The center of Europe
According to the work of geographers, the centre of Europe is located in Slovakia, on the top of the hill in the small village of Krahule not far from the town of Kremnica in the central part of the country. This central country can be divided into two parts with very distinct landscapes: a mountainous area in the centre and north and a smaller area of plains in the south.
Slovakia, a country that is two-thirds mountainous
The mountains of Slovakia are part of the western arc of the Carpathian Mountains, which are located throughout Central and Eastern Europe
The White Carpathians (Biele Karpaty). In the west of Slovakia, they serve as a natural border with the Moravian region of the Czech Republic. The name White Carpathians is due to the dolomitic composition of the rocks that make up this mountain range. Its highest point is Mount Velká Javořina, which rises to 970 m above sea level. It is covered with vast meadows, beautiful forests and especially orchid fields
The Beksides (Beskydy). West of the High Tatras, they extend north along the border between Poland and Slovakia. Babia hora (1,725 m) is the most emblematic peak of this portion of the middle mountains.
The High Tatras (Vysoké Tatry). The symbol of Slovakia on the flag and the pride of the Slovak people in their hearts, the High Tatras have more than ten peaks higher than 2,600 m in only 26 km of length, with the Gerlach peak (Gerlachovský štít) and its 2,655 m as the highest point of the country. The 260 km long "miniature Alps" are organized around three main tourist resorts: Štrbské Pleso, Starý Smokovec and Tatranská Lomnica from west to east. They are all connected by an asphalt road and a railway line that runs through the forest. From each of these centers, there are well-marked trails leading to the various peaks, which require a good physical condition. Even if this mountain range does not seem so high and impressive, do not forget that if you feel like walking on it, you should respect it and bring the necessary equipment, especially warm and dry clothes to face the cold of the heights.
The Low Tatras (Nízke Tatry). They face the High Tatras, only separated in the north by the E50 freeway which crosses the whole of Europe. This nature park stretches for 80 km with the highest point at 2,043 m, the Ďumbier. Many hikes of different difficulty are possible, but the Demänová Valley (Demänovská Dolina) is a great playground for those who love adventure. For example, a nice hike starts from the Liptovská Mara lake near Liptovský Mikuláš and leads to Mount Chopok (2,024 m) in the Jasná ski resort.
Great Fatras (Veľká Fatra). This small range is located in the northwest of Slovakia. It is a favorite area for winter sports tourists with the resorts of Malino Brdo near Ružomberok and Donovaly. It is also home to the traditional village of Vlkolínec and offers many hiking opportunities, especially to its highest point: Ostredok (1,595 m).
Little Fatras (Malá Fatra). Located in the northwest of Slovakia, it is the fourth highest mountain range in the country after the High Tatras, the Low Tatras and the Beskids. It contains a rich and relatively well-preserved nature, especially the deep valley of Vrátna, which stretches for 10 km in this massif. It can be reached from the town of Terchová. This area has many marked trails and mountain huts that allow for long and beautiful hikes of one to several days. Those who like a challenge will climb the Veľký Kriváň, the highest point in this region (1,709 m), while sportsmen will go skiing in the lovely Vrátna Free Time Zone.
The Ore Mountains (Slovenské rudohorie). This mountain range is the largest in the country. It covers almost the entire southern half of the central part of the country. Unlike other mountains in Slovakia, it has a rather monotonous relief with a slight mountainous character in its southern part. Thanks to their rich geological structure, the Ore Mountains were once a place of mining of various minerals, which flourished from the 14th to the 19th century. The extraction of siderite in Nižná Slana is now over. However, the extraction of non-mineral materials such as magnesite and talc continues to this day.
The Pannonian Basin Plains for the other third
This basin extends over central, central south-eastern Europe. It is divided into three distinctive parts of the Slovak territory, two in the southwest around the Morava River and the Danube, the third in the southeast on the border with Hungary and Ukraine, together known as the Great Alföld. These areas are sedimentary basins that are the legacy of the ancient Sea of Pannonia that existed here about 2 million years ago. Today, these fertile plains are mainly dedicated to agriculture and vine growing. These vineyards are all beautiful areas to discover, around Bratislava, in the Danube plain or to the east with the Slovak Tokaj.
Rivers and lakes
When it is hot, as Slovakia has no access to the sea, people look for water points to cool off or swim. Here is a list of the country's main lakes. In central Slovakia, the favourite swimming spot is concentrated around Banská Štiavnica. An entire system of artificial lakes was created for mining, and they are now open to the public for everyone's enjoyment. A little further north is the Liptov "sea", Liptovská Mara. This artificial lake has been partly developed as a recreational area, with second homes or rental accommodation. Some people sail there, others rest and bathe there. On the border with Poland, Lake Orava (Vodná Nádrž Orava) is the largest lake in the country. Transformed into a nautical base, it is a very busy place in summer. In the eastern part, there are the lakes of Morské Oko and Zemplínska šírava.
In terms of waterways, Europe's largest river, the Danube, with its 3,000 km, which passes through the capital Bratislava, forms part of the border with Hungary in the south. It plays an important role in connecting the country to the Black Sea and to the ports of Western Europe via the Rhine-Main-Danube Canal. Its tributaries are the Hron, the Ipeľ and the Váh, the country's largest river.A land of adventure
The best way to discover this mountainous and forest covered country is to do as the locals do and go hiking. In this small country, more than 15,000 km of marked trails have been laid out in the countryside or in protected areas, which represent 23% of the territory. The choice is great, but these are the areas you won't be disappointed to venture into. The Slovak Paradise (Slovenský raj) has a beautiful territory and unique facilities with ladders and footbridges over vertiginous canyons. The Prosiek Valley (Prosiecka dolina) is a karst valley in the hills of Choč. This nature reserve of small mountains (the highest peak at 1,372 m) contains countless natural treasures and playful hikes with a few footbridges to cross and ladders to climb.
In addition to these beautiful mountains, there are also about 2,400 caves, 13 of which are open to the public. Among the most exceptional of them are the Dobšinská ice cave ľadová jaskyňa and the Ochtinská aragonitová aragonite cave jaskyňa. Dobšinská Ľadová Jaskyňa is an ice cave of international importance, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Located in the Slovak Paradise, its temperature varies between - 3 and 3 °C. Until the 1950s, the locals used to skate here, even in summer, and for the record, the place was used for military training or figure skating for the Olympic Games. Ochtinská aragonitová jaskyňa, the Ochtina Aragonite Cave, is located west of Rožňava. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, there are only two other such caves in Mexico and Argentina. It was only discovered in 1954, totally by chance, by miners drilling a mine shaft. Aragonite is a mineral (calcium carbonate) that crystallizes in the form of coral.
