Lukáš is known on the Slovak internet as the Castle Hunter. He has already visited over 200 castles and ruins in Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Austria. He decided to share his passion with others and became a "guide" to castles and ruins in Slovakia. Read the interview in which he gives advice on how to start and what to definitely see.
Slovakia is a country rich in castles and ruins. What is the best way to start?
A very good question with a fairly simple answer. First, I would recommend visiting all the castles in your area and then gradually going further and further. It's definitely good to plan all your trips in advance, since many castles are located close to each other, which makes it possible to see several castles in one day. The internet is a great helper when planning, specifically for example my website www.lovechradov.sk
How should you equip yourself for a castle visit?
The basics are good clothing and, above all, quality footwear. This definitely should not be underestimated. Some castles have quite demanding ascents, and you need to be prepared for sudden weather changes or, for example, treacherous terrain. I personally have ankle hiking boots and quality hiking clothing. Since I visit castles all year round, my gear must also include thermal underwear or special socks. Another chapter is a good backpack, which can fit a change of clothes, food and, of course, something to drink.
What about visiting castles with children? What would you recommend to active parents?
I am a father of two children, so they also take part in my expeditions. Of course, it's always necessary to consider in advance the difficulty of the route and whether they will manage it without problems. Fortunately, we have many castles here, so there's plenty to choose from. Classics such as Beckov Castle, Slovenská Ľupča and Trenčín Castle can really be managed even by younger children. On the other hand, the climb up to Zniev Castle can take up to two hours, so you need to consider carefully whether the kids can handle it and whether they will actually enjoy it.
Which Slovak castle do you think is the most beautiful and definitely worth a visit?
In Slovakia we have dozens of castles, ruins and then hundreds of other unknown and vanished castles and small fortresses. As for classic castles, the most beautiful are definitely Trenčín Castle, Orava Castle and Beckov Castle. A very interesting ruin and one of my top picks is also Uhrovec Castle. But personally, I now most prefer traveling and discovering the lesser-known castles that have already slowly fallen into ruin. For example, Sučiansky Castle is a beautiful place combined with lovely hiking.
On Facebook you bring together a community of people who enjoy visiting castles and ruins. What led you to do this?
Exactly a year ago I founded a group on FB called: Hrady zrúcaniny a zaniknuté hrady (Castles, ruins and vanished castles). The group had unexpected success, which still pleasantly surprises me to this day. In one year, over 35,000 castle lovers have gathered there. I created a community of people who share a similar mindset to mine, which is actively visiting castles both here and abroad.
The group is a place where I present my castle experiences, show people lesser-known places, and come up with various contests and quizzes. Of course, the members themselves also contribute their own posts to the group. This year I also managed to organize two group meetups (at Uhrovec Castle and Sklabiňa Castle), which were a great success.
Is it worth traveling abroad for castles? If so, where specifically?
As for traveling to castles abroad, I only have one rule, and that is there's no need to be afraid. Castles are beautiful everywhere. For example, I have visited over 100 castles in Austria and I'm gradually starting to discover castles in the Czech Republic as well. My next goals are to visit castles in Italy and Germany. My big dream is then to travel through France and its local castles.
