Are you longing for exotic destinations, good food, sights all to yourself and pleasant company? You don’t have to travel far, because it’s all closer than it might seem at first glance. A holiday in Dubai might look stylish on Instagram, but a holiday in Šariš is a real treat!
This melting pot of cultures, religions and languages is exotic in its own right. Add to that the most delicious home-cooked food, a group of friends and private views in peace and quiet, away from the crowds, and you’ll easily outshine Dubai. And all of this is just a stone’s throw away – after all, Šariš is our very own “near East”.
Take inspiration from Grandad Igor’s tips and follow in the footsteps of the filming of our new videos, which are part of rebranding to mark the 10th anniversary of OOCR Šariš Region. The route brings together the beauty and unique features of the nature, language and culture of the Šariš region.
Little Slovak Paradise
We’re setting off from a place that is “the Šariš paradise” without crowds, surrounded by nature and without queues. No waiting or jostling on the footpath, just a private walk Through the Lačnov Canyon, which begins in the village of Lipovce. Not far from the entrance gate to the canyon, you’ll find some small lakes, from where you’ll set off along a 2 km-long footpath flanked by steep slopes and rock faces with bizarre formations running its entire length. Among the best-known are the 60-metre-high Moses’ Pillar, Kamenná Baba, the rock formation known as Vrátnica, and Komín.
On the other side of the gorge you will find the village of Lačnov – a heritage zone of folk architecture, which is full of rare wooden and brick monuments showcasing the folk architecture, traditional culture and way of life of the Šariš region. We continue along the main road back towards Lipovce, but on the way we’ll test a gravitational anomaly where water appears to flow uphill – though it’s merely an optical illusion. A few metres further on, you’ll spot the entrance gate to the Zlá diera caves, which was formed from limestone and dolomite. The cave is the only known and accessible cave in the Prešov District, and a footpath leads to it through meadows and woodland.
On the way back, you can stop at the Srdiečko viewpoint – a steel footbridge set between two rocky outcrops, offering views over the Lipovský potok valley. We continue along the main road to the turn-off at Lipov Castle. Although only fragments of the castle remain, it is still an interesting site with preserved sections of the castle walls, set in the attractive surroundings of a sharp, rocky ridge, with a lovely rocky viewpoint and a view of the Lačnov Gorge. From the castle, we’ll head back to the car park and carry on to the next stop.
Centre for Traditions in the Šariš Region – Krivany
Let’s head to the picturesque village of Krivany in the Šariš region, which, thanks to its rich history, is home to several treasures. The first of these is The Centre for Folk Culture in Krivany, which displays items from the collection that illustrate the folk traditions of the picturesque Šariš region.
An integral part of the complex is a wooden amphitheatre with a covered stage, where the Upper Torysian Folklore Festival is held every year. The centre is open to the public, but it is advisable to check in advance by telephone with the local council.
A notable figure was a local man, Ján Lazorík - a teacher with his own distinctive teaching methods and an advocate of reforming the Slovak language (calling for the removal of the letter ‘y’), an educator, botanist and fruit grower who established natural science plant breeding stations, and above all a folklorist, ethnographer, collector and preserver of the intangible and tangible cultural heritage of the people, predominantly in north-eastern Slovakia, and an advocate for the preservation of the Šariš dialect.
There were 11 to 12 manor houses in Krivany, 11 larger Dessewffy manors and 3 to 4 wooden country houses belonging to local gentry. One of the cultural monuments in the village of Krivany is a single-storey Renaissance manor house dating from the first half of the 17th century. The manor house courtyard once contained stables, coach houses and farm buildings; the granary and the manor house itself still stand today. The manor house is currently undergoing renovation, but the garden behind it is open to the public. Here you will find a gazebo and an orchard with both original and new varieties of trees, which were bred by Ján Lazorík.
Having discovered all the treasures of the village of Krivany, we move on to the picturesque Rusyn village of Čirč.
The Rusyn village of Čirč
The village of Čirč is a Rusyn village in the north of the Šariš region, as indicated by the bilingual sign at the entrance to the village. In the 15th century, the village was a medium-sized settlement, which was subsequently gradually populated by Rusyns. Rusyn culture and the Greek Catholic tradition remain prominent in the village to this day.
Čirč is one of the best places to start your journey to Minčol. The village lies at the north-western foot of Čergov, and it is from Čirč that one of the best routes leads up to Minčol (1,157 m above sea level), the highest peak in this part of the mountain range. The area above Čirč is also a paradise for blueberries, cranberries and mushrooms. The ridges of Minčol, Malý Minčol and Krížny vrch feature extensive mountain meadows and cranberry and blueberry thickets. In favourable years, the local beech forests are also popular with mushroom pickers. You can reach Minčol from Čirč by car or by bike; you can park in the meadow below the forest (by the last house) and continue on foot or by bike along the tarmac cycle path. A signposted forest path will take you all the way to Čergovský Minčol, where you can enjoy beautiful views of the entire surrounding area.
In the footsteps of Šariš and its beauty
Following in the footsteps of Grandad Igor, we’re discovering that we don’t have to travel to the other side of the world to have adventures. We don’t need to wander off to distant lands when we have attractions at home with no queues, views without the crowds, brilliant people, food to die for, and places that never cease to surprise. Just travel a few kilometres and you’ll find yourself in a completely different world – one moment amongst the rocks of the Lačnovský Canyon, the next amongst the treasures of Šariš folk culture, in a Rusyn village or high up on the Čergov ridge. And exotic experiences? We’ve got those right here at home, too. On a single route, you’ll hear both the Šariš dialect and Rusyn, learn new words, customs and traditions, sample local delicacies and meet people who’ll tell you more about their region than any tourist guide ever could. No airports, no changing trains and no crowds at the most famous attractions. Sometimes, all it takes is a good look around, and you’ll realise that everything we travel hundreds or thousands of kilometres to see can also be found, in a slightly different form, right here at home – in Šariš.
And if you’re still unsure where to go next, perhaps Ján Lazorík himself can offer the best advice: „First of all, get to know your own hometown, and only then think about San Francisco.“
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Photo source:OOCR RŠ
