Tourism in Slovakia
Encyclopedia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
offers natural landscapes, mountains
Geomorphological division of Slovakia
This page gives an overview of the geomorphological division of Slovakia. It is ordered in a hierarchical form, belonging to the Alps-Himalaya System and to the sub-systems of the Carpathian Mountains and of the Pannonian Basin...
, caves, medieval castles and towns, folk architecture, spas and ski resorts
Ski and winter sports in Slovakia
Ski and winter sports in Slovakia are very prominent and popular given the mountainous topography of the region and the fact that much of the country is covered by snow for a greater part of the year.- Downhill Skiing :...
.
More than 1.6 million people visited Slovakia in 2006, and the most attractive destinations are the capital of Bratislava
Bratislava
Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava...
and the High Tatras
High Tatras
High Tatras or High Tatra are a mountain range on the borders between Slovakia and Poland. They are a part of the Tatra Mountains...
. Most visitors come from the Czech Republic (about 26%), Poland (15%) and Germany (11%).
Natural environment
Brown Bear
The brown bear is a large bear distributed across much of northern Eurasia and North America. It can weigh from and its largest subspecies, the Kodiak Bear, rivals the polar bear as the largest member of the bear family and as the largest land-based predator.There are several recognized...
s, wolves, fox
Fox
Fox is a common name for many species of omnivorous mammals belonging to the Canidae family. Foxes are small to medium-sized canids , characterized by possessing a long narrow snout, and a bushy tail .Members of about 37 species are referred to as foxes, of which only 12 species actually belong to...
es, wild boars, muskrat
Muskrat
The muskrat , the only species in genus Ondatra, is a medium-sized semi-aquatic rodent native to North America, and introduced in parts of Europe, Asia, and South America. The muskrat is found in wetlands and is a very successful animal over a wide range of climates and habitats...
s, chamois
Chamois
The chamois, Rupicapra rupicapra, is a goat-antelope species native to mountains in Europe, including the Carpathian Mountains of Romania, the European Alps, the Tatra Mountains, the Balkans, parts of Turkey, and the Caucasus. The chamois has also been introduced to the South Island of New Zealand...
and lynx
Lynx
A lynx is any of the four Lynx genus species of medium-sized wildcats. The name "lynx" originated in Middle English via Latin from Greek word "λύγξ", derived from the Indo-European root "*leuk-", meaning "light, brightness", in reference to the luminescence of its reflective eyes...
es. Slovakia features a high percentage of wildlife
Wildlife
Wildlife includes all non-domesticated plants, animals and other organisms. Domesticating wild plant and animal species for human benefit has occurred many times all over the planet, and has a major impact on the environment, both positive and negative....
included in protected areas. There are hardly any mountain ranges and areas not under some form of protection.
Tatra Mountains
The Tatra Mountains, Tatras or Tatra , are a mountain range which forms a natural border between Slovakia and Poland, and are the highest mountain range in the Carpathian Mountains...
, (particularly the High Tatras
High Tatras
High Tatras or High Tatra are a mountain range on the borders between Slovakia and Poland. They are a part of the Tatra Mountains...
), the highest part of the Carpathians
Carpathian Mountains
The Carpathian Mountains or Carpathians are a range of mountains forming an arc roughly long across Central and Eastern Europe, making them the second-longest mountain range in Europe...
. They feature many rare plant and animal species and offer numerous ski, hiking and mountaineering opportunities.
Rivers and streams in the mountains of Slovakia are often used for rafting
Rafting
Rafting or white water rafting is a challenging recreational outdoor activity using an inflatable raft to navigate a river or other bodies of water. This is usually done on white water or different degrees of rough water, in order to thrill and excite the raft passengers. The development of this...
and other white-water based activities and sports. The use of raft
Raft
A raft is any flat structure for support or transportation over water. It is the most basic of boat design, characterized by the absence of a hull...
s has a very long tradition and especially rafts on the spectacular Dunajec river are very popular among tourists.
Slovakia contains numerous mineral springs and spa
Spa
The term spa is associated with water treatment which is also known as balneotherapy. Spa towns or spa resorts typically offer various health treatments. The belief in the curative powers of mineral waters goes back to prehistoric times. Such practices have been popular worldwide, but are...
s. There were 94 destination spa
Destination spa
A destination spa is a short term residential/lodging facility with the primary purpose of providing individual services for spa-goers to develop healthy habits. Historically many such spas were developed at the location of natural hot springs or sources of mineral waters...
s in 2007, which contained more than 11,900 beds. In 2007, there were 276,200 visitors in Slovak spas, which is a 9% increase from 2006. 35.2% of the visitors were foreign.
