Where to go on a trip Staré Hory

When looking for a ski resort for beginners, you have surely encountered one major problem. Either such resorts are too small, have few easy slopes, or are too crowded. Today, we will introduce you to one of the most famous resorts in all of Slovakia, focused primarily on beginner skiers and families with children. Welcome to PARK SNOW in Donovaly!

Donovaly offers excellent snow conditions, beautiful views, high-quality services, and a number of slopes mainly for beginners. Where can you find them? They lie directly on the main route between Ružomberok and Banská Bystrica. The drive through the fairy-tale snowy landscape will get you in the mood for skiing even before you arrive at the destination.

At first glance, the local architecture, which resembles the Alps, will catch your eye. Beautiful hotels and guesthouses, among which hundreds of satisfied skiers are skiing. And soon, you will join them too. The resort spreads out at an altitude of 915 to 1,402 meters above sea level, thanks to which a long ski season is guaranteed.

What do Donovaly offer? Up to 11 km of slopes, 1 chairlift, 1 combined chairlift with several cabins, and up to 14 lifts. The fact that the resort is focused on less experienced skiers is evidenced by the fact that approximately three-quarters of the entire resort are marked in blue, i.e., the easiest slopes.

You will spend time with children on the side south of the road, where the least demanding tracks are located. When you crave something steeper, the slopes on the north side of the road leading from Nová hoľa are for the more demanding. They are marked in red, and you will even find a 100-meter-long black section here. The combined cable car, together with the lift at the summit, ensures short queues, and you will be able to enjoy a descent on the longest slope in the resort, measuring up to 2,200 meters.

Since Donovaly is focused on families with children and people who want to have fun, you will find a children's Fun Park here, which is the largest in Central Europe. It offers slalom courses, fairy-tale characters, various obstacles for the little ones, and up to 9 conveyor belts. All this under the supervision of experienced instructors. The Riders Park is also popular, where every freerider will enjoy themselves. Jumps, professional obstacles, easy jumps, and pleasant music from the speakers will get the blood flowing in the veins of every experienced skier. After a dose of adrenaline, you will calm down with relaxed night skiing. Or on a dog sled, while bowling, or paragliding. There are truly enough possible activities here.

Donovaly offers countless free beds in beautiful hotels and pleasant guesthouses directly in the middle of the slopes. There are cottages, tourist hostels, and modern wellness centers here. It only depends on your preferences. Donovaly will please not only the body but also the spirit.

Where can you find the best water fun in the Banská Bystrica district? In Aqualand Banská Bystrica, which is the most popular beach swimming area in Banská Bystrica. Entertainment, sports, and relaxation have merged into one here. Spend a beautiful sunny day at Aqualand – the beach swimming area in Banská Bystrica, located just a 10-minute walk from the city center.

After purchasing a ticket at the cash desk, you can head in any direction. You can start by swimming in the lake, which has an area of 2.5 ha. You can also go boating or ride pedal boats there. For more demanding visitors, there are 8 pools available, some of which feature thermal water. Will you choose the atypical, mineral, or Olympic pool? Children can also use one of the three pools. More active visitors will enjoy riding the toboggans or water slides.

The complex also offers the possibility of jumping platforms, obstacles on the water, aquazorbing, water trampolines, and a wakeboarding course for water skiing for both beginners and experienced riders. Also great is the 900 m long inline asphalt circuit for skating or running. Children will have fun in a designated area, specifically in the children's amusement park. There are small cars and motorcycles, a climbing wall, and many other attractions for them. You can also play beach volleyball, football, minigolf, and badminton here. A bowling bar is also available, where besides this game, you can also have a pizza. Fabulous!

You can end a day richly filled with activities by having some refreshments at the fast-food buffet. You can park your car in the immediate vicinity. From your sun lounger, you can keep an eye on people catching a tan on the grassy area. We believe you will also appreciate the quality of the water, which is constantly checked by hygienists. Experience the right place that belongs to summer in Banská Bystrica and book your accommodation near Aqualand – the beach swimming area in Banská Bystrica.

In case you prefer staying on dry land, direct your steps straight to the city center. The popular and sought-after attractions in Banská Bystrica are mainly historical monuments. Discover the Mestský hrad castle, the Hodinová veža tower, or the premises of the Múzeum SNP museum. With children, you can go for a cultural experience to the Bábkové divadlo na rázcestí theater. However, if you tire them out too much, it is good to think about accommodation in Banská Bystrica. In addition to penzióny Banská Bystrica (guest houses), you can also book a room in a hotel. Just look at the selection of accommodations on our portal. We believe you will find the right accommodation for you!

