Slovakia > The wooden houses of Vlkolínec

At breakfast, it turns out that several other guests also spent the night. We thought we were the only guests in the hotel. Close to the hotel lies the museum village of Vlkolínec in the mountains. It’s less than a fifteen-minute drive away. Due to its sheltered location, the village has preserved its traditional log houses. Most of the wooden houses, painted in bright colors, stand out beautifully against the deep blue sky and the mountains. We walk between the houses. One of the houses is open as a museum, showing how people used to live. Through the wooden bell tower, we reach the small stone church. The houses in the village are still inhabited, but the residents are clearly used to tourists wandering around. We leave Vlkolínec behind and head for Bratislava. This also means leaving the Tatra Mountains. The road goes steadily downhill, and we immediately notice that it’s getting much warmer.

Slovakia - The old wooden houses of Vlkolinec

Near Banská Štiavnica, we drive into the old town center over cobblestone streets. Right in front of a café, there’s a parking spot. But how do you pay here? People on the terrace tell us that a man in an orange vest walks around selling tickets. But where is this man? We decide to have a drink on the terrace first. This works—soon the parking attendant appears. Just behind the terrace lies the Old Castle. Long ago, only the Gothic church stood on the hill, but later it was turned into a fortress due to the Turkish threat. The church walls are still intact, but the roof is gone. We explore the watchtowers, the old prison, and the church building. Finally, we climb the bell tower, from which we have a view over the center of Banská Štiavnica. The old center of this medieval town has been completely preserved, and because of its historical value, it has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. From Banská Štiavnica, it’s just over a two-hour drive to Bratislava.

Slovakia - The old castle of Banska Stiavnica

The road is excellent, a wide highway leading to the city. In the opposite direction, the evening rush hour causes heavy traffic jams, but we reach the old town without too much trouble. The Film Hotel had already informed us yesterday that no parking spaces were available. We are allowed to park our car for a short time in a private parking spot on the narrow street. We quickly bring our luggage inside and then go in search of a better parking spot. The receptionist suggested a few streets, and surprisingly, we find a spot there quite quickly. Paying at the parking meter turns out to be more difficult—we have no coins, and the machine accepts nothing else. Since parking is free from four o’clock until tomorrow morning, we first head into the city to exchange money. Later tonight, we’ll have to return for a ticket for tomorrow. At the start of the evening, we walk into the city center, past many terraces. The city looks lively and pleasant. On a terrace in a square, we order a drink. Prices here are much higher than what we’ve been used to so far—two drinks cost us ten euros. A little further on, we eat at a local Slovak restaurant. The menu is less traditional, but the food tastes fine. In the meantime, we now have enough coins for the parking meter. We can’t manage to print a ticket that lasts until the day after tomorrow, so we pay until four o’clock tomorrow afternoon. After that, we’ll have to extend it again.