Discovering Slovakia


Trip description

This itinerary from west to east allows you to gradually descend into the deep and more typical Slovakia. It is organized around major sites listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. This route offers the opportunity to see the country's greatest historical, cultural and natural treasures.

Day 1: Bratislava

Day 2: Around Bratislava

Day 3: Trencin

Day 4: High Tatras

Day 5: Dunajec Gorges

Day 6: Levoca and Spis Castle

Day 7: Slovak Paradise

Day 8: Bardejov and the Wooden Churches

Day 9: Park of Poloniny

Day 10: Kosice

Day 11: Presov

Day 12: Slovak Karst

Day 13: Roznava

Day 1 : Bratislava

Day1 : Bratislava ©François JANNE DOTHEE


Capital and gateway to the country, Bratislava, with about 455,000 inhabitants, is the largest city in Slovakia. Balade in the old town where all the most beautiful sites and museums are concentrated, the Cathedral Saint Martin, the main square with the presidential palace and the castle overlooking the city and the Danube. The historical center is small, but it offers the possibility to be worn by the charm of its typical architecture. To have a breathtaking view of the capital, you must climb up the top of Slavin Hill where a Red Army monument is erected in memory of the liberating soldiers of Slovakia.




Day 2 : Around Bratislava



Possibility to visit the ruined castle of Devin, about 25 minutes by bus, line 29, departure from the new bridge. This castle is strategically located at the confluence of the Danube and Morava rivers. The Danubia Museum of Contemporary Art, located on a small peninsula south of Bratislava, is also a popular excursion. In addition to the permanent exhibitions, works by major international names are temporarily on display. Distance about 50 km round trip for each excursion.




Day 3 : Trencin

Day3 : Trencin ©Tomas Krejcirik - Shutterstock.com


180 kilometres from Bratislava, the small town of Trencin welcomes you to its relaxed atmosphere. Walk through its small medieval streets to its castle on a rocky hillside, beautifully lit at night. Settle down at the end of the day at one of the many terraces in the city centre and contemplate the life of this charming village flowing before your eyes. The magnificent Beckov Castle, a few kilometres from Trencin, is one of Slovakia's medieval wonders.




Day 4 : High Tatras

Day4 : High Tatras ©Agence de Promotion de Madère


We could recommend you spend all your stay in the Tatras, this paradise for hikers. A natural park consisting of three mountain chains, the Tatras region offers magnificent mountainous summits, Azuean lakes, as well as an outstanding fauna and flora. The Tatras can be fully appreciated from some very pleasant back bases: Tatranska Lomnica, Stary Smokovec or Zdiar for a stay in a village beautifully restored all wooden houses on traditional grounds.




Day 5 : Dunajec Gorges

Day5 : Dunajec Gorges ©François JANNE D'OTHEE


On the border between Slovakia and Poland, the Dunajec River is a perfect base for experiencing the joy of whitewater sports. In this perfectly picturesque setting, the river flows between canyons of dizzying height. From April to October, you can descend the Dunajec River on traditional wooden rafts run by indigenous people between the towns of Cerveny Klastor and Lesnica. Ideal for an authentic experience and far from the beaten track.




Day 6 : Levoca and Spis Castle

Day6 : Levoca and Spis Castle ©julof90 - iStockphoto.com


Levocare is located in the heart of the country, along the E50 road that connects Bratislava to Kosice. This magnificent small town with its medieval architecture is perfectly preserved. The city centre is full of Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque buildings. Soak up the city's unique atmosphere in the impressive Namestie Majstra Pavla main square and its beautiful town hall. Do not miss either, the cage of infamy where women responsible for minor crimes were exposed to the public.Stop at the beautiful Spis Castle overlooking the surrounding valley on the way to Bardejov. A monumental complex, the fortress belonged to the rich Saxons who inhabited the Spis' territories in the Middle Ages.




