Valaská Belá – Glass, Folklore and Nature

When planning your stay in Valaská Belá, you can give different emphasis to nature, activities and crafts. The manual production of glass Ručná sklárska výroba was included in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Slovakia.

Nature

The Strážovské vrchy Protected Landscape Area, designated in 1989, is characterised by forests interspersed with mountain meadows. The private Rysia Nature Reserve lies within the cadastral territory of the municipality of Valaská Belá, covers 30.49 hectares and is subject to the highest, fifth level of protection. The Nitrica, known locally as the Belanka, rises below Homôlka at an altitude of 900 metres above sea level.

Valaská Belá offers good conditions for agrotourism as well as attractive hiking and cycling tours. For your own planning, you can consider these themes separately and focus on the landscape, active pursuits or rural impressions.

Further places for planning your trip: Malinová, Bystricany, Pravenec, Diviaky Nad Nitricou, Jalovec, Ráztočno, Opatovce Nad Nitrou and Nitrianske Sučany.

Winter and Activities

At the Homôlka ski centre, skiers have access to ski slopes served by three dedicated Tatrapoma lifts. Chata Homôlka offers accommodation and full-day catering. The winter sports area is a separate focus alongside hiking and cycling tours as well as the area's nature and craft themes.

Culture

The Belanka folklore group takes part every year in the summer and winter folklore festivals of Upper Nitra. It presents traditional programmes for Carnival, during the Carnival procession through the municipality, at the raising of the maypole, on Mother's Day and in Christmas performances.

At the open-air glassmaking museum Sklený sen, visitors can observe how glass is shaped and blown by hand using traditional techniques. A visit to the museum must be arranged in advance because the furnace needs to be heated before glass processing begins. The arrangement covers the visit and the necessary preparation for glass processing.

The museum of linen, weaving and embroidery gives visitors the opportunity to weave fabrics on traditional looms. It displays handmade dolls in various sizes, colourful carpets, as well as various tablecloths, doilies and placemats associated with folk traditions. A visit to this museum should preferably be arranged in advance. The collection combines practical work at the loom with textiles and handmade objects in different shapes and sizes.

Belianska embroidery was made in three ways; all three methods were also known in the surrounding area. In addition to weaving and the exhibited textiles, a local embroidery tradition is therefore also among the inherited craft traditions.

History

The Neoclassical Church of Saint Michael the Archangel was built in 1800 on the site of an older Renaissance religious building, which was already mentioned in 1572; its tower was incorporated into the new building. The Church of Saint Michael the Archangel is in good condition and continues to serve its purpose.

For the broader travel overview: Prievidza.