We came from Bratislava to visit Slovakia's most magnificent castle in Bojnice. This is my personal and subjective view, as if you research Slovakia, you'll find this castle prominently featured in photographs. It looks fantastical, reminiscent in some ways of a Disney castle.
We parked at a hotel's parking lot very close to the castle, with a daily fee of 7 euros. Alternatively, we could have used free city parking or the parking lot at a Lidl supermarket one kilometer away, but opted for the most convenient option.
We took a coffee break in front of the castle. There are rules here that allow a maximum of four people per table, but we were a group of five. Some of us had to sit at a children's table. There's also an interesting illusion area, accessible with a ticket. Bojnice Castle is one of Slovakia's oldest and most significant landmarks. According to records from Spisska kapitula monastery in 1113, the castle was initially mentioned as a wooden structure and later rebuilt with stone during the 13th century. By the 15th century it came under the ownership of King Matthias Corvinus, who frequently visited the castle.
Lastly Jan Pálffy extensively reconstructed the castle from 1888 to 1909. Pálffy, one of the foremost collectors of ancient paintings and sculptures of his time, rebuilt the castle in a French style. However the French woman he loved married someone else during this time and Pálffy never married. In 1945 the castle was confiscated by the Czechoslovak state and today is considered one of Slovakia's national cultural monuments.
There's a 700 year old lime tree in front of the castle, now reduced to a stump. Inside the castle there's a break from 12:00 to 12:30, which we missed by two minutes. While waiting we decided to explore the botanical garden, with an entrance fee of 5 euros.
Near the castle there's a raptor farm where you can find hawks, owls, ravens and eagles. The beauty and grace of these large birds are breathtaking, but seeing them tethered with short ropes is also saddening.
You cannot enter the castle grounds without paying an entrance fee. There are two different tour routes available, each costing 11 euros. However if you want to take the full complex tour, it's 15 euros.
One of our friends in the group is vegetarian and mentioned an app where we could find a place to eat. We found a spot two kilometers away and decided to visit it after visiting the castle.
I had seen such a massive and beautiful place in Slovakia. The atmosphere was very nice. The presentation was also very interesting and high-quality. I was truly surprised. Everything was wonderful. The service and food were excellent. I decided to try the dessert and it was really delicious. This place is so good that I can recommend it without hesitation. There are also things like a portable grill and a phosphorescent caravan here.
In 2013 Bojnice became a 900-year old city. We went to a place called Cajka v oblakoch (Seagull in the Clouds). If you come to Bojnice, this place is definitely worth seeing. There's an observation terrace to climb a bit higher and we went up there. We reached a really high place and could see Bojnice Castle through the trees. There was a great playground for children. I wish there had been such a place in my childhood.
There's a train here that you can ride up and down. There's a large, organized area with houses and mushrooms. Cajka v oblakoch is an engineering marvel. It rises 30 meters above the mountain, so it towers over the trees and offers fantastic views of Bojnice. On the other side, there's also a panoramic view. You can reach here from Bojnice via a 40-minute hiking trail or drive partway and walk the rest. We really enjoyed this trip and were very satisfied. I definitely recommend visiting Bojnice.
I wish you to build castles, travel and never experience unrequited love like Jan Pálffy did. See you.