Things to do in Zilina

Welcome to Slovakia’s Golden Circle – the route everyone talks about but few truly experience like this. This isn’t just another sightseeing tour. This is a legendary journey through castles, myths, medieval cities, and stunning landscapes — guided by passionate locals who know the hidden paths, strange legends, and the true soul of Slovakia. If you want to understand this country, feel its energy, and take home memories far beyond pictures… this is the path to take. Here’s how your day unfolds: We start early — but trust us, it’s worth it. Our first stop is the haunting ruin of Beckov Castle, dramatically perched on a cliff above the Váh River. The place is wrapped in misty legends: betrayal, black magic, and a nobleman’s cruel joke on his jester. We’ll explore its crumbling walls and take in unforgettable views. Next, we dive into the Slovak heartland: Banská Štiavnica, one of Europe’s most beautiful forgotten towns. A UNESCO World Heritage Site tucked into the crater of an ancient volcano, it’s a place of silver and alchemy, love and rebellion. We’ll wander winding medieval streets, visit the romantic Calvary, and uncover tales of revolution, ancient mining magic, and a tragic love story that inspired one of Slovakia’s most famous poems. Then we head to Banská Bystrica, the cultural soul of central Slovakia. Elegant and full of contrasts, this town played a crucial role in WWII during the Slovak National Uprising. We’ll walk its proud square, sip coffee at a local café, and hear the moving story of how this city helped shape Slovak identity. It’s a great moment to soak in the atmosphere — and maybe grab a sweet from a cozy bakery. Finally, we reach the crown jewel: Orava Castle — perhaps the most breathtaking castle in the country. Towering above the Orava River like something from a gothic legend, it’s famous for its striking beauty and role in the film Nosferatu. Your guide will take you through its stone courtyards and dark halls with tales of vampire lore, noble drama, and ghost stories that still give locals chills. From here, you can wind down and enjoy the scenic ride home — or, if the group is up for it, you can add one or both optional stops like: Nitra – Slovakia’s oldest city, rich with Slavic and Christian history, hilltop castles, and legends of saints and dragons. Trenčín – One of Slovakia’s grandest castles carved into the rock, with a Roman inscription from 179 AD still etched below! And many more! These extra stops are great for those who want even more — and we tailor the day to your rhythm. So bring comfy shoes and your curiosity. Join us on Slovakia’s Golden Circle — the route that shows you why this country is Europe’s best-kept secret.

This tour is variable and could be modified depends on your taste. We will start early at the morning and we will take a scenic drive cross the Slovakia from Bratislava to Strbske pleso in High Tatra Mountains. We will be passing through more regions of this beautiful country, eg. through city of Nitra or National park Low Tatras. Strbske pleso is a picturesque mountain lake of glacial origin and a top tourist destination in the High Tatras, Slovakia. It is the second-largest glacial lake on the Slovak side of the High Tatras, after Veľké Hincovo pleso. Maximum depth is 20 metres (66 ft). We will make about 1 hour walk around and after you can choose how you want to spend another 3 hours of your day. There is more options that is better to discuss up front when you will be booking this tour, but there is an option to change your decision during the tour, depends on weather and after discussion with all tour visitors. 1st option is to make a hiking tour from Strbske pleso to Symbolic Cemetery Popradské Pleso. The Symbolic Cemetery (1525 m) is an important Tatra memorial site near the tarn Popradské pleso under the western walls of Ostrva. The memorial cemetery is intended primarily to commemorate those who died in the High Tatras or the exceptional people from the Tatras, who lost their lives in the world’s mountains. You’ll find here more than 160 memorial plaques and 50 hand-carved, colored wooden crosses. The founder of the cemetery was the academic painter Otakar Štáfl (1884 – 1945), who, together with his wife and several friends, started building it in 1936. It was handed over to the public in 1940 with the motto „In memory of the dead, warning for the alive“. Today, the symbolic cemetery is taken care of by the State Forests of the Tatra National Park. For its further expansion, strict criteria now apply for aesthetic and spatial reasons, and it is closed to visitors every year from November 1st to June 15th. 2nd option is to spend 3 hours in the Best and Biggest Wellness in Slovakia, in Hotel Permon with beautiful view on Krivan peak, the national symbol of Slovakia. Enjoy variety of Saunas. Entrance fee is not included in tour price. 3rd option is to visit Skanzen of Slovak village in Pribylina. 4th option is to move to Liptov region, next to Liptovska Mara lake, and spend 3 hours in the biggest Aquapark in Slovakia - Tatralandia (entrance fee not included in tour price) 5th option - if you do not like hot water and slides, you can try some of local attractions, eg try adrenaline flight in Hurrican factory, or visit Tatrapolis Fun park, Upside down house (fees to attractions has to be paid extra) or you can try free mineral outdoor bath in Kada Liptovsky Jan. We can eat some local meal and through Donovaly sky resort where is interesting to see kids attractions Habakuki or Kids city Donovalkovo, we will move to Banska Bystrica, where we will make another 1 hour city walk. We will return back to Bratislava late at the evening.

