Situated on the west bank of Lake Balaton the holiday center of Keszthely, with its population of 22,500, is the largest town on the lake, rich in tradition and offering a sandy beach, hotels and ample leisure facilities. György Festetics built Europe's first agricultural college here (now the University of Agriculture), which helped to confirm Keszthely's importance as a cultural and educational center. Keszthely was the birthplace of Károly Goldmark, the composer of the opera "The Queen of Sheba".

The largest town in the Balaton Region, lies west of the lake.The Baroque Festetich Castle, the Gothic style Parish Church and the Balaton Museum are well known nationwide. The Agriculture University evolved from the Georgikon School for Agriculture, the first institution of this kind in Europe, founded in 1797. It is a pleasant university town that has a life of its own outside the tourist season. It has trendy cafes, tree lined streets and a busy market area with strings of peppers and garlic decorating the stalls beside old fashioned weighing scales. Its most important sight is the Festetics Palace, the residence of the wealthy Festetics family with over 100 rooms. The Helikon Palace Museum and Library are in one of its Baroque wings. Keszthely is the best town on Lake Balaton from which to explore the surrounding area, including the nearby Kis-Balaton nature reserve, excellent for bird watching, and the thermal lake at Hévíz.