Ice hockey, the national sport
An anecdote sums up the Slovak passion for ice hockey. When Slovakia won the world championship in 2002, the jubilation that engulfed the country was described by observers as a second velvet revolution! Hockey players Zigmund Palffy and Peter Bondra became true national heroes. If since this success the national team has never managed to win another major title, it often occupies the places of honour (3rd in the 2003 world championship, 2015 and2nd
, and therefore finalist, in 2012). In 2019, Slovakia hosted the world championship, but the team could not get out of the pools and finished in 9th place. In any case, each competition is followed with enthusiasm throughout the country. The Slovaks are also closely following the North American NHL, the most prestigious world championship where the best Slovak players play. Local competitions are also very popular and set the stadiums in Bratislava, Košice or Trenčin on fire. It would be wrong not to attend a hockey match during your trip to Slovakia; the matches are real shows hosted by cheerleaders, hysterical commentators and fiery fans.Soccer, the other passion
Football comes in second place, even though it is the sport most played by amateurs: every town and village has its own pitch. While local clubs rarely stand out on the European stage, the national team is making slight progress and occasionally appearing on the international stage. The most important reason for this is Marek Hamsik, the greatest player in the history of Slovak football and the top scorer for the legendary Napoli club (ahead of the legend Diego Maradona). Eliminated in the Round of 16 of the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2016, the team did not qualify for the World Cup in Russia in 2018 and is playing in the qualifying play-offs in March 2020 to try to participate in the Euro this summer.
Assault on the mountains
Slovaks take full advantage of the countless possibilities offered by the peaks, especially in the fabulous High Tatras massif. At weekends, they put on their hiking boots to hike the many well-groomed mountain trails. In summer, when there is no sea, Slovaks swim in the mountain lakes. In winter, the ski slopes are never far away. Even if the resorts are relatively modest, all the mountain villages have their ski lifts installed on the hillsides to enjoy the snow from December to April. The mountain massifs also offer great opportunities for climbing enthusiasts and there are more than seventy sites, mainly in the west and centre of the country. Mountain biking is also developing: many bike parks have opened and more than eighty trails are currently marked out. A whole infrastructure is being set up with increasingly regular cyclo-buses.
Hiking. There are many opportunities for hiking in Slovakia with more than 12,000 km of marked trails. Trails more or less demanding, in rather varied mountain ranges. Slovaks know how to take advantage of them! All equipped with their hiking boots, since walking represents for them a true lifestyle, they take over the hiking trails of the country as soon as they have a free moment. It should also be noted that there are also 5,300 km of trails set up for cycle tourists. In short, the Slovaks have a real cult for their natural heritage and are examples of how they protect it... and enjoy it!
