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One does not always have to go to the higher mountains in Slovakia to make nice hiking tours. There are many easier hiking trails throughout the country. One is to Chata na Veľkom Inovci (Chalet on Veľký Inovec).
Veľký Inovec is a mountain top of 900,6 m., part of the mountainous region of Pohronský Inovec, not far from the town Zlaté Moravce at the border of West and Central Slovakia (120 km east from Bratislava).
The Chalet is an excellent goal, as one may rest there for a while, enjoying the great view on the surroundings with some simple food and drinks.
The best way is to start on the crossing between the villages Obyce and Jedľové Kostoľany at the tourist sign under the hill Včelár (503,3 m) , and to follow the green trail from there (on the top of Včelár grows very unique high white grass which is protected by state law). The first part goes through a forest with oak and beech trees until you reach broad meadows called Obycké lúky (1,50 h). There one has to look well for the blue trail.
This one continues its way up to Veľký Inovec (1,10 h). The top is shown by a coloured coat-of-arms of Slovakia on a rock. On a clear day one sees from here far into the mountains of Štiavnické Vrchy.
After resting at the Chalet, one has several choices to continue his tour. The easiest way is to follow the road down to Veľká Lehota, or to follow a broad trail all the way down through the woods. All in all an easy hiking journey of about 6 hours for people of all ages and conditions.
In case you are interested, we are able to provide you a hiking map.

One of Slovakia’s most developed, turistic regions is called Liptov. It lies around the town of Liptovský Mikuláš and lake Liptovská Mara. Liptov includes parts of the national reserves Low and High Tatras. One can find many good campings here, pensions, an aquapark for the whole family, funiculars, bicycle paths, and everywhere you will notice the so-called Salaš (sheep-pen) where they serve specialities made from sheep or goat.

In Liptov are also many well indicated hiking paths. You will easily find hiking-maps in most bookstores and at the turist information. One of the most beautiful hiking paths leads through two valleys, Prosiecka and Kvačianska dolina. The tour which starts and ends in the village Prosiek is not too difficult; it is 17 km. long, lasts max. 7 hours en there is a difference in hight of 350 meters. First one follows the blue route, then the red one, and from the village Kvačany, the yellow route.

The path runs through narrow valleys enclosed by rough mountains, through deep forests, past ravines and waterfalls, and sometime one needs to climb ladders. There are wild animals here you won’t see (though they might see you), like bears, wolves and lynx. But most particular on this route in the valley Kvačianska dolina, are the water-mills from the beginning of the 19th century which were once used as saw-mills. After their destruction in the Second World War and expropriation during communism, they have now been wonderfully renovated by volunteers. Even the water-wheel is functioning again, so it is as if the water-mill regained at least symbolically its original function.

The water-mills make a nice rest during your walk. Here you may sit at the brook with its water rushing wildly. Sometimes there are quite some people doing the same, but that doesn’t really matter, as they all have in common respect for the splendid nature and for the mills, which have become national-technical monuments. And the young people working there gladly provide you with information about the mills. Their effort and devotion proves that there is still much to hope for in this world.

Rimavská Sobota is in the south of Central-Slovakia, not very far from the border with Hungary. This region is called Gemer, a marvellous nature area which is hardly visited by tourists. Here are 3 national reserves: Muránska planina (Plateau of Muran), Slovenský raj (Slovak Paradise) and Slovenský kras (Slovak Karst mountains).

There are many majestic buildings standing in the province town of Rimavská Sobota (24.000 inhabitants). They were mostly built at the beginning of the 20th century, when the town became the most important centre of food industry with the largest cannery of the country. Nowadays in the summer the town attracts many young people who come to visit popular cultural festivals as a theater and music festival in June and a festival of amateur arts and artists in August.

Furthermore there is an observatory, a gallery of modern art and an impressive cemetery for those fallen in the First World War. And there is one of Slovakia’s oldest museums, the Gemer-Malohont Museum, with a surprisingly rich collection, illustrating in detail the region from the Bronze Age until today. Quite peculiar is an unimpaired Egyptian mummy of a woman and her sarcophagus, brought to the museum at the beginning of the 20th century by a traveller of the regio who visited Egypt at the time. The name of the woman is Tasheritnetia and she is from the 22nd till 26th dynasty between the years 945 and 525 before Christ. There is also a vase in which the intestines of the deceased were put.

Also very particular in this museum is the only permament exposition in Slovakia of the history of the Roma.  By learning more of each other’s origin and culture, one creates mutual understanding and tolerance. The initiative started a few years ago and the exposition is rapidly growing. A very noble objective.

Rimavská Sobota is not being mentioned too much in tourist guides, still it is one of Slovakia’s most exclusive towns, and really worth a visit.

This is the land of traditional sheep breeding, masonry and farming. They say the cities of Vienna and Budapest were built by masons who came from this land.

The open-air museum Múzeum liptovskej dediny in Pribilina or the village Vlkolínec (UNESCO) will acquaint you with unique Slovak folk architecture.

From the Celtic settlement Havránok there is a beautiful view on the picturesque region and on the lake Liptovská Mara.

The all-Slovak display of folk danse and songs during folk festival “Východná” is an excellent opportunity to get to know Slovaks and Slovak culture. It is being held each year on the first weekend of July.

For gourmets a visit to one of the Slovak sheep farms is absolutely indispensable; one may taste bryndza, special sheep cheese of Liptov and drink whey with it.

The gallery of Ľudovít Fulla in Ružomberok gives an overview of the works of this world-known Slovak painter, graphic and illustrator.

In this region there are perfect conditions for fishing, horse riding, skiing and aquatic sports, for example rafting. In the region there are some aquaparks with thermal water as well.