In 1 day

Small and rich. That's how the Little Carpathians can be summed up in a nutshell, offering a whole range of places that are a guarantee of experiences in a relatively small area. Purely for inspiration, we bring you at least two tips on how to spend one really intense day in the Lesser Carpathians. Let's take a quick look at what these two routes bring.

You are more city tips, what do they want to enjoy art, monuments, good food and wine? We will guide you on the route Svätý Jur - Pezinok - Modra and show you the best of local galleries, monuments and businesses.

Svätý Jur 

The ideal tip for a one-day trip is the town of Svätý Jur. It is small, but at the same time cozy, and all the sights and interesting places are kept close to each other, which ultimately makes the experience of the visit even more intense.

Of all the monuments of St. George, it stands out the most Pálffy Manor. Thanks to its architectural design and rich history, the Renaissance residence of Katarína Pálffyová and Štefan Illésházy from 1609 has definitely not fallen asleep to the times and is still an attractive place not only for eyes and cameras. The Lomnica wine shop and the ViaJur Winery still operate on its premises, continuing the centuries-long winemaking tradition of the region right in its heart. 

You can jump right away Armbruster Manor, a well-preserved example of a burgher's house from the Renaissance, the building of the first horse-drawn railway in Hungary from 1840.  Gothic church of St. George and its adjacent wooden bell tower, the walls of the city fortifications, Plague column by the statue of the Holy Trinity, or The noble manor of the Zichys. The Gothic church resembles such a small treasure chest. In it you will find a Gothic fresco of a saint, a pastorium, a marble sarcophagus of Count Juraj, a Renaissance tombstone of Count Gašpar from Sereda, or a Rococo pulpit. 

Svätý Jur is a somewhat inconspicuous unique. On a small area here, you can travel up and down in time with one joy, and the ordinary sightseeing will immediately take on a very brisk, pleasantly adventurous character, which will not tire you, but entice you to see even more of the region. 

Pezinok

From Svätý Jura, it's only a short distance to Pezinok, where you can see it Schaubmar's mill. The beautiful rural estate built by the Pezín branch of the Pálffy family is today the premises of the Slovak National Gallery. It is the only well-preserved stream mill in Slovakia with functional mill technology. And it doesn't grind for nothing here. Thanks to the Slovak National Gallery, exhibitions of modern art and design, as well as rich accompanying events, are currently located in the historical environment. Relax in a local cafe and take away beautiful books about art, nature, or various craft trinkets from the local workshop.

Another stop we recommend is Small Carpathian Museum. Here you will find all the interesting information about viticulture and winemaking. It's not boring. They have the largest collection of wine presses in Europe. During the tour of the permanent expositions The story of wine and The history of viticulture, interactive elements use drunkenness simulators, an aroma bar, or a bottle opener. In addition to exhibition activities, the museum is dedicated to archaeological research, educational and pedagogical activities. Very popular are experiential wine tastings in complete darkness or try how different types of colored lighting and music will play with your taste buds.

It is also a great choice Šimák Castle Pezinok, where you can enjoy almost everything without exaggeration. You can choose tours of four exhibitions in one place. These are the exhibitions of Pállfy's apartments, the Gallery of Art Glass, lovers of retro two-wheelers will get started by the exhibition of Jawa motorbikes, and at the end we recommend the Museum of Viticulture. You can start or end their visit with a gourmet lunch with wine from the local winery in Zámocká viecha.

Modra

From Pezinok, you can go by car or public transport directly to the nearby one, only 7 kilometers away Blue. You can enjoy the beauty of the Little Carpathians, a collection of contemporary art, as well as good coffee, wine and snacks in Zoya museum in Blue. It specializes mainly in Slovak art after the second half of the 20th century, but you will also be pleased with the selection of foreign works of art. The permanent exhibition includes, among other things, a rich collection of works by pop art icon Andy Warhol. The gallery owns one of the largest collections of his works in Europe. So get ready for a large-format experience.

It does not end with art in the Zoya museum. The gallery belongs to the winery complex Elesko Wine Park, which won the award Building of the Year 2010. It is one of the most progressive wine parks in Central Europe. Here, traditional production methods are combined with the most modern technologies. Wines characterized by a high level of sensory composition with an emphasis on the terroir of the given location will certainly bring you unique taste moments.  

Stop also at Blu: gallery – the new gallery concept in Modra will enchant you with an exhibition space in a vineyard house of an urban character, where Modran's mayor Georgius Znämer lived in 1612. In the gallery you will find high-quality, primarily Slovak art. It focuses on paintings, works on paper, graphics, 3D objects and utility design. The curated selection of professional artists is contemporary, bold, trendy, authentic and high quality.

If it fits you better nature and hikes, read on. We will guide you through the unique nature of the Small Carpathian forests. Well, at least a fraction of what they offer.

White Stone 

From Svätý Jura, it is neither difficult nor in vain to run to the castle White Stone. An easy path to the ruins of the castle leads through the Little Carpathian forests. The ruins of the castle in the middle of the woods have a mysterious atmosphere. In the magical spirit of nature, you can continue on Bansk educational trail. 

A 7-kilometer long route awaits you from Pezinsk Cejlo, where you will find the remains of local spas, pass through old local tunnels and learn something about the local mining history and mining legends, which still give the local area a slightly mysterious atmosphere. 

Neštich and Vinohradnícky nature trail 

A relaxing and no less beautiful route leads from Svätý Jura to the castle I don't care from the period of Great Moravia. The ramparts of the original fortifications have been preserved here, which created a defensive center with a total length of 1,600 meters on an area of over three hectares. With a large piece of preserved history, a large piece of relaxation awaits you here in the middle of the nature of the Small Carpathian forests. 

You can go for a walk from Modra along the Vinohradníky nature trail, which will guide you through the rich history of winemaking in Modra and the no less rich nature. Such an ideal and tourist-friendly choice for an educational break, which will suit an individual, a couple, and the whole family, and will take about 2 hours. 

End the day with good food and wine 

There is no better way to end the day in the Little Carpathians than at a tasting of local wines in Open lids in the period from May to August. Choose from wineries Bognár, ViaJur, Pavelka a syn, Hacaj, Zámocké vínárstvo, Karpatská perla, Carpate Diem, Malík a syn, Víno Ludvik and others. Or stop by one of the wine shops, we have some tips for you: Wine Center Sv. Jur, Pezinok town hall wine shop, Cuvée Blue, Pávuk caffee & enoteca. And dinner is best enjoyed in Old house or Wild kitchen.

In conclusion, we wish you only one thing in Malé Karpaty: Enjoy them as much as possible. In addition to our two routes, this area offers many other possibilities for trips, hikes and visits. So get inspired and go on a journey with, for example, the Malé Karpaty application, with which you can come up with a lot of things.