Podkonice: Educational Trail, Culture and Winter Sports

Podkonice lies at the foot of the southern slopes of the Low Tatras and the Starohorské vrchy. The village combines an educational trail between the village centre and Pleše with winter sports, regional culture and a historic church interior. This makes it possible to tailor your stay to your interests: you can explore the landscape and trails, learn about the history of skiing or visit cultural sites in the village.

Educational trail between Podkonice and Pleše

The Podkonický náučný chodník leads from the centre of Podkonice to Pleše. Its two sections are almost five kilometres long in total and run between elevations of 550 and 976 metres. They are considered family-friendly. The longer section is 2.6 kilometres long and includes seven stations. The educational trail therefore offers a clearly described route structure, with the stations being just as much part of the experience as the change in elevation.

The cycling route to Podkonice is also suitable for cycle tourists, ending at a cycle-route sign next to the church. Those wishing to compare different places in the surrounding area will also find connections to Hiadeľ, Donovaly, Nemce, Spania Dolina, Badín, Slovenská Ľupča, Medzibrod and Moštenica.

Skiing and cross-country skiing near Podkonice

The Podkonice–Pleše ski resort is located 2.5 kilometres from Podkonice at an elevation of 800 to 987 metres on the southeastern side of the Low Tatras. It offers skiing on natural snow, as well as easy and intermediate runs with a total length of 5,172 metres. The resort also includes a nine-kilometre cross-country ski trail.

Facilities at the Podkonice–Pleše ski resort include a buffet, a restaurant, free parking and sanitary facilities. Overnight accommodation is available at Chata Pleše. The Slovak Ski Museum in Podkonice represents the history of winter sports. It opened on 1 September 2007, documents 130 years of skiing history and contains 650 exhibits related to skiing, as well as 85 pairs of ski boots. Please register by telephone in advance for a museum visit.

Church, memorial room and local culture

St. Martin’s Church was consecrated on 14 November 1819. Inside is a Gothic Madonna and Child dating from around the early 16th century, which is classified as a national cultural monument. The Pavol Tonkovič Memorial Room is a branch of the Literature and Music Museum in Banská Bystrica and has been open to visitors since 1998 in the building of the municipal office in Podkonice.

Local culture also includes the Vysoká folklore group, which presents authentic forms of musical and dance folklore, as well as recurring events. The traditional Fašiangová slávnosť is associated with a Zabíjačka and a procession of the Fašiangovníci through the village. The Tonkovičove slávnosti have been held in Podkonice every two years since 2007. At the end of December, the Podkonické Vianoce Christmas concert takes place in St. Martin’s Church.

For the broader travel overview: Banská Bystrica District.