These articles were published in the Spectacular Slovakia travel guide, published annually by The Slovak Spectator since 1996. The latest editions can be obtained from our online shop.

Žilina Region

The mountain ranges are split by several rivers with fertile floodplains, including the Váh, Kysuca, Turiec and Orava. Nevertheless, only 36.5 percent of the Žilina region is agricultural land, while 53 percent is forested.

Getting there

Please see www.cp.sk for information on public transportation in Slovakia (lines, arrivals, departures...)

Hyperlinks to the selected articles about places from the region

Kysuce
Liptov
Orava
Rajecká dolina
Strečno
Terchová
Trstená
Turiec
Žilina
Click on the places listed above for more information about them.

Supplementary information about Žilina Region

Accommodation (Kysuce Region)

Čadca
Hotel Husárik****
Časť u Husárikov 2259
Tel: +421 (0)41 433-4766
www.hotelhusarik.sk
Double rooms start at €97.92

Accommodation (Liptov Region)

Bešeňová
Penzión Fontána
Bešeňová 135
Tel: +421 (0)44 439-2858
www.penzionfontana.sk
Double rooms start at €24
Nearest urban centre: Ružomberok (11 km)

Demänovská dolina
Hotel GRAND ****
Demänovská Dolina 71
Tel: +421 (0)44 559-1441
www.jasna.sk
Double rooms start at €€110
Nearest urban centre: Lipt. Mikuláš (16 km)

Demänovská dolina
Hotel Tri Studničky ****
Demänovská Dolina 72
Tel: +421 (0)44 547-8000
www.jasna.sk
Double rooms start at €120
Nearest urban centre: Lipt. Mikuláš (16 km)

Demänovská dolina
Hotel Fis Jasná****
Demänovská Dolina 330
Tel: +421 (0)44 559-1411
www.fisjasna.sk
Double rooms start at €110
Nearest urban centre: Lipt. Mikuláš (16 km)

Liptovský Ján
Hotel Liptovský Dvor ****
Jánska dolina 438
Tel: +421 (0)44 520-7500
www.liptovskydvor.sk
Double rooms start at €175
Nearest urban centre: Lipt. Mikuláš (9 km)

Pribylina
Grand Hotel Permon ****
Podbanské 18
Tel: +421 (0)52 471-0111
www.hotelpermon.sk
Double rooms start at €80
Nearest urban centre: Lipt. Mikuláš (27 km)

Ružomberok
Penzión pod Vlkolíncom
Do uhliska 7550/3
Ružomberok - Biely Potok
Tel: +421 (0)44 432-0940
www.penzionpodvlkolincom.sk
Double rooms start at €40

Accommodation (Orava Region)

Dolný Kubín
City Hotel Park
Radlinského 1739/21
Tel: +421 (0)43 581-1111
www.cityhotelpark.sk
Double rooms start at €63

Oravská priehrada (Orava dam)
Hotel Altis****
Oravská priehrada 200
Tel: +421 (0)43 583-2600
www.hotelaltis.sk
Double rooms start at €69
Nearest urban centre: Dolný Kubín (32km)

Trstená
Hotel Roháč
M.R.Štefánika 425
Tel: +421 (0)43 532-4961
Double rooms start at €€51.45
www.hotelrohac.sk
Pension Oravský Háj
Brezovica 370
Tel: +421 (0)43 539-3781
www.oravskyhaj.sk
Double rooms start at €69.70
Nearest urban centre: Dolný Kubín (42 km)

Zuberec
Penzión u Michala
Hrady 246
Tel: +421 (0)43 539-5314
www.michal.sk
Double rooms start at €24.90
Nearest urban centre: Lipt. Mikuláš (32 km)

Accommodation (Rajec valley)

Rajecké Teplice
Hotel DIPLOMAT ****
1. Mája 14/460
Tel: +421 (0)41 500-4455
www.hoteldiplomat.sk
Double rooms start at €88
Nearest urban centre: Žilina (14 km)

Rajecké Teplice
Hotel Aphrodite ****
Osľoboditeľov 131/4
Tel: +421 (0)41 549-4955
www.spa.sk
Double rooms start at €135
Nearest urban centre: Žilina (14 km)

Accommodation (Turiec Region)

Martin
Hotel Grandis****
Hrdinov SNP 350
Tel: +421 (0)43 422-0015
www.grandis.sk
Double rooms start at €93

Valčianska Dolina
Hotel Impozant****
Valča
Tel: +421 (0)43 324-1014
www.impozant.sk
Double rooms start at €69
Nearest urban centre: Martin (15 km)

