landmark
Banská Štiavnica
A UNESCO-listed historic mining town with Renaissance palaces, open-air mining museums, and scenic artificial lakes called tajchy.
23 km · about 25 min drive
EuropeSlovakiaBanská Bystrica Region
Zvolen
Banská Bystrica Region, Slovakia · Europe
About Zvolen
Zvolen is worth a stop: 10 minutes from Kováčová, 57km from Demänovská Ice Cave.
Zvolen is in Banská Bystrica Region, Slovakia, with about 40,000 people. You drive on the right here. The nearest town is Kováčová, about 5 km away.
Zvolen (Slovak pronunciation: [ˈzʋɔlen] ; Latin: Zolium; Hungarian: Zólyom; German: Altsohl) is a city in central Slovakia, situated at the confluence of the Hron and Slatina rivers. It is known for its historical and cultural attractions. It is surrounded by the Poľana mountain to the east, the Kremnické vrchy to theRead more
west, and the Javorie and Štiavnické vrchy to the south.
The population is approximately 40,500, making it the twelfth-largest city in Slovakia by population and thirteenth by area. It is the centre of the Podpoľanie historical region and the seat of Zvolen District. It is also a major transport hub, being one of the four principal railway junctions in Slovakia (together with Bratislava, Košice, and Žilina).
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Zvolen?
Within an hour or so of Zvolen: Banská Štiavnica (23 km), Špania Dolina (26 km), Donovaly Pass (34 km), Bojnice Castle (48 km).
Are there any good drives near Zvolen?
The nearest famous roads are Donovaly Pass, Certovica Pass and Droga pod Reglami, Zakopane.
Where is Zvolen?
Zvolen is in Banská Bystrica Region, Slovakia, about 5 km from Kováčová.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 39,844
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- Slovakia
- Region
- Banská Bystrica Region
- Timezone
- Europe/Bratislava
- Coordinates
- 48.5744, 19.1532
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in Slovakia
Motorway vignette required. Zero alcohol limit for drivers.
Full driving guide for SlovakiaTags
Worth the detour from Zvolen
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
landmark
Špania Dolina
A steep copper-mining village at 728 m above Banská Bystrica, mined since the Bronze Age, its miners' houses stacked around a square with a 162-step covered wooden staircase climbing to the 13th-century church.
26 km · about 30 min drive
mountain pass
Donovaly Pass
A 960 m mountain resort saddle on Route 59 between Banska Bystrica and Ruzomberok, threading between the Low Tatras and Great Fatra with a flowing climb popular among Slovak drivers.
34 km · about 40 min drive
castle
Bojnice Castle
A romantic neo-Gothic chateau of fairytale spires above a spa town, Slovakia's most-visited castle.
48 km · about 55 min drive
landmark
Vlkolínec
A remarkably well-preserved UNESCO village of traditional log houses representing a complete example of a medieval central European settlement.
53 km · about 60 min drive
mountain pass
Certovica Pass
The 'Devil's Pass' carries Route 72 over the spine of the Low Tatras at 1,238 m: the highest paved road pass in Slovakia, with hairpin descents on both flanks and big ridge-top views.
56 km · about 65 min drive
natural wonder
Demänovská Ice Cave
A spectacular cave system in the Low Tatras featuring permanent ice formations, frozen waterfalls, and underground lakes.
57 km · about 65 min drive
natural wonder
Demanovska Cave of Liberty
Show cave in the Low Tatras with flowstone formations and an underground river, on the Demanovska Dolina valley road south of Liptovsky Mikulas.
57 km · about 65 min drive
Driving roads near Zvolen
3 named roads, passes and coastal drives within 100km.
- 34 kmDonovaly PassA 960 m mountain resort saddle on Route 59 between Banska Bystrica and Ruzomberok, threading between the Low Tatras and Great Fatra with a flowing climb popular among Slovak drivers.
- 56 kmCertovica PassThe 'Devil's Pass' carries Route 72 over the spine of the Low Tatras at 1,238 m: the highest paved road pass in Slovakia, with hairpin descents on both flanks and big ridge-top views.
Driving in Slovakia
- Drives on
- the right
- Petrol
- ~€1.55/litre
- Motorway tolls
- None
- Vignette
- Required, around €12 for a short-stay sticker
When to drive here
April to October
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