Trenčín

Trenčín is an old town in Western Slovakia. It is a beautiful historic city, with a population of over 55,000 (2018). Trenčín is the main city of the western part of Slovakia called “Považie”. It lies on the longest Slovak river called the “Váh”. Because of its importance and beauty, Trencin is called “the pearl of Povazie”. Trenčín is one of the wealthiest cities in Slovakia with low unemployment and quite a high standard of living.

Understand

Trenčín castle

Trenčín is a peaceful city with a beautiful historical centre and several suburbs.

Because of its position between the mountain chains, it is likely to have windy weather. Winters are quite long, and summers are not the warmest when compared to the Slovak average temperatures.

Trenčín is redeveloping itself into a new regional tourist centre in Slovakia.

The Trenčín hockey team belongs to the best of Slovak hockey clubs, and its soccer team is in the top league as well.

Get in

By car

Trenčín is in the north-west of Slovakia, 120 km north of Bratislava, close to the border with the Czech Republic. The main highway from Bratislava to Kosice, which is in some parts still in progress, has a direct exit to the centre of Trenčín. When taking the D1 highway from Bratislava it shouldn't be more than a one-hour trip. Traveling by car to Kosice from Trenčín takes about four hours, while Banska Bystrica, which is in the middle of Slovakia, is two hours drive away.

By train

You can take one of the frequent trains from Bratislava to Trenčín, as it is on the national main line. It takes about 1 hr 20 min to reach Trencin from Bratislava. The trip further east to Kosice takes from 3½ to 4½ hours depending on which kind of train you take.

By bus

Because of the location of Trenčín in relation to other surrounding destinations, it has many buses going through it. The trip to Bratislava from Trenčín takes about two hours (the train is a better option), to Banska Bystrica takes about three hours (a bus is the fastest way) and if you want to travel to Kosice, take the train.

The main station for local buses is across the road from the train station. Tickets can be bought on the bus.

Get around

The city centre is very small and you can easily walk from one side to another in a few minutes and most of it is pedestrian area.

By bus

Trenčín has a rather good public transportation system although not so frequent to a smaller boroughs. With cash you can buy ticket from bus driver paying €2.00. Using any yellow card reader you can buy ticket for only €1.00 with contactless bank card. With smartphone app or card issued by Transdev Trenčín (town transportation) or SAD Trenčín (regional transportation), you can buy ticket for €0.80. All tickets are valid for 60 minutes. It is also possible to buy ticket valid for 24 hours. You don't need tickets for dogs or baggage.

Stops have to be requested. To enter bus you need to be standing visibly on the bus stop. To exit, you need to press any button in advance if you wish to leave on the next stop. Bus doors have to be opened by passengers, just push a button on the door or near the door.

The same rules and costs apply for night buses and special bus lines (marked with letter or letter and number). Most night lines are operated only night before non-working day (usually Friday and Saturday).

Bus stops near the city centre are Hasičská, Braneckého and Gymnázium. For main railway and bus station, use Autobusová stanica stop or near by Obchodná Akadémia accessible by railway underpass.

For schedules and map of routes see imhd.sk.

See

City centre at night

• 1 Trenčín Castle (Trenčiansky hrad) (on a rock above the city).  
• Executioner's House (Katov dom), Matúšová Ul. 14. 
• 2 Roman inscription from the year 179 (Rímsky nápis). There's one unique Roman inscription from the year 179 when the Roman legions led by Marcus Aurelius wintered in the settlement then named Laugaricio there. It's written on the castle rock and it's freely accessible from within the Hotel Elizabeth.  
• City Gate (Mestská veža). The remaining part of city fortification. 
• 3 Synagogue (Synagóga). It was built in 1913 and is accessible at times of occasional exhibits; with a small worship room in the back of the building. (updated Oct 2020)
• 4 The museum of wheels (Múzeum kolies). Exhibits of car wheels made from wood or stone. 
• 5 Beckov Castle (Beckovský hrad). A local castle ruin. It is easily reachable by bike from Trenčín or by few direct buses from Trenčín or with one change via Nové Mesto nad Váhom.  
• Mineral water in Kubrá (Kubranská kyselka) - spring of mineral water in Kubrá near wood with playground for kids. Easily accessible by foot, car or bus (nr. 7, 11 and 13 from bus stop Kubranská, kyselka).
• Island (Ostrov) - popular recreational place next to the city centre. Also the venue of annual summer event Splanekor (Splav netradičných korábov - Sailing of unusual ships).
• Pohoda festival - one of the biggest Slovak music events, organized annually in Trenčín Airport.
• 6 Skalka. Pilgrimage site with monastery and the Diocesan Shrine of St. Andrew Zorard and Benedict of Skalka. (updated Jan 2024)

