Discover Polomka: Nature, Winter Sports and Culture

Polomka combines the scenery of the Low Tatras with panoramic views, trails for a range of activities and a rich cultural heritage. To help plan your trip, the landscape around the observation tower, the Voľchovô nature trail, and the museums and historic sites offer a variety of points of interest.

Scenery and views around Polomka

The northern side of Polomka is bordered by the Low Tatras massif. Within the municipality, Homôlka in the Low Tatras reaches an elevation of 1,665 metres. Polomské očko offers sweeping views of the landscape: the observation tower stands at an elevation of 906 metres on the summit of the local ski resort. From there, the view extends across the ridge of the Low Tatras, the forests of Muránska planina and large parts of the Horehronie region.

Access to Polomské očko is via a 2-kilometre ski slope with an elevation difference of approximately 300 metres. Another way to include the tower in a trip is to take the Voľchovô nature trail. It starts at the upper car park of the ski resort and leads directly to the observation tower.

Skiing, the nature trail and Rybník Voľchovô

Polomka Bučnik ski resort has three artificially snow-covered, regularly groomed pistes: one easy and two intermediate. The facilities also include ski equipment rental, a ski service and a ski school. The pistes can be distinguished by their stated difficulty levels, while the facilities and services complement the ski area.

The Voľchovô nature trail is 8.5 kilometres long and has seven stops with information boards about the region’s fauna and flora. Benches are provided at every board for resting. The trail thus combines information about nature with regular places to rest along its route. Rybník Voľchovô is also part of the nature trail and is linked to two marked cycling routes. You can reach the pond on foot, by bicycle or by car. There, the owner can show you how to fish and provide the necessary equipment.

Another activity is offered by the Veža climbing wall, which was set up in a former water tower. It is 10 metres high and 7.5 metres wide, with routes of varying difficulty. The climbing wall opened on 1 May 2013 and is operated by the TREND civic association in Polomka.

Folk art, exhibitions and regional cuisine

Traditional food and clothing are also part of the local culture. Traditional dishes include hriatô s medom, krompak v kapuste and štikaná chamula. Polomka is particularly known for its hand-pulled polomská štrúdľa. The municipality’s folk costume is distinguished by rich embroidery on handwoven linen; its ethnographic elements have been preserved in their original form.

The MIDO exhibition hall displays folk art and everyday objects. Exhibits include costumes, photographs, paintings and porcelain, as well as household appliances, looms and sewing machines; the exhibition also includes a historically furnished room. Documents on the making of polomská kapka complete the displays. The exhibition hall opened to the public in 2015.

The “Od ľanu ku kroju” exhibition traces the making of traditional clothing from flax cultivation through processing, spinning and weaving to polomská kroje. Visitors can try out the fully functional looms. Admission is available by prior reservation at 0911 179 191. The exhibition is located in the municipal log building, SNP 65, 976 66 Polomka. Confirm that visits are possible before your trip.

Historic sites and religious tradition

The Roman Catholic Church of St John the Baptist is an important religious monument in Polomka. Count František Wesselenyi had it built in 1666. After his death, his wife continued the construction; the church was completed three years later. Inside is a unique late Baroque pulpit from the late 17th century, which is designated a national cultural monument. Another notable historic monument is the former poorhouse, founded by Count Štefan II. Koháry in 1725.

The grounds of the Chapel of the Seven Sorrows of the Virgin Mary have served as a pilgrimage site since 1999. Every year on 15 September, believers from various parishes gather there. Visitors can drink spring water at the chapel; it does not freeze even in winter. Fully original wooden houses, preserved mainly on Bernolákova and Nálepkova streets, offer another glimpse into the area’s architectural history.

Getting there

A second-class road and a railway line run through Polomka in an east-west direction between Banská Bystrica and Brezno, and onwards to Poprad and Rožňava. These transport links provide an orientation for planning your journey; no timetables are included.

Discover more destinations: Pohorelá, Telgárt, Šumiac, Mýto Pod Dumbierom, Dolná Lehota, Pohronská Polhora, Predajná, Horná Lehota

For the broader travel overview: Brezno District.