Our family adventure continued after the peaceful visit to the charming city of Banská Bystrica. The next trip was going to Žilina!. We took a lovely train ride from Banská Bystrica to Žilina by watching the sceneric Slovakian countryside past through our window.
It allowed us to relax, lovely and perfect way to start our next adventure. Our first mission after a long journey was to find the closest restaurant near our hotel.
We spotted a čínska reštaurácia or Chinese restaurant named Luck Wok Restaurant. A delicious meal to reset our energy for exploring Žilina.
After that we went to our accommodation for the night at Palace Hotel Potom. The moment we stepped inside, I understood why it was called Palace because the interior looks like royalty-A Palace. The place felt luxurious from the ornate detailing, decorations, paintings and more.
After putting down our luggage, Aya and I immediately set out to explore the hotel palace. The hotel feels extra special because of unique features and architecture. And every corner offered a good opportunity to start taking pictures.
And we leaved the hotel and started to explore the town. Žilina's streets greeted us with a sense of calm and peacefulness. And the day was perfect for a long long and it was refreshing. The sky was bright blue and offering a beautiful backdrop to the architecture. And we took our walk through cobblestones of Andrej Hlinka Square (Námestie Andreja Hlinku), the main square that we admired.
There was a massive "ŽILINA" sign that caught my attention. It felt like a warm invitation to us and the sign was wrapped in silver ornaments and red ribbons. Behind the sign, the city's most iconic twin towers landmarks- Holy Trinity Cathedral. From the Cathedral elevated position, the tall towers stood proudly and the details were easier to appreciate.
We enjoyed looking down at the lively streets and the entire town was charming. Filled with cozy cafés, bustling restaurants, and little shops.
And during our walk and we encountered an unexpected surprise. My husband ran into a former schoolmate, and invited us to join him at a nearby café.
There was still talking and us kids decided to go for a short walk. And we saw a giant, white Ferris Wheel. The Andrej Hlinka Square (Námestie Andreja Hlinku) was full of energy. And we immediately felt happy and festive.
Seeing the big ferris wheel and we knew instantly that a ride was mandatory. The experience of seeing the city from above was truly unforgettable by the gentle spinning up and down motion it was magical moment witnessing that breathtaking and panoramic view.
And I instantly felt like a kid again and it was perfect and we got to share together as a family. The excitement was contagious and we waved every time we saw Tato.
Our cozy night at the Christmas Market felt stepping into a winter wonderland experience. From the Christmas movies I've watched and I finally understood that magical and festive feeling. Cheerful music, happy people talking together and making the market feel completely alive.
That delicious mixture of sweet and savory spices filled the air. A tempting invitation to explore in different stalls had to offer.
Seeing the grand church of Church of the Conversion of Saint Paul stood majestically over the market. It was powerful, timeless beauty to our night at the market. It served as a majestic focal point that looked bright and beautiful.
It was a simple, magical moment and wasn’t a grand adventure. It was all warm, real and full of memories that we always treasured.
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