Once part of Czechoslovakia, Slovakia is a small country with a lot to offer.
From its colorful medieval towns and fairytale castles to beautiful nature and delicious food,
it can entertain you for weeks. Are you looking for intact nature? Do you like historic places
full of gothic churches and medieval castles? Slovakia will exceed all your expectations.
Haven’t you already decided where to go on your visit to Slovakia?
Discover with us the best places to see in Slovakia which offers endless tourist attractions.
Number one. Bratislava.
Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, is one of the smallest capitals in Europe
but has so much to offer. The city has 2 castles – Bratislava Castle, which became a favorite
royal seat of Queen Maria Theresa and Devín Castle, destroyed by Napoleon’s troops in 1809,
which sits on the top of the rock and its ruins are a popular tourist attraction. Bratislava’s
old town is full of historical buildings and baroque palaces. The most famous of them is The
Grassalkovich Palace, the residence of the Slovak president. The gothic St. Martin’s Cathedral,
one of the oldest churches in the country, was a coronation church of queen Maria Theresa in 1741.
Between 1563-1830 Bratislava became the coronation town
after the Turkish occupation of Hungary. The city is full of galleries and charming parks.
One of them, Sad Janka Kráľa, is located just 5 minutes walking from the Old Town.
Bratislava has a lot of cafés, restaurants and pubs. Try “ halušky“ , Slovak national dish made
of potatoes, flour and egg. Don’t forget to say hi to Čumil – one of the city’s symbols
and get some souvenir at the end of your trip. The city’s nickname is “ Beauty on the Danube “ and is
only 60 km far away from Vienna. This makes them the two closest capitals in Europe.
Number two. Košice.
Kosice, the 2nd largest city in Slovakia, will surprise you with its architecture which is
a mix of Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, and Art Nouveau styles. You cannot miss the Main street,
which is full of aristocratic palaces, Catholic churches, medieval houses as well as boutiques,
cafés, and restaurants. Number 1 must-see place is St. Elisabeth Cathedral, the largest church
in Slovakia. The splendid State Theatre, built in 1788 in neo-baroque style, is for all the lovers
of drama, ballet and opera. Do not miss Slavia Café, the fanciest restaurant in the city. New
Orthodox Synagogue built in 1927 is a reminder of one of the largest Jewish communities in Slovakia
before 2 WW. During the day you can visit many of cities galleries and museums
while in the evening you can enjoy nightlife with plenty of bars and restaurants.
The city is known as the first town in Europe to be granted its own coat-of-arms.
Number three. Banská Bystrica. It does not matter if you look for historic
architecture or great nightlife, Banská Bystrica, this fairytale medieval city this city offers
everything. Its main street is full of colorful medieval houses that will take your breath away.
The must-see tourist attraction is the baroque-style Clock Tower.
It also served as a watchtower in order to observe if an enemy was approaching but also to watch if a
fire started somewhere in the city. The city played an important role during the Slovak
National Uprising against Nazis in 1944 and its open-air museum of heavy military equipment
is located in the middle of a park. The oldest building is the late Romanesque
parish church of the Virgin Mary from the second half of the 13th century.
From Bratislava, Banská Bystrica is easily accessible by highway or by train.
Number four. Banská Štiavnica.
Banská Štiavnica is an unbelievably beautiful medieval town located in the middle of Slovakia.
It used to be the main producer of silver and gold during Middle Ages. Thanks to its rich past,
the town is full of beautiful buildings, churches, palaces and mining houses which you can admire as
you walk up or down because in Banská Štiavnica you never walk straight. The must-see attraction
is the Calvary Mount with its upper church with two towers. It is a popular pilgrimage place
and is accessible all year long for free. When you get to Banská Štiavnica, visit
also the historical Trinity Square surrounded by well-preserved mining houses in renaissance style.
You can also visit some of the old mines but take on some warm clothes,
because even in summer it is very cold inside. The town’s nickname is “ Europe’s Eldorado”
as gold was sought after by adventurers from Europe and Turkey, as well as by robber barons.
Number five. High Tatras.
If you like skiing or snowboarding in winter or hiking in summer,
High Tatras is the right place for you. You will easily fall in love with beautiful nature,
splendid grand hotels and little picturesque villages such as Starý Smokovec or Tatranská
Lomnica. The most famous attraction is “Štrbské mountain lake“ where you can get by a cog rail.