- Balneological spas: BojniceBojniceBojnice is a small town in central Slovakia at the upper Nitra river, near the city of Prievidza. It has population of 4,983 . Bojnice is best known for its tourist attractions: the oldest zoo in Slovakia, the most visited castle, and one of the oldest spa towns in Slovakia. The town is situated...
, BrusnoBrusnoBrusno is a village and municipality in Banská Bystrica District in the Banská Bystrica Region of central Slovakia.-Geography:The municipality lies at an altitude of 405 metres and covers an area of . It has a population of about 2,114 people....
, DudinceDudinceDudince is a spa town in southern Slovakia, with a population of 1,500. It is known for its healing mineral waters and spas.-Geography:...
, LúčkyLucky-Fictional characters:* Lucky or Chansey* Lucky , a character in Samuel Beckett's play* Lucky , a mascot character of the Hanshin Tigers baseball team in Japan...
, PiešťanyPieštanyPiešťany is a town in Slovakia. It is located in the western part of the country within the Trnava Region and is the seat of its own district. It is the biggest and best known spa town in Slovakia and has around 30,000 inhabitants.-History:...
, Sklené TepliceSklené TepliceSklené Teplice is a small spa village and municipality in Žiar nad Hronom District in the Banská Bystrica Region of central Slovakia.-Geography:...
, SliačSliacSliač is a small spa town located in central Slovakia, on the Hron river, between Banská Bystrica and Zvolen. The town is known for its healing hot springs and for an airport which has been used for military as well as civil purposes...
, SmrdákySmrdákySmrdáky is a spa village and municipality in Senica District in the Trnava Region of western Slovakia.-Geography:The municipality lies at an altitude of 241 metres and covers an area of 4.725km². It has a population of about 603 people....
, Trenčianske TepliceTrencianske TepliceTrenčianske Teplice is a health resort and small spa town in western Slovakia, in the valley of the river Teplička, at the foothills of the Strážovské vrchy mountains.-Characteristics:...
, Turčianske TepliceTurcianske TepliceTurčianske Teplice is a town in central Slovakia in the Žilina Region. It is about halfway between Martin and Kremnica. As of 2005 the town's population was 6,941... - Climatic spas: Nový Smokovec, ŠtósŠtósŠtós is a village and municipality in Košice-okolie District in the Košice Region of eastern Slovakia.-History:...
, Štrbské PlesoŠtrbské PlesoŠtrbské Pleso with its large glacial mountain lake is a favorite ski, tourist, and health resort in the High Tatras, Slovakia. With extensive parking facilities and a stop on the Tatra trolley and rack railway, it is a starting point for a host of popular hikes including to Kriváň and...
, Tatranské Matliare, High TatrasHigh TatrasHigh Tatras or High Tatra are a mountain range on the borders between Slovakia and Poland. They are a part of the Tatra Mountains... - Mixed spas: Bardejovské KúpeleBardejovBardejov is a town in North-Eastern Slovakia. It is situated in the Šariš region and has about 33,000 inhabitants. The spa town, mentioned for the first time in 1241, exhibits numerous cultural monuments in its completely intact medieval town center...
, ČížCížČíž is a spa village and municipality in the Rimavská Sobota District of the Banská Bystrica Region of southern Slovakia.-History:In historical records, the village was first mentioned in 1274 . It first belonged to the Tukovci family and later to several zeman families. In 1566 and 1682, the...
, NimnicaNimnicaNimnica is a spa village and municipality in Púchov District in the Trenčín Region of north-western Slovakia. It is located between the towns of Púchov and Považská Bystrica.-Geography:...
, Rajecké TepliceRajecké TepliceRajecké Teplice is a town in the , Žilina Region in northern Slovakia.-History of the spa:Located between the Lúčanská Malá Fatra and Martinské hole Hills at the valley of the Rajčanka river, the spa is marked as Thermae on a map from 1376, but a deed by Luis the Great gives the first written...
and Vyšné RužbachyVyšné RužbachyVyšné Ružbachy is a spa village and municipality in Stará Ľubovňa District in the Prešov Region of northern Slovakia.-Geography:The municipality lies at an altitude of 615 metres and covers an area of 17.957 km². It has a population of about 1,296 people....
New water park
Water park
A waterpark is an amusement park that features waterplay areas, such as water slides, splash pads, spraygrounds , lazy rivers, or other recreational bathing, swimming, and barefooting environments...
s are being built thorough the country. Recently built parks include Tatralandia in Liptovský Mikuláš
Liptovský Mikuláš
Liptovský Mikuláš is a town in northern Slovakia, on the Váh River. It lies in the Liptov region, in Liptov Basin near the Low Tatra and Tatra mountains...
