Barkai's Cottage. (source: Branislav Caban)
A weekend for 15 people in a popular tourist location for less than the price of 10 kilograms of potatoes, or to put it another way - an entire cottage all to yourself in a national park for €10 per day, and half that for locals.
A helping hand in the heart of Europe offers for you Slovakia travel guide.
There is an increasing interest in stays for undemanding travellers in cottages and homes in the mountains, Iveta Šušánová, mayor of the village of Plešivec, Košice Region has said.
The municipality rents out a cottage in the Slovak Karst National Park, specifically on the Plešivecká Plain, for €10, regardless of how many people stay in it.
Although there is no electricity and there are problems with water, demand for a stay at Barkai's Cottage, also known as the Veľký Vrch Gamekeeper’s Lodge, is high, she says.
"There is definitely interest. Visitors come to us at all times of the year. It often happens we have dates that are completely booked out, like we had on New Year's Eve," the mayor told MY Novohrad, adding that fortunately they do not have a problem with vandalism.
Barkai's Cottage. (source: Branislav Caban)
Unique in Central Europe
Šušánová added that tourists come from all over the country, attracted by the price and the location with its unique Serényi cistern. It is the only one of its kind not only in Slovakia, but also in Central Europe.
"It is a unique technical work on the Plešivecká Plain. A special cistern for collecting rainwater was built in 1913. In the past the local meadows were grazed by cattle, but there was a lack of water," according to the Gemer Regional Tourism Organisation (OOCR).
Cistern. (source: OOCR Gemer/Facebook)
The object consists of a concrete tank, located where rainwater from the slopes collects from a large area. It has a diameter of 16 metres and it is four metres deep.
"It was possible to hold up to 960,000 litres and thus provide water for hundreds of cattle, horses and sheep. It survived the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the creation of the Czechoslovak Republic, both world wars and the post-war totalitarian regime," OOCR explains.
They add that tourist routes lead to it from Plešivec, Štítnik, Slavec, Kružná and Rakovnica. "Whoever is tempted to discover the beauty of the Plešivecká Plain should know that it is known for its caves and chasms. There are approximately 200 of them. The deepest is Diviačia Chasm (123 metres)."
Tourists spend a week in a cosy house
The tourism organisations Turistický Novohrad and Podpoľanie invite people to cosy Poľana and Javorinka shelters in the land of an extinct volcano (Poľana is the name of the extinct volcano in Banská Bystrica Region - ed.). And even here they cannot complain about the lack of interest of visitors. Last year, 36 stays were recorded in the Poľana shelter above the town of Hriňová.
Some spent the weekend there, others stayed in the shelter for longer.
Most visitors respect the rules in the shelter. A bigger problem is leaving ketchup, mustard, various seasonings and food lying around as it attracts mice, voles and dormice.
Those who stay at the shelter can set out on a trip to the Bystrô Waterfall and to the Kešovka Rocks, which offers one of the most beautiful views in the Podpoľanie region.
Spectacular Slovakia travel guides
A helping hand in the heart of Europe thanks to the Slovakia travel guide with more than 1,000 photos and hundreds of tourist spots.
A detailed travel guide to the Tatras introduces you to the whole region around the Tatra mountains, including attractions on the Polish side.
Lost in Bratislava? It's impossible with our City Guide!
Selected travel articles, podcasts, travellers' needs as well as other guides dedicated to Nitra, Trenčín Region, Trnava Region and Žilina Region.
