Veľký Šariš: Hotels, Šariš Castle and Nature Reserve

Veľký Šariš is associated with Šariš Castle, a nature reserve, historic sacred buildings and museums. Šariš Castle was first mentioned in a document in 1245. It houses a historical exhibition; the „Alžbetka“ Bastion Tower contains an exhibition on alchemy and brewing. A guided tour of the dungeon lookout tower of Šariš Castle takes approximately 25 to 35 minutes.

Culture and History

The town itself also preserves different eras. The Church of St. James was originally a single-nave Romanesque-Gothic church and is now a three-nave church. Medieval wall paintings from the 13th and 14th centuries were discovered inside. The Chapel of St. Elisabeth is an early Baroque sacred building from the last third of the 17th century and formerly served as a funerary chapel. In the past, pilgrimages took place there on the feast day of St. Elisabeth.

Kunigunde was built sometime after 1544 on the grounds of an Augustinian monastery. It has the only patronage of St. Kunigunde in Slovakia and is the only surviving standing remnant of the monastery church. The Veľký Šariš Town Museum and Gallery have 200 square metres of museum and gallery space. The first museum exhibition about Šariš Castle comprised 350 archaeological finds from the 12th to the 17th century.

Another historic object stands on the grounds of the Veľký Šariš railway station: The „Mlinská džurka“ steam locomotive was built in 1882 and is considered the oldest preserved steam locomotive in Slovakia.

Nature and Trails

Šarišský hradný vrch is a national nature reserve of volcanic origin in the cadastral area of Veľký Šariš. Rare plants such as the grass-leaved iris and Turk's cap lily grow on Šarišský hradný vrch. The educational trail on Šariš Castle Hill has 11 stations.

The footpath from Veľký Šariš railway station to Šariš Castle follows a yellow-marked hiking trail. A heavily frequented section of the international EuroVelo 11 route also runs through Veľký Šariš, where the safety of cyclists and pedestrians has repeatedly been addressed.

Events and Activities

The events calendar combines sporting events with activities around the castle. The New Year's Eve climb to Šariš Castle is announced as the 39th edition for 31 December 2026. The official 2026 events calendar lists „Šariš športuje“, an archery competition, for 5 September 2026. Also listed for 2026 is the „Cyklopreteky – MTB Kráľ Šariša“ cycling race on 3 October.

On-Site Visit

The Veľký Šariš Tourist Information Centre provides information about cultural, sporting and tourist activities in the town and at Šariš Castle. Visitors can buy souvenirs related to Šariš Castle as well as products by local artists there. The Veľký Šariš Archaeopark is open on Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00 to 18:00.

Other destinations in the selection include Ľubotice, Trnkov, Prešov, Kapušany, Fričovce, Hermanovce.

To the overarching travel overview: Prešov.