Trenčín in 4k - Pearl of Povazie (Slovakia Vlog)
Travel guide:
Pearl of Povazie and Slovakia
Trenčín is a city that is alongside the train track from Bratislava to the high Tatras. The castle above the city is very nice. But I think the real star is the old town square below it. Therefore the title “Pearl of Povazie” is well deserved. Please read on learn how to get there.
Best time to visit
In winter it can get cold so the best time to visit is Spring, Summer and Autumn. We visited in November because weather was really nice but we were also lucky. Of course if you like snow you can go there in winter. Note that between October and April the castle closes earlier (opening times between 9:00-16:30). In summer it is open until 7 pm (as of 2018).
How to get there
We visited Trenčín before visiting Bojnice castle (which is highly recommended as well, read our travel guide here).
Public Transport: We came from Bratislava via train. The train connection is really good because it is the fast train going to the High Tatras and Košice (second largest city in Slovakia).
We arrived in Bratislava from Vienna. From Vienna you can buy an Euregio ticket to Bratislava.
You can check this website for train times.
If you are going by car there is a good road going from Bratislava to Trenčín.
Here you can rent a car for your trip from our partners at Rentalcars.com: Rentalcars.com Car Hire – Search, Compare & Save
Accommodation
We stayed in Pri Parku Pension very near to the train station. This was actually a very funny place: It was a small castle in itself with a bar with gambling machines downstairs and the entrance to the pension is in the back.
The room we had on the ground floor was amazingly big. There was also a shared kitchen and a shared bathroom. Note that this place has a little bit the feel (and smell) of a hostel but the location is perfect when you arrive via train. It was really cheap. I can highly recommend it.
To continue to the old town center you have to go through a park (hence the name Pri Parku). It is a 10-15 minutes walk.
Eat
If you go to the old town center you will immediately see (or smell) the pizza place because almost everybody is running around with a slice of pizza in their hands.
If you want to eat more healthy there is a place called “Mak palacinkáreň” where you can get pancakes. Select what they put on it: if you choose sweet it will not be as healthy again of course. It is on the main square but the entrance is a little bit hidden in a hallway going south.
There is also a COOP supermarket if you go in the direction of the main street (in a street parallel to the pedestrian square/street). You can buy some (at least for us) exotic food there – for example the cheese that looks like Spaghetti.
Top 5 things to do in Trenčín
1. Trenčín Castle
Trenčín castle is beautiful.
To walk there it is a little bit steep but it is more near than it seems.
The highlight is a tower sporting a magnificent view over the city.
There you will also see that the old city center is beautiful but the other parts are not so much.
2. Main square (Hviezdoslavova)
I think the main square is the real star of the town.
It is a pedestrian zone and a very chill place to hang around, eat out in a restaurant or just to sit there and admire the view to the castle.
3. City tower (Mestská brána)
This tower is at the western exit of the city square.
You can visit it and go up. A word of warning though: It closes early so be there on time.
BTW: If you leave the main square through this exit you will come into an area with more shops, bars and cafés. There is also a very ugly (?) building you can see in the upper left corner of the following picture.
I asked and it seemingly used to be a military building. (If you know more about this building PLEASE post in the comments below I would greatly appreciate it.)
4. Synagoge
The Synagoge is beautiful and there is a nice square in front of it.
5. Fontána vodníka
There is a nice square with a funny fountain with a man crawling out of it in front of the synagoge. (In winter they did some repair on it so we did not snap a picture.)
Conclusion
I really liked Trenčín. The castle is nice but I did not expect that I liked the main old town square so much. It is a place of great tranquility and I now understand why this place is called the Pearl of Povazie and Slovakia.
I also recommend that you continue to Bojnice castle (read my travel guide here) afterwards, the most beautiful castle of Slovakia.
Discover the undiscovered - Visegrad Hostels | Olomouc
What is worth visiting in #CentralEurope?
#Olomouc - Discover the undiscovered.
Central Europe is – quoting the famous writer, Milan Kundera – ‘maximum diversity in minimum space’. Let us take you far from the popular tourist destinations and prove its great richness.
In this episode we are visiting Olomouc – a city of 100,000 citizens and students, its breathtaking old town, great history and cool pubs. We’ll stop at the Cosy Corner – one of the best hostels in the whole Czech Republic.
The video was produced by Volens Foundation with a financial support from the Visegrad Fund.
If you enjoyed this movie, watch the other ones from this series as well:
▶ PÉCS
▶▶ CIESZYN/ CESKÝ TESÍN
▶▶▶ KOSICE
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▶ Cosy Corner Hostel | OLOMOUC
Cosy Corner is not an accidental name. The #hostel, placed in the old town centre of Olomouc, is a perfect destination for backpackers. Homey decor, family friendly atmosphere, international, multilingual staff with vast knowledge about the city. Great for those, who enjoy resting and having fun at the same time.
All of that for:
300 CZK/around 10 EUR – a bed in 6/8-bed dorm with bunks
700 CZK/around 25 EUR – a private double room
▶ The easiest way to get to:
Košice: direct train connection, very frequent
Companies: Public railway, Leo Express, Regio Jet
(approx. time of travel: 6,5-8h, approx. price: from 7,5 EUR - 14 EUR)*
Pécs: two changes:
1: Catch a train to a town called ‘Břeclav’
2. Change for a train to Budapest (‘Keleti’ train station)
3. Catch a train to Pécs from there
(approx. time of travel: 9-11h, approx. price: from 30 - 40 EUR)*
Cieszyn/Český Těšín: direct train connection, very frequent
Companies: Public railway, Regio Jet, Leo Express
(approx. time of travel: 1h45 min. - 2,5h, approx price: from 4 EUR - 4,5 EUR)*
*prices may vary depending on seasonal offers and promotions
*we recommend booking tickets from private companies (Leo Express, Regio Jet) ahead and on the internet – prices may have a really good discount.
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The MAKERS:
Ian Transue - The Backpacker
Radek Biel - DOP/ Editor
Jakub Połomski - Timelaspe Artist/ Drone Aerial
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