Discover Skalica: Vacation Apartments, Culture, Wine and the Baťa Canal

Skalica combines impressive sacred buildings, a vibrant cultural history, wine traditions and paths into nature. Between the rotunda, church tower, vineyard cottages and the Baťa Canal, the city presents a diverse picture made up of individual experiences and well-preserved evidence of its history.

Culture

The Rotunda of St. George is an originally Romanesque building that probably dates from the turn of the 12th and 13th centuries. Its upper section is connected to the fortifications and served a defensive function, while the lower section was used as a chapel. The Franciscan Church of the Seven Sorrows of Mary provides a different architectural accent; it is a Gothic building from the mid-15th century. The Franciscan monastery also includes a cloister courtyard and a gallery in the cloisters.

The Dom kultúry has been preserved in its original form as an Art Nouveau building since 1905. The building houses a permanent exhibition of the Záhorie Museum and the Júlia Korezsku Gallery. The Parish Church of St. Michael the Archangel was converted in the Late Gothic period from a single-nave church into a three-nave basilica. The exhibition in the Apothecary of the Brothers of Mercy features restored furnishings from the mid-18th century as well as historical pharmacy objects.

The Jesuit Church of St. Francis Xavier also preserves several notable elements: historic stucco decoration, parts of frescoes, access to the crypts and an altarpiece that is among the largest in Slovakia. The exhibition on the history of printing in Skalica traces the beginnings of printing in the area to the printing house founded by the Jesuits in the early 1670s. The restored Pilárik Brothers’ Mill, which is open to the public, offers another insight into local history.

Views and Trails

The tower of the Parish Church of St. Michael the Archangel offers views of Skalica and the surrounding area. The observation tower can be reached via 126 wooden steps. Cyclists can follow routes from Skalica to the Morava, the Baťa Canal and Zlatnícka dolina. Marked hiking trails around Skalica lead, among other places, to Zlatnícka dolina, Čupy, Mlýnky, Chvojnica and Vrbovce.

At Perúnska lúka, a 500-meter-long nature trail with eight stations begins near the Skalica fishponds. The nearby Zlatnícka dolina also has a public outdoor swimming pool with three pools. Activities there include swimming and beach volleyball, as well as sports equipment rental.

Water on the Baťa Canal

Boat trips on the Baťa Canal can include the Skalica–Strážnice route and the return journey, passing through a lock. The possible combination of the town, the canal route and passing through the lock complements the marked trails with an experience on the water.

Wine and Local Specialties

Skalický rubín is a wine from the Skalica wine-growing region. It is blended from Skalická frankovka, Svätovavrinecké and Modrý portugal. On the surrounding hills, there are more than 500 vineyard cottages used for processing and storing wine.

Skalický trdelník is part of the culinary tradition. It is prepared in the traditional manner in the black kitchen of the Franciscan monastery. Trdlofest 2026 is also an event featuring Skalický trdelník and good wine.

Discover More Destinations

More destinations in the directory: Kopčany, Holíč, Vrádište, Lopašov, Kátov.

To the higher-level travel overview: Skalica.