod floating village fishing houses are privately owned, it is advisable to behave discreetly and respectfully during the visit. You can’t bathe and make noise, but it’s not worth it either: the lake’s unique atmosphere is only real when it shows its undisturbed face. If the guests want to immerse themselves in the beauty of the place for a longer time, then it is a good idea to stock up on food before departure, as there are no dining options on the beach.
Anyone who wants to fish and comes to Bokodra hoping for a lucky catch will hardly be disappointed. Plenty of carp, crucian carp, bream, catfish and grass carp populate the water, but you can also catch sunfish and eels.
Lake Bokodi can be approached from several directions, but it does not matter which one visitors choose. The route with the least headaches starts from Oroszlány and leads along Dózsa György út. It takes approximately 40 minutes to drive from the city center. The piers and floating houses are accessed by poor quality dirt roads surrounded by dense forest.
Tags: wonderful Hungarian village included among hidden gems Europe
