Tata is situated on the eastern periphery of the Kisalföld region, in close vicinity of the Gerecse mountain range.

The area was cultivated by the Benedictine order as early as the Middle Ages; later it became the property of the monarch. Both King Sigismund of Luxembourg and King Matthias liked spending time in the town. It was these two royals that commissioned the creation of the Old Lake (Öreg tó) and the building of the castle standing on the lakeshore, both favourite destinations for anyone visiting Tata. During the Ottoman rule the town was part of the defence line; it was besieged a number of times. These events are commemorated during the Tata Patara Festivities when local preservation societies recapture the castle of Tata from the Turks year after year.

The Old Lake lies on a large area in the heart of the town which is favoured by both those wishing to enjoy natural beauty and those interested in water sports. As tens of thousands of wild geese spend the winter on the lake, a specific event, the Tata Wild Geese Festivities, is held each year to observe the birds. The educational trail (Fényes Tanösvény), running along the outskirts of the town, is a major route for ecotourism introducing the region’s unparalleled fauna and flora.

The currently prevalent late Baroque style was a design commissioned by the Esterházy family; it was them who reconstructed the castle – destroyed during the Ottoman rule – and had a new palace erected on the shore of the old lake. An English-style garden, established as a first one of its kind is located near a smaller lake called Lake Cseke. Its romantic pathways, meandering rivulets and exciting caves were all attractions the Count had designed.

The Old Lake connects people. In the summer, there are pop musical concerts, a festival called “Water, Music, Flower” and the Wine and Fish Food Festival staged for all those interested in gastronomy.
In late autumn, experts come and catch all the fish of the Old Lake; a real attraction for young and old alike.