Visit with us the magical Orava Castle, built on a steep cliff, in the middle of unspoiled nature. Orava Castle (Slovak: Oravský hrad, German: Arwaburg, Hungarian: Árva vára) is a castle situated on a high rock above Orava river in the village of Oravský Podzámok, Slovakia. The castle's oldest parts being built in the thirteenth century and the most recent parts in the early seventeenth century. Many scenes of the 1922 film Nosferatu were filmed here, the castle representing Count Orlok's Transylvanian castle. Orava Castle stands on the site of an old wooden fortification, built after the Mongol invasion of Hungary of 1241. Its history follows a familiar pattern of construction, destruction, reconstruction, fire, various ownerships and territorial squabbles. The original design was in Romanesque and Gothic style; it was later reconstructed as a Renaissance and Neo-Gothic structure, hugging the shape of the 520-metre spur on which it perches. After visiting the castle, we usually taste traditional Slovak dishes, fresh sheep and cow cheeses and traditional Slovak cakes at the shepherd's hut near the town of Ružomberok or Dolný Kubín. There is an option to visit cheese factory in Zázrivá on the way and to try to make your own sheep cheese. Try it out traditional production cheese specialties. In the cheese factory, you will be dressed stylishly, in your work clothes. Then they will tell you the ancient secrets and you can stretch your own cheese threads "vojka" and knit your own whips in a demonstration of production. Under professional guidance, you can print cheese animals or hearts in wooden, hand-carved molds. You then put them together in brine. Finally, you will pack your products and take them with you. This attraction must be booked in advance, the maximum number of people is 6 people. There is no guarantee that it will be possible to try this attraction on the date you choose. The duration of production is approximately 45 minutes and the attraction costs 20 euros per person on the spot. On the way back to Bratislava, you can choose one of six possible stops: 1. Budatín Castle near the city of Žilina 2. The geographical center of Europe and the ancient mining town of Kremnica, with the oldest functional, almost 800-year-old mint 3. the fourth largest Slovak city of Banská Bystrica, surrounded by mountains and a memorial site of the Slovak National Uprising during the Second World War. 4. Špánia dolina - a mining settlement in the mountains 5. A unique wooden articular church in Hronšek, registered in the heritage of UNESCO 6. The city of Nitra, which was the center of the Great Moravian Empire from 833 to 907 AD. Visit with us these interesting and historical places in the bosom of unspoiled nature.

Take in the views and the mountain air just a couple of hours outside of Bratislava on this guided hiking tour. Ride the cable car all the way up to Snilovske Peak and admire the natural scenery. Leave Bratislava's main train station early in the morning and arrive in Zilina (private transfer is available at extra cost). Meet your guide and drive to the beautiful Vratna Valley. Take a cable car from Chata Vratna to Snilovske peak at 1500m. From there, enjoy a moderately challenging hike to Chleb Peak at over 1600m, and descend to Poludnovy Grun, and then to the mountain chalet at Chata Pod Grunom. Taste some traditional "slivovica" plum brandy and horalky biscuits along the way. Take some free time to eat lunch or have some refreshments in the chalet (not included) before returning to the Vratna Valley. Transfer back to Zilina Station for your train ride back to Bratislava.