Cigánka (935 m a.s.l.) is a captivating peak in the Spiš-Gemer Karst region of the Slovak Ore Mountains, topped by the haunting ruins of Muráň Castle. It is a place where centuries of history meet untamed mountain wilderness, making it one of the more memorable summits in this part of Slovakia.
The peak sits on the southeastern edge of the Muránska planina plateau, within a ridge stretching southwest. The summit itself is covered by dense forest, but rocky outcrops reward hikers with partial views of the surrounding Spiš-Gemer Karst peaks, a stretch of the Low Tatras and the Stolické vrchy hills. The area is at its most atmospheric in autumn, when the forests blaze with colour, though spring and winter visits each have their own quiet charm. The entire peak falls within Muránska planina National Park, and much of it is protected as the Cigánka National Nature Reserve.
How to reach the summitThe ruins crowning Cigánka belong to Muráň Castle, famously associated with the 17th-century noblewoman Mária Széchy, whose dramatic life inspired legends and literature across the region.