Reasons to VIsit the Balaton

Enchanting landscape. The famous nineteenth-century Hungarian writer Mor Jokay wrote about the Balaton: “The longer one views this land, the prettier it seems, and laugh if you will, but I say the entire landscape is smiling”.

Silky water. The Balaton is the largest freshwater lake in Central Europe. The pleasant warmth of water soothes both body and spirit. The water warms quickly to 20 to 22 degrees, and occasionally reaches even 28 degrees. The southern shore is favoured by families with children.

Siofok. One of the centers of the region, Siofok offers a colorful, rich variety of discos, but lovers of light opera have also come to the right place, as it was the birthplace of Imre Kálmán, composer of The Csardas Queen. A two-month light opera festival is held every summer in his memory.

Active recreation and sport. Of the numerous cross-lake competitions, the swim across the Balaton has grown to become one of Europe’s largest amateur swimming events. Sailing and windsurfing is permitted anywhere, and wake-boarding is possible at a number of points on the lake.

Curative waters. This lake, covered with India red water lilies, is the world’s second-largest thermal lake, with a depth of 36 meters at the crater. The curative water and mud from the lake is excellent for the treatment of motor ailments.

Keszthely - the cultural capital of Balaton. It’s the oldest settlement on the Balaton shore. Everything worth knowing about the Balaton can be found collected at the Balaton Museum.

Treasure peninsula Tihany. Of the Benedictine Abbey founded in Tihany in 1055, the only remains today are the crypt housing the tomb of King Andrew I and the founding charter of the abbey, the earliest surviving document in the Hungarian language.

Wines. Five of Hungary’s 22 wine regions are located around the Balaton.

Wide variety of activities. The number of horse shows, folklore programmes, harvest festivals, exhibitions and concerts is beyond counting, a full listing of everything would be impossible

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LE GRAND CAFE

Le Grand Cafe is among Kyiv’s top chic and posh restaurants with sumptuous and original style, located right in the heart of the city, in Muzeyny Provulok. The

neighbourhood of the restaurant became the center of Kyiv’s business life way

back at the end of the 19 century, when Kyiv saw an economic and construction boom. New apartments blocks were built and designed in the latest fashionable architectural style.

Le Grand Cafe occupies the ground floor of the building which is perfect example of the Modem Style in Kyiv. It was built and designed by the architect Valerian Rykov in 1909. The building stands next door to the National art Museum, designed by the leading architect of Kyiv Gorodetsky, and constructed at about the same time in the early twentieth century.

The restaurant boasts the most refined and stylish interior. The fashionable French designers Laure Welfling and George Patrick de Richmont have done a truly splendid job. The interior is stylized to remind us of the art style prevalent at the turn of the 19^th and 20^th centuries. Every little detail has been taken care of the harmoniously fit the whole atmosphere: hand-made carpets; painted decorations; bronze lamps with sensuous ostrich-egg lampshades; exclusive cutlery; china graced with the fancy Le Grand Cafe logo, to name just a few things. The elegant fin de siècle interior is enhanced with paintings of the Ukrainian artists, photographs and theatre posters.

The interior design, the whole atmosphere of the restaurant is such that you cannot help thinking about Paris, Parisian life and tastes. And of course, Le grand Cafe is not an imitation of a fancy French restaurant. It has a style of its own. It has a spirit of the early twentieth- century Kyiv with its French-oriented culture.

Le Grand Cafe combines Ukrainian and French traditions even in dishes it offers. To talk about Le Grand Cafe and the dishes it offers, no matter how long, is to say very little. You must experience Le Grand Cafe, this unique phenomenon of Kyiv, directly. Seeing and tasting is the only way.

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HOTEL SUPUTNYK

Lviv, a city of a long history, is a place of warm hospitality and urban vitality. The most natural and convenient place to explore it from is the Hotel Suputnyk, situated close to the city center. A short ride in a street car will take you right to Stare Misto- Old Town and Ploshcha Rynok - market Square full of Medieval and Renaissance architectural wonders.

The Hotel Suputnyk**** offers 37 one-bed, 144 two-bed, 5 semi-deluxe and 13 deluxe rooms which can accommodate 392 guests at a time. The hotel boasts 8 conference halls, one of which can seat 250 people, two others can seat 60 people each, and four halls can seat 30 people each. Modem means of communication- telephones, Fax-machines, computers with Internet connection, photocopiers, etc- are at the guests’ disposal.

The Suputnyk restaurant offers dishes for all tastes in four halls which can seat up to 500 people at a time. The hotel provides a wide selection of services and has all necessary facilities and expertise to make your stay a pleasurable experience. A currency exchange outlet, a beauty parlour, a dentist, and a sightseeing-and- excursion bureau are also there to take care of your needs. Guided tours can take you to architectural and historical landmarks and sites. Interpreters and guides will see to it that you have no problems in communicating with people in your native language, or in finding your way about town.

The foundation of Lviv dates to 1256 in the seven intervening centuries between the thirteenth century and the present day, the city saw prosperity, destruction in wars, and revival. Various ethnic communities that existed in the city have left an indelible mark on the architecture and spirit of Lviv. All the architectural styles from Gothic down to Constructivism are represented in the city. Stare Misto has been put on the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list.

Parks in the city, castles in the surrounding, the Carpathian Mountains a couple of hours ride away are major tourist attractions. Don’t miss an opportunity to enjoy them. The Hotel Suputnyk will provide this opportunity.