, Aquacity in Poprad
Poprad
Poprad is a city in northern Slovakia at the foot of the High Tatra Mountains famous for its picturesque historic centre and as a holiday resort. It is the biggest town of the Spiš region and the tenth largest city in Slovakia with a population of approximately 55,000.The Poprad-Tatry Airport is...
and Aquathermal in Senec
Senec, Slovakia
Senec is a town in the Bratislava Region of south-western Slovakia. It is a well known summer tourism and recreation center. The town is attractive not only because of the proximity of Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, but also because of the healthy environment and summer resort "Slnečné...
.
Slovakia's karst
KARST
Kilometer-square Area Radio Synthesis Telescope is a Chinese telescope project to which FAST is a forerunner. KARST is a set of large spherical reflectors on karst landforms, which are bowlshaped limestone sinkholes named after the Kras region in Slovenia and Northern Italy. It will consist of...
areas offer an extremely high number of cave
Cave
A cave or cavern is a natural underground space large enough for a human to enter. The term applies to natural cavities some part of which is in total darkness. The word cave also includes smaller spaces like rock shelters, sea caves, and grottos.Speleology is the science of exploration and study...
s and their list is being expanded every year due to new discoveries. The number of caves per capita is the highest one or among the highest ones in Europe. Thirteen caves are open to the public, the longest one of which is 9 km long. Some of them have been proclaimed UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
's World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
s. Among them, Ochtinská Aragonite Cave
Ochtinská Aragonite Cave
Ochtinská Aragonite Cave is a unique aragonite cave situated in southern Slovakia, near Rožňava. Although only 300 m long, it is famous for its rare aragonite filling. There are only three aragonite caves discovered in the world so far. In the so-called Milky Way Hall, the main attraction of the...
is one of three aragonite caves in the world.
Castles
Slovakia contains a lot of castles, most of which are in ruins. The best known castles include Bojnice CastleBojnice Castle
Bojnice Castle is a castle in Bojnice, Slovakia. It hosts the single most popular museum in Slovakia and has featured in many movies....
(often used as a filming location), Spiš Castle
Spiš Castle
The ruins of Spiš Castle in eastern Slovakia form one of the largest castle sites in Central Europe. The castle is situated above the town of Spišské Podhradie and the village of Žehra, in the region known as Spiš...
(the largest fortified castle in Europe, on the UNESCO list), Orava Castle, Bratislava Castle
Bratislava Castle
Bratislava Castle is the main castle of Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia.The massive rectangular building with four corner towers stands on a quite isolated rocky hill of the Little Carpathians directly above the Danube river in the middle of Bratislava...
, and the ruins of Devín Castle
Devín Castle
Devín Castle is a castle in Devín, which is a borough of Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia....
. Čachtice Castle
Cachtice Castle
The Čachtice Castle is a castle ruin in Slovakia next to the village of Čachtice. It stands on a hill featuring rare plants, and has been declared a national nature reserve for this reason...
used to be home of the world's most prolific female serial killer, the 'Bloody Lady', Elizabeth Báthory
Elizabeth Báthory
Countess Elizabeth Báthory de Ecsed was a countess from the renowned Báthory family of Hungarian nobility. Although in modern times she has been labelled the most prolific serial killer in history, the number of murders has been debated...
.
Historical architecture
Slovakia's position in Europe and the country's past (part of the multicultural Kingdom of HungaryKingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders...
, the Habsburg
Habsburg
The House of Habsburg , also found as Hapsburg, and also known as House of Austria is one of the most important royal houses of Europe and is best known for being an origin of all of the formally elected Holy Roman Emperors between 1438 and 1740, as well as rulers of the Austrian Empire and...
monarchy and Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
) made many cities and towns similar to the cities in the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
(such as Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
), Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
(such as Salzburg
Salzburg
-Population development:In 1935, the population significantly increased when Salzburg absorbed adjacent municipalities. After World War II, numerous refugees found a new home in the city. New residential space was created for American soldiers of the postwar Occupation, and could be used for...
) or Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
(such as Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
). A historical center with at least one square has been preserved in many towns. Large historical centers can be found in Bratislava
Bratislava
Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava...
, Košice
Košice
Košice is a city in eastern Slovakia. It is situated on the river Hornád at the eastern reaches of the Slovak Ore Mountains, near the border with Hungary...
, Banská Štiavnica
Banská Štiavnica
Banská Štiavnica is a town in central Slovakia, in the middle of an immense caldera created by the collapse of an ancient volcano. For its size, the caldera is known as Štiavnica Mountains. Banská Štiavnica has a population of more than 10,000. It is a completely preserved medieval town...
, Levoča
Levoca
Levoča is a town in the Spiš region of eastern Slovakia with a population of 14,600. The town has a historic center with a well preserved town wall, a Renaissance church with the highest wooden altar in Europe, carved by Master Paul of Levoča, and many other Renaissance buildings.On 28 June 2009,...
