The town of Šal’a in Slovakia may not at first offer a lot to the casual tourist but it does boast a lot of history and the newly renovated pedestrian zone, with its amazing amount of restaurants and ice cream shops that seem to characterize the place. It is a good stop off point on the way to Bratislava, Vienna or Budapest.
Along with the capital of the region, Nitra, Šal’a (pronounced sha-la) is around a thousand years old, having first being mentioned in documents from the Pannonhalma Archabbey in the early 11th century. After World War II, it was ‘returned’ to Czechoslovakia from Hungary and since then it has grown into a town of around 25,000 people, with the outlying villages forcing that population up to around 40,000.
Places of interest in and around Šal’a
Separating the town into two parts, Šal’a and Šal’a Veca, the river Váh offers the landlocked country the closest thing to having an actual beach. A tracked path that runs parallel to it is a must for joggers, cyclists or mere ramblers and wanderers as it offers such small gems like barges that serve local beer, places for barbecues and picnics and great views of the surrounding wildlife and forests. One of the centrepieces of the town is the large bridge that runs over the Váh, and underneath it next to its foundations are large youth hangouts, adorned with graffiti and half-pipes.
Although the local population is small, they have several benefits from living in Šal’a. Other than being on the main train line towards Slovakia’s capital, it is also a couple of hours drive away from Vienna and Budapest, and within an hour’s drive away from several other large towns or cities, such as Galanta, Nove Zamky and Nitra. This is good, as although the rebuilt pedestrian zone hosts some shops and a lot of bars and restaurants, it is short on leisure facilities such as a cinema or a clothes chain shop. However, the bus service does leave a lot to be desired, as the times are irregular and it is hard to plan a journey without too many changes.
Leisure facilities and health services in Šal’a
Outside and slightly to the east of Šal’a is the chemical plant Duslo, and it is one of the reasons why Šal’a and its surrounding villages have grown so well. This factory hosts its own sports facilities, and some people come all the way from Bratislava just to use its excellent swimming pool. It also has a small hospital, although service there is not very swift.
Hospitals and medical facilities are typical of a small Slovak town and are not in the same league as elsewhere, such as Nitra and Bratislava. Dentists are certainly not the best, but the hospital and its clinic are friendly and fast enough.
Central Sala has few places to sightsee, such as the bright yellow Catholic Church that plays a cute tune for every hour and of course, the river itself. However, during the national holiday weekends, Šal’a likes to invite bands from outside and have large outdoor festivals and activities for kids, so in some ways it still displays a village mentality but it is a positive aspect that is based on experience.
James Clapham - After winning his Creative Writing Diploma, James Clapham moved to Slovakia. He currently works as an English teacher there, and is also ...
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