Zvolen for a weekend: the town you underrated, until you stayed there

Most people only drive through Zvolen on the R1. A shame, because within 3 km of the Zlatý Potok apartments you have a Gothic castle with a Slovak National Gallery exhibition and one of the largest squares in Slovakia, and right above the town a castle ruin covering more than 4 hectares. Here's how to turn this underrated town in the heart of Slovakia into a peaceful weekend for two.

Start with what's literally around the corner. Zvolen Castle is just 2.7 km (a 7-minute drive) from the apartments, and it isn't a defensive fortress but a comfortable royal residence, commissioned in the last third of the 14th century by Louis I of Anjou. Today it houses a permanent exhibition of the Slovak National Gallery, one of the richest collections of old and modern art in the country. There's a paid car park right below the castle, and step-free access by lift at the entrance gate. It's best to check the current opening hours on sng.sk, as they change seasonally and it's usually closed on Mondays.

If you enjoy far-reaching views and don't mind an hour's walk, head up to Pustý hrad. These sprawling ruins on the hill directly above the town cover more than 4 hectares, making it one of the largest castle sites in Central Europe. It's freely accessible, with no ticket office and no admission fee, reached by a waymarked nature trail (you can set off, for example, from the ice rink or the railway station). The climb takes roughly an hour, the path is undemanding, and since 2022 there's also a new viewing platform at the top with a panorama of the entire Zvolen basin. The ideal half-day walk straight from the town.

For coffee and a leisurely afternoon, make for Námestie SNP, the main SNP Square (3 km, an 8-minute drive), one of the most expansive squares in Slovakia and among the largest in Central Europe. It's lined with burgher houses, the oldest dating from the 15th century, and remnants of the town's 17th-century fortifications survive too. After a thorough renovation, it's now a pleasant pedestrian zone for a stroll. In and around the square you'll find cafés and restaurants to relax in; and if a cultural mood takes you, the Jozef Gregor Tajovský Theatre performs in the former Grand Hotel building on the square, with the programme and tickets available at djgt.sk.

Set aside one extra morning for the Borová Hora Arboretum of the Technical University, about 3 km from the centre. Across nearly 50 hectares it holds the largest collection of roses in Slovakia (hundreds of varieties), plus a greenhouse with a collection of cacti and succulents. It's open seasonally, roughly from mid-March to the end of October and mainly on weekdays, so check the current hours and admission on abh.tuzvo.sk. And if you have time for a short excursion, 13 km away (a 15-minute drive) stands the wooden articular church in Hronsek, inscribed on the UNESCO list, the nearest World Heritage site to Zvolen.