Straight out of a fairy-tale dream, Bojnice Castle is crowned with towers and turrets and crenulated mouldings. The original 12th-century fortification got an early-20th-century redo by the Pálffy family, who modelled it on French romantic castles. It's the country's most popular castle by visitor numbers.
The time to visit is during the International Festival of Ghosts & Ghouls in May, when costumed guides put on shows. The palace also gets decked out for various medieval events.
The nearby city of Prievidza has bus connections to Žilina (€3.40, 1½ hours, 10 daily) and Bratislava (€10.50, 3¼ hours, four daily or change at Žiar nad Hronom). From Prievidza bus station, regular local buses run the 3km to Bojnice, a little town with lodging and restaurants.