, and Trnava
Trnava
Trnava is a city in western Slovakia, 47 km to the north-east of Bratislava, on the Trnávka river. It is the capital of a kraj and of an okres . It was the seat of a Roman Catholic archbishopric . The city has a historic center...
. Historical centers have been going through restoration in recent years.
Churches
Historical churches can be found in virtually every village and town in Slovakia. Most of them are built in the BaroqueBaroque architecture
Baroque architecture is a term used to describe the building style of the Baroque era, begun in late sixteenth century Italy, that took the Roman vocabulary of Renaissance architecture and used it in a new rhetorical and theatrical fashion, often to express the triumph of the Catholic Church and...
style, but there are also many examples of Romanesque
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
and Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
, for example Banská Bystrica
Banská Bystrica
Banská Bystrica is a key city in central Slovakia located on the Hron River in a long and wide valley encircled by the mountain chains of the Low Tatras, the Veľká Fatra, and the Kremnica Mountains. With 81,281 inhabitants, Banská Bystrica is the sixth most populous municipality in Slovakia...
, Bardejov and Spišská Kapitula
Spišská Kapitula
Spišská Kapitula, is an exceptionally well-preserved ecclesiastical town on the outskirts of Spišské Podhradie, Slovakia, and overlooking Spiš Castle. It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage site Levoča, Spiš Castle and the associated cultural monuments.-Town and history:The town consists of St....
. The St. James Church in Levoča with the highest wood-carved altar in the world and the Church of the Holy Spirit in Žehra
Žehra
For a list of people and places with the name Zehra or its variants, see Zehra Žehra is a village and municipality in the Spišská Nová Ves District in the Košice Region of central-eastern Slovakia.-Geography:...
with medieval fresco
Fresco
Fresco is any of several related mural painting types, executed on plaster on walls or ceilings. The word fresco comes from the Greek word affresca which derives from the Latin word for "fresh". Frescoes first developed in the ancient world and continued to be popular through the Renaissance...
s are UNESCO's World Heritage Sites. The St. Martin's Concathedral
St. Martin's Concathedral
The St. Martin's Cathedral is a cathedral in Slovakia's capital, Bratislava. It is situated at the western border of the historical city center below Bratislava Castle. It is the largest and finest, as well as one of the oldest churches in Bratislava, known especially for previously being the...
in Bratislava
Bratislava
Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava...
served as the coronation
Coronation
A coronation is a ceremony marking the formal investiture of a monarch and/or their consort with regal power, usually involving the placement of a crown upon their head and the presentation of other items of regalia...
church in the Kingdom of Hungary. The oldest sacral buildings in Slovakia stem from the Great Moravia
Great Moravia
Great Moravia was a Slavic state that existed in Central Europe and lasted for nearly seventy years in the 9th century whose creators were the ancestors of the Czechs and Slovaks. It was a vassal state of the Germanic Frankish kingdom and paid an annual tribute to it. There is some controversy as...
n period in the 9th century.
Very precious structures are the complete wooden churches of northern and northern-eastern Slovakia. Most were built from the 15th century onwards by Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
s, Lutherans and members of eastern-rite
Eastern Christianity
Eastern Christianity comprises the Christian traditions and churches that developed in the Balkans, Eastern Europe, Asia Minor, the Middle East, Northeastern Africa, India and parts of the Far East over several centuries of religious antiquity. The term is generally used in Western Christianity to...
churches.
Folklore
Slovakia also has rich folk traditions: songs, dances, folk art, folk costumes and folk and vernacular architectureVernacular architecture
Vernacular architecture is a term used to categorize methods of construction which use locally available resources and traditions to address local needs and circumstances. Vernacular architecture tends to evolve over time to reflect the environmental, cultural and historical context in which it...
. Complete historical villages were preserved only in some cases, such as in Čičmany
Cicmany
Čičmany is a village and municipality in Žilina District in the Žilina Region of northern Slovakia. It is known as the first folk architecture reserve in the world .-History:...
, Vlkolínec
Vlkolínec
Vlkolínec, Slovakia, is a picturesque village under the administration of the town of Ružomberok. Historically, however, it was a separate village. The first written mention of the village came from 1376 and after 1882 it became part of Ružomberok. Its name is probably derived from the Slovak word...
(UNESCO site), Brhlovce
Brhlovce
Brhlovce is a municipality and village in the Levice District in the south-west of Slovakia, in the Nitra Region.It was formed in 1952 by a merger of the villages Dolné Brhlovce and Horné Brhlovce .It lies some 10 km east of Levice...
, Špania Dolina
Špania Dolina
Špania Dolina is a village and municipality in central Slovakia, near the city of Banská Bystrica. Although its permanent population does not exceed 200 people, it is a picturesque historic village situated 728 m above sea level and is surrounded by the Staré Hory and Veľká Fatra mountains...
