Zvolen: a peaceful stop right in the middle of Slovakia

Zvolen lies right in the middle of Slovakia, at the confluence of the Hron and Slatina rivers and at the crossroads of the R1 and R2 motorways. From Bratislava you'll reach it in under 2 hours (about 195 km), from Nitra in roughly an hour, and from here the nearest destinations are within a 20-minute drive. The Zlatý Potok apartments are exactly what you're after on a journey like that: quiet in-town lodging for two with free private parking and fast Wi-Fi.

Let's be honest from the start: this is not the mountains or a ski base. These are two peaceful apartments for two in the centre of town, ideal for couples and business trips. And that's precisely their strength. Instead of the bustle of a big city, you get a quiet bedroom, a fully equipped kitchen with a dishwasher, and a balcony with a view over the town where you can unwind after a whole day behind the wheel. And in the morning you set off refreshed.

If you stay in Zvolen, begin with Zvolen Castle, just 2.7 km, a 7-minute drive away. This Gothic castle was commissioned in the 14th century by King Louis I of Anjou as a comfortable residence rather than a fortress, and today it houses a permanent exhibition of the Slovak National Gallery. From there it's a hop to SNP Square (3 km, 8 minutes), one of the most expansive squares in Slovakia, lined with burgher houses. And if you want to stretch your legs, walk up to Pustý hrad: the sprawling ruins above the town are freely accessible, the climb along the nature trail takes about an hour, and from the new viewing platform you have the whole Zvolen basin laid out before you.

The nearest treasure, though, is just outside town: the wooden articular church in Hronsek, inscribed on the UNESCO list, is only 13 km and a 15-minute drive away, a perfect half-hour excursion. Want more? Banská Bystrica, with its leaning clock tower and the SNP Museum, is about 20 km along the R1, within 25 minutes. And for anyone with a whole day to spare, there's the Čiernohronská railway in Čierny Balog, or a trip towards the Low Tatras, full-day expeditions for which Zvolen makes a convenient starting base.

For a bit of relaxation after the road, you needn't go far. The thermal swimming complex in Kováčová is 5 km from Zvolen, and the spa town of Sliač just 4 km. And should your journey fall in the warmer months, the Borová Hora Arboretum, with the largest collection of roses in Slovakia, is well worth it too, open roughly from mid-March to the end of October, so check the current hours on abh.tuzvo.sk. The same goes for the castle (sng.sk) and the swimming complexes: opening hours change seasonally, so check them before you set off.