The Banská Bystrica region includes the mountainous regions of central and southern Slovakia. It rests on the ridge of the Low Tatras and Velka Fatra, and in the mountain valleys you can admire magnificent monuments, including one of the most beautiful cities in the country, Banská Štiavnica.
The region's capital, Banská Bystrica, is declared a town monument reserve. Around the Market Square, tenements from various periods can be admired, and a city castle rises nearby. The city is also associated with the latest history of the country and during World War II it served as the main center of the Slovak Uprising. It is reminded by a monument and a museum.
However, Banska Stiavnica is inscribed on the UNESCO list. From the Middle Ages it was an important center for gold and silver mining. You can see here two castles, a 13th-century Romanesque church, late-Gothic buildings of the Old Town, as well as former mines, which are now open to the public. The region also has a somewhat less-known mining town of Kremnica, in which the Old Town with buildings from the Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque periods have survived.
In addition to monuments, the attractiveness of the Banská Bystrica Region is also determined by its landscapes. The Low Tatras and Big Fatra rise here, which abound in picturesque mountain trails. Ski resorts operate on their slopes, the most important of which are Chopok-south and Donovaly. The Śródmieście valleys hide small spas using thermal waters, including Dudince, Kováčová, Sklené Teplice and Sliač. You can also visit the Harmanecka and Bystriańska caves with interesting stalactite garments.
