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The Norther Slovak cycling tour
Slovakia is a country roughly the size of West Virginia or Switzerland, located in the heart of Europe. Cycling here is one of truly spectacular journeys. On this extraordinary cycle tour, you´ll ride in beautiful national parks, pass through LOVELY LITTLE TOWNS, cycle along lakeS, see breathtaking mountain views, azure waters. Savour superb food and delicious wines along the way to tempt any gourmet. NorthERN Slovakia is blessed with a calmer, mild climate with ever-changing terrain and scenery. This North SlovakIA cycling tour takes you through a temperate natural paradise nearly 100km from East to West AND North to South in 7 days.
DAY 1 – Welcome to Bratislava
Welcome at the airport, transfer to the hotel by personal tour guide who will explain all the details about your trip.
Welcome Dinner & overnight stay in Bratislava.
DAY 2 – Bratislava, Gader Valley
Breakfast at ~8 am followed by meeting with your tour guide at the hotel and start of the tour of Bratislava – the capital city, visiting attractions such as:
- Primate‘s Palace – a marvelous Classicist and largest palace in Bratislava where the Treaty of Pressburg was signed in 1805
- St. Martin‘s Cathedral – one of the largest gothic constructions in Bratislava where the coronations of 19 rulers took place between 1563-1830, including Austro-Hungarian empress Maria Theresa
- Michael‘s gate – the only preserved city gate, ranking among the oldest town buildings
- historical narrow streets, squares, Slovak National Theatre and of course the historic Bratislava castle.
During the tour we will stop for a lunch in the city centre.
Afternoon – transfer to Gader valley (apx. 2,5hrs drive)
Dinner & overnight in Gader valley – a long valley in the Greater Fatra mountain range in Central Slovakia, accessible from the village of Blatnica. 8 km cycling tour will take you through the valley with views of Tlsta and Blatnica castle ruins.
Distance: apx. 8 km
Dinner & overnight stay in Gader Valley
DAY 3 – Gader & Blatnica valley, Blatnica castle, Turcianske Teplica spa
Breakfast at ~8 am followed by a cycling tour of Gader and Blatnica valleys. Most of the valley is a dense forest, with views of the surrounding lime and dolomite rock formations. Deers, boars, chamois, eagles and other wild life can be spotted along the way
Stop will be made at Blatnica Castle ruins, located near village of Blatnica. The castle was built in the 13th century to protect a major trade route running from Nitra to the north. Since 1790 the castle has been abandoned. The castle remnants are hidden in a forest with limited views of the Gader Valley, which stretches underneath.
Evening – transfer to Turcianske Teplice spa & aquapark for a bit of relax.
Distance: 20kms
Breakfast, lunch, dinner and overnight stay in Gaderska valley
DAY 4 – Sucany, Turcianska Stiavnicka, Martin – Skanzen
Pick up at ~8 am, departure for Sucany. Start of the cycling tour to Turcianska Stiavnicka and visit the ruins of the renaissance chateau built in the second half of the 16th century. The manor house includes a large English park with a winter garden, ponds and rare plants.
Lunch break.
After lunch, cycling tour continues to Sklabina castle, built in the first half of the 14th century in place of the old fort. In 1436 it was destroyed by fire, later rebuilt, enlarged and fortified.
We will then continue to Martin to visit the Slovak National Museum. It has a collections of ethnography, archaeology, history, numismatics, art-history, art and sculpture, archiving and library from the whole Slovakia.
We’ll also visit an open air museum of Slovak Village in Martin, the largest in the country where you can explore traditional Slovak architecture originating mainly from the northwest part of Slovakia from the period of late 19th to early 20th century.
Distance: 25kms
Dinner & overnight stay in Gader Valley.
Day 5 – Zilina, Old & New Strecno castle
Pick up at ~8 am followed by transfer to the city of Zilina on the other side of Mala Fatra range to start a bicycling tour along the Vah river, stopping for a tour of Strecno castle ruins. The romantic ruins of Strecno Castle tower over the Vah river symbolize the feudal power in Central Povazie. Even though it has been a ruin for three centuries, the architecture that remains documents the development of the medieval fortress from the gothic to the baroque. Although the castle was only established in the middle of the 14th century, the site has been inhabited for much longer – archaeological discoveries show that the castle hill was already inhabited in the early Bronze Age.
Lunch break – traditional barbecue by the Vah river, then continue cycling to the Old Strecno castle, built on top of a 475 m hill on the right bank of the Vah river near Strečno. Castle was originally used to protect the old road leading to Povazie. It is called the “Old Strecno Castle” as it also has a younger broher, the “Strecno Castle” which was built later.
Distance 25kms
Dinner & overnight in Strecno/Zilina
DAY 6 – Zilina, Stranik hill
Breakfast at ~8 am followed by a cycling tour to Stranik hill with a view of Zilina along the way. Stranik hill (769 m) is located in the Kysuce highlands and is one of the most popular spots in Central Europe for hang gliding and paragliding, offering beautiful views of Zilina and nearby villages
Distance 20km. Lunch in Zilina
Evening departure for Bratislava
Dinner & overnight stay in Bratislava
DAY 7 – Good-bye Slovakia
After breakfast and check-out, you will have a free time for shopping & spending your last minutes in the beautiful City Centre of Bratislava until your departure and transfer to the airport.
Price: 780 Eur
Please, contact us if you are interested at info@enjoyslovakiasoul.com
For more information contact us at info@enjoyslovakiasoul.com
Accommodation details
- breakfast included
- there is a possibility to check your accommodation on the official hotel website
- price is based on 2 people per room
- single person per room available with a surcharge
- rooms are equipped with bathroom, shower or bath with WC, TV, radio
Included in the price
- your professional guide, driver and translator/assistant
- 6x accommodation with breakfast
- 1x welcome lunch
- 1 x traditional barbecue lunch
- all transfers around Slovakia
- refreshments
- Fuel and all parking & highway tolls
- map of Bratislava & map of Slovakia, information material (brochures, leaflets)
- entrance fees to all museums, spa and other attractions
- personal CD-ROM with Photos of your trip
NOT included in the price
- flights to/from Slovakia
- return airport transfers (will be arranged)
- lunch, dinner
- alcoholic & non-alcoholic drinks
- souvenirs, tips
- any other trips not mentioned in this itinerary
