TRAIL 2027 takes place in the STU manor house and park in Kočovce, a village in western Slovakia in the Váh valley, between the towns of Nové Mesto nad Váhom and Trenčín. It is about 100 km from Bratislava. A direct train from the capital to Nové Mesto nad Váhom takes roughly an hour and twenty minutes, and we will arrange transport from the station to the venue. Detailed instructions on public transport will follow.
The Kočovce manor house is a Baroque country house built in 1730 and remodelled in the late nineteenth century. Together with its park and a modern teaching centre, it now belongs to the Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava. As at previous TRAIL meetings, the whole group stays on site: accommodation is in double and triple rooms, and full board is provided. Please indicate any dietary requirements in the registration form. Parking in the park is free. If you plan to arrive the day before the meeting, please say so in the registration form, as beds must be booked in advance. A well-stocked grocery shop is a short walk away in the village.
The Middle Váh valley is castle country. The ruins of Beckov stand on a limestone cliff just 6 km from the venue. A few kilometres further on, at Haluzice, a roofless Romanesque church dating from the early thirteenth century stands on the edge of a gorge, 1 km long and 50 m deep, carved into the hillside by a small stream – a striking example of landscape change in its own right. Čachtice, Tematín and the great castle of Trenčín are all nearby. For those interested in earlier periods, the Great Moravian hillforts at Ducové and Pobedim are close by, and the surrounding hills hold many more hillforts, some of which will feature in the workshops.
The spa town of Piešťany and Trenčín, European Capital of Culture 2026, are both within easy reach. The Czech Republic is also not far away, while the High Tatras offer an option for those planning to extend their stay in Slovakia. The meeting is therefore a good starting point for a few extra days exploring the region.
Nearby places of interest:
- Beckov Castle – ruins on a cliff above the Váh, about 6 km from the venue
- Haluzice – Romanesque church ruin and gorge
- Trenčín Castle – one of the largest castles in Slovakia, run by the Trenčín Museum
- Čachtice Castle – 13th-century ruin, home of Elizabeth Báthory
- Tematín Castle – 13th-century ruin in the Považský Inovec hills
- Ducové-Kostolec – Great Moravian magnate’s court with reconstructed palisade
- Trenčín, European Capital of Culture 2026
STU manor house and park in Kočovce
Kočovce 1
916 31 Kočovce
Slovakia
All images from STU SvF web page.
