Banská Štiavnica – Discover Slovakia
Even at the end of last year, Jarek and I said that we would like to get to know our country more. After 4 years of living in Prague, we realized that we know Czech cities and nature much better than our own. And so we put aside our big travel plans about Lofoten, National Parks in the USA… and started walking “on our native chest”.
We had Banská Štiavnica in first place in the category of weekend trips. We wanted to avoid the crowds, so we went out of summer and even before the weekend. And we did well. We had 4 days full of fun, nice views and good food ahead of us.
At first glance, Štiavnica reminded us of Český Krumlov, but honestly – a bit sleepy. But when we stopped comparing Czech and Slovak tourism after the first few minutes, it was nicer and so that I don’t ramble on, I’ll go straight to the point.
My tips, where to go, what to see and where to eat well (since I can’t eat gluten or milk, we had to choose where to eat and we found great places):)
1. Banská Štiavnica – historical center
You don’t have to go far to enjoy the city. Just walk around the old town and soak up its peaceful atmosphere. We explored the quiet streets that stretch above the city and enjoyed the beautiful scenery. For example, views of the historic city that are worth seeing are from Ružová and Vodárenská streets.
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One of the best experiences of these days was only 2 km away from the city – a visit to the mine in the Bansko open-air museum. They gave us coats, helmets and flashlights and we went into the gallery. We learned about the history of mining and that Banská Štiavnica was the 3rd largest city in Austria-Hungary. Emilka liked the trains the most. We did not find gold or silver :(.
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3. Old and new castle
In addition to the history of mining, we also learned about the history of Calvary and the production of pipes in Banská Štiavnica at the Old Castle. The sad news for children is that princesses never lived in this castle, but the good news is that it was not conquered by the Turks :).
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4. Tajch – Veľká vodárenská
The people of Štiavni have historically been serious about the development of tourism. They made several romantic lakes near the city, where Bratislava cottagers can take a dip. They chose the color according to Pantone’s fashionable turquoise. The head of tourism was Samuel Mikovíni. But in reality it was different. These lakes were used to help the miners to pump out the bottom water in the mines and are called taichas. The nearest and for us the most beautiful tajch was near the historic town and is called Veľká Vodárenská.
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5. View from Paradajs hill
We also did a bit of hiking. There is a geological educational trail around the hill, where we learned how the earth was formed, and we were only sorry that geography was not taught this way at school… From the Paradajs hill, there is a nice view of the city and Kalvária. Even our 2-year-old Emil managed this walk with ease and fell asleep like a log after it, so it was a win-win situation :).
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6. Ruins of the historical city – Glanzenberg
Did you know that there is also a second secret city in Štiavnica? It is located on a hill above the historic city and is still being discovered by archaeologists.
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7. Bank of love
When Jarko told me a long time ago that we had to go there, I just shook my head. Well, it was a really beautiful experience. Literature and history literally came alive there and… but I can’t reveal more, because it would lose its charm. Well, don’t miss this if you are in Štiavnica.
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8. Calvary
It is on the hill opposite Štiavnica and that is why it has many nice photos, because it is good to take photos from Štiavnica. There are more stops than the usual Stations of the Cross, but nevertheless it is said to be one of the most beautiful Calvaries in Slovakia.
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9. Arboretum
In the center of the old town, you can take a nap in the shade of redwoods or Japanese cedars. Or simply just admire the big trees :).
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10. View from the Pension on the hill
If you want a good view of Banská Štiavnica, you have to go eat. From the terrace you can enjoy the sunset and the lighting of the city in the evening.
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And Štiavnica at night
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Where to eat?
They have the best coffee and burger in Coburg (Co ffee & Burg er), which was also recommended to us in the legendary teahouse Klopačka. I was pleased with the gluten-free burger and soy latte (I’m an allergic hipster, aren’t I?). We also chatted with the pleasant owner, who ran from the kitchen, where he was cooking his own chili sauce. A delicacy!
You will experience a strange Dadaistic impressionistic experience at Divna Pani. Have eggs in the morning, coffee and a cookie for lunch and a drink in the evening. Everything tastes good.
The historic courtyard with the restaurant 4 Sochy has been transformed into a piece of Italy. We almost didn’t go in there twice, because the outside is only a cafe, but it’s worth going further. The owner also cooks here, and he seems almost Italian himself, even though he is Slovak.
What about the car?
Give him a holiday too. Everything is close in Štiavnica, so let the car rest. The locals like to hike on the tiles (maybe they just slip their wheels), but I guess in time they will also understand that it’s not cool and that this city is even more beautiful without cars. 🙂