, Osturňa
Osturna
Osturňa is a village and municipality in Kežmarok District in the Prešov Region of north Slovakia.-Geography:The municipality lies at an altitude of 717 metres and covers an area of 41.237km² . It has a population of about 412 people.-External links:...
, Podbiel
Podbiel
Podbiel is a village and municipality in Tvrdošín District in the Žilina Region of northern Slovakia. It contains a beautiful set of traditional wooden cottages, which have been declared a folk architecture preservation area.- Geography :...
, Stará Hora in Sebechleby
Sebechleby
Sebechleby is a village and municipality in the Krupina District of the Banská Bystrica Region of Slovakia....
, Plavecký Peter
Plavecký Peter
Plavecký Peter is a village and municipality in Senica District in the Trnava Region of western Slovakia.-Geography:The municipality lies at an altitude of 226 metres and covers an area of 14.783km². It has a population of about 645 people....
, Veľké Leváre
Velké Leváre
Veľké Leváre is a village and municipality in western Slovakia in Malacky District in the Bratislava region.The first written notice about the village has its origins in the year 1378. The village Veľké Leváre is situated in the reach of well-known centers: Bratislava, Vienna, Brno...
, and Ždiar
Ždiar
Ždiar is a village and municipality in the Poprad District in the Prešov Region in Spiš in northern Slovakia.-Geography:The municipality lies at an elevation of 896 metres and covers an area of 27.323 km². It has a population of about 1,340 people....
.
Souvenirs and shopping
Typical souvenirs from Slovakia are dolls dressed in folk costumes, ceramic objects, crystal glass, carved wooden figures, črpáks (wooden pitcher), fujaraFujara
The fujara originated in central Slovakia as a large sophisticated folk shepherd's fipple flute of unique design. It is technically a contrabass instrument in the tabor pipe class....
s (a folk instrument on the UNESCO list) and valaška
Valaška
The Shepherd's axe is a long thin light axe used in past centuries by shepherds in the Carpathian Mountains, especially in Slovakia, Czech Republic, Poland, Ukraine and Hungary. The features of a shepherd's axe combine a tool with a walking stick, that could be used as a light weapon...
s (a decorated folk hatchet) and above all products made from corn husks and wire, notably human figures. Souvenirs can be bought in the shops run by the state organization ÚĽUV (Ústredie ľudovej umeleckej výroby - Center of Folk Art Production). Dielo shop chain sells works of Slovak artists and craftsmen. These shops are mostly found in towns and cities.
Prices of imported products are generally the same as in the neighboring countries, whereas prices of local products and services, especially food, are usually lower.
Museums and galleries
Sport
- See also: List of ski areas and resorts in Slovakia
Food and beverage
Food remains relatively cheap compared to Western EuropeWestern Europe
Western Europe is a loose term for the collection of countries in the western most region of the European continents, though this definition is context-dependent and carries cultural and political connotations. One definition describes Western Europe as a geographic entity—the region lying in the...
. Slovakia offers regional wines and beer brands. The most popular wines are from the Tokaj
Tokaj (region in Slovakia)
Tokajské víno wine is produced in Tokaj, a wine region in Slovakia which comprises seven communities and 565 hectares of vineyards. This region was originally the northern part of the Tokaj-Hegyalja wine region in the Kingdom of Hungary....
, Little Carpathians
Little Carpathians
The Little Carpathians are a low, about 100 km long, mountain range, part of the Carpathian Mountains. The mountains are situated in Western Slovakia, covering the area from Bratislava to Nové Mesto nad Váhom, a very small part called Hundsheimer Berge is situated south of Devín Gate in...
, Nitra
Nitra
Nitra is a city in western Slovakia, situated at the foot of Zobor Mountain in the valley of the river Nitra. With a population of about 83,572, it is the fifth largest city in Slovakia. Nitra is also one of the oldest cities in Slovakia and the country's earliest political and cultural center...
, Topoľčany
Topolcany
Topoľčany .The name Topoľčany was assumed to be derived from topoľ, Slovak for poplar tree. Groves of these trees were once abundant on the banks of the Nitra River...
and Záhorie
Záhorie
Záhorie is a region in western Slovakia bordered by the Little Carpathians in the east and the Morava River in the west. Although not an administrative region in its own right, it is one of the 21 official tourism regions in Slovakia...
regions. Hubert is a Slovak sparkling wine
Sparkling wine
Sparkling wine is a wine with significant levels of carbon dioxide in it making it fizzy. The carbon dioxide may result from natural fermentation, either in a bottle, as with the méthode champenoise, in a large tank designed to withstand the pressures involved , or as a result of carbon dioxide...
brand and Karpatské Brandy Špeciál is a popular brandy
Brandy
Brandy is a spirit produced by distilling wine. Brandy generally contains 35%–60% alcohol by volume and is typically taken as an after-dinner drink...