Via ferrata on Skalka can be confidently described as one of the most interesting tourist attractions in Slovakia. It is located in the Kremnické vrchy mountains, near Kremnica, in the direction of Banská Bystrica. The biggest attraction of this appealing route is the longest via ferrata bridge in Central Europe. The biggest challenge is the most difficult via ferrata section in Slovakia, the F-úha via ferrata route with a difficulty rating of category F. The most attractive part of the via ferrata is undoubtedly the glass-bottomed suspension footbridge, offering stunning views of the Kremnické vrchy mountains and the Turčianska kotlina basin.

The operator of the wide network of via ferrata routes on Skalka is the town of Kremnica, which began building them in 2017. Unique experiences in the Kremnické vrchy mountains are offered by two integrated via ferrata systems. Via ferrata Komín was the first to be created and has been accessible to the public since 2017. In 2020, the town completed the unique Via ferratový svet (Via Ferrata World) here, which also includes the most difficult via ferrata route in Slovakia.

Via ferrata Komín includes 5 via ferrata routes. You can reach them via a descent via ferrata, at the beginning of which you can enjoy a beautiful view through the eastern window. However, this is only if you can squeeze through a narrow crevice in the terrain. The uniqueness of the descent route is an old maple tree. Its roots form a tangled network that will lead you to the Tibetský most (Tibetan Bridge). The ascent via ferratas begin with Komín, which, as the name suggests, will require you to squeeze between wedged stones on the way up. You will climb using a ladder or through a narrow hole that literally requires caving skills. In the last meters, the Kominárska ferrata branches off, leading through an 8-meter-long black opening.

An attraction for beginners and families with children is the western side of the ridge, offering an interesting Miniferrata with Jánošíkova diera (Jánošík's Hole). The route is only 30 meters long and located at a low height above the ground. It leads over a steep rock and requires crossing a crevice – Jánošíkova diera. This is a cave in the rock, 9 meters long, with the possibility of a horizontal entry along a safety cable. This via ferrata section is suitable for practicing movement on via ferratas and also offers the smallest adventurers a chance to try out a via ferrata route.

Via ferratový svet consists of 6 via ferrata routes interconnected by technical elements such as bird's nests, a pendulum, a balance beam, or rope bridges. The training via ferrata is designed for practicing the conquering of via ferrata routes and handling via ferrata equipment. Here, you can test your skills before heading out on the Traverz via ferrata, which leads through the rock massif between the ski slopes. It includes various adventure elements, including a bird's nest, bridges, and a ladder. The via ferrata route crosses with the Hrebeňová via ferrata, leading along a prominent mountain ridge.

A more demanding route is the Via Commo via ferrata, leading along a wooden bridge in a rock notch, over the summit rock wall, and up to the rock tower. And here, the real adventure begins – a rope bridge 32 meters long, positioned an incredible 35 meters above the terrain. The arduous journey across the abyss ends with an observation footbridge with a glass floor. Here, truly magnificent views of Skalka, Krížna, and the entire Turiec region will open up to you. The most difficult route of the entire system is the F-úha via ferrata, with a length of 45 meters and an 11-meter overhang. This section is extremely demanding and is recommended only to truly experienced climbers. It is a climbing wall in the truest sense of the word, secured with a via ferrata cable. As preparation for conquering it, you can use the Malá výzva E-jha via ferrata, with a length of 16 meters and a 3-meter overhang.

If you love adrenaline and enjoy pushing your limits, be sure not to miss this via ferrata route when visiting Kremnica, one you will not forget for the rest of your life. You can combine your adventure in nature with a visit to the Kremnická mincovňa (Kremnica Mint) or the unique Múzeum mincí a medailí (Museum of Coins and Medals). You can experience a visit to the underground mine in the Banské múzeum Štôlňa Andrej (Mining Museum Andrej Adit). There is certainly no shortage of unique experiences in Kremnica. The same applies to the variety of accommodation offers near the Via ferrata on Skalka. Accommodation in Kremnica and the surrounding areas represents a whole spectrum of popular cabins and cottages, pleasant guest houses, and attractive apartments. Plan a holiday you will never forget.