Bojnice Castle

Slovakia

LoginSave

Gazing at fairy-tale Bojnice Castle stirs fantasies of knights and maidens in even the world-weariest travellers. Blushing sandstone towers and crenellated turrets make this romantic castle the most visited in Slovakia. Only foundations remain of the original 12th-century fortification, but an early-20th-century reconstruction by the Pálffy family took inspiration from the castles of France’s Loire Valley, lifting Bojnice to the neo-baroque splendour that stands today.

Visits are by 75-minute guided tour only and taking photos carries an extra charge (€2).

If you're hungry before or after a castle tour, Alej is a much better choice than the food stalls around the castle.

Prievidza, 4km east of Bojnice Castle, has bus connections to Žilina (€3.40, 1½ hours, 10 daily) and Bratislava (€10.50, 3¼ to 4¼ hours, three daily or change at Piešťany or Žiar nad Hronom). From Prievidza bus station, regular local buses run to Bojnice (€0.60, 10 minutes).

For additional atmosphere, book a few days ahead for a night tour and consider visiting during the International Festival of Ghosts & Spirits.

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

  • Museum of the Slovak Village

    Museum of the Slovak Village

    24.01 MILES

    This picturesque recreated village – Slovakia's largest skanzen (open-air museum) – showcases over 120 faithfully reconstructed 19th-century dwellings in…

  • SNP Museum

    SNP Museum

    26.36 MILES

    A museum dedicated to WWII history and Banská Bystrica's role as the beating heart of the country's anti-fascist resistance is harboured in a looming…

  • Trenčín Castle

    Trenčín Castle

    25.58 MILES

    Trenčín's fearsome castle has surveyed the surrounding hills for centuries. Its oldest walls date to the 11th century, when it was constructed to watch…

  • Kalvária

    Kalvária

    26.88 MILES

    The apex of baroque art in Slovakia is on a volcanic hill, 2km northeast of Banská Štiavnica's old town. Ornate chapels guard artwork showing scenes from…

  • Slovenský Betlehem

    Slovenský Betlehem

    18.39 MILES

    There are several places in Slovakia where wood-carvers have put their lathes to the challenge of creating a Nativity scene, but 'Slovak Bethlehem' is the…

  • Old Castle

    Old Castle

    26.43 MILES

    Marching around this noble stronghold is a riveting history lesson. Visitors scale stairs and stride across rampart walkways, peering into the 13th…

  • Kostol sv Kataríny

    Kostol sv Kataríny

    26.49 MILES

    Peer at apocalyptic frescoes, star-shaped vaults and stained-glass windows inside this 15th-century Gothic church. The south wall of the chancel shows a…

  • Holy Trinity Plague Column

    Holy Trinity Plague Column

    26.45 MILES

    It’s impossible to miss this fancy baroque sculpture featuring seven saints. Planted in the heart of the Holy Trinity Square, which is lined by burgher…

View more attractions

Nearby Slovakia attractions

1. Radenov House

12.49 MILES

Split between two romantic timbered buildings, Čičmany’s museum has displays on local culture and folklore, especially rites of passage from birth to…

2. Slovenský Betlehem

18.39 MILES

There are several places in Slovakia where wood-carvers have put their lathes to the challenge of creating a Nativity scene, but 'Slovak Bethlehem' is the…

3. Museum of the Slovak Village

24.01 MILES

This picturesque recreated village – Slovakia's largest skanzen (open-air museum) – showcases over 120 faithfully reconstructed 19th-century dwellings in…

4. Turiec Gallery

25 MILES

Trace Slovak identity through the last century or so of modern art at this diverting gallery, the best in central Martin. There's a permanent collection…

5. Roman Inscription

25.58 MILES

The Romans came, saw and graffittied Trenčin. The town's unique claim to fame is a soldier's inscription from AD 179, commemorating a battle against…

6. Trenčín Castle

25.58 MILES

Trenčín's fearsome castle has surveyed the surrounding hills for centuries. Its oldest walls date to the 11th century, when it was constructed to watch…

7. Galéria Bazovského

25.65 MILES

A 1000-strong collection of paintings and sketches by Miloš Alexander Bazovský, forefather of modern Slovak painting, is the core attraction of this…

8. Town Gate Tower

25.72 MILES

Views are sublime from this octagonal tower, part of a 15th-century fortification. An inconspicuous glass elevator carries you most of the way, then there…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting: 
    {
  "url": "slovakia/central-slovakia/attractions/bojnice-castle/a/poi-sig/1251810/360691",
  "destination": "Slovakia",
  "continent": "Europe",
  "country": "Slovakia",
  "position": "superzone"
}