Green Modra

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Tips for active leisure

The town of Modra is returning to its roots, restoring the original character of its landscape shaped by vineyards and the forests of the Little Carpathians. In addition to wine and ceramics, this small town and its surroundings are a popular destination for hiking and cycling. We bring you a few tips for active leisure.

Alexander Filípek lookout tower

If you want to see the Little Carpathians in all their beauty, set out on an easy hike to Veľká homoľa. At the top of the hill stands a lookout tower over 20 meters high. In 2018, the town of Modra renovated the tower and named it after forest councillor Alexander Filípek, who played a key role in developing the Modra forest park and in the establishment of the well-known recreational areas Harmónia and Piesok.
The tower can be reached by climbing 120 steps, and from the viewing platform at the very top you can enjoy a panoramic, circular view of the Little Carpathians, the Považský Inovec and Tribeč mountain ranges, and, in good visibility, even the Austrian Alps.

Zámčisko

If you follow the blue hiking trail from Modra – Harmónia, or take the red trail and then the blue one from Zochova chata, you will reach Zámčisko (468 m above sea level). From the hill, there are beautiful views of Modra, Pezinok, and the Danubian Hills. This site undoubtedly ranks among the most interesting archaeological locations in Modra.
During the Iron Age, or the Hallstatt period, around 700 BC, a fortified hillfort stood here. It had the shape of a regular horseshoe, approximately 115 meters long and 105 meters wide, bordered by defensive ramparts combined with a moat. Zámčisko likely acquired this form during the period of Great Moravia and was last rebuilt in the 13th century, in the time of the Kingdom of Hungary.
The hillfort was used by the original inhabitants of Modra as a refuge from enemies during unsettled times.

Vysoká

The World from a Bird’s Eye View
The second highest “seven-hundred-meter” peak in the Little Carpathians – Vysoká (754 m above sea level) – will convince you how fascinating the world looks from a bird’s-eye perspective. Endless green forests unfold before you, with views reaching the Veľká homoľa lookout tower, the Tribeč range, and Vápenná.
This limestone peak is part of a nature reserve, and its slopes are covered with pristine forests of a primeval character. The cross on Vysoká, together with the views, is the most photographed scene by tourists. For hiking to this destination, you can start from the Zochova chata parking lot.

Try riding the pumptrack

Test your skills on the pumptrack. The 114-meter-long track is open to cyclists, rollerbladers, skateboarders, and scooter riders free of charge. The track has an elevation difference of more than one meter; the jumps are made of soil, while the rest is asphalt.
The pumptrack at Zochova chata is unique because the banked turns were shaped by hand. Both amateurs and professionals of any age can improve their riding here. “Pumping” up and down propels the wheels instead of pedaling, which helps enhance balance, skill, and overall fitness.

Modra - Piesok

The Huncokári and the Oak-Hornbeam Forests
Tourists enjoy the oak–hornbeam forests around Modra, just as the Huncokári did in the past. The term comes from the German Holzhacker, meaning “woodcutter.” They arrived from regions of Lower Austria and Styria in several waves, invited by the Pálfi family along with forest managers to introduce modern forestry practices.
The largest group settled in Modra Piesok. The oldest records of these “mountain people” can be found in church registers from the 1740s. Today, few structures remain to commemorate this community, most notably the Chapel of St. Mary Magdalene and the Huncokári Cemetery in the Piesok area. More about their life can be learned from a freely accessible exhibition in the grounds of the local city villa.