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.
Tatra National Park
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.
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
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.
Arts and Crafts
The Slovaks are known for their creativity, which is evident in their folk handicrafts that make great souvenirs when you visit Slovakia. Consider buying a crpak (ornamented cup), fujara (folk woodwind instrument), valaska (a folk hatchet), kraslice (painted eggs), ceramics from Modra, or dolls in national costumes. Souvenir sets are also available. - 29948
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.
Tatra National Park
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.
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
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.
Arts and Crafts
The Slovaks are known for their creativity, which is evident in their folk handicrafts that make great souvenirs when you visit Slovakia. Consider buying a crpak (ornamented cup), fujara (folk woodwind instrument), valaska (a folk hatchet), kraslice (painted eggs), ceramics from Modra, or dolls in national costumes. Souvenir sets are also available. - 29948
About the Author:
Isabella Olsen is a writer for various travel magazines who has been to global tourist destinations like Slovakia. To book your cheap car hire slovakia or learn more about cheap car hire worldwide, visit Zencarhire.com.