Do

Sports

• Football: AS Trenčín play soccer in 1. Liga, the top tier. Their home ground Štadión Sihoť (capacity 6300) is on the riverbank 2 km northeast of town centre.

Bike trips

• Hradza on the Vah The Hradza is a levee along the Vah river. The path is used by walkers, bikers, and rollerbladers.
• Brezina The Brezina is forest which runs around the south-east of Trenčín just two minutes by walk from the city centre. It contains number of very nice, quiet and safe trails also good for biking.

Squash

On the part of the town called “Ostrov”, which is situated on the Vah river, are many choices of sport and leisure activities.

• The Sports Indoor Centre, ☏ +421 32 744 44 47. providing many sports including squash 

Tennis

• Tennis courts, ☏ +421 905 981 257 (mobile). Karpatská ulica, open daily during the summer season. 
• Tichá ulička, ☏ +421 905 626 523 (mobile). 
• Ostrov, ☏ +421 908 526 943 (mobile). Open daily during the summer season. 

Fitness

• Fitness Gabrhel, ☏ +421 32 743 15 03. Opatovská cesta 676. 
• Fitness Gabrhel, ☏ +421 32 640 07 52. Gen. Svobodu 1. 
• Fit Centrum - club - Šnajdr, ☏ +421 32 743 14 35. Mládežnícka. 
• Body building P + D Jarábek, ☏ +421 903 220 080 (mobile). Lavičková 3472. 

Swimming

• Outdoor swimming pool, ☏ +421 32 743 27 44. Mládežnícka 2. 
• Outdoor swimming pool, ☏ +421 32 652 30 74. Zlatovská cesta. 
• Municipal indoor swimming pool, Mládežnícka 3, ☏ +421 32 743 48 13. 

Canoeing

There is possibility to go canoeing on the Vah river during the Summer season. You can also lend canoe at the "Ostrov".

Cultural activities

Cinema

• Cinemax - ZOC MAX, it is a complex consisted of four cinemas in one shopping centre called Max on the Stefanikova street.
• Metro – Cinema in the heart of the city on the main square. They use to play non-commercial movies from different countries worldwide.

Art museums

• Galeria M. A. Bazovskeho, Palackeho Ulica 27
• Municipal gallery, Mierové námestie 22. Gallery hosts naive and professional artists from Trencin region.
• Trenčín Museum, Mierové námestie 46. The museum is at the beginning of the main square coming from hotel Tatra by the left hand. It is generally presenting the history of Trencin and has nice exposition of animals as well. Music undertakings often provided.

Festivals

• 1 Pohoda Music Festival. This is the big event that everyone looks forward to. It takes place second weekend of July. Usually starts from Thursday afternoon till Sunday morning. Main programme is planned for Friday and Saturday. Approx. 25 000 people attend event. Mostly camping in tents in the area of former military airport. 
• Art Film Fest. International movie festival. The Art Film Fest is a competitive International Film Festival. The festival was founded in 1993, it takes place each year at the end of June, in the historical town of Trenčín and the nearby historical spa resort of Trenčianske Teplice. 

Buy

Fashion is a synonym to city Trenčín in the past it was called “Trenčín town of fashion”; this wonderful town has many nice small shops and big shopping malls. Small classical shops are surrounded in the town centre. A lot of nice shops create a nice look to the square. Both shopping and sightseeing could be done in the town centre.

