One of the highlights of the day was the visit to the newly renovated Esterházy Castle. The official reopening ceremony of the building took place in April this year. Over the past decades, the Renaissance-style castle had fallen into significant disrepair; however, thanks to an Interreg project implemented jointly with the Hungarian town of Tata, the building underwent a complete restoration. The aim of the development was to give the castle a new cultural function and to actively integrate it into the tourism of the region.

During the visit, participants also had the opportunity to explore the castle’s interior. One room featured period costumes and historical weapons, while another hosted an exhibition of Herend porcelain connected to the Esterházy family. In the future, the castle will serve not only museum and cultural purposes, but also function as a venue for weddings, exhibitions, and tourism-related events. Preserving cultural heritage while filling it with new functions is an exemplary initiative that may contribute in the long term to the cultural and tourism development of Galanta.

The program also included a visit to the town’s May Day festival, which welcomed visitors with family-friendly and entertaining activities. The event featured a carousel, sand painting, and a newly constructed pumptrack course, which proved especially popular among children. The main attraction of the festival was a concert by Juraj Bača. A native of Galanta, Bača enjoys great popularity not only in Slovakia.

The day concluded with a tasting of Moravian wines organized by the Czech town of Mikulov. A total of 136 different wines were presented to participants during the event. The guests from Mikulov also contributed to the cultural atmosphere: gypsy music and jazz performances were featured on stage. The event is traditionally held every year next to the other Esterházy venue in Galanta, the Neo-Gothic castle, and has become one of the region’s important cultural meeting points.

Overall, the visit was an excellent example of how cultural heritage, community programmes, and international relations can mutually reinforce one another and contribute to the development and cultural enrichment of a town. Special thanks are due to the mayors of Galanta and Mikulov for their personal support and assistance, which greatly contributed to the successful implementation of the visit.