Beautiful Central Slovakia: Žilina and Terchová
Photos and notes from the Malá Fatra mountains
After spending a few weeks in Bratislava, Slovakia’s capital on the western border with Austria, we ventured east into the country’s mountainous northern region. We spent a week in Žilina, Slovakia’s 4th largest city, near the borders with Czechia and Poland. Then, we headed to the nearby village of Terchová to explore the Malá Fatra mountains.
Žilina
Žilina is a city of 80,000, about a two-hour train ride northeast of Bratislava. The city is a manufacturing hub, although there’s little indication of nearby industrial activity within the charming city center or the quiet residential neighborhoods. In fact, the locals are remarkably well-dressed, in surprising contrast to the rather simple personal presentation style we observed in Bratislava.
Žilina has a large, lovely central square, several impressive churches, and panoramic mountain views. Gorgeous nature surrounds the city, with fast access to mountains, forests, and lakes.
Besides access to the nearby outdoor recreation areas, there isn’t much in Žilina to…