Shopping centres

• Max - gen. M.R. Štefánika 426, there are a lot of cafés and small shops, 1 km from the train and bus station.
• Baumax, Big Boxes and Tesco - Električná 911 01 Trenčín, are on the other side of the town. There are some good shops, and also cheap ones. But my recommendation is to go to the square.
• Južanka Shopping Centre - it is in the part of town which is called “Juh”.
• Laugaricio- the new shopping centre on the outskirt of the city. There are a lot of sport shops and there are also shops with clothes and a lot of cafés and restaurants.

Eat

In Trenčín there are many good places where you can eat, there are some really good fast foods in the town centre, and you can have their national specialties in a roll, such as “Cigánska pečienka”, which pork roast on the split in the roll.

Budget

• Gazdovska very popular restaurant in the centre near “Peace Square”

Mid-range

• Papa's Garden near the fountain of waterman, they are serving meals like kebab, gyros and so on.
• Basta restaurant is on the place called “Ostrov (island)”. It is the only restaurant open all day and all night.
• Giacomo Pizzeria typical Italian pizza with everything what belongs to it, they are also serving pasta and salads. This pizzeria is very close to Restaurant U Sanera.

Splurge

• Retro Restaurant. Very clean, good service, they have very good meals and the prices are quite good, also every weekend there's live music. 
• Restaurant Fatima is on the way up to the Castle, very nice.

Drink

Although Trenčín is a small city, there are many places where you can drink. The season begins on Friday and Saturday when many people drive out to centre to undergo some entertainment.

Bars and pubs

• Life Music small pub with good background, students are meeting there especially on Friday and Saturday
• Steps Pub and Cocktail Bar. Near the town tower. High end. Usually no fee during weekends, best sound and light system in town. Drinks are quite expensive in comparison with other pubs in town. Nobody under 18. 

Tea Rooms

One big Tea room is on the Mierové Square opposite to the Church, which is also a shop with tea stuff. There is one very good tea – Tea of Old Touaregs, green tea made from gunpowder.

Sleep

Trenčín is a small town, but there are a lot of places with accommodation, 4 hotels and several lodging houses

Budget

• Camping Sĺňava II, SK, Cesta Janka Alexyho, 921 01 Banka-Ratnovská cesta, ☏ +421 911 201 089. Basic camping near the lake Vah, swimming pool and sport hall are close to that camp. It's good for anglers, fishermen, and people with boats and water scooters. 

Mid-range

• 1 Hotel Pod hradom. Matúšova ulica 12/68, behind the “Mierove Square”. It is close to the castle. from €73. 
• Hotel Brezina**. Somer a.s., Lesopark Brezina 911 00, this hotel is in the Brezina forest, it is surrounded by beautiful nature 

Splurge

• 2 Hotel Elizabeth, M. R. Štefánika 2. National Monument. This hotel was built in the year 1900. It provide high quality services, accommodation and food for higher prices. It is also famous for the message which kept Roman forces in the past, about 200 AD. 
• 3 Grand Hotel, Palackého 24 (close to the "Peace Square). (updated Feb 2021)

Connect

• Internetova kaviaren, Braneckého 6; Hours: Monday - Friday 09:00- 22:00, Sa Su 12:00 - 22:00.
• Internet Modra linka, Štúrovo námestie 11; Hours: Monday - Saturday 10:00 - 22:00, Su 12:00 - 22
• Hajex Cafe, Palackého 17; Hours: Monday - Friday 10:00 - 21:00, Saturday closed, Sunday 15:00 - 21:00.

Stay safe

Trencin is quite a silent town it is very safe by European and American standards; there is not so much crime like in other parts of world, police is highly respected in town and could be met very often in downtown. But only one recommendation, stay safe of pickpockets or thieves. Take care of your wallet if you are in the bus, train and in crowded place.

Cope

Slovaks are very popular for they hospitality for foreign people. They are also well known for they adaptability and kindness, but if you have any problem try to ask them nowadays many Slovaks speak English or other foreign language and they will be glad to help you if not try to call 112 (police, first aid, and firefighter).

Go next

There are many interesting places around Trenčín where you can go:

• Trenčianske Teplice: very quiet international spa town, many foreign tourists visit this small town
• Beckov old ruins of great castle
• Lešná, near town Zlín in Czech Republic there is very big zoo, and it is popular because of animals being free in the wild
• Inovec highest hill in mountains around Trenčín with nice panorama view and also good place for skiing