. Demänovka and Horec are traditional herbal liqueur
Liqueur
A liqueur is an alcoholic beverage that has been flavored with fruit, herbs, nuts, spices, flowers, or cream and bottled with added sugar. Liqueurs are typically quite sweet; they are usually not aged for long but may have resting periods during their production to allow flavors to marry.The...
s. Other popular Slovak distilled beverages include slivovica
Slivovitz
Slivovitz or Slivovitsais a distilled beverage made from Damson plums. It is frequently called plum brandy, and in the Balkans is part of the category of drinks called rakia...
(plum brandy) and borovička
Borovicka
Borovička is a Slovak alcoholic beverage flavored with juniper berries. It is characterized by a white or golden colour and a taste similar to that of dry gin. It is popular especially in Slovakia, Poland, and the Czech Republic. Today's commercially-produced borovička contains about 40% alcohol...
, made of juniper
Juniper
Junipers are coniferous plants in the genus Juniperus of the cypress family Cupressaceae. Depending on taxonomic viewpoint, there are between 50-67 species of juniper, widely distributed throughout the northern hemisphere, from the Arctic, south to tropical Africa in the Old World, and to the...
berries. Popular beer brands are Topvar, Zlatý Bažant
Zlatý Bažant
Zlatý Bažant is a Slovak beer brand. It was founded in 1969 and is produced at the brewery in Hurbanovo. It was purchased by the Heineken International group in 1995.It is distributed in the United States under the name Golden Pheasant....
, Šariš, and Corgoň.
Cheese and cheese products (especially bryndza
Bryndza
Bryndza is a sheep milk cheese made in Central and Eastern Europe. Recipes differ slightly across the countries.-Etymology:Brânză or brînză is the generic word for "cheese" in Romanian, there is no special type of cheese associated with it...
, korbáčik, oštiepok
Oštiepok
Oštiepok is a traditional smoked sheep milk cheese made in Slovakia. Oštiepok is a protected trade name under the EU's protected geographical indication....
, parenica
Parenica
Parenica is a traditional Slovak cheese. Parenica is a semi-firm, non-ripening, semi-fat, steamed and usually smoked cheese, although the non-smoked version is also produced. Parenica is cream and yellow in color, which is darkened by steaming. The cheese is produced in strips, which are woven into...
, and tvaroh cheeses), žinčica are traditional Slovak specialties.
Objects on the UNESCO World Heritage List
Objects currently on the list:- Banská ŠtiavnicaBanská ŠtiavnicaBanská Štiavnica is a town in central Slovakia, in the middle of an immense caldera created by the collapse of an ancient volcano. For its size, the caldera is known as Štiavnica Mountains. Banská Štiavnica has a population of more than 10,000. It is a completely preserved medieval town...
(a former major mining town) and tajchyTajchyTajchy are artificial water reservoirs in the Štiavnica Mountains, in central Slovakia. Most of them were built in order to provide energy for the silver mines of Banská Štiavnica in the 18th century. At their height, tajchy comprised a sophisticated system of 60 reservoirs, connected to each...
(ancient water reservoirs around the town) - BardejovBardejovBardejov is a town in North-Eastern Slovakia. It is situated in the Šariš region and has about 33,000 inhabitants. The spa town, mentioned for the first time in 1241, exhibits numerous cultural monuments in its completely intact medieval town center...
(a historic town) - Levoča, Spiš Castle and associated cultural monuments
- LevočaLevocaLevoča is a town in the Spiš region of eastern Slovakia with a population of 14,600. The town has a historic center with a well preserved town wall, a Renaissance church with the highest wooden altar in Europe, carved by Master Paul of Levoča, and many other Renaissance buildings.On 28 June 2009,...
- Spiš CastleSpiš CastleThe ruins of Spiš Castle in eastern Slovakia form one of the largest castle sites in Central Europe. The castle is situated above the town of Spišské Podhradie and the village of Žehra, in the region known as Spiš...
- a medieval ecclesiastical town Spišská KapitulaSpišská KapitulaSpišská Kapitula, is an exceptionally well-preserved ecclesiastical town on the outskirts of Spišské Podhradie, Slovakia, and overlooking Spiš Castle. It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage site Levoča, Spiš Castle and the associated cultural monuments.-Town and history:The town consists of St....
- frescos in a medieval church in ŽehraŽehraFor a list of people and places with the name Zehra or its variants, see Zehra Žehra is a village and municipality in the Spišská Nová Ves District in the Košice Region of central-eastern Slovakia.-Geography:...
