Vinica: Wine, Cultural Heritage and the Stráž Educational Trail

Vinica lies in the Ipeľ Basin on the edge of the Krupina Uplands, by the Veľký potok River. Vinica has mineral springs and alkaline drinking water. Vinica, formerly called Nekyje, is one of the oldest villages in the Hont region. A documentary mention of Vinica dates from 1135: at that time, Lampert and his wife Žofia donated their property in the village to Bzovík Monastery.

The records from 1135 are considered the oldest evidence both of settlement in Vinica and of viticulture in Vinica. Even today, wine and local festivals are among the village’s defining themes: the Oberačkové slávnosti are held annually in Vinica.

The Csernus family winery and its vineyards are located above the village of Vinica on the southern slopes of the volcanic Guard Mountain. Csernus Winery offers intimate wine tastings featuring local wines and expert advice. Around 500 vineyard cottages can be found in the Žobrák locality in Vinica.

The programme of VinFest Vinica 2025 included a public wine tasting and the announcement of the results on 10 May 2025 at 6:00 p.m. at the Vinica Cultural Centre. VinFest Vinica is organised by the civic association NEKVINUM and is a nomination exhibition for the 2025 National Salon of Wines of the Slovak Republic.

The Vinica village museum, the Tájház House of Folk Culture, opened its doors in 2011. Vinica’s cultural heritage includes a chapel from the late 18th century. Also part of Vinica’s cultural heritage is a originally late Baroque manor house with a stone portal dated 1780. A Classicist manor house from the first half of the 19th century is also part of Vinica’s cultural heritage.

The Church of Saint King Stephen stands on foundations dating from the 16th century and was rebuilt in the Classicist style between 1840 and 1846. The Church of Saint King Stephen contains a Renaissance baptismal font from the second half of the 16th century, with a petal relief on a square base. The same church also contains a glazed Rococo reliquary from the second half of the 18th century with a small wooden folk-style Pietà.

The Náučný chodník Stráž Educational Trail connects Žobrák, Žabí prameň, the Stráž lookout tower, the southern slope of Porgy and Biela studňa on a circular route through Vinica. The Náučný chodník Stráž Educational Trail is 7.3 km long, has an elevation gain of 250 metres and takes 3.5 hours to walk. The Tájház House of Folk Culture in Vinica is the starting point of the Náučný chodník Stráž Educational Trail.

Access to the Náučný chodník Stráž Educational Trail is by bus to the stop by the Vinica Cultural Centre, followed by approximately 300 metres westwards along Nekyjská Street. The wooden Stráž lookout tower in Vinica dates from 2013. Small pseudokarst caves in fractured andesite and andesite breccia are located beneath the Stráž lookout tower.

Vinica also has a swimming pool or bathing facility.

Further destinations: Stredné Plachtince, Malá Čalomija, Malý Krtíš, Malé Zlievce, Balog Nad Ipľom, Ľuboriečka, Muľa, Dolná Strehová

To the higher-level travel overview: Okres Veľký Krtíš.