Ice cream shops in Žilina

Žilina belongs to Italian ice cream: gelato and fruit sorbet are on every counter in town, and some of the shops churn theirs in their own workshop without ready-made industrial bases. Alongside the classics they try bolder pairings such as lemon with basil, and vegan flavours are a fixture rather than an occasional extra.

The same gelateria trades both just off Mariánske Square in the old town and in the small retail zone of the Hliny estate, so if the centre feels crowded you can get the identical scoop out in the neighbourhood, with speciality coffee to go with it. A category of its own is the walk-up window by the swimming pool — creamy Italian-style ice cream, honest portions and a salted caramel people single out. In summer, expect to queue.