Berge Ade - heading west into the wine region

7/13/20

Our time in the beautiful mountainous region of central Slovakia has come to an end, we are leaving the Little Fatra today and heading further into the wine region of the Little Carpathians. The hiking poles are now permanently retired. Along the way, there are several beautiful places to visit.

First stop is the village of Cícmany (Carpenter's Hau) in the Rajec Mountains. The residents here live in beautifully painted wooden houses, there are said to be 136 of them. Various ornaments are painted on the wooden beams with white paint. We stroll leisurely through the small village and admire the impressive design.

In Trenčin, a mighty castle towers over the old town on a hill. The pedestrian zone of this "capital of the Váh Valley" is bustling with activity. There are numerous shops, restaurants, and cafes. Some beautiful patrician houses are located in the market square. There are beautiful water features and ample greenery.

Piešťany is the largest and most important spa town in Slovakia. The Váh River flows right through the town. The landmark of the city is the sculpture of the man breaking crutches, which is a symbol of the healing successes achieved here. We walk along the Váh River to the pedestrian zone. Here, there are historical Art Nouveau buildings, some still with a touch of decay, to admire. A beautifully landscaped park provides a peaceful zone.

The last place on the Váh River that we visit is Trnava. The city is one of the oldest in Slovakia and is surrounded by a mighty, still preserved city fortification. We stroll through the lovely old town and have our afternoon coffee here.

In the late afternoon, we arrive at our destination for the day: the wine village of Limbach on the Little Carpathian Wine Route, about 25 km north of Bratislava. Here, we have booked our last 2 nights in Slovakia at the "Villa Vinica". We get a rustic attic room with a modern bathroom. Unfortunately, there is zero Wi-Fi reception, a no-go criterion for us bloggers... We quickly realize that the village and the region do not meet our expectations. We probably have too high of expectations from the wine regions in southwestern Germany or from Alsace that we are familiar with. Furthermore, there are no restaurants in Limbach for dinner. The advantage is that we are quickly in Bratislava from here, which we want to visit tomorrow.