Galleries, museums and theatres

Čičmany (Rajec valley)
Ethnographic exposition Čičmany
Tel: +421 (0)41 500-15 11
www.pmza.sk
Open Jun-Aug: Mon 10:00-15:15,
Tue-Sun 08:00-17:15
Sep-May: Tue-Sun 08:00-16:00
The village of Čičmany is always accessible
Nearest urban centre: Žilina (40 km)

Dolný Kubín (Orava Region) Oravská galéria (Orava Gallery)
Hviezdoslavovo nám. 11
Tel: +421 (0)43 586-3212
www.oravskagaleria.sk
Open Tue-Sun 10:00-17:00
Visual art characteristic for the Orava region

Havránok:(Liptov Region)
Archeologické museum Havránok
(Archeological museum Havránok)
Liptovská Sielnica
Tel: +421 (0)44 432-2468
www.liptovskemuzeum.sk
Open-air exposition of original Celtic bulwark from the Early Iron Age
Open May-Sep 09:00-18:00
Nearest urban centre: Lipt. Mikuláš (10 km)

Liptovský Mikuláš (Liptov Region)
Slovenské múzeum ochrany prírody a jaskyniarstva
(The Slovak Museum of Nature Protection and Speleology)
Školská 4
Tel: +421 (0)44 552-2061
www.smopaj.sk
Open: Apr-Oct: Mon-Fri 08:00-17:00,
Sat-Sun 10:00-17:00
Nov-Mar: Mon-Fri 08:00-16:00

Martin (Turiec Region)
Slovenské národné múzeum v Martine
(Slovak National Museum in Martin)
Malá Hora 2
Tel: +421 (0)43 413-1011
www.snm-em.sk
Turčianska galéria
(Turiec Gallery)
Daxnerova 2
Tel: +421 (0)43 422-4488
www.turiecgallery.sk
Traditional folk art of the Turiec region
Open: Tue-Sat 10:00-17:00, Sun 13:00-17:00

Námestovo (Orava Region)
Slanický ostrov umenia
(Slanica Island of Arts)
Slanická osada
Tel: +421 (0)43 586-3212
The island's church of the inundated village Slanica hosts a collection of folk art entitled "Slovak Traditional Folk Sculpture and Painting".
Open May-Sep 09:00-17:00
Nearest urban centre: Dolný Kubín (32 km)

Pribylina (Liptov Region)
Múzeum liptovskej dediny
(Liptov Village Museum)
Tel: +421 (0)44 529-3163
Open: daily 09:00- 15:30
Tickets: €3
Nearest urban centre:Liptovský Mikuláš (20 km)

Vlkolínec (Liptov Region)
Roľnícky dom Vlkolínec
(Fermstead Vlkolinec)
Tel: +421 (0)44 432-2468
www.liptovskemuzeum.sk
Open: Jun 16-Sep 15: Mon-Sun 09:00-17:00
Sep 16-Jun 15: Tue-Sun 10:00-15:00
The village of Vlkolínec is always accessible. It is a typical example of regional architecture included in the UNESCO World Heritage List Nearest urban centre: Ružomberok (5 km)

Vychylovka (Kysuce Region)
Múzeum Kysuckej dediny
(Museum of Kysuce Village)
Nová Bystrica – Vychylovka
Tel: +421 (0)41 439-7219
Open: Mon-Fri 09:00-17:00,
Sat-Sun 09:00-18:00
Entry: €1.66

Zuberec - Brestová (Orava Region)
Múzeum oravskej dediny
(Museum of Orava village)
Open-air folk museum at the foot of Roháče
in the West Tatra mountains, small village
with a wooden church, a churchyard and seasonal buildings. Tel: +421 (0)43 539-5149
Open: Jun-Sep: daily 08:00-17:00,
Oct-May: Tue-Fri 08:00-15:30,
Sat-Sun 10:00-15:30
Tickets: €2
Nearest urban centre:Lipt.Mikuláš (32 km)

Attractions

Extreme sports
If you want to try something out of the ordinary, take
a ride in a hot-air balloon and see the countryside from
an unusual point of view. For services across Žilina region
visit Mutton Sport Services
Ul. 1. mája 25
Liptovský Mikuláš
Mob: +421 (0)918 417-487
www.mutton.sk

Horná Lehota – Oravský Podzámok (Orava Region)
Traditional Rafting on the Orava River
Mob: +421 (0)905 358-182
www.plte-orava.sk
Open daily: Jun-Aug 09:00-17:00,
May, Sep by agreement
Tictets start at €10
Nearest urban centre: Dolný Kubín (15 km)

Likavka (Liptov Region)
Hrad Likava (Likava Castle)
Tel: +421 (0)44 432-2468
www.liptovskemuzeum.sk
Open Jun-Sep: daily 09:00-16:00
Nearest urban centre: Ružomberok (2 km)

