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There is no central square or gathering place. The Soviets destroyed the old square that was there and replaced it with two big Soviet-style apartment buildings. It's sad to see how the Soviets made a mess of what used to be a nice little city.

I don't understand why would someone go here with exception of a business trip, a gitlfriend/boyfriend, or a concert/cultural event that young people in the city organize in order to make this miserable place a bit more livable (kudos to them! They are actually keeping this place somewhat alive). The city is basically one big highway with ugly advertisement visual smog on every corner, bearing a sad drug-use history wound. There is no history or things to do (except for formentioned cultural events), there are no noteworthy restaurants, nothing that would make you happy. The tiny bit of older houses and church they had in the otherwise beautiful valley surrounded by mountains got obliterated with socialism built ugly lifeless building blocks with countless car roads, and later finished by the most tasteless slovak architecture of the 90s/2000s. The newer built/reconstructed buildings continue in the ugly and cheap trend. The roads and buildings are spammed with ads (absolutely spammed). The urban planning of this city is a nightmare and the people in charge of the town do nothing about it. This town will make you depressed in 15 minutes. The only upside of Povazska Bystrica is that you can visit nearby nature. But if you were to do that i see absolutely no reason to sleep over in this town instead of booking a place outside of it somewhere in the country side or a forest. When on a holiday, visit only if you want to punish yourself or visit the town as a freak-show of how terrible a post socialism town can be, but don't make a sleep over.

The town itself has gone and continues to go through an update from the Soviet era concrete style architecture. However, it is placed in the most beautiful valley with the river Vah running through. The surrounding hills and meadows were breathtaking in the autumn time. Go see it!

Povazska Bystrica has a big advantage in that it's in a center of beautiful area. City itself is quite sleepy and uninteresting. A lot of establishments are closed on weekend, when the city seems to fall into hibernation. There are few really good restaurants with the good and truthful reviews. Absolutely go and check Burger Corner!