A square historic square, houses with arcades and hiking trails with clearly marked distances give Kysucké Nové Mesto a variety of sides. The town lies at the lower end of the Kysuca River valley, on the border between the Javorníky and Kysucká vrchovina ranges, north of Žilina. When planning your trip, you can therefore consider historic parts of the town and hiking as separate priorities.
Historic Town Centre and Buildings
The historic town centre is considered the only preserved historic complex in the Kysuce region. Its square has a square layout, with streets radiating from its corners. The houses on the square were built in the 17th century and feature arcades. Belanského Street has houses dating from the first half of the 17th century, with Baroque alterations. The layout of the square and the different building phases make the town centre especially interesting for anyone who wants to explore historic structures not only in individual buildings but also in the urban layout.
The Gothic parish church of St James, dating from the 13th century, stands near the historic square, with remnants of a fortification still preserved there. It is dedicated to Saint James, the patron saint of the town. A sandstone statue of Saint John of Nepomuk, dating from 1761, also stands in the centre of the square. Another building is the two-storey brewery at 4 Jesenského Street. It dates from around 1650 to 1670, and remnants of Renaissance sgraffito have been preserved. The Neoclassical Church of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary was completed in 1817.
Culture and Visit Planning
The tradition of Jakubovské hody has continued since 1666. If you would like to plan your trip around this tradition, check the dates in advance. The private Muška Gallery presents works by academic painter Pavol Muška, as well as a selection of contemporary Slovak art in its artists’ exhibitions. You can check opening arrangements before your visit.
The Kysucká hvezdáreň has different visiting arrangements: until further notice, no excursions, guided tours or observations of the day or night sky are taking place there. Check the official notice again before your trip, as this status may change.
Compare Hikes by Length and Difficulty
The routes described differ in duration, elevation gain and difficulty. One 13-kilometre hike runs from Kysucké Nové Mesto via Budatínska Lehota, Pod Poľanou, Poľana Steny and 1,000-metre-high Holý vrch to Ľadonhora, then on to Horný Vadičov, Kubaščíkovci. It is listed as having 750 metres of elevation gain, a moderate difficulty level and a duration of about five hours. The Ľadonhora and Steny area is a state nature reserve.
A shorter out-and-back route runs from Kysucké Nové Mesto via Radoľa to 821-metre-high Veľký Vreteň: it is eight kilometres long, gains 450 metres in elevation, is rated moderately difficult and takes about three and a half hours. Veľký Vreteň is a state nature reserve. Because of the steep ascent and nature protection rules, the route described is not suitable for skiing or cycling.
Another route is listed as an easy eight-kilometre hike lasting two hours. It runs from Kysucké Nové Mesto via the protected linden tree, the Škorčie holiday settlement and Šerkov to Tábor. The small-leaved linden tree on the northern outskirts of the town is protected, is estimated to be more than 300 years old and can be reached on foot. The different information on duration, distance and elevation gain gives you concrete points of comparison when choosing a hike.
Tábor and Cultural Attractions in Radoľa
The forest road on Tábor is used by cross-country skiers and is also suitable for walkers and mountain bikers. Check the trail conditions according to the season. A 14-metre-high, four-storey wooden observation tower has stood on the summit of Tábor since 2015.
Nearby in Radoľa, the manor house is one of the oldest cultural monuments in Kysuce; its oldest part dates to the third quarter of the 16th century. Since 1983, it has housed a permanent exhibition of the Kysucký múzeum in Čadca, which was partly redesigned in 2002. Near Radoľa, the Koscelisko archaeological site preserves the foundations of a masonry church that stood from around 1270 to 1429.
Discover more destinations: Rudina, Radoľa, Rudinka, Horný Vadičov.
See the overview of the wider area: Okres Kysucké Nové Mesto.