Oravský Podzámok (Orava Region)
Oravský hrad (Orava Castle)
Tel:+421 (0)43 581-6111
www.oravahrad.sk
Open:May- Oct: daily 08:30 – 17:00
Mar, Apr: daily 10:00 – 15:00
Nov-Feb: closed
Nearest urban centre:D. Kubín (9 km

Podbiel (Orava Region)
Rides in an armoured vehicle
Mob: +421 (0)904 443-662
Tel: +421 (0)43 538-1828
The attraction is located next to the road between Podbiel
Open Jul-Aug 10:00-17:00
Off season booking neccessary
Nearest urban centre: Dolný
Kubín (25 km)

Rajecká Lesná (Rajec valley)
Slovenský Betlehem
(Carved Wooden Tableau)
Tel: +421 (0)41 548-8134
Open: Mon-Fri 09:00-12:00,
13:00-18:00,
Sat-Sun 10:00-18:00

Svätý Kríž (Liptov Region)
Drevený kostolík vo Svätom Kríži
(Wooden church in Svätý Kríž)
Tel: +421 (0)44 559-2622
www.drevenykostol.sk
Open: daily Jun-Sep: 09:00-17:00
Oct-May: 09:00-15:00
Nearest urban centre: L. Mikuláš (9 km)

Tvrdošín (Orava Region)
Gotický drevený kostolík
(Gothic Wooden Church)
Tel:+421 (0)43 532-2167
Open: Jul-Sep: Tue-Sun 10:00-16:00,
Oct-Jun: booking necessary
The 15th-century wooden church is included
in the UNESCO World Heritage List and in
1993 was awarded a prize by Europa Nostra
Tickets: € 0.70
Nearest urban centre: D. Kubín (33 km)

Aquaparks, castles, caves and ski resorts

In the Žilina region you can also visit:
- aquaparks: Bešeňová, Tatralandia – Liptovský Mikuláš, Oravice, Liptovský Ján, Rajec
- castles: Orava, Likava, Strečno, Budatín
- caves: Demänovská Ice Cave, Demänovská Cave of Liberty, Važec Cave
- ski resorts: Donovaly, Ružomberok, Jasná, Martinské hole, Kubínska Hoľa,
Veľká Rača – Oščadnica, Zverovka – Spálená

Events

January: Skiinterkriterium Vrátna International Ski Race in Vrátna Skicentrum www.vratna.sk Nearest urban centre: Žilina (27 km)

February: European Cup in Snowboarding (Vrátna Free Time Zone-Starý Dvor) www.vratna.sk Nearest urban centre: Žilina (27 km)

May: Ovčiarska nedeľa (Sheep Sunday) Traditional folk program including shepherd traditions in the region (Open-air museum in Pribylina) Nearest urban centre: Lipt. Mikuláš (20 km)

June: Goralské slávnosti International folklore festival of the Goral folklore and traditions (Skalité - surroundings of the village) Nearest urban centre: Čadca (15 km)

July: Folklórny festival Východná The biggest and oldest folklore festival
in Slovakia (Amphitheatre Východná)
www.vychodna.sk
Nearest urban centre: Lipt. Mikuláš (24 km)

July: Strečno Festival Kutie Presentation of traditional crafts and blacksmith artists Nearest urban centre: Žilina (11 km)

July: AmatFest International preview of non-professional movies, cartoons and videoshots www.amatfest.sk (Námestovo-Dom kultúry) Nearest urban centre: Dolný Kubín (32 km)

July: Country Oravice Summer festival of country music www.folkcountry.sk (Amphitheatre Oravice) Nearest urban centre: Lipt. Mikuláš (46 km)

August: Jánošíkové dni v Terchovej(Jánošík's Days at Terchová Village) International festival of folk culture www.janosikovedni.sk (Terchová) Nearest urban centre: Žilina (27 km)

August: Beskydské slávnosti The oldest Kysuce international folklore festival www.kultura.e-kysuce.sk (Turzovka) Nearest urban centre: Čadca (15 km)

August: Orava Rockfest Open-air festival, Slovak, Czech, Polish and Ukrainian punk and rock bands www.oravarockfest.sk (Amphitheatre Námestovo) Nearest urban centre: Dolný Kubín (32 km)

August: Podroháčske folklórne slávnosti Traditional market and open-air folklore festival www.zuberec.sk (Amphitheatre Zuberec) Nearest urban centre: Lipt. Mikuláš (32 km)

December: Mikulášske trhy (St Nicholas Market) Traditional market, various cultural events in the city, folk crafts, concerts www.lipmik.sk (Lipt. Mikuláš main square)

Make your comment to the article...