I haven’t visited the mountains of Veľká Fatra before, and this was also one of the reasons why we selected this region for my brother’s birthday celebration. We stayed in the village Lúčky and from there we traveled to various places around us. Vlkolínec is a place that I have always wanted to visit. It is said to be one of the most authentic places in Slovakia and as I love traditions and our culture, I was excited to finally have a chance to go this village.
Vlkolínec is situated deep in the mountains, 7 km from Ružomberok. The 3 km curvy road that will lead you there is very narrow, so you need to drive carefully as you have to react fast when there is a car coming in the opposite direction. One of you will have to stop so that the other one can drive by. It might get stressful when there are too many cars and you’re not an experienced driver but it is worth it as once you get to the top of the hill you will love the views and the village itself.
The village is remarkably well preserved and includes 45 buildings that you can admire. There is a museum, a souvenir shop, a restaurant, a church and many more objects that you can visit. One street of Vlkolínec was destroyed during the World War II but it was never replaced by newer houses, so that the village retains its character and charm. When you walk to the upper end of Vlkolínec you can continue your day in the forest as there are various hiking trails as well. I would be careful as this year there are many hungry bears walking around in that region.
The layout of Vlkolínec is defined by the terrain where it’s built. It includes wooden houses, stables, barns and even a large functioning farm. It dates back to the 10th century but the first written mention comes from the 14th century. Most of the buildings come from the 19th century but some of them, such as a bell tower are even older. It is the best preserved central European type of the settlement in the entire region.
Most of the houses are in private ownership and there are around 30 people who live there all year round. Even though I loved this place I cannot imagine living there as it is popular among tourists and the impact of tourism is interfering with the inhabitants’ everyday life. On the other hand, the residents are allowed to park their cars in front of the houses which destroys the romantic image that tourists might have when they read about this place. Almost all buildings are protected as national cultural monuments and in 1977 the village was declared a Reservation of Folk Architecture, and therefore any new constructions in the Vlkolínec are forbidden (there might be certain exceptions).
When we left our cottage, it was raining but we didn’t want to give up as it was only around 20 minutes drive, so in the worst case scenario we would return back. It stopped raining when we arrived in Vlkolínec but the clouds were still heavy and it could start raining anytime again. We were hungry anyway, so we could hide in the restaurant! We had a plan and were ready to go..
We purchased our tickets and started the tour. My mom was complaining constantly as she was surprised that we didn’t tell her that we would have to walk up the hill most of the time, and it was quite steep! Like we knew..
My family usually thinks that I have a crystal ball with all answers. My brother would get angry with me because I didn't tell him where are the changing rooms and showers in the wellness area. He would forget the fact that I haven't been there before either - just one example so that you understand what I mean. But back to our trip!
I went to the souvenir shop to get some gifts for my colleagues and I was happy to find pottery which was made in the village. I bought some pieces for me too 🙂 And I was ready to continue our tour. I was in the back all the time as I was the only one taking photos and the rest of my family was too hungry, so they were looking for that restaurant. The waitresses were dressed in traditional dresses and our food was served in authentic clay dishes. It was a nice experience. When they finally stuffed their bellies, their mood was better, and it was a good day again.
When we arrived, I wouldn’t say that this was the case, but we were really lucky with the weather. People don’t like dark and moody days, and rather stay at home, so there were not that many tourists around us and we could enjoy the atmosphere of the place.
I was feeling really good as Vlkolínec has some kind of positive energy that you cannot ignore. It feels like you were transported back to the 19th century. Some of the houses are available for the tour. They are equipped with traditional furniture and you can see how people lived more than 200 years ago. There is also a guide who can answer any of your questions - not so sure about the questions in English though.
After the tour, we walked up the hill to admire the views. Some of us (my mom and my sister) stayed in the village as they were fed up with walking up the hill. They said that it’s enough for them to see the photos afterwards. It was their loss as the views were fantastic! There were a few tables with benches and if I would ever get back here, I would make sure to bring some food with me as this is the best place for a picnic!
I hope you have enjoyed our trip to Vlkolínec.
Thank you for reading!
Cheers,
Martina
My tweet:
Love the character and colours of the places!!! Perhaps not an ideal place to live... but looks like a super spot for a birthday celebration. Although... here in Cape Town, we are pretty much used to the tourists invading our seaside town haha! !tip
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What a charming and picturesque little town. Slovakia is a very interesting country. I had no idea of that before I visited it. Now, I'd love to spend a whole year there, travelling around to see all those little towns in the middle of nowhere! 🤗
Thanks for your article and photos!
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Amazing that a place like that still exists.
Yes, there are still very traditional places in Slovakia and I love visiting them. You can learn so much about other generations :) Thank you for stopping by!
I must visit Slovakia some day.
Yes, the knowledge of past generations, and the simpler way of doing things must be preserved.