Čadca

Čadca District · Žilina region · Slovakia
Čadca — photo 1 Čadca — photo 2 Čadca — photo 3 Čadca — photo 4 Čadca — photo 5 6

Photos: JosephySC at English Wikipedia, Public domain (Wikimedia Commons); Hornokysučan, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons); Hornokysučan, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons); Sludge G, CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons); Kamil Czaiński, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons); Kamil Czaiński, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Čadca is a town in the Čadca District, Žilina region, Slovakia, located in the north of the country near the borders with Poland and the Czech Republic. The town lies in the valley of the Kysuca river, surrounded by the Javorníky, Kysucké Beskydy, and Turzovská vrchovina mountain ranges. Its elevation is about 420 m above sea level. Several streams, including the Čadečanka, Zakopčanský potok, Milošovský potok, and Rieka, flow through the area.

The first settlements in the Čadca area appeared in the mid-16th century, with the earliest written mention of the village Tzaczka dating to 1565. Čadca was granted town status in 1778. The town developed as a craft and trade center on an important route between Hungary and Silesia, and its history is marked by disputes between local landowners and states.

Čadca is known for its location in the scenic Kysuce region, where the traditions of the Goral minority are preserved. The town is an important railway junction and an industrial center—one of the world's largest vacuum tube producers, JJ Electronic, operates here. The surroundings attract visitors with their natural landscapes, mountain ridges, and rivers.

Visitors to Čadca can explore hiking trails such as “Čadca, Tesco – Skalité, Serafínov,” “Čadca, station – Nesluša,” “Čadca, station – Makov, shelter,” and “Vila Galvanka Trail.” Mountain enthusiasts can climb Hotarný kopec or visit the summit of Veľká Rača, the highest peak of the Kysucké Beskydy. The region also features a farm in Raková in Kysuce, producing bryndza, žinčica, and cheese cakes.

Getting there from Ukraine

From Uzhhorod to Žilina ≈330 km, ≈4 h 20 min without queues: Uzhhorod – Vyšné Nemecké → I/19 to Košice → D1 via Prešov, Poprad, Liptovský Mikuláš and Ružomberok (≈17 km on I/18 between D1 sections) → Žilina. To Terchová ≈314 km, ≈4 h 15 min: from the D1 onto I/70 and II/583. From Lviv through Poland: M-10 → Krakovets – Korczowa → A4 to Kraków → S7/DK7 to Chyżne – Trstená → R3, I/59 to Dolný Kubín → II/583 via Terchová to Žilina: to Terchová ≈493 km (≈6 h 30 min), to Žilina ≈518 km (≈7 h). Via the tolled A4 Kraków – Katowice, S1 and D3: ≈533 km, ≈6 h 35 min. The D1 requires an e-vignette (eznamka.sk).

Sources: Wikipedia, Wikidata, OpenStreetMap, Karpaty.rocks data. More on Wikipedia

Trails nearby

All trails
Čadca, station – NeslušaModerateTwo-dayMarkedČadca, station NeslušaElevation profile401–906 m20.8 kmascent 792 m≈ 7 h walkingunder 1 km from the centreČadca, station – Makov, hutHardMulti-dayMarkedČadca, station Makov, hutElevation profile411–962 m48.7 kmascent 1 469 munder 1 km from the centreČadca, Tesco – Skalité, SerafínovModerateTwo-dayMarkedČadca, Tesco Skalité, SerafínovElevation profile413–862 m22 kmascent 727 m≈ 7 h walkingunder 1 km from the centreKýčera – Oščadnica, LalíkModerateOne-dayMarkedKýčera Oščadnica, LalíkElevation profile393–933 m15.7 kmascent 571 m≈ 5 h walking3.1 km from the centreBlažková – KýčeraEasyOne-dayMarkedBlažková KýčeraElevation profile509–767 m6.6 kmascent 305 m≈ 2.5 h walking3.1 km from the centreKysucká magistrálaHardMulti-dayMarkedKysucká magistrálaElevation profile423–875 m42.4 kmascent 1 766 m3.8 km from the centre

Peaks nearby

All peaks
Chotárny kopecPeakChotárny kopecČadcaaltitude 906 m6.4 km from the centreChotárny kopec is a summit 906 m high in the north-eastern Javorníky, Slovakia, the second highest after Kazícka Kýčera in the Rakovská hornatina part of the range.Veľký PolomPeakVeľký PolomRakováaltitude 1 067 m11 km from the centreVeľký Polom (Czech Velký Polom, Polish Wielki Połom) is a 1,067 m mountain on the Slovak–Czech border and the highest summit of the Slovak part of the Moravian...ĽadonhoraPeakĽadonhoraHorný Vadičovaltitude 999 m19 km from the centreĽadonhora is a forested 999 m summit in northern Slovakia and the second-highest peak of the Kysuce Highlands (Kysucká vrchovina).