In summer, you can rent a boat here and in winter the surrounding area is popular for winter sports.
From here you can hike to beautiful Popradské pleso which is a magnificent place to be thanks to
its lake and numerous trees. If you are not scared of heights, take a cable car to Lomnický peak,
the 2nd highest peak of the mountains. When you come in winter, you cannot miss Tatra Ice Dome
on Hrebienok, which is full of ice sculptures. We recommend you visit some of the few aqua parks in
wintertime, they are filled with thermal waters and they provide many adventures.
Number six. Bojnice.
Bojnice is a little historical town, but it has undoubtably much to offer. Let’s start with the
romantic Bojnice Castle, surrounded by the splendid castle park, built in 12th century.
The castle is home to the most visited museum in Slovakia which you can visit and take guided
tours. The castle’s architecture is a mix of Gothic and Renaissance styles. It is also a
popular filming location of fairy tale movies, such as Fantaghirò. The National Zoo Bojnice,
located next to the castle, contains about 3500 animals including more than 430 species
from all around the world. It is the oldest zoo in Slovakia and covers more than 41 hectares.
The town is world-wide known as a spa town for its healing spa springs. The
last private owner of the castle was Jan Baťa, the famous shoemaker.
Number seven. Bardejov.
One of the oldest towns in Slovakia, Bardejov is famous for its intact medieval town center
and numerous monuments. The town center is full of cafés and restaurants where you can
taste delicious Slovak national dishes. The town is dominated by a dazzling square which
is full of medieval, renaissance, and gothic architecture and has become a favorite tourist
destination in Slovakia. The most outstanding building in the town is Church of St. Aegidius
with 4 chapels and precious gothic altars. Three-aisled Basilica was completed in 1464
and when you enter it, the beauty of its interior will take your breath away.
Visit also Town Hall, built at the beginning of the 16th century,
which is a museum today and houses a collection of a beautiful gothic art. Do not miss the town
fortifications which consist of 23 bastions, 9 of them have remained intact. Bardejov has also
the calvary which is situated on the hill. It consists of 13 chapels symbolizing the stations
of the cross. They are 13, not 14, because 7th and 8th stations are connected into one.
Number eight. Trenčín.
Located less than 90 minutes by highway or a train from Bratislava, Trenčín is a lovely city
to explore. Its most famous tourist attraction is the medieval Trenčín Castle, situated on the rock,
built in 11th Century. The beautiful, fortified castle houses the museum and even though you must
walk up the hill to visit it, you will find spots with scenic views of the valley below.
Do not miss the “House of town’s headsman”, filled with authentic tools and artefacts.
Trenčín has a large main square, with a large baroque church
and a town tower from 15th century. However, tower ‘s clock is from 1934.
Every year in July there is the Pohoda festival, Slovakia’s biggest arts and music event.
Number nine. Levoča.
Levoča is a beautiful medieval city in Slovakia easily recognizable thanks to its burgher houses
and large main square. The must-see attraction of Levoča is the gothic Basilica of Saint James built
in 14th century where you can find the world’s tallest wooden altar of Master Paul of Levoča.
In the town’s main square stands also the Old Town Hall, the gothic Town Hall from 15th
century was replaced with a renaissance-style one after a fire. Today it houses a museum
focused on the history of the town. The most beautiful facade in the the town
has the Thurso‘s house, which used to belong to the most powerful families of Thurso and Csáky.
It is the only building in the city with a renaissance attic.
Do not miss the iron “Cage of shame” standing next to the Town Hall which used to serve for
public punishment of people who did not behave according to the then moral values. For instance,
when a woman walked out in the dark without a man, she ended up in this cage for 24 hours.
It takes only 15 minutes from Levoča to the Spiš Castle so you can visit both places the same time.
Number ten. Spiš Castle.
One of the biggest European castles by area, the ruins of Spiš Castle are open to tourists every
day from April until October. This castle is one of the finest examples of medieval fortification
architecture. It was built more than 900 years ago and was owned by the most noble families in the
past. After the last one - the Csáky family, left the castle at the beginning of the 18th century
and subsequent fire in 1780, it turned into ruins. Today it houses a museum and a chapel,
and we recommend a guided tour in order to understand more how the castle used to function
and understand its meaning in the history. Thanks to its fortification walls and location,
Spiš Castle has never been conquered as a result of an assault or siege. There is a
parking lot underneath the castle and it takes less than 10 minutes to reach the castle on foot.
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