Why visit Slovakia? Slovakia is considered one of Europe's hidden gems, with a trove of spectacular attractions like those listed below.
Bratislava
The city of Bratislava in itself is one of Slovakia's major attractions. Indeed, many visit Slovakia just to spend a night or two here. The Bratislava Castle, which overlooks the city, serves as its main landmark and a symbol of its rich history, while other architectural marvels like the Primate's Palace, Mirbach Palace, St. Martin's Cathedral and Michael's Tower are all worth seeing. If you want to relax, you can also do so at one of the spacious parks of the city, like the park surrounding Rusovce Mansion or the forests just nearby, while a trip to museums like the Slovak National Museum provides insights into the history of the entire Slovak Republic.
Other popular cities in Slovakia include historic Banska Bystrica, Kosice, with its magnificent St. Elizabeth Cathedral, and the cities of Levoca, Nitra and Trencin, which all have their share of must-see medieval architecture.
The High Tatras
Of all the green spaces in Slovakia, the Tatra National Park is the most enchanting. True, this mountain range may not be as high or as popular as the Alps nearby, but its alpine climate, majestic mountain peaks like Krivan and numerous lakes and waterfalls make it a worthy destination. It offers opportunities for various recreational activities, too, like trekking, cycling, golfing or wildlife watching in the summer and skiing during winter. There are also many excellent hotels here with thermal pools and several cable cars that allow you to sit back and savor the amazing panoramic views.
World Heritage Caves
There are also several caves which you can explore in Slovakia - fourteen, to be exact, and five of them are considered World Heritage Sites. These include the Dobsinska Ice Cave, the first electrically illuminated cave in the world with its many astonishing ice structures; Ochtinska Cave in the World, the largest aragonite cave in the world with glittering oval formations in its Milky Way Hall; the Domica Cave, with its House of Indian Pagodas; the Gombasecka Cave, which is widely used for speleotherapy; and the Jasovska Cave, which yielded many archaeological finds. The Demanova Cave, with its numerous stalactite formations, is the most visited cave, though, while the Vazecka Cave is just as interesting.
Architecture
Like many of the countries in Europe, Slovakia also has its own assortment of romantic castles. In fact, its Spis Castle is one of the largest in Central Europe, a World Heritage Site, and a popular film location. Other popular castles include Bojnice Castle, Trencin Castle and Nitra Castle, which, like Bratislava Castle, have a wealth of historical heritage, while Orava Castle and Cerveny Kamen Castle house excellent museums. Several, like Hradok Castle, give you the chance to spend the night in a unique and luxurious setting.
You will also find extraordinary wooden structures like the Wooden Lutheran Church in Svaty Kriz and the rustic houses in Podbiel, when you visit Slovakia, along with a large number of wooden churches scattered in various provinces, with the most located in the province of Svidnik. The Church of St. Jacob in Levoca contains the largest wooden altar in the world.
Handicrafts
You won't have a hard time looking for unique souvenirs when you visit Slovakia, since you will find many that reflect its rich culture. Popular examples include the crpak (an ornamented wooden cup), fujara (a long, woodwind instrument), valaska (traditional axe), kraslice (decorated eggs), dolls in national costumes, the Slovakian national waistband and ceramics from the town of Modra, which are usually blue and white. If you want to take home something edible, try medovniky (decorated cookies) or tatranky (wafers). - 31515
Bratislava
The city of Bratislava in itself is one of Slovakia's major attractions. Indeed, many visit Slovakia just to spend a night or two here. The Bratislava Castle, which overlooks the city, serves as its main landmark and a symbol of its rich history, while other architectural marvels like the Primate's Palace, Mirbach Palace, St. Martin's Cathedral and Michael's Tower are all worth seeing. If you want to relax, you can also do so at one of the spacious parks of the city, like the park surrounding Rusovce Mansion or the forests just nearby, while a trip to museums like the Slovak National Museum provides insights into the history of the entire Slovak Republic.
Other popular cities in Slovakia include historic Banska Bystrica, Kosice, with its magnificent St. Elizabeth Cathedral, and the cities of Levoca, Nitra and Trencin, which all have their share of must-see medieval architecture.
The High Tatras
Of all the green spaces in Slovakia, the Tatra National Park is the most enchanting. True, this mountain range may not be as high or as popular as the Alps nearby, but its alpine climate, majestic mountain peaks like Krivan and numerous lakes and waterfalls make it a worthy destination. It offers opportunities for various recreational activities, too, like trekking, cycling, golfing or wildlife watching in the summer and skiing during winter. There are also many excellent hotels here with thermal pools and several cable cars that allow you to sit back and savor the amazing panoramic views.
World Heritage Caves
There are also several caves which you can explore in Slovakia - fourteen, to be exact, and five of them are considered World Heritage Sites. These include the Dobsinska Ice Cave, the first electrically illuminated cave in the world with its many astonishing ice structures; Ochtinska Cave in the World, the largest aragonite cave in the world with glittering oval formations in its Milky Way Hall; the Domica Cave, with its House of Indian Pagodas; the Gombasecka Cave, which is widely used for speleotherapy; and the Jasovska Cave, which yielded many archaeological finds. The Demanova Cave, with its numerous stalactite formations, is the most visited cave, though, while the Vazecka Cave is just as interesting.
Architecture
Like many of the countries in Europe, Slovakia also has its own assortment of romantic castles. In fact, its Spis Castle is one of the largest in Central Europe, a World Heritage Site, and a popular film location. Other popular castles include Bojnice Castle, Trencin Castle and Nitra Castle, which, like Bratislava Castle, have a wealth of historical heritage, while Orava Castle and Cerveny Kamen Castle house excellent museums. Several, like Hradok Castle, give you the chance to spend the night in a unique and luxurious setting.
You will also find extraordinary wooden structures like the Wooden Lutheran Church in Svaty Kriz and the rustic houses in Podbiel, when you visit Slovakia, along with a large number of wooden churches scattered in various provinces, with the most located in the province of Svidnik. The Church of St. Jacob in Levoca contains the largest wooden altar in the world.
Handicrafts
You won't have a hard time looking for unique souvenirs when you visit Slovakia, since you will find many that reflect its rich culture. Popular examples include the crpak (an ornamented wooden cup), fujara (a long, woodwind instrument), valaska (traditional axe), kraslice (decorated eggs), dolls in national costumes, the Slovakian national waistband and ceramics from the town of Modra, which are usually blue and white. If you want to take home something edible, try medovniky (decorated cookies) or tatranky (wafers). - 31515
About the Author:
Isabella Olsen is a writer for various travel magazines who has been to global tourist destinations like Slovakia. To book your car hire slovakia or learn more about cheap car hire worldwide, visit Zencarhire.com.
