Discover Slovinky

Slovinky combines distinctive karst landscapes with a well-documented mining history. When you choose accommodation in the Slovak municipality, different experiences are closely connected thematically: hiking trails lead through the Poráč Valley and to Biela skala, while church architecture, monuments, and mining relics make the history of the town visible.

Karst Valley, Plateau, and Nature Reserves

The Poráč Valley is a 9-kilometre-long, narrow karst valley. The Poráč Stream has cut it into the limestone; the valley connects Poráč and Slovinky. The hiking route through the valley begins at a signpost in the centre of Slovinky, near the primary school. This specific starting point helps you explore the landscape from the municipality. The Červené skaly section is designated as a national nature reserve.

Another distinctive landscape feature is Biela skala, which rises 926 metres above Slovinky. The hiking route there also begins at a signpost in the centre near the primary school. From Biela skala, marked trails lead to Krompachy along a green-marked route. A yellow-marked trail then connects to the blue-marked route through Galmus.

Galmus is a karstified plateau at an elevation of 700 to 900 metres. The Galmuská tisina area is located here; as a national nature reserve, it covers an area of 55.9 hectares. Slovinská skala is also included in the national list of European Sites of Community Importance in the Natura 2000 network. No tourist trails have been created on Slovinská skala in order to protect important habitats. The documented natural areas therefore differ significantly in their possible use: some are connected by marked routes, while this area remains without tourist trails.

Hiking and Cycling for Different Levels of Ability

For relatively easy travel through the Poráč Valley, light cycling is also available in addition to hiking. The “Vrchmi okolo Sloviniek” route also begins at a signpost in the centre near the primary school and is rated as moderately difficult. The same route is suitable for mountain biking as a moderately difficult to challenging trail. This allows you to distinguish between a hike through the valley, a moderately difficult circuit, and more athletic use with a mountain bike, without equating the respective routes.

Church and Mining History in Slovinky

One of the cultural landmarks is the Greek Catholic Church of Saint Martyr George. It is a cultural monument of the Slovak Republic and is listed under number 701 in the central register of national cultural monuments. The present church was built from 1798 to 1808, and its iconostasis was created in 1874.

Slovinky originated as a mining settlement in the former extensive estate of Gelnica. The first written record dates from 1368 and names the place Villa Abakuk. Mining carts had already been installed at the municipal office by 2004. In 2009, members of the miners’ guild in Slovinky also erected the portal of a mine adit there as a reminder of the town’s mining history. In the centre, a monument commemorates miners who lost their lives at work; it was ceremonially unveiled on 9 August 2013. Further memorials to the fallen are located in a park in the centre of Slovinky.

For further orientation, you can also view Hnilec, Markušovce, Matejovce Nad Hornádom, Letanovce, Hnilcik, Krompachy, Odorín and Smizany.

For the higher-level travel overview: Okres Spišská Nová Ves.