Senec (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Senec,_Slovakia) also known as “Sunny Lakes Senec” is about 20km East of Bratislava (25 mins on train/bus or 25 mins drive subject to rush hour traffic).
There is a webcam here which is 100m fro the apartment, is anybody swimming ?…
https://www.holidayinfo.sk/en/kamery/slnecne-jazera-senec/
Its a great base to discover a small part of Slovakia without paying the higher prices & lack of open spaces in Bratislava.
This map below shows whats to see/do in Senec. Everything is walkable from the Apartment. It takes 15 minutes to walk to the town centre.
Main attractions close by:
- Lake swimming (June-September is peak swimming season) just 100 metres from the apartment, also 6th January (12th night) when the crazy guys in the town go for a swim
- Outdoor resturants & bars
- Senec Aquapark & Spa, suitable for all ages http://www.aquaparksenec.sk/ (Spa section sometimes shuts in August but the outdoor aquapark is in full swing then)
- Outdoor amphitheatre cinema (films most nights in July and August) http://www.kinosenec.sk/amfiteater/ Most films are dubbed to Slovak (it will say “SK or CZ Dabing”)
- Train station for trains to Bratislava (Bratislava needs just a couple of days to explore, its small, not like Vienna or Prague). Also regular trains to Vienna/Prague from Bratislava main station. Budapest can also be reached from Senec with a single change, takes 3 hours and costs €18 return – Train Website
Restaurants:
In the summer our order of preference for the Restaurants/Bufets by the apartment are:
- Bufet pri Kurtoch – next to the apartment, does good fish and daily specials written on the blackboard outside.
- Troya, the last buffet as you walk along the lake towards town. Great pulled beef with fries and cheese sauce :-), also good Thai meals (the staff goto Thailand in the winter)
- Green Tree, new owners in 2024, more expensive but good meals.
- For lunch the small place Dobry Lavaš make their own Armenian flat breads and make various wraps salty or sweet. Aspram (the owner) used to live in the UK and likes to chat, I supply her with coriander from my garden when I have too much.
- Try Langos which is a hungarian pizza (garlic + cheese + ketchup, some crazy people also have cream on top), the best place is Senecky Langos.
- We avoid Yacht and Bufet na Plazi.
For lunch our favourite place is Boka Bistro in town. Every weekday they have a lunch special (check on facebook for the weekly menu, every couple of months on a Friday they have English Fish and Chips !!!), it really is tasty. Tomas the owner speaks great English (because he has English lessons from me!). They also do great breakfasts including authentic English style sausages made by a butcher who used to work in the UK.
The best restaurant in Senec is Marathon , its in the middle of the pedestrian street in town, book ahead if you want an outside table in the summer, say hello to Misko the head waiter. It quite expensive (for Slovakia) but a nice dining experience.
On the North side of the lake is Koliba (traditional Slovak food) & Country Saloon (started as a little shed 20 years ago, it now has something like 300 seats), good chicken wings and ribs.
Coffeeshops:
Our favourites are Vo Dvore (same owner as Troya, very nice secluded garden) and Antikvariat Kaviaren at the far end of the main street has great cakes made by the owners wife and a nice garden. Also Boka do good coffee. In the Winter Pralinka does great hot chocolate, they also have a nice kids play area.
Supermarkets:
All the main supermarkets are here, we use Kaufland and Lidl mainly. They are open usually 7am-8pm 7 days a week. Note that small shops shut for lunch and are are only open Saturday morning until noon. So if you heading to Senec town on Saturday morning go before noon ! On Saturday afternoon and Sunday most shops are closed. Terno supermarket which is nearly opposite Piano bar is a good option if you dont want to drive to Kaufland or Lidl. There is also a small Billa in the very centre of town.
There is a local market in the centre of town which is usually busy on Saturday mornings selling fruit and veg.
Monthly Events in Senec:
Link to: Senec Town Website
January:
Ice Bears swimming – On 6th January every year at one of the hotels on the north lake usually at 1pm
Skating 100m from the apartment if its cold enough
May:
Skating race around the lake and shorter childrens races Skating-Facebook-Senec
Goulash making contest (€1 buys you a bowl to sample the entries)
June:
In mid-June the Summer season opens with a big free firework display in the middle of the lake (11pm). Its the same day that the lake holds its music festival so it is VERY busy and VERY noisy so best avoided. You will need to pay for entrance to the festival (€10+).Dates here: seneckeleto.sk
Last Friday in June – Senec Carnival, the largest carnival in Slovakia. Tony is one of the 6 offical judges so you have a good chance to win ! Dates and info here: Veľký letný karneval/Big Summer Carnival
July:
On Friday nights there is usually a concert at the stage in front of Lobster starting at 19:00. There is also a wine festival at the end of July (last weekend usually) near the exit to the lake near the small gate. Search on google for this years dates: Senecký vínny festival
August:
There is a big craft market in the main Senec shopping street one weekend during August (around 17th usually) search on google here for this years dates: Ľudové umelecké remeslá Senec
September:
Senec Run around the lake (6.5km) and shorter childrens races (300m-1km), the dates will be on their facebook page here: Beh Senec / We Run Senec
October:
Apple festival in main square – We will be there selling “Cake Pops” with the money going to Kramare Hospital.
December:
Christmas Market in main square
Parking in Senec, there is plenty of free parking or paid parking if you want to walk less (50 cents an hour) in the town (you can download the ParkDots app (register and add a credit card and its easy to pay for parking when you need it), the app tells you if you are in an area that you need to pay for or pay via SMS (if you have a Slovak phone)). The paid areas are all near to the main Lichnerova shopping street in Senec, there are big signs telling you. Payment is only needed from 8am-6pm weekdays and only 8am-Noon on Saturday, Sunday is free.
Parking at all the supermarkets is free, and parking on the road near the train station is also free and also everywhere on the South side of the lake (this is new since 2024)
Parking inside the lake near the buffets – Parking is free on the South side of the lake, there is a new 2 floor car park, you can park in the top or bottom they are both free. You need to pay for parking on the North side (something like 5 euros a day in 2024).
The blue gate near the apartment is open 03:00 to 09:00 each day so if you get up early you can move your car to Lobsters car park (near the green glass recycling container is in the shade) (its free parking) and avoids driving round the lake later on in the day. Exact picture of where its best to park, this is where i move my car at 08:45 if I know Im going out somewhere later in the day.