Vacation beneath the Babia Hora Mountains in Orava




Civic association Pod Babou horou
Katarína Turácová,
029 45 Rabčice 419
Slovakia

tel:. 043 5574061
mobil: 0910 594 061
e-mail: stefan.turac@orava.sk
map: view map


  1. Do you want to spend a vacation or weekend in the country? Try it with us beneath the Babia hora mountains.

  1. Welcome to the microregion Babia Hora!
    It is formed by seven villages: Bobrov, Klin, Sihelné, Rabča, Rabčice, Oravská Polhora and Zubrohlava and nestled in the colorful, protected landscape area Horná Orava, at the foot of Babia hora, the dominant mountain range in the region. Babia hora's highest point is 1725 meters above sea level, which makes it the third highest in Slovakia. The border with Poland runs along its spine.
 





 
  1. The Babia hora is accessible from an educational footpath starting in the town of Slaná Voda, not far away from Oravská Polhora. Slaná Voda was once a famous spa with springs of excellent iodine-bromine water. Today it is a good base for hiking and tourism, offering accommodation, dining and a tourist information center, where comprehensive information about Babia hora can be found.




  1. The footpath from Slaná voda to Babia hora passes by Hviezdoslav's lodge, where the famous epic Hájnikova žena or Forester's Wife took place. An exhibit in the lodge illuminates this literary work, its author P.O. Hviezdoslav and Milo Urban, a significant Slovak prose- writer and native of Rabčice.
 


  1. Do you have an appetite for roast lamb or pork and good music? We will gladly prepare it for you. In addition, while hiking under the Babia hora, from May until September you are welcome to stop at the various sheep cotes, where the head shepherd will offer you cheese and žinčica, a sour sheep's milk.
 





  1. For real hikers, there are additional hiking paths, for instance to the Malá Babia hora (1527 meters above sea level), or to the Piľsko (1557 meters above sea level).


  1. We have an immensely rich and varied natural environment. Mushroom-pickers will find their heaven here, and huckleberries and raspberries can be eaten to your heart's content. Meadows are lush with a variety of medicinal herbs, perfect for drying for tea, as is our custom. But beware: you must not collect herbs in the national parks on the top of Babia hora and Piľsko, nor in the peat bog near the village of Klin.
 





  1. Interested in local crafts? Watch a wood carver at wok, and take home a vest, slippers or hat made of fleece, reed baskets, needlework, a hand woven carpet or candles made of real beeswax. Plus, in Oravská Polhora, you will learn everything about wooden shingles the traditional roofing material. Not only you will see shingles being produced, you can try your hand at making them yourself!


  1. Do you have a sweet-tooth? Then you will enjoy tasting the excellent honey and cheese strings from Rabča.
  1. For folklore lovers we offer opportunity to sing and dance together with the local people. The best events begin with the Podbabiahorské slávnosti, (Babiahora Mountain Festival) in July in Sihelné, the only festival featuring Goral folklore in Slovakia. Then in September the cheerful piper festival Gajdovačka takes place in Oravská Polhora, where you can also see bagpipes being made. Finally, in October there is the parade of heligonkári or accordion players in Rabčice. Expect, moreover, to have the locals sing and play for you anytime you want.
 





 
  1. Shrines, small and inconspicious, but beautiful, dot the Babia Hora landscape. While hiking you will find many of these in different places, for example on Kýčer in Zubrohlava, on the Calvary in Bobrov and in many more places. 12. Are you interested in farming traditions? In the summer, you can visit Rabčicie's small museum featuring farming implements.


  1. Are you interested in farming traditions? In the summer, you can visit Rabčicie's small museum featuring farming implements.
 





  1. Do you want to know how our ancestors lived? We can offer you accommodation in traditional wooden house and even a bed of hay. You can help with farm work, taste good home cooked meals, ride on horseback, learn to churn butter and make oštiepky, a smoked cheese made of sheep's milk.
 
Civic association Pod Babou horou • Katarína Turácová • 029 45 Rabčice 419 • Slovakia
tel:. 043 5574061 • mobil: 0910 594 061 • e-mail: stefan.turac@orava.sk • www.podbabouhorou.szm.sk
Photo: František Vorčák
This promotional material was printed thanks to the foundations Ekopolis and Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt.