Zilina
Motorized tourists have no major problems with organizing a quick trip abroad. Those without cars also, but in their case you have to become dependent on public transport and look at your watch more often. However, if you have your own vehicle, after about three hours you can be in the beautiful Slovak city of Žilina. It is a metropolis located in the north-west of Slovakia, at the confluence of three rivers - Kysuce, Rajčianka and Váh.
Žilina is not a large city, but undoubtedly the largest in the north-central part of the country. It is also beautifully restored, especially its historic center, which was thoroughly rebuilt in 1990. The historic buildings in this district belong to a historic reserve.
Attractions of Žilina and Martin
While on Marian Square, first of all, you should visit the baroque Church of the Conversion of St. Paul the Apostle with two towers and a Capuchin monastery from the mid-18th century. At the corner of the Market Square there is also the Old Town Hall, which has been rebuilt many times (it was given its current shape in 1890). In turn, in the Dolné Rudiny district stands the oldest architectural monument in the Žilina region - the Church of St. Stefan Król, a late Romanesque building dating back to the 13th century. It is worth taking a closer look at its extremely impressive interior and wall decorations.
North of the town of Žilina there is another tourist attraction, the 13th-century Budatin Castle, built in the Gothic style. It houses a unique exhibition of tinkering with numerous works of ancient crafts. Adults pay 0.33 euros for an entry ticket, children, students and seniors - 0.17 euros. Currently, you can admire the exhibitions of the Považské múzeum in Žiline, and further thematic exhibitions are planned to be made available to visitors in the future.
During your stay in Žilina, you can also visit the town of Martin, located approximately 30 km away. It has a tiny but charming center - in its historical part there is a picturesque promenade and the church of St. Marcin. Tourists are also attracted by the exhibits of the Turczyńska Gallery and the beautiful surroundings, as if created for sports and hiking.
Ružomberok – the city of paper and snow
While we're here, why not go even further and see a town with the nice name Ružomberok? The history of the center dates back to the early Bronze Age, which contributed to the fact that the city was declared a historic reserve. Tourists can visit the protected area of Jazierce, as well as see the Brankowski waterfall and Wolf Rocks. Ružomberok is famous for paper production and tempts visitors with priceless monuments and a rich skiing offer. It is located right on the slope of the Malinné Brdo mountain, and the best snow conditions are from mid-December to March. During this period, the cable car is also open from 8.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. The location of the center allows you to simultaneously admire the panorama of the Small and Large Fatra Mountains and the Western and Low Tatras. In the neighboring towns of Bešenová and Liptovský Mikuláš there are year-round swimming areas, which are another temptation that is definitely worth giving in to.
The most valuable monument of Ružomberok is the Gothic-Renaissance Church of St. Andrew from the 16th century, where you can visit the mausoleum of Fr. Andrzej Hlinka, Slovak priest, publicist and politician. It is also worth visiting the Liptov Museum and seeing its permanent exhibition and the Gallery of Ludowit Fullu, a Slovak artist recognized abroad.
Not far from the city there is Vlkolínec, a village whose buildings form an open-air museum of Slovak folk architecture. In 1993, it was included on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Liptovský Hrádok
The last point of the trip may be Liptovský Hrádok, which in Polish sounds more familiar as Liptowski Gródek. You can get there from Ružomberok in about half an hour. It is located at the confluence of the Bele and the Vahu (the Biała and Váh rivers) and a tourist route leads from it to the Low Tatras - to the place where five marked paths intersect under Brtkovica. Anglers, water slalom and rafting enthusiasts, ski mountaineers, mountaineers and hunters like to come here. In turn, in winter, tourists are attracted by a well-maintained ski run with a ski lift. There are also several interesting monuments in the city, including a 17th-century church, a town castle from the 13th century, and a parish church from 1790.
There is also a place where you can park your camper here. This is Hotel-Camping Borová Sihoť (ul. Slov. nár. Povstania, Liptovský Hrádok), where from May 1 to September 30, there are several camper pitches for caravanning enthusiasts. Adults will pay 4 euros per day, children under 12 years of age will pay 2.50 euros/day, and for a vehicle seat - 4 euros/day. The place is often chosen by families with children, and the youngest travelers have at their disposal a playground with a sandbox, swings, a volleyball court and a room with a ping-pong table.
During the ride, we will pass the largest water reservoir in Slovakia - Liptovská Mara. Due to its size, it is nicknamed the Slovak or Liptov Sea. Anglers gather near the retention reservoir, you can also go on a boat ride, and in the summer you can take advantage of the opportunity to practice water sports (surfing, rowing, jet skiing, etc.). There is also a campsite open from May 1 to October 31 - Mara Camping ATC Liptovský Trnovec. It offers accommodation in cottages, places for caravans and tents. The entire area is fenced and guarded 24/7. 2 people who came with a camper will pay from 21.30 to 27.80 euros per night.
So you can see that Žilina attracts tourists, as does the whole of Slovakia. You can come here with a strong intention to visit one city, but the beauty of the surrounding area will still tempt you to visit other cities. It's a sin not to take advantage of such an opportunity.
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A writer by profession, a passion of a cat. One day he will see what is behind the Urals - good to Vladivostok. So far, when he can, he enjoys the sun of the countries of southern Europe. And it's also fun;)
