Rimavská Sobota District: Nature, Educational Trails and Culture

Rimavská Sobota District combines protected karst landscapes, educational trails, castle ruins and regional culture. This gives you a choice of trips ranging from easy circular walks and nature observation to history and bathing experiences. The character of the region is particularly tangible where a path leads through a protected area, a castle stands on a basalt rock or a museum preserves the traditions of Gemer-Malohont.

Educational Trails Between Karst, Forest and Water

The Kurinecká dubina educational trail is suitable for all age groups and offers easy walking with little elevation gain. The main route is a 4.55 km circular trail starting and ending at the Kurinec bus stop; there is also a shorter route of approximately 2.6 km. A viewpoint and ten information panels explain the local nature, protected areas and changes in the landscape.

The Drienčanský kras educational trail is 7.54 km long, has 15 stations and can be visited independently year-round. It leads through the protected Hikóriový porast area and then along the Teplý Vrch Reservoir. A birdwatching hide is located on its shore. The trail also passes through the protected karst area; the Malá drienčanská jaskyňa cave is open to the public. The nearby Veľká drienčanská jaskyňa cave serves as a wintering site for a bat colony and is not accessible to visitors.

Other trails focus on different themes: Po stopách Maginhradu presents a local legend at twelve stations, accompanied by the narrator Bedár. The Zvernica Teplý Vrch educational trail is 2,920 metres long and has eight stations about fallow deer and mouflon, as well as flora and fauna. The Pohanský hrad protected area covers 224 hectares and is considered the most valuable area in the Gemer part of the Cerová vrchovina. The remains of a Celtic stone wall and a rock settlement with 31 pseudokarst caves are located there.

Castles, Views and Regional History

The remains of Hajnáčka Castle date from the 13th century and stand on a basalt rock above Hajnáčka. A marked route leads from the village square to the castle grounds; from the wooden castle gate, a short footpath continues to the castle rock. Multilingual information panels, wooden railings and steps carved into the rock are features of the well-maintained site.

A 17-metre-high observation tower stands on Maginhrad. From there, views extend from Kráľova hoľa across the Rimava Valley to Hungary. In Malé Teriakovce, the Gothic church has a painted wooden coffered ceiling, considered one of the oldest preserved ceilings in Slovakia.

The Gemersko-Malohontské Museum documents the natural and cultural heritage of the Gemer-Malohont region. Two permanent exhibitions are open to the public; the museum also displays the Egyptian mummy of a woman, Tasheritnetiak, from Abusír el-Meleku. In Veľké Teriakovce, a restored water mill has been established as a regional museum of agriculture, milling, baking and traditional crafts. Exhibits include, among other things, a collection of Kyjatice toys and a traditional Teriakovo room and kitchen. The mill is also a national cultural monument.

Swimming, Observation and Regional Specialties

Kurinec-Zelená voda offers swimming in the reservoir or in pools with drinking and geothermal water at 33 °C. The documented facilities include a children’s pool, a slide complex, sports courts, and the rental of boats, pedal boats and paddleboards. The observatory in Rimavská Sobota adds a publicly accessible astropark with planet models and an arboretum to the range of excursion destinations. In suitable weather, you can observe sunspots and the town panorama through telescopes.

Sokoliarstvo Kanát presents 70 birds of prey and stages falconry demonstrations. Visitors can also experience direct contact with birds of prey there. Regional cuisine highlighted for visitors in Rimavská Sobota includes gemerské guľky, halušky, potato pancakes, kapustníky and bryndzové pirohy.

Places for Further Orientation

The following pages are available for further orientation in the area: Budikovany (Budikovany), Rimavská Sobota (Rimavská Sobota), Štrkovec (Štrkovec), Vieska Nad Blhom (Vieska Nad Blhom), Sútor (Sútor), Krokava (Krokava), Horné Zahorany (Horné Zahorany), Gemerček (Gemerček), Drienčany (Drienčany), Žíp (Žíp), Zádor (Zádor), Vyšný Skálnik (Vyšný Skálnik), Veľké Teriakovce (Veľké Teriakovce), Večelkov (Večelkov), Včelince (Včelince), Teplý Vrch (Teplý Vrch), Španie Pole (Španie Pole), Širkovce (Širkovce), Šimonovce (Šimonovce), Studená (Studená), Slizké (Slizké), Rumince (Rumince), Rimavské Zalužany (Rimavské Zalužany), Rimavské Janovce (Rimavské Janovce), Rimavské Brezovo (Rimavské Brezovo), Rimavská Seč (Rimavská Seč), Rimavská Baňa (Rimavská Baňa), Rakytník (Rakytník), Radnovce (Radnovce), Poproč (Poproč), Petrovce (Petrovce), Padarovce (Padarovce), Nová Bašta (Nová Bašta), Martinová (Martinová), Lukovištia (Lukovištia), Lipovec (Lipovec), Lenka (Lenka), Lehota Nad Rimavicou (Lehota Nad Rimavicou), Kyjatice (Kyjatice), Kráľ (Kráľ), Kraskovo (Kraskovo), Konrádovce (Konrádovce), Kociha (Kociha), Kesovce (Kesovce), Kaloša (Kaloša), Jestice (Jestice), Ivanice (Ivanice), Jesenské (Jesenské), Chanava (Chanava), Chrámec (Chrámec), Husiná (Husiná), Hostišovce (Hostišovce), Hrachovo (Hrachovo), Hubovo (Hubovo), Hostice (Hostice), Hodejovec (Hodejovec), Hodejov (Hodejov), Hnúšťa (Hnúšťa), Hajnáčka (Hajnáčka), Gemerský Jablonec (Gemerský Jablonec), Gemerské Dechtáre (Gemerské Dechtáre), Dulovo (Dulovo), Dubovec (Dubovec), Dolné Zahorany (Dolné Zahorany), Drňa (Drňa), Číž (Číž), Čerenčany (Čerenčany), Cakov (Cakov), Bottovo (Bottovo), Blhovce (Blhovce), Babinec (Babinec), Bátka (Bátka), Tisovec (Tisovec), Abovce (Abovce) and Klenovec (Klenovec).

To the higher-level travel overview: Banská Bystrica.