SPARKLING AIR, RIGHT NEXT TO THE RIVER HVOR – Welcome to Banska Bystrica / Slovakia

Slovakia welcomes you along the Hvor River, right in the heart of a valley surrounded by green mountains, in a city with a fancy name, he falls in love at first sight because of its geographical position. You’ll have to enter in the streets of its old town (where stands the central square full of flowers, terraces, medieval towers, an Art Nouveau fountain, a cathedral and a castle of course), to know what the scent of wonder. Welcome to Banska Bystrica. http://www.slovakia.org/tourism This is the most widely spread out region in Slovakia and includes several mountainous areas favorable to winter sports. There are several ski resorts for alpine skiing and cross-country skiing. The Southern districts are very popular in the summer season. This region is also a famous thermal baths region, where visitors can even take advantage of the beneficial effects of speleotherapy.

The Lower Tatras massif has a large number of hotels and perfectly fitted out slopes. 28 kilometers to the northeast of Banska Bystrica is the Donovaly Valley. Of course, during the summer season, visitors can enjoy the thermal springs. The summer resort of Sliac is very well-known. Do not forget that the region of Banska Bystrica is a privileged area, where everything is done to protect the nature. There are numerous natural reserves: Polana, Hrncekovy grun, Batovsky Balwan, Ponicka Dubrava. Now we can go for a walk through Banská Bystrica, looking for the Square of the Slovak National Uprising (a natural centre of the town). In the upper part there is a clock tower dated from the year 1552. During the last reconstruction it deviated from the vertical axis by 60 cm. The tower was used as a watch tower in the past and the bugler’s concerts were heard from it in the 18th and 19th century.

The town castle complex? In the castle area remained part of the city walls and three bastions (Clerical, Miner’s and Parochial) are preserved. A tower with the entrance barbican, drawbridge at the entrance to the castle was added to the city walls. There are three heavy bells in the tower. The biggest of them weighs 9900 kg. The Plague column of the Virgin Mary, was moved from the square of the Slovak National Uprising to the castle area, in the second half of the 60s, in the 1993 it was returned back. The city walls? In the 16th century the whole town was fortified by defensive walls (against the threat of the Tartar invasion). The remnants of these fortifications you can be found nearby the Monument of the Slovak National Uprising, where also two last surviving bastions have been preserved. Fortifications can be seen also in the town castle area and near the Hron river flowing through the town.

Maybe even thou’re hungry, we can go to Restaurant Cierna Ovca (Dolný Harmanec, parkovisko pod Harmaneckou jaskyňou) http://www.ciernaovca.sk/ and you too can enjoy visiting this restaurant because of the pleasant atmosphere, good service and especially great food. This restaurant it is located on the parking spot to the Harmanec cave. We can order chicken soup and the escalope. Great place, nice decoration and good food (quiet big portion). Good place to stop it on the road from Banska Bystrica to Martin, with excellent Slovak food, really good beer and wine (and a good price for the all round quality being provided).

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