2005 UngarnHeviz-ThermalseeGulácsBadacsonyBelsö-toHOMETThe volcanoes were last active several million years ago, when the area of present day Hungary was covered by a shallow sea, known as the Pannon Sea. These mounts were volcanic islands of that sea. Now, they are just hills (300-400 meters in elevation) on the north shore of Lake Balaton, the biggest lake of mid-Europe. Balaton is relatively young (approximately (20,000 years old) and is not associated with the former sea. The hills are famous for their wine. In the valleys between these hills, sedimentary rocks of the ancient Pannon Sea harbor a superb tasting mineral water.