Slovakia

The High Tatras (Vysoké Tatry), the tallest range in the Carpathian Mountains, occupy a near-mythic place in Slovak hearts. Instantly recognisable, the crooked summit of Mount Kriváň (2495m) has become a national symbol in literature and popular culture, with some Slovaks swearing it's their national duty to climb it. Twenty-five peaks reach higher than 2500m and the tallest mountains – like Gerlachovský štít (2654m) – attract the most hikers, revealing Slovakia as a nation of adventurers. You won't be alone tramping between the High Tatras' waterfalls, alpine meadows and more than 100 ultramarine lakes. In winter, snow transforms hiking trails into ski areas, mostly small and family-friendly.

Most of this jagged range is part of 1949-established Tatra National Park (Tanap), the country's oldest national park. Together with an adjoining protected area across the border in Poland, the High Tatras form a Unesco-protected biosphere reserve inhabited by brown bears, chamois and golden eagles.

Slovakia's capital since the country's independence in 1993, Bratislava is a mosaic of illustrious history: a medieval and Gothic old town, baroque palaces commissioned by Hungarian nobles, and the crowning castle, rebuilt to Renaissance finery. Slicing through the city are stark-angled, communist-era blocks and a futurist bridge.

Recent years have added a cast of outlandish statues, boutiques and modish cafes, eagerly sought out by visiting stag party groups and day trippers from Vienna. Many arrive purely to enjoy the uproarious nightlife, from rowdy beer halls to hidden nightclubs.

Despite the march of modernism, Bratislava still has nature on its doorstep. The city banks the Danube River, only a few kilometres from the Austrian border. Rolling north are the Malé Karpaty (Small Carpathians), their lowlands draped with vineyards. Flitting between postcard-pretty, steely and gorgeously green, Bratislava never fails to intrigue.

Crowning a travertine hill above Spišské Podhradie village, this vast, Unesco-listed fortification is one of Central Europe's biggest castle complexes. Its bulwarks and thick defensive walls date to the 12th century (at the latest), and once guarded Hungarian royals and nobles from flying arrows. Highlights of the four-hectare site, connected by stony pathways and stairs, include views from the 22m-high tower, and a museum of medieval history within the former palace.

Equal parts pretty and gritty, Košice captures attention with its old town, a jewellery box of Gothic towers, medieval bastions and baroque sculpture. The pride of Eastern Slovakia's largest city is its central square, which boasts the country's greatest concentration of historic monuments.