- Spišské PodhradieSpišské PodhradieSpišské Podhradie is a town in Spiš in the Prešov Region of Slovakia. Its population is 3,826.Spišské Podhradie is situated at the foot of the hill of Spiš Castle. It had a Zipser German settlement, with its own church and priest, in 1174...
- Levoča
- VlkolínecVlkolínecVlkolínec, Slovakia, is a picturesque village under the administration of the town of Ružomberok. Historically, however, it was a separate village. The first written mention of the village came from 1376 and after 1882 it became part of Ružomberok. Its name is probably derived from the Slovak word...
(folk architecture) - Caves in the Slovak KarstCaves of Aggtelek Karst and Slovak KarstThe Caves of Aggtelek Karst and Slovak Karst is a UNESCO World Heritage site consisting of 712 caves spread out over a total area of 55,800 ha along the border of Hungary and Slovakia.-Background:This UNESCO World Heritage site includes seven components...
:- Dobšinská Ice CaveDobšinská Ice CaveDobšinská Ice Cave or Dobšinská ľadová jaskyňa is an ice cave in Slovakia, near the mining town of Dobšiná in the Slovak Paradise. Since 2000 it is included in the UNESCO World Heritage list as a part of Caves of Aggtelek Karst and Slovak Karst site...
- Domica CaveDomicaDomica is the biggest cave in the Slovak Karst in southern Slovakia, Rožňava District. It is a part of the cave complex that continues into the cave Baradla in Hungary. It was discovered in 1926 by Ján Majko. Since 1932, of the are open to public...
- Gombasek CaveGombasek CaveGombasek Cave or Gombasecká jaskyňa and Gombaszögi-barlang is a stalactite and stalagmite cave in the Slovak Karst, Slovakia. It is named after the settlement of Gombasek, which belongs to the village of Slavec. It is located in the Slovak Karst National Park, in the Slaná river valley,...
- Jasovská CaveJasovská CaveJasovská Cave is a stalactite cave in the Slovak Karst in Slovakia. It is located near the village of Jasov, around 25 km from Košice.The cave was partly opened for the public in 1846, making it the oldest publicly accessible cave in Slovakia. The lower parts of the cave were discovered in 1922 to...
- Krásnohorská CaveKrásnohorská CaveKrásnohorská Cave is a karst cave situated at the northern foot of the Silická planina Plain, in the Slovak Karst, 6.5 km southeast of Rožňava, in Slovakia...
- Ochtinská Aragonite CaveOchtinská Aragonite CaveOchtinská Aragonite Cave is a unique aragonite cave situated in southern Slovakia, near Rožňava. Although only 300 m long, it is famous for its rare aragonite filling. There are only three aragonite caves discovered in the world so far. In the so-called Milky Way Hall, the main attraction of the...
- Dobšinská Ice Cave
- Primeval beech forestsPrimeval Beech Forests of the CarpathiansPrimeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and the Ancient Beech Forests of Germany is a transnational composite nature site. The Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians include 10 separate massifs located along the long axis from the Rakhiv mountains and Chornohora ridge in Ukraine over the...
in Poloniny National ParkPoloniny National ParkPoloniny National Park is a national park in north eastern Slovakia at the Polish and Ukrainian borders, in the Bukovské vrchy mountain range, which belongs to the Eastern Carpathians. It was created on 1 October 1997 with a protected area of 298.05 km² and a buffer zone of 109.73 km²...
and Vihorlat MountainsVihorlat MountainsVihorlat Mountains or colloquially Vihorlat is a volcanic mountain range in eastern Slovakia and western Ukraine. A part of the range is listed as a World Heritage Site.-Vihorlat Mountains in Slovakia:...
(localities: Havešová, StužicaStužicaStužica is a uniquely preserved and undisturbed primeval beech forest of the Eastern Carpathians range. It is located in Slovakia and borders with Poland and Ukraine. The forest has been protected since 1908 and in 1993 the area was upgraded to a National Nature Reserve. In 2007 Stužica and several...
, Rožok and Kyjovský prales) - Wooden churchesCarpathian Wooden ChurchesRoman Catholic wooden church of St. Francis of Assisi in Hervartov has a Gothic character as represented by its tall but narrow structure unusual for a wooden church. It was built in the second half of the 15th century and thus represents the oldest of its type in Slovakia...
in central and eastern Slovakia (in HervartovHervartovHervartov is a village and municipality in Bardejov District in the Prešov Region of north-east Slovakia.-History:In historical records the village was first mentioned in 1406. The wooden church in the village was built around 1500 and is a Roman Catholic wooden church...
, TvrdošínTvrdošínTvrdošín ; ; ) is a town in central Slovakia.-Geography:The town is located at the confluence of the Orava and Oravica rivers, from the Polish borders and cca. from Dolný Kubín. It consists of the boroughs of Krásna Hôrka, Medvedzie, and Tvrdošín....
