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Slovakia Trip 2022

 

THE FOLLOWING ITINERARY IS FROM A PAST SOCIETY TRIP, AND IS PRESENTED FOR INTEREST ONLY, TO ILLUSTRATE THE TYPE OF TRIP THAT THE SOCIETY ORGANISES OUTSIDE THE UNITED KINGDOM

 

Castles of Slovakia

 

Tuesday 30th August – Saturday 3rd September 2022

 

In Nosferatu’s centenary year, we visit Orava, F.W. Murnau’s location for Count Orlok’s castle in the film, and many more medieval castles, including Elizabeth Bathory’s final residence, Čachtice.

 

Orava Castle

 

Join us on our five-day castles tour of Slovakia (and Austria), staying in Trenčín and Žilina, highlighting the magnificent Orava Castle, virtually untouched since it was used by F.W. Murnau in his 1922 film Nosferatu. We also visit castles owned by the notorious ‘Blood Countess’, Elizabeth Bathory, including where she died, reputedly walled up in her room.

 

Tuesday 30th August: Day 1 (268km)

09:05 departure with Austrian Airways from London

Heathrow to Vienna, arriving at 12:20. Board our

coach for a short drive (41km) to the spectacularly

Gothic Burg Kreuzenstein, the location for Castle

of the Creeping Flesh (1968), Baron Blood (1972) and

many more genre movies. We visit the castle and have a

break for lunch, then cross the border into Slovakia,

arriving in Trenčín (227km) for a two-night stay at

the Hotel Elizabeth.

 

Burg Kreuzenstein

 

Wednesday 31st August: Day 2 (66km)

After breakfast, we visit Trenčín Castle (behind and above the hotel), then in the afternoon we drive to the nearby castle of Čachtice (33km), where Elizabeth Bathory was imprisoned until her death. Evening at leisure in Trenčín.

 

Trenčín Castle

 

Thursday 1st September: Day 3 (143km)

Check out from our hotel and drive to the nearby Bathory castle of Beckov* (18km), then after a break for lunch continue north to Lietava Castle (112km). Continue onwards to Žilina (13km) for our two-night stay at the Holiday Inn.

 

*We found on the trip that the castle at Beckov was only partially open and under heavy reconstruction, so the decision was made to visit the castle at Topoľčany instead.

 

Friday 2nd September: Day 4 (The Nosferatu castles. 133km)

After breakfast we drive to Count Orlok’s residence, the castle of Orava, (77km) for an extensive visit. We then drive to Dolny Kubin (8km) for lunch (included), before our return to Žilina with a stop en route at the remains of Starhrad Castle (48km), shown briefly at the end of Murnau’s film to show Orlok's castle in ruins.

Evening at leisure in Žilina.

 

Orava Castle

 

Saturday 3rd September: Day 5 (318km)

We leave our hotel after breakfast, driving to Nitra (165km) for a visit to the castle and free time for sightseeing and lunch prior to our return to Vienna airport (153km).

Catch the 20:20 flight with Austrian airlines to London Heathrow, arriving at 21:40.

 

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