Smolenice: Hotels, Hiking Trails and Historic Sites

The Smolenický kras Educational Trail is an easy, year-round, self-guided hiking trail. It is 4.5 kilometres long, ascends 230 metres, leads past eight stations and takes about 1.5 hours of walking. It runs from Jahodník via Driny Cave, Vlčiareň and the Hlbočianska Valley to the Vrtichov Quarry in Smolenice.

Nature and Trails

Driny Cave is the only publicly accessible cave in western Slovakia. It is located in the Smolenický kras in the Little Carpathians southwest of Smolenice, near the Jahodník recreational centre, and lies within the Little Carpathians Protected Landscape Area. The sightseeing route through the cave is 450 metres long and takes about 35 minutes. A forest path leads approximately one kilometre from the car park at Jahodník to the cave, ascends 100 metres and takes roughly 20 minutes.

West of Smolenice lies the canyon-like Hlboče Valley, with exposed rock formations, karst features, a waterfall that carries water intermittently at the end of the valley, and large potholes. The valley can be reached via a blue-marked hiking trail. The Hlboče Valley was designated a nature reserve in 1981, covering an area of 123 hectares, and has been a national nature reserve with the highest degree of protection since 1995.

Since 1994, the protected summit area of the Little Carpathians, including the highest mountain in the range, Záruby (768 m), as well as Čelo, Ostrý Kameň and Veterlín, has been protected.

History and Culture

When visiting Smolenický zámok, only the lower courtyard is accessible. The present-day Smolenický zámok was initiated by Count Jozef Pálffy on the ruins of the old castle. It was built at the beginning of the 20th century on the ruins of a castle constructed in the mid-15th century.

The Molpír hillfort is a fortified settlement of the Kalenderberg culture covering an area of 12 hectares. Its grounds are divided into three areas: two outer baileys and an acropolis. Parts of the fortifications, a gate, a cult object and a cistern have been restored and are on display. Information panels along the educational trail explain the individual features.

The Molpír Museum is located in the former rectory. It displays finds from the Hallstatt-period Molpír hillfort, a section on Štefan Banič, historical books from the 17th to the 19th century, the history of the village, the flora and fauna of Smolenice and its surroundings, minerals, and the ethnography of Smolenice and its surroundings. For technical reasons, the museum is closed until further notice.

Mead and the World of Bees

The Včelovina visitor complex is located below Smolenický zámok. Visitors can take part in a guided tour of the mead production process, including a tasting of three meads. Včelovina also offers a guided tasting of nine types of mead.

For schoolchildren, Včelovina offers educational field trips focused on hands-on experiences. They learn about different types of flowers, the work of beekeepers and life inside the hive.

More Destinations

More places at the same higher-level location: Jaslovské Bohunice, Horné Dubové, Šelpice, Košolná, Šúrovce, Malženice, Boleráz, Lošonec.

To the higher-level travel overview: Trnava.