Travel

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.

Aside from Bratislava, make sure you visit Banska Bystrica, too, which is just as beautiful, and other interesting cities like Kosice, Levoca, Trencin and Nitra, which have their own jewels for you to discover.

Tatra National Park

Next to Bratislava, the region of the Vysoke Tatry or High Tatras draws the most tourists each year. This is because it offers a wonderful alpine climate, amazing views and various opportunities for recreation. For those who love the outdoors, a climb up Krivan, its most beautiful peak, is recommended, or a hike along one of the many winding, scenic trails during summer, while facilities for skiing and other winter sports are available in winter. For those who simply want to relax, just sit back and savor the views from the train or one of the cable cars. If you’re lucky, you might spot chamois and rare birds in the distance.

Caves

Out of Slovakia’s roughly 4,000 caves, only– may be open to the public, but each one is definitely worth visiting. Some of them have even been included in the list of World Heritage Sites, like the Ochtinska Cave, the largest aragonite cave in the world, the Dobsinska Ice Cave, the Domica Cave, the Gombasecka Cave and the Jasovska Cave, all of which have many chambers and halls full of remarkable rock formations. The Demanovska Liberty Cave, is the most popular, though, because of its colorful stalactites – in shades of red, orange, yellow and black – and stunning lakes.

Architecture

Slovakia has its share of romantic castles and chateaux, headed by Spis Castle, which is a World Heritage Site and one of the largest castles in Central Europe. It is a popular film location, too, especially for movies with a fantasy or medieval setting. The same goes for Orava Castle, which was featured in the film adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, while the castles at Bojnice, Trencin and Nitra are more renowned for their historical significance. In fact, Nitra Castle was once the seat of the Moravian Empire. If you want to spend the night in a castle, there are some that offer this chance, too, like Hradok Castle.

In contrast, you will also find many humble wooden churches when you visit Slovakia, particularly in the Svidnik province, which are just as worth seeing. One of the largest wooden structures in Central Europe can be found in the country, too – the Wooden Lutheran Church – while Podbiel has a collection of more than 70 well-preserved rustic houses. Although not entirely wooden, St. Jacob’s Church in Levoca has the highest 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).

Isabella Olsen is a writer for various travel magazines who has been to global tourist destinations like Slovakia. To book your slovakia car rental or learn more about car hire deals worldwide, visit Zencarhire.com.

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