What to see in Slovakia: 9 must-sees
Discover what to see in Slovakia: 9 must-see destinations, from Bratislava to Bratislava Castle. Predominantly UNESCO heritage and monument; each entry includes the best time to visit and the link to its official source.
UNESCO Heritage(3)
Explore Bardejov, Slovakia's best-preserved medieval town, in the Prešov region. Its rectangular square is home to 32 Gothic buildings from the 15th century, including burgher houses with original facades, and the ensemble is completed by 6 churches and the town walls that still enclose the old town. UNESCO inscribed it as a World Heritage Site in 2000 for its exceptional value as a testimony to a vanished cultural tradition. Walk its cobblestone streets and take in the Renaissance town hall that presides over the historic center.
Discover Banská Štiavnica, the Slovak mining town recognized by UNESCO in 1993. The world's first mining school was founded here in 1762, and its silver veins fueled eight centuries of precious metal extraction. Stroll among Baroque burgher houses, churches, and old castles that once guarded the ore, and descend into the galleries that still preserve the miners' tools. The tajchy, 16th-century water reservoirs now used for swimming, complete a unique technical landscape in the Banská Bystrica region.
Take in the ruins of Spiš Castle, the largest medieval fortress in Central Europe, with 4 hectares of walls, towers, and courtyards atop a sandstone hill near Košice. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993, it preserves Romanesque and Gothic remains spanning eight centuries of history. Climb the keep, tour the castle museum, and marvel at the views of the Hornád River valley and the slopes of the Tatras.
Monument(2)
Climb up to the 9th-century castle that towers over the city from the hill where the Danube opens toward Hungary. Tour the royal halls, admire the panoramic views of the river, and take in 1,100 years of history. Behold the monument that tells centuries of history and culture. Walk through its structures, admire the architectural details, and discover the story held within its stones.
Explore Čičmany, in the Žilina region, a village founded in the 13th century and considered the oldest in Europe with decorated wooden houses. Notice the thatched roofs and the walls painted with white geometric patterns, originally traced in lime to protect the wood. Walk among the cottages, visit the ethnographic museum housed in two of them and, if the weather allows, follow the trails toward the Strážov Mountains that surround the valley.
National Park(2)
Visit Tatra National Park, in the Žilina region, and explore its 300 km of marked trails. Climb among peaks that reach 2,600 meters and cross 200-year-old pine forests. Stop at the waterfalls and glacial lakes that line the routes. Observe birds and alpine wildlife in their habitat as you walk through valleys and rocky slopes. Wear hiking boots: the elevation changes are demanding and the weather changes quickly at higher altitudes. Check with the visitor centers which trails are open depending on the season.
Discover Horský park, Bratislava's green lung spread across the hills of the Little Carpathians. Walk its shaded trails among beeches and oaks, stop at the viewpoints overlooking the city, and climb Kamzík Hill, where the television tower visible from almost all of Bratislava stands. Take advantage of the marked trails for leisurely hikes or bike rides, and breathe the air of this historic forest that Bratislavans have frequented since the 19th century to escape the city center without straying far from it.
City(1)
Stop in Bratislava, the capital crowned by its castle above the Danube, which hosted the coronations of 11 Habsburg emperors. Explore the 9th-century citadel, St. Martin's Cathedral (13th century), and the Old Town, with its 400 shops among cobblestone alleys. Crossing the bridge, you'll see the contrast between the baroque facades of the center and the modern blocks on the other side of the river, a mix that defines this compact city, easy to explore on foot in a couple of days.
Natural(1)
Follow trails that climb among 2,600-meter peaks, waterfalls, and glacial lakes in the Slovak Tatras, within a 741 km² national park. You'll cross pine and beech forests home to chamois, marmots and, with luck, you may spot a bear in the distance. Marked routes start from mountain villages and lead to mountain huts where you can eat cabbage soup and rest. In summer the alpine meadows bloom; in winter snow covers the valleys and the ski resorts open. This is the Slovak side of the border with Poland.
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