Stay : Discovering Slovakia
This route from west to east allows you to go deeper and more typical into Slovakia. It is organized around major sites listed as Unesco World Heritage Sites. This route offers the possibility to see the greatest historical, cultural and natural wealth of the country.
Summary of the stay
Best time to go
13 days
€ - Good and cheap
Detail of the stay : Discovering Slovakia - 13 days
Day 1: Bratislava
Steps: Bratislava, Rožňava
Capital and gateway to the country, Bratislava, with approximately 455,000 inhabitants, is the largest city in Slovakia. Stroll in the old town where all the most beautiful sites and museums are concentrated, the Saint Martin's cathedral, the main square with the presidential palace, then the castle which overlooks the city and the Danube. The historical center is small, but it offers the possibility to be carried away by the charm of its typical architecture. To get an unobstructed view of the capital, you have to climb to the top of the Slavin hill where a monument of the Red Army is erected in memory of the soldiers who liberated Slovakia.
CATHÉDRALE SAINT-MARTIN (DÓM SV. MARTINA)
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 has a strategic position 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 great excursion. In addition to the permanent exhibitions, works by international artists are on display on a temporary basis.
Distance approx. 50 km round trip for each excursion.
Day 3: Trencin
130 kilometers from Bratislava, the small town of Trencin welcomes you in a relaxed atmosphere. Stroll through the medieval streets to the rock castle, which is beautifully lit at night. At the end of the day, sit on one of the many terraces in the town center and watch the life of this charming town unfold before your eyes.
The magnificent Beckov Castle, a few kilometers from Trencin, is one of Slovakia's medieval wonders.
CHÂTEAU DE BECKOV (BECKOVSKÝ HRAD)
Day 4: High Tatras
Steps: Tatranská Lomnica
We could recommend you to spend your whole stay in the Tatras, this paradise for hikers. The Tatras are a natural park, consisting of three mountain ranges, and offer beautiful mountain peaks, azure lakes, and a remarkable diversity of flora and fauna. The Tatras can be fully appreciated from some very pleasant back bases: Tatranska Lomnica, Stary Smokovec or Zdiar for a stay in a beautifully restored village all in wooden houses with traditional motifs.
Day 5: Dunajec Gorge
On the border between Slovakia and Poland, the Dunajec River is a perfect base to experience the joy of whitewater sports. In this picturesque setting, the river flows through breathtakingly high canyons. From April to October, you can go down the Dunajec on traditional wooden rafts run by locals between the towns of Cerveny Klastor and Lesnica. Ideal for an authentic experience off the beaten track.
Day 6: Levoca and Spis Castle
Steps: Žehra, Košice, Levoča, Bardejov
Levoca lies in the heart of the country, along the E50 road from Bratislava to Kosice. This beautiful small town with its medieval architecture is perfectly preserved. The town center is full of Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque buildings. Soak up the special atmosphere of the city on the impressive Namestie Majstra Pavla square with its beautiful town hall. Don't miss the Cage of Infamy where women responsible for minor crimes were put on public display.
Stop at the magnificent Spis Castle overlooking the surrounding valley on the way to Bardejov. A monumental complex, the fortress belonged to the rich Saxons who populated the Spis territories in the Middle Ages.
CHÂTEAU DE SPIŠ (SPIŠSKÝ HRAD)
Day 7: Slovak Paradise
Steps: Stratená, Slovensky Raj
One of the most beautiful regions of the country, a paradise for hikers. No wonder this nature park was given the name of slovensky raj (Slovak paradise). Numerous well-marked trails take you on Indiana Jones-like hikes through deep forests, through impressive gorges and over dizzying wooden ladders and bridges.
The Dobsinska Ladova Jaskyna ice cave, in the same nature park, reveals magical interiors of unforgettable ice and rock formations.
GROTTE DE GLACE (DOBŠINSKÁ L'ADOVÁ JASKYŇA)
Day 8: Bardejov and the wooden churches
Steps: Trnava, Poprad, Spišská Sobota, Bardejov, Svidník
One of the best-preserved medieval towns in Slovakia, Bardejov boasts a breathtaking central square: 40 small, perfectly arranged Gothic houses surrounding thetown hall in its center. Start your visit with a visit to theChurch of St. Giles and climb the steps to its tower for a magnificent view of the town and the surrounding countryside. Also stop by the Museum of Icons across the square for an exciting collection of art objects. The names on the walls of the Memorial to the Deportation of Jews during World War II show how large the Jewish community was in Bardejov before the war. Today, there are none left in the city, but history buffs who want the younger generation to remember the tragedy are working hard to renovate the 200-year-old synagogue and adjacent buildings.
Around Bardejov and Svidnik are the most beautiful wooden churches in the entire region. Often nestled in small isolated villages, they are examples of folk architecture, built only of wood without using a single nail!
Day 9: Poloniny Park
Steps: Medzilaborce
On the borders of Slovakia, Ukraine and Poland lies one of the most remote and unspoiled parks on the continent, the Poloniny National Park. Planted with primary beech forests, it is full of traditional wooden churches built over the centuries. Ask for the key to the nearby houses to visit these architectural wonders. Mount Kremenec dominates the Nature Park with its 1,221 meters. At the top you will be exactly on the border between the three countries.
It is also the ideal region to discover the mysterious Ruthenian minority of Slovakia and its most famous representative, Andy Warhol, from the village of Medzilaborce, where a somewhat eccentric museum is dedicated to him.
Day 10: Kosice
Steps: Košice, Bratislava
Kosice is the country's second largest city and is located on the eastern border of the European Union. Still marked by the years of communism with ultra-concrete suburbs, the city center has been embellished by successive renovations. In the purest French Gothic style, the cathedral of Kosice, Sainte-Elisabeth, is a must-see. Built in 1380, it is marked by Protestant and Catholic influences and has undergone several successive renovations. Stroll through the charming Hlavna Square, overflowing with restaurants, cafes and stores. A city at the crossroads, Kosice cultivates its multiculturalism with large Hungarian, German and Roma minorities.
CATHÉDRALE STE-ÉLISABETH (DÓM SVÄTEJ ALŽBETY)
Day 11: Presov
Steps: Prešov
On the road, the town of Presov, whose downtown is very well preserved, is worth a detour.
Day 12: The Slovak Karst
Steps: Zádiel, Jaskyňa Domica, Ochtiná
This last stage takes you to the heart of nature in the Slovak Karst, whose many caves are listed by UNESCO. From Košice, about 45 minutes away, a small country road leads for 2 km through the Zadielska canyon. This area is beautiful and can be the starting point for several hikes. Then, about 45 minutes away from this canyon, the Domica cave is the largest in the Slovak Karst. It was dug by the underground river Styx and straddles the border between Slovakia and Hungary. When the water flow is sufficient, you can take a boat ride 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 for 230 meters. One can admire crystallizations reminiscent of corals and sea anemones.
CANYON DE ZÁDIEL (ZÁDIELSKA TIESŇAVA) / GROTTE DE DOMICA (JASKYŇA DOMICA) / GROTTE D'ARAGONITE (OCHTINSKÁ JASKYŇA)
Day 13: Roznava
Steps: Spišská Sobota, Rožňava
Roznava is a good base, a quiet town with a pleasant central square, in the heart of a region with a large Hungarian minority.
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