Slovakia - Tour Highlights and Travel Tips
This relatively new and mountainous country stands as a welcoming bastion of modernity and liberty. With universal health care, extensive maternity leave, and an excellent free educational system Slovakia is a wonderful place to live, and an exceptional place to vacation. Churches, castles, caves and cuisine make this a destination worth your consideration as you plan your next trip.
Tour Highlights
- Carpathian Wooden Churches built in the 16th to 18th century, mostly without the use of nails, provide a unique religious and architectural attraction to Slovakia. These registered UNESCO World Heritage sites are located in various cities around the country.
- With 180 different castle’s or ruin sites in Slovakia, choosing just one to visit may be too challenging a task to undertake, but for the romantic feel of a storybook castle, it’s hard to beat Bojnice.
- There are literally dozens of caves in Slovakia, but for a one-of-a-kind experience, visit Ochtinska cave, an aragonite cave of exquisite beauty.
- Slovakia cuisine is something you must experience while you’re here. Slovakian food is best served on location! Try the Zivanska, Placky, or other potato based dishes.
- See the highest wooden alter in the world at the Renaissance Era Saint James Church in Levoca.
- Tired of over-crowded tourist sites? Then go for a hike among the rivers, waterfalls, and gorgeous valleys of Slovak Paradise National Park.
Travel Tips
- If hiking is on the agenda, travel in June or July, all the trails are open and the weather is most accommodating; for great music festivals, try visiting in September or October.
- Public transportation is reliable and affordable with buses, trolleybuses, and trams available in major cities, and even some in smaller towns, but be sure to validate your ticket, or you’ll run the risk of paying a fine.
- If you encounter an emergency, dial 112 for assistance.
- Stay on marked trails when hiking to avoid unwanted encounters with wolves, bears, or even ticks. The ticks may be the worst as they can carry encephalitis. Better to be safe than sorry.
