Veľká Rača, Oščadnica – Surroundings and Activities

Kysuce and Its Surroundings

The region of Kysuce is a place of fields and mysterious stone balls. The highest peak of the eastern part of the mountain range is Veľká Rača (1,236 m) and in the western part it is Veľký Javorník (1,071 m). You can climb up one of these two peaks or you can conquer both of them. Tourism in the region of Kysuce and Javorníky mainly offers a stay in breathtaking nature and an opportunity to learn about the surroundings – for instance, there is the natural memorial at the Korňany oil spring or the mysterious stone balls (their occurrence has not been explained yet).

In winter, Veľká Rača is popular with skiers, for which large ski resorts have been built there. Get to know the magic of the Kysuce nature that also offers beautiful historic sites in nature.

• Kysuce Village Museum in Vychylovka – ethnographic open-air exposition of the Kysuce Museum in Čadca
• Kysuce Stone Balls
• Živčáková pilgrim’s place (Turzovka)
• Ecological open-air museum in Lietavská Svinná, below the Lietava castle
• Slovak astronomic clock in Stará Bystrica – the first and only astronomic clock in Slovakia
• Rajecká Lesná – Slovak Bethlehem
• ZOO Bojnice – the oldest and most visited zoo in Slovakia

Bathing, Thermal Springs

Veronika Thermal Pool - Rajec

• 8 pools for all age groups
• largest pool: 50x21 m, 1.8 m deep
• car park and lay-by areas for about 1,000 passenger vehicles
• wide offer of refreshments – two restaurants, a café, a shepherd’s hut, bar, a Slovak shepherd’s hut, six buffets
• sports – beach volleyball, mini-golf, table tennis, basketball
• attractions for children – toboggan, chutes, climbing attractions, sand pit
• area of up to 55,000 m²
• water area of 2,200 m²

The Thermal Spa Rajecké Teplice

The Thermal Spa Rajecké Teplice has a very rich history dating back to the 14th century.
After 1996, the thermal spa underwent an extensive reconstruction which changed the spa beyond recognition and turned Rajecké Teplice in an attractive town.

The thermal springs of the acratotherma type with 38°C thermal water are used for treating inflammatory as well as degenerative diseases of the locomotive organs, joints, spine, nervous system diseases as well as occupational diseases.

The relaxation in the thermal water in the summer can be followed by a walking or cycling trip around the surroundings and in winter you can go skiing in the nearby winter resorts or come in spring and admire the awakening nature or the falling leaves in autumn.

Laura Thermal Spa

The Laura Thermal Spa is located at the edge of Rajecké Teplice right below a beautiful view point at Skalka.
You can use two pools (1 swimming, 1 for children). The temperature of the thermal water is 26ºC. There is a mini-golf and beach volleyball courts at the premises, a restaurant and fast-food buffets. The car park is a few meters from the spa.

Castles and Chateaux

Summer months invite to trips to castles and chateaux.

Romantic ruins of the Strečno Castle

The romantic ruins of the Strečno Castle are a dominant above the Váh River as a symbol of the feudal power in the middle Považí region. The history of the castle dates back to mid-14th century but the first people settled there much earlier – archaeological findings show that there were settlements on the castle hill as long ago as the Early Bronze Age. The results of the historical-architectonical research were used as the groundwork for its partial reconstruction and conservation. The main gate, main tower, south palace, north palace and chapel were fully reconstructed. The north tower and the area in front of the gate were reconstructed to a large extent and the east palace, rampart and the cannon fortification were reconstructed only partially. In 1994, the major works were completed and in 1995 the castle was opened to the public.
Source: http://www.zdruzenieoscadnica.sk

Orava Castle

The large preserved castle rises above a steep limestone rock right above the village at the height of 112 m above the Orava River. The castle is a national cultural monument. The Orava Castle that used to be the Orava gentry seat was built in the 13th century in place of an older settlement from the turn of the eras. It was first mentioned in documents in 1267 when its ownership by the royal family was recorded. The owners changed over the time. The current appearance resulted from the reconstruction made by the Thurzovec family who placed the castle among significant buildings of the renaissance period. In 1800, the castle burnt down and was much damaged. However, it was soon conserved and reconstructed and the Pálffy family (the last owners) made efforts to partially reconstruct the romantic adjustments. The last and most significant complex reconstruction of the castle took place between 1953 and 1968. The gothic, renaissance and romantic interior has been preserved and the best preserved is the interior in the chapel with furniture from 1752.
Source: http://www.zdruzenieoscadnica.sk

Lietava Castle

The history of the Lietava Castle dates back to the end of the 13th century. It was probably built by the Balašov family. In the 15th century, the Bebekov family expanded the castle. Then it was owned by Pavel Kiniži at the end of the 15th century who had the largest reconstruction of the castle done. The last prominent owner living in Lietava was Juraj Thurzo, a Hungarian paladin, at the beginning of the 17th century. Lietava is one of the largest ruins in Slovakia. For more than seven centuries of its existence, it has gone through a long structural development that ended by a renaissance reconstruction. It has been abandoned for the past two hundred and fifty years and its condition is alarming. The association for the conservation of the Lietava Castle wants to conserve this romantic ruin which is still the symbol of the surroundings before it turns to a pile of shapeless rubble.
Source: http://www.zdruzenieoscadnica.sk

Súľov Castle

Súľov Castle is nowadays only remnants of the castle walls chiselled in the Súľovské skaly, high above the Súľov district on the road from Bytča to Hradná. The castle was probably built at the beginning of the 15th century as one of the most modern castles in the Považí region. It was first mentioned in the documents in 1470 when the King Matej Korvín granted the permission that the Roháč stronghold could become a castle. The foundations of the buildings and traces of beams and fixing of the vaults chiselled in the rock have been preserved as well as fractional remnants of walls with window openings. The lower castle includes a preserved part of the palace with a tower on its supporting rock and you can also notice the entry to the castle with the loophole in the rock and the bridged rock canyon before the entry to the upper castle. The upper castle includes a vault and traces of a stone staircase in the central palace, a rock pylon that shows traces of a staircase and by which you can enter the highest part of the castle through a hole in the wall and an iron ladder. The highest part shows traces of a cistern and a tower.
Source: http://www.zdruzenieoscadnica.sk

Bojnice Chateau

The Bojnice Chateau is one of the most romantic and most visited cultural monuments in central Europe. The interior of the chateau includes a lot of historic works of arts that were compiled mainly by the last owner of the chateau, Ján František Pálfi. The chateau rises at the foothills of Strážovská vrchovina on a travertine mound above the town of Bojnice. The Bojnice Chateau is one of the oldest and most distinct Slovak castles. It was first mentioned in writing in 1113 in the document of the Zobor abbey. Various cultural and social events take place at the chateau premises: classical music concerts in the Huňady hall, performances of the multimedia project, Lux in tenebris, in the second courtyard, performances of a historic fencing group or weddings in the Golden Hall. The chateau hosts a traditional festival of ghosts and bogeys.
Source: http://www.zdruzenieoscadnica.sk

Apartment Accommodation for Visitors

The modern apartments are located in an apartment house in the centre of Oščadnica, 4 km away from the Dedovka and Laliky ski centres (the ski bus is 50 m from the building). The apartment includes 2 bedrooms, en suite bathroom (shower, WC and washbasin), completely equipped kitchen (refrigerator, electric cooker, kitchen unit, electric kettle, microwave oven) with a common room that includes 2 extra beds, radio, TV + SAT. There is a lockable ski depository at your disposal.

There are 3 apartments available (4+2, 4+2, 4 beds)