, KežmarokKežmarokKežmarok is a town in the Spiš region of eastern Slovakia , on the Poprad River.-History:...
, LeštinyLeštinyLeštiny is a village and municipality in Dolný Kubín District in the Žilina Region of northern Slovakia.-Geography:The municipality lies at an altitude of 586 metres and covers an area of 6.939 km². It has a population of about 225 people....
, HronsekHronsekHronsek is a village and municipality of the Banská Bystrica District in the Banská Bystrica Region of Slovakia.-History:In historical records, the village was first mentioned in 1500, and it has changed its name many times during its History: Hronsek is a village and municipality of the Banská...
, BodružalBodružalBodružal is a municipality in Slovakia in the Svidník District in Prešov Region, within the Laborec Highlands....
, LadomírováLadomírováLadomirová is a village and municipality in Svidník District in the Prešov Region of north-eastern Slovakia.A Wooden Greek Orthodox Church built in 1742 is part of the Carpathian Wooden Churches UNESCO World Heritage Site. In historical records the village was first mentioned in 1414. The...
, Ruská BystráRuská BystráRuská Bystrá is a village and municipality in the Sobrance District in the Košice Region of east Slovakia.-Geography:The village lies at an altitude of 453 metres and covers an area of 11.965 km².It has a population of 130 people.-External links:...
)
History
Tourism in Slovakia began to develop in the mid-19th century when travellers started to visit the High Tatra and Low TatraLow Tatra
The Low Tatras or Low Tatra is a mountain range of the Inner Western Carpathians in central Slovakia.It is located south of the Tatras proper, from which it is separated by the valleys of the Váh and Poprad rivers . The valley formed by the Hron River is situated south of the Low Tatras range...
mountains. The first accommodation and catering facilities were built in the late 19th century and this development accelerated after 1918 with the creation of Czechoslovakia. The number of tourists grew steadily from 270,000 domestic and 45,000 foreign tourists in 1926 to 546,000 domestic and 82,000 foreign tourists in 1936. The development of the tourist industry slowed down during World War II. After the introduction of the Communist regime in 1948, Westerners were no longer welcomed in Czechoslovakia, which naturally caused material losses to the tourism industry. Tourism was controlled by the communist regime ideologically, politically and economically, and the regime failed to invest sufficiently in tourism facilities and infrastructures (with the exception of the High Tatra region). On the other hand, however, since most Czechoslovakian citizens were virtually prohibited from travelling abroad (especially to the West), the regime had to provide more recreational facilities for the population in its own country: In 1989 (at the end of the Communist regime), there were 988 accommodation facilities (389 hotels, 17 motels, 200 hostels, 82 camping sites, 130 cottage camps and other) with 145,822 beds in Slovakia. These were used by some 3.9 m tourists (956,702 from abroad). The biggest tourist centers included Bratislava
Bratislava
Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava...
, High Tatras, Košice
Košice
Košice is a city in eastern Slovakia. It is situated on the river Hornád at the eastern reaches of the Slovak Ore Mountains, near the border with Hungary...
, Banská Bystrica
Banská Bystrica
Banská Bystrica is a key city in central Slovakia located on the Hron River in a long and wide valley encircled by the mountain chains of the Low Tatras, the Veľká Fatra, and the Kremnica Mountains. With 81,281 inhabitants, Banská Bystrica is the sixth most populous municipality in Slovakia...
and Piešťany
Pieštany
Piešťany is a town in Slovakia. It is located in the western part of the country within the Trnava Region and is the seat of its own district. It is the biggest and best known spa town in Slovakia and has around 30,000 inhabitants.-History:...
. The number of travel agencies (ČEDOK, Tatratour, Slovakotourist, Javorina etc.) was limited by the government.
After the fall of Communism in 1989, Slovakia's tourism began to adapt to the condition of market economy. The facilities were gradually privatised and new facilities have been built, also with the help of foreign capital. Dozens of new travel agencies have been established, and the number of tourist from abroad and income from tourism increased considerably. Passive tourism (Slovaks travelling abroad) increased as well – in the 1990s Slovaks travelled predominantly to the neighbouring countries and Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
, and since the late 1990s the foreign destinations of Slovaks have shifted to major world tourist destinations (Egypt, France, Indonesia etc.).
Trivia
In 2006, the government of Slovakia formally protested against the film Hostel, stating that the film portrayed Slovakia as a dangerous country with policePolice
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
corruption, where tourists could easily be kidnapped and murdered http://imdb.com/news/wenn/2006-02-28#celeb4. The film, the government stated, damaged the image of Slovakia and could be harmful to the tourism industry http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4754744.stm.