Day 7 : Slovak Paradise

Day7 : Slovak Paradise ©Nickolay Khoroshkov


One of the most beautiful regions of the country, paradise of hikers. No wonder that this Natural Park inherited the name Slovensky Raj (Slovak paradise). Many perfectly marked trails lead you to Indiana Jones' dignified walks in deep forests, through impressive gorges and vertiginous wooden scales and ponds. The Dobsinska Ladova Jaskyna ice cave, in the same Natural Park, unveils enchanting interiors made of ice formations and absolutely unforgettable rocks.




Day 8 : Bardejov and the Wooden Churches

Day8 : Bardejov and the Wooden Churches ©François JANNE D'OTHÉE


One of Slovakia's best-preserved medieval cities, Bardejov has a breathtaking central square: 40 small, perfectly designed Gothic houses that surround the town hall in its centre. Start the visit with a visit to Saint-Gilles church and walk up the steps to its tower for a magnificent view of the city and the surrounding countryside. You can also visit the Musée des Icônes located on the other side of the square, for an exciting collection of art objects. The names on the walls of the Memorial of the Deportation of Jews during the Second World War show how important the Jewish community was in Bardejov before the war. If today the city no longer has any of them, history lovers who want the younger generations to remember this tragedy are doing everything they can to renovate the 200-year-old synagogue and its adjacent buildings.Around Bardejov and Svidnik are the most beautiful wooden churches in the whole region. Often nestled in small isolated villages, they are examples of folk architecture, built entirely of wood without using a single nail!




Day 9 : Park of Poloniny

Day9 : Park of Poloniny ©Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority


The borders of Slovakia, Ukraine and Poland are one of the most remote and intact parks on the continent, the Poloniny National Park. Planted with primary beech forests, it is full of traditional wooden churches built over centuries. Ask the key to the neighboring houses to visit these architectural wonders. Mount Kremenec dominates the Natural Park with its 1,221 meters. At the summit you will be exactly at the border between the three countries. It is also the ideal region to explore the mysterious Ruthenian minority of Slovakia and its most illustrious representative, Andy Warhol, from the village of Medzilaborce, where a somewhat eccentric museum is dedicated to him.




Day 10 : Kosice

Day10 : Kosice ©PHB.cz - Fotolia


Kosice, the country's second largest city, is located on the eastern border of the European Union. Still marked by the years of communism with ultra-concrete suburbs, the city centre is embellished with successive renovations. In the purest French Gothic style, Kosice Cathedral, St. Elisabeth, is a must. Built in 1380, it is marked by Protestant and Catholic influences and has undergone several successive renovations. Stroll through the charming Hlavna Square, bursting with restaurants, cafés and shops. A city at the crossroads of borders, Kosice cultivates its multiculturalism with vast Hungarian, German and Roma minorities.




Day 11 : Presov

Day11 : Presov ©PHB.cz - Fotolia


On the road, the city of Presov, whose city centre is very well preserved, is worth a detour.




Day 12 : Slovak Karst

Day12 : Slovak Karst ©François JANNE D'OTHÉE


This last stopover takes you into the heart of nature in the Slovak Karst, whose many caves in this park are listed by UNESCO. From Košice, about 45 minutes away, a small country road crosses the Zadielska Canyon for 2 km. This region is superb and can be the starting point for several hikes. Then, about 45 minutes from this canyon, the Domica cave is the largest in Slovak Karst. Dug by the underground river Styx, it straddles the border between Slovakia and Hungary. When the water flow is sufficient, you can go by boat to admire its particular stalactites and stalagmites. An hour's drive from Zadiel, the Ochtinska Aragonite cave is simply exceptional. It is one of the three most beautiful aragonite caves in the world. It is open to 230 m. You can admire crystallizations reminiscent of corals and sea anemones.




Day 13 : Roznava



Roznava represents a good rear base, a quiet small town in the pleasant central square, in the heart of a region with a large Hungarian minority.




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