Freistadt between culture and nature – compare hotels

Historic buildings, protected natural areas and diverse educational trails give Hlohovec a multifaceted profile. The history of the castle, viticulture, viewpoints and nature trails stand alongside one another in different forms, combining cultural discoveries with experiences of the landscape.

Culture

Hlohovec Castle stands on the site of a medieval fortress that was already mentioned in 1113. Its present appearance was created through renovations commissioned by the then landowner Jozef Erdődy towards the end of the 18th century and at the beginning of the 19th century. The Empírové divadlo in the castle grounds dates from 1802; it is currently considered the oldest surviving theatre building in Slovakia.

The historic centre of Hlohovec is also one of the defining cultural sites. The heritage zone covers approximately 15 hectares and has been designated as such since 1 March 1993. The Vlastivedné múzeum in Hlohovec preserves more than 260 recorded finds from river sediments that could be described as archaeological. In addition, astronomical observations are possible at the Hlohovec Observatory and Planetarium. It houses a telescope considered to be the second-largest in Slovakia.

Nature

The Sedliská Nature Reserve covers 6 hectares in the cadastral area of Hlohovec. It protects heat- and drought-loving plant communities and the associated animal communities, including several protected, rare and endangered plant and animal species. Particularly noteworthy are the large-flowered pasqueflower (Pulsatilla grandis), a species of European importance, and the spring pheasant's eye (Adonis vernalis), a species of national importance.

The surrounding landscape also includes Hlohovec Castle Park, which is considered one of Slovakia's most significant parks because of its natural and cultural value. The Šianec viewpoint is located at an altitude of 296 m. From there, panoramic views extend across Hlohovec and the entire region, over the Dolnovážska Lowland as far as the Little Carpathians, the Trnava Upland and the White Carpathians. Cities and villages from Trnava to Piešťany can also be seen.

Educational trails and paths

The Sedliská educational trail is 1 km long, has an elevation difference of 80 m and features four stations. A longer loop is formed by the Zámocký poznávací okruh educational trail, which is 2.6 km long and has an elevation difference of 62 m. It leads from the entrance to the castle park via the pond, the grotto, the castle, the theatre and the garden terraces back to the starting point.

Another educational trail runs through the vineyards of Hlohovec as an easy, accessible circular route along a blue-marked hiking trail. At seven stations, it provides information about vineyards, local winegrowers, the history of viticulture and traditional grape varieties characteristic of this region. For bicycles, an almost eight-kilometre-long cycle path runs along the left bank of the Váh from one end of Hlohovec to the other.

Hlohovec Castle opened its gates to the public on 1 June 2019. Parts of the first, second and third floors were accessible.

Pay attention to which services are already included in the price and whether any additional costs are specified. The specific conditions for your booking should also be clearly apparent before completion. This makes it possible to compare individual hotels based on the details actually stated, without allowing general promises to take the place of verifiable information.

Other places

Other places to discover: Kľačany, Leopoldov, Šulekovo, Dvorníky, Sasinkovo, Jalšové, Koplotovce, Madunice.

To the higher-level travel overview: Hlohovec District.