Rajec by e-bike: An easy single-day trip with a romantic roadside attraction

Rajec, a charming hilly region in the north of central Slovakia primarily visited by tourists for a pampering spa experience in the antique-style Aphrodite House in Rajecké Teplice, has been eagerly working on becoming another kind of a paradise in recent years.

Rajec, which contains the word “raj” (Raj means a paradise in English.), has invested resources to build its name not only as a spa town but also as a haven for all bikers.

In contrast to my last trip to the region, when I attempted to see as many well-known places and attractions in Rajec in one weekend as I could without a bicycle, I instead set out to explore the region a few months ago from a bike saddle. Without a list of sights saved on my phone that I’d like to see, I was hoping to absorb the spirit of the region to the fullest extent and, hopefully, survive the trip as I had been an inexperienced cyclist prior to the trip.

A feeling of hitting the road on a bike has always been resting somewhere deep within me although I haven’t even got a bike. (It may change soon.) But unless you choose to explore Rajec in wintertime, it doesn’t matter. You can enjoy a full-day or a half-day ride of freedom on an e-bike rented out from a small local hotel, Flámm, in Rajecké Teplice from spring to autumn.

Rajecké Teplice, a peaceful small spa town, is a centre of tourism in the region and the home to unusual rock formations hidden in the nearby hills, as well as the beautiful Swan Lake. Cyclists often begin their journey from the town.

By the way, prepare several hundreds of euros in cash for a deposit if you plan to rent out an e-bike from Flámm. It’s also advised to book the bike in advance.

At the hotel, I asked for a recommendation on which cycling trail I should select during my single-day visit to the region. Several sheets of paper with maps printed on them were immediately placed on a counter in front of me. At the same time, a young man at a bike rental place told me to download an app that would navigate me through my adventure. I found the Mapy.cz app easy to use. At the same time, I came across the North Slovakia app. It includes plenty of bike route maps, in addition to a number of other spectacular places to visit in the larger Žilina Region, which Rajec is a small part of.

After signing all the papers, I was ready to take off.

Heart-shaped bench

With a borrowed e-bike, my trip began next to the bridge across the Rajčanka river and a railroad crossing in Rajecké Teplice. Here, a sign also marks the start of the Stratený Budzogáň (a name of one rock formation in the area) educational path. The trail, in part, copies the popular bike route Rajeckou Dolinou Na Dvoch Kolesách (Rajec Valley On Two Wheels).

After a short ride alongside the river, through the forest and the field, I arrived in Zbyňov, a tiny town that has an angel in its coat of arms. I then cycled through Hlavná (Main) Street and reached another town, Jasenové, a few minutes later. I took a short break right in front of the local chapel before getting my feet back on the pedals again. Despite taking the wrong turn and following a route running along Čierňanka stream instead of the one alongside the Rajčanka river, I eventually made it to the town of Rajec.

From the town, tourists can, for example, hike to the Dubová lookout tower.

Rajec, where a railroad from the regional capital of Žilina ends, offers its own outdoor swimming pools to visitors in the summer. A large square, named after the 1944 anti-Nazi Slovak National Uprising, was where I decided to have a Kofola, the Slovak version of Coke, at a local restaurant called Dubová. The calm atmosphere on the almost empty square was suddenly disrupted by a group of women loudly complaining about the quality of meals they had ordered, sitting at a table across from me.

As I drank the Kofola, I was staring at the screen of my phone and exploring all the different bike routes all over the region. One stuck with me for its French name.

As it turned out, a few years ago the Rajec region held Louis Cros Memorial, a running and cycling event that began in Malá Čierna, a town neighbouring Rajec. Cros was a French insurgent who fought in the Slovak National Uprising in this region. He died in 2009. The memorial bike routes changed throughout the years. Though the event no longer seems to be held, I’m keen to try one of its routes in the future. This summer, Malá Čierna organised a run named after the French man, Louis Cros’ Four Crosses, for the first time, according to the village’s website.

Following a break, I was passing by the railway station and the Jewish cemetery before I found myself outside the town. Even while I rode a bike alongside a busy road, none of the drivers appeared to be annoyed and bypassed me carefully without honking. After a short while, I came to a crossroads. Regardless of which direction you take, you will arrive in the town of Kamenná Poruba.

At the crossroads, I accidentally turned left and ended up cycling on what seemed to me as an endless asphalt road surrounded by vast fields. The quiet was now and then disturbed by approaching cars. By this road, cyclists can find a heart-shaped bench where they can rest and take in those beautiful views of fields spreading far and wide.

But, I didn’t. The bench was occupied by a couple.

The road then took me to Kamenná Poruba and Konská, the last town before returning to Rajecké Teplice in the company of other cyclists and drivers.

For this trip, I decided to exclude the southern part of the region (Rajecká Lesná, Košiare water dam, and Malá Čierna) as it was my first trip of this kind.

Try local beer or eat at farm

Because I rented the e-bike from Flámm, I finished my trip at the hotel restaurant, which is crowded during peak hours. The restaurant serves delicious burgers. I also loved a creamy beetroot risotto. The hotel offers its own beer, in addition.

Other restaurants worth trying are Relish or Meritto for its pizzas and vegetarian meals. In 2016, Meritto was named the best restaurant in the Rajec region. In the spa town, you can also try Mlynárka by the main road. In Jasenové, you can try the Bardy farm.

The railway station is situated just a few minutes away from Flámm. The trains leave for Žilina, from where you can get on a train to Bratislava or other directions, about every hour, making the Rajec region a perfect place for a day bike trip.

The article has been brought to you thanks to a partnership with the Žilina Tourism Region - www.zilinskyturistickykraj.sk.
Implemented with the financial support of the Ministry of Transport of the Slovak Republic.