Eastern Slovakia
Crowning a travertine hill above Spišské Podhradie village, this vast, Unesco-listed fortification is one of Central Europe's biggest castle complexes…
Must-see attractions in Slovakia
Danubiana Meulensteen Art Museum
Slovakia
The windswept location of this world-class art gallery is as invigorating as the works on display. On a promontory jutting into the Danube, the…
Slovakia
The sight of Orava Castle, roosting on a forest-cloaked hilltop, sends a chill down the spine. Vampire aficionados may recognise its stern silhouette from…
Eastern Slovakia
Slovenský Raj's rocky plateaus, primeval forests and interlacing streams form some of Slovakia's most picturesque hiking terrain. Treks often involve…
Bratislava
The nucleus for Bratislava's history, festivals and chic cafe culture is Hlavné nám (Main Sq). There's architectural finery in almost every direction,…
Bratislava
Dedicated to St Elisabeth of Hungary in 1913, the early-20th-century 'Blue Church' is a vision in sapphire and powder-blue. From its undulating arches and…
Slovakia
This picturesque recreated village – Slovakia's largest skanzen (open-air museum) – showcases over 120 faithfully reconstructed 19th-century dwellings in…
Slovakia
Limestone pinnacles and thick forest conspire to make Vrátna Valley one of Slovakia's most majestic areas to hike or ski. A scenic road winds south from…
Košice
This 14th-century cathedral dominates Košice's main square, its gables bristling above tall, stained-glass windows while colourful roof tiles evoke a…
Bratislava
Rove through Bratislava's past in the former town hall. First, scale the tower for a lookout over Bratislava. Then tour the exhibition rooms; loveliest of…
Eastern Slovakia
Set among expansive vineyards and pastures, Macik winery is a delightful place to experience the region's famous Tokaj wine. A little advance notice is…
Eastern Slovakia
With tall Gothic windows and a spear-like tower rising over the main square, this 15th-century three-nave basilica is the jewel of Bardejov's Unesco…
Bratislava
Magnificently rebuilt in Renaissance style, Bratislava Castle looks as though it has been transplanted from a children's picture book. Inside is a history…
Bratislava
The coronations of 19 royals have taken place within three-nave St Martin's Cathedral, alluded to by the 300kg replica crown atop its spire. The interior…
Slovakia
A museum dedicated to WWII history and Banská Bystrica's role as the beating heart of the country's anti-fascist resistance is harboured in a looming…
Slovakia
Vlkolínec's squat, colourful houses evoke medieval Europe with just a hint of Hobbiton. This tiny mountain hamlet, dating to the 14th century, has…
Košice
This complex's motley attractions form a whirlwind tour of Košice's history. In the bastion, whose walls date to the 15th century, Košice is revealed as a…
Poprad
Poprad's former steam-power plant is now the atmospheric setting for an excellent art gallery. The industrial building, capped with a brick tower, is…
Slovakia
Perched between Slovakia and Austria, rugged Devín Castle makes a popular day trip from Bratislava. From the ramparts there are admirable views of rivers…
Andy Warhol Museum of Modern Art
Eastern Slovakia
Pop-art pioneer and provocateur Andy Warhol (1928–87) would perhaps have wryly approved of Slovakia's peculiar museum in his name. The neon-splashed…
Slovakia
Gazing at fairy-tale Bojnice Castle stirs fantasies of knights and maidens in even the world-weariest travellers. Blushing sandstone towers and…
Slovakia
Trenčín's fearsome castle has surveyed the surrounding hills for centuries. Its oldest walls date to the 11th century, when it was constructed to watch…
Slovakia
Folded into a bend in the Strečno River, this medieval castle offers stupendous views over the surrounding valleys. Written mentions of Strečno Castle…
Slovakia
The apex of baroque art in Slovakia is on a volcanic hill, 2km northeast of Banská Štiavnica's old town. Ornate chapels guard artwork showing scenes from…
Eastern Slovakia
More than 110,000 cubic metres of ice are packed into the gleaming walls of this Unesco-listed ice cave, near the southern edge of Slovenský Raj National…
Poprad
Formerly a distinct town, Poprad's Spišská Sobota neighbourhood is lined with attractive burgher houses. Settled by German colonists around the 13th…
Eastern Slovakia
Glowing beatifically from a hill 2km north of Levoča, the Church of Mariánska Hora is Slovakia's most famous Catholic pilgrimage site. It's thought that a…
Slovakia
Marching around this noble stronghold is a riveting history lesson. Visitors scale stairs and stride across rampart walkways, peering into the 13th…
Košice
Much of Košice's finery is assembled along Hlavné nám, a long plaza with flower gardens, fountains and cafes on either side. Stroll past the central…
Eastern Slovakia
Resembling a pointed witch's hat, this fascinating little church squats in a tree-shaded spot in Hervartov village, 7km southwest of central Bardejov…
Eastern Slovakia
The spindles-and-spires Church of St Jacob, built in the 14th and 15th centuries, elevates the spirits with its soaring arches and precious art. The main…
Slovakia
Views are sublime from this octagonal tower, part of a 15th-century fortification. An inconspicuous glass elevator carries you most of the way, then there…
Košice
Art studios and traditional workshops line quaint Hrnčiarska, including herbalists, blacksmiths, potters and purveyors of precious stones. Some of their…
Eastern Slovakia
This Protestant wooden church was built in 1717 without a single nail. Its impressive baroque interior is carved from yew and spruce, even the huge church…
Eastern Slovakia
Gothic and Renaissance eye-candy abound on Levoča's main square, including the Historic Town Hall and private Thurzov House, at No 7, with a…
Bratislava
The sci-fi silhouette of Bratislava's 'UFO bridge' came at a heavy cost. Period mansions and an old synagogue were sacrificed for the construction of the…
Eastern Slovakia
Pyramidal mountains furred with evergreen forests form the majestic terrain of Pieniny National Park, shared between Slovakia and Poland. On the Slovak…
Eastern Slovakia
Its enigmatic atmosphere amplified by a forested backdrop, this fortified monastery has undergone enormous change (and destruction) since it was…
Slovakia
This manicured site offers a thoroughly genteel castle experience. Stroll past old draw wells and boulevards shaded by chestnut trees to reach the castle …
Eastern Slovakia
Spiš Chapter, better known as 'Slovakia's Vatican', has been a seat of the Roman Catholic church since the 12th century and was an independent…
