A Short Time in Trenčín
- Kari
- Aug 7, 2019
- 5 min read
A trip to Europe just didn't make sense... until a humanitarian project beckoned for our attention.
8 days is not enough time to try and see 4 countries... so to quote the infamous Yoda, "do or do not there is no try," we didn't try... we did! We saw 4 countries in a flash of 8 days.
Granted the last day we spent all our time sight-seeing, driving back to Czechia, and sleeping in the car for a couple hours as a make-shift airbnb so that we could see it all and catch our flight. (You can always sleep on the plane, right?)
As someone who spent a year and a half in Slovakia as a missionary for the Church of Jesus-Christ of Latter-day Saints, this country and the people who live there are near and dear to my heart.
I desperately wanted to return to Slovakia after coming home to the states, but was challenged to find the funds and the time. I came home in October 2014 and I had recently gotten married in April 2015. Both Ryan and I were finishing up our degrees at Brigham Young University and a trip to Europe just didn't make sense.
Until... The Wallace Toronto Project was going to be held in Trenčín!
I spent about 4 months living in this little city in Slovakia (aka the Pearl of Považia) and it became one of my absolute favorite places. It's a teeny tiny place that you can easily walk, bike, or hop on the trams to get around. When I saw that there was a chance to return to Slovakia and participate in a humanitarian project, see all the friends I had made, and expose my husband to Europe for the first time, I just knew we had to go.
Here's the catch... the project was during the first week of fall semester.
If there's a week you don't want to miss in college it is assuredly the first semester. During this time the professors lay out all the expectations, pass out syllabi, you meet people in your classes, find out you're already 3 weeks behind on the reading you didn't even know you had, and you have a chance to decide if the course is really worth your time before the add/drop deadline hits.
We were going to miss all that. Not to mention our grades might take a hit for missing all the participation and any assignments in that first week. Nevertheless, with some begging, a little GPA sacrifice, and lots of finagling, we made it work. We were off to Europe! 3rd time for me, 1st time for Ryan.
Visit Trenčín Kultúrno-informačné centrum
Mierové námestie 9, Trenčín
tel: 032/16 186 email: kic@trencin.sk
So, without further adieu, here's some great things to see in Trenčín:
1. Hotel Elizabeth. The only place you can see the Roman Inscription in the castle rock. Roman troops once stayed here, far from the borders of the Roman Empire. The inscription is one of the few written references from the Romans north of the Danube river. The inscription reads, "the victory of the emperors and troops that resided in Laugarica, in the number of 855 soldiers. The Légie was made by MV Maximianus, Legate II an Auxiliary leg." The restaurant in the hotel is also fancy and has great food. I've never stayed at this hotel, but it's free to go inside. (Also a great place to hit up finding a bathroom if you've been out walking. I know how hard it can be to find a public restroom in Europe as a tourist)
2. Executioner's House. You'll pass by this on the way to the castle. I'm not sure if they offer tours in English, but it's a place to learn about the eerie ghost tales and where the haunted places are in Trenčín.
3. Farský kostol. Save your breath for the stairs! There's a tunnel staircase you can walk up to see this church on the hill. Gives you a beautiful view of the city and the river. There are some benches to sit on and it's a great spot for taking photos.
4. Trenčiansky hrad. Trenčín castle is a blast to visit when they have festivals going on. I was able to see a bird of prey show, see craftsmen making wooden bowls, blacksmiths making horseshoes, and there was great food. They only do festivals on certain days of the year, so check their website for the festival dates.
In the lower courtyard you will find the Well of Love (pictured bottom right) from the legendary lovers Fatima and Omar. According to legend, if you kiss someone you have a crush on beneath the cherry blossom trees on the road towards the upper courtyard you will be guaranteed mutual love. If you come in May the Cherry Blossom trees will be GORGEOUS and worthy of a photoshoot... and a kiss!
Climb the tower (Matúš' lookout) to the highest point for an incredible view of the city.
5. Town Tower & Pillar of the Holy Trinity. Formerly known as the Turkish or Lower Gate, the town tower is in the center of the plaza across from the cathedral (Church of St. Frances Xavier). You can take the elevator or the stairs for another lookout point. The town clock plays the Slovak song, "tolls sadly..."
You can also see the pillar of the Holy Trinity on the námestie (plaza) close by. It is a memorial to the plague that devastated Trenčín, like so many parts of Europe in the middle ages.
6. Štúr Square. In the town square there are patios and restaurants, cute little shops, and in the summertime there is a fountain of a Vodnik (waterman) that will squirt you as you walk by! The Vodnik is a fairytale character traditional to Slovak and Czech fairytales, so kids usually have great fun getting squirted by the Vodnik.
I've never been in Trenčín in the winter, but I've read that they also have a free ice-skating rink (if you bring your own skates) around the fountain or you can rent skates.
7. Synagogue. There was once sizable Jewish community in Trenčín. Now the synagogue on Štúr Square functions more as an art gallery and hosts occasional exhibits. The inside is beautiful and ornate.
Other stuff: There are 60m of bike trails around the city. Brezina Park is close by the city where you can spend some time in the forrest or playing fútbol, picnics, etc.
Trenčianske Teplice
This is a close by town (15km) that is visited for its spas and healing waters. The calcium-sulfur waters stay 36-40ºC and are used for skeletal and nervous system treatments, as well just relaxing. This is a relaxing place to visit with beautiful walking trails, gardens, parks, and there is an enchanting mosque that almost feels out of place. (I couldn't enter the mosque because it's a males-only mosque, but it's still intriguing from the outside architecture).
You can also get WARM Lázeňské oplatky, which are some of my favorite Slovak treat! The shops pop the oplatky into a little warm press (kind of like a panini maker) and you can snack on your delicious treat while you walk around and relax.
Other castles close by
Čachtice legend says that the Countess of this castle aka "the bloody countess" allegedly killed 600 young girls and bathed in their blood so that she could stay young and beautiful.
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