What to visit

All
Raková farm in Kysuce: bryndza, žinčica and cheese cakesCheese dairies & pasturesRaková farm in Kysuce: bryndza, žinčica and cheese cakesRaková3.5 km from the centreKysuce is a hilly region in north-western Slovakia, near the Polish and Czech borders, with scattered hillside hamlets (“kopanice”) and an old tradition of keeping...The summit hala of Veľká Rača, the highest peak of the Kysucké BeskydyMountain meadowThe summit hala of Veľká Rača, the highest peak of the Kysucké BeskydyKlubinaaltitude 1 236 m13 km from the centreVeľká Rača (Polish Wielka Racza, 1,236 m) is the highest mountain of the Kysucké Beskydy on the Slovak–Polish border, about 12 km east of the town of Čadca.Budatín Castle — Považie Museum and Tinkers' ExhibitionMuseumBudatín Castle — Považie Museum and Tinkers' ExhibitionŽilina23 km from the centreBudatín Castle (Budatínsky hrad, also Budatínsky zámok) stands in the Budatín district of Žilina, where the Kysuca flows into the Váh.

Craft nearby

All craft places
Farma Brezany near Žilina: hand-stretched cheese and a distilleryCheese dairies & pasturesFarma Brezany near Žilina: hand-stretched cheese and a distilleryBrezany29 km from the centreBrezany is a village a few kilometres south of Žilina, on the edge of the Žilina basin and the foothills leading towards the Rajec valley and the Strážov Hills.Salaš Syrex in Zázrivá — Home of the Zázrivá Korbáčik CheeseCheese dairies & pasturesSalaš Syrex in Zázrivá — Home of the Zázrivá Korbáčik CheeseZázrivá30 km from the centreZázrivá is a scattered mountain village on the border of Orava and the Malá Fatra, famous throughout Slovakia for its korbáčiky: thin strings of steamed cheese braided...

Huts, shelters and springs nearby

423 mDrinking waterDrinking water below ČupeľJavorníky · SlovakiaNot verified70 m from a trail
738 mSpringSpring below BriavaJavorníky · SlovakiaNot verifiedOn a trail
402 mSpringSpring below Horelická KýčeraJavorníky · SlovakiaNot verified80 m from a trailNot for drinking
703 mHutHut below KykulaJavorníky · SlovakiaNot verified
707 mSpringVojtovský SpringJavorníky · SlovakiaNot verified
855 mHutJavorské HutŻywiec Beskids · SlovakiaNot verifiedOn a trail

All springs of the CarpathiansAll Carpathian huts

Getting there from Ukraine

Border crossings

  • Uzhhorod – Vyšné Nemecké — road, 24/7
  • Malyi Bereznyi – Ubľa — road, 24/7 For cars and buses; pedestrians not confirmed by the Ukrainian border service, lorries up to 3.5 t.
  • Mali Selmentsi – Veľké Slemence (pedestrian) — pedestrian, 09:00–21:00 Kyiv time Pedestrians and cyclists only; inconvenient for the Tatras without onward transport.
  • Chop – Čierna nad Tisou (rail) — rail, 24/7

By car

From Uzhhorod to Žilina ≈330 km, ≈4 h 20 min without queues: Uzhhorod – Vyšné Nemecké → I/19 to Košice → D1 via Prešov, Poprad, Liptovský Mikuláš and Ružomberok (≈17 km on I/18 between D1 sections) → Žilina. To Terchová ≈314 km, ≈4 h 15 min: from the D1 onto I/70 and II/583. From Lviv through Poland: M-10 → Krakovets – Korczowa → A4 to Kraków → S7/DK7 to Chyżne – Trstená → R3, I/59 to Dolný Kubín → II/583 via Terchová to Žilina: to Terchová ≈493 km (≈6 h 30 min), to Žilina ≈518 km (≈7 h). Via the tolled A4 Kraków – Katowice, S1 and D3: ≈533 km, ≈6 h 35 min. The D1 requires an e-vignette (eznamka.sk).

Checked 23.10.2026; border crossing hours and timetables change — check before you travel.

What's nearby