Discover Kysucké Nové Mesto

Kysucké Nové Mesto lies at the lower end of the Kysuca River course, north of Žilina and on the boundary between the Javorníky and the Kysucká vrchovina. Two themes can help you plan your stay: the historic town centre and hiking routes with specified distances, durations and difficulty levels. If you are looking for a hotel for your trip, you might consider whether you would rather explore the town’s history or spend time on the trails described here.

Historic Town Centre and Architectural History

The historic town centre is considered the only preserved historic complex in the Kysuce region. Its square has a quadrangular layout, with streets radiating out from its corners. This clear layout makes the square the focal point of the historic townscape. The houses there were built in the 17th century and feature arcades. Belanského Street also has houses dating from the first half of the 17th century, with Baroque alterations.

The Gothic parish Church of St. James stands near the historic square. Dating from the 13th century, it has remnants of fortifications. The church is dedicated to Saint James, the city’s patron saint. At the centre of the square stands a sandstone statue of Saint John of Nepomuk from 1761. Further architectural history can be seen in the two-storey brewery building at 4 Jesenského Street: it dates from around 1650 to 1670, and remnants of Renaissance sgraffito have been preserved. The Neoclassical Church of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary was completed in 1817.

Art, Tradition and Visiting Information

The private Muška Gallery presents works by the academic painter Pavol Muška. It also features a selection of contemporary Slovak art in exhibitions by individual artists. Check the current visiting arrangements before your visit. The Jakubovské hody is another local tradition, celebrated continuously since 1666. If you would like to include the event in your travel plans, check the dates for your travel period.

An important restriction currently applies to the Kysucká hvezdáreň: until further notice, no excursions, guided tours or observations of the day or night sky are taking place there. As the status may change, check the latest notice before travelling. This helps distinguish attractions with restricted visiting arrangements from the buildings and landscape destinations described as permanent features.

Hiking Routes and Natural Attractions

A 13-kilometre hiking route leads from Kysucké Nové Mesto via Budatínska Lehota, Pod Poľanou, Poľana Steny and Holý vrch to Ľadonhora at 1,000 metres, and on to Horný Vadičov, Kubaščíkovci. It has an elevation gain of 750 metres, is rated moderate and takes about five hours. A there-and-back route via Radoľa to Veľký Vreteň at 821 metres is 8 kilometres long, has an elevation gain of 450 metres, is also rated moderate and takes about three and a half hours.

Another 8-kilometre hike leads via the protected lime tree in Kysucké Nové Mesto, the Škorčie holiday settlement and Šerkov to Tábor. It is rated easy and takes two hours. The lime tree on the northern outskirts of the town is a protected small-leaved lime, over 300 years old and accessible on foot. When planning your time, note that the two 8-kilometre routes differ considerably: the route to Veľký Vreteň is listed as taking about three and a half hours and being of moderate difficulty, while the route to Tábor takes two hours and is rated easy.

The Ľadonhora and Steny area is a state nature reserve; Veľký Vreteň is also state-protected. Because of the steep climb and nature protection, the described route to Veľký Vreteň is not suitable for skiing or cycling. At Tábor, cross-country skiers use the forest road, which is also suitable for walkers and mountain bikers. Check local conditions according to the season. A 14-metre-high, four-storey wooden lookout tower has stood on the summit of Tábor since 2015.

More Cultural Attractions Nearby

In nearby Radoľa, the manor house is one of the oldest cultural monuments in Kysuce; its oldest part is dated to the third quarter of the 16th century. Since 1983, it has housed a permanent exhibition of the Kysucký múzeum in Čadca, which was partly reinstalled in 2002. Near Radoľa, the Koscelisko archaeological site preserves the foundations of a masonry church that existed from around 1270 to 1429. These destinations add evidence from different centuries to the story of the region’s history.

Discover more destinations: Rudinka, Radoľa, Horný Vadičov, Rudina.

Return to the main travel overview: Okres Kysucké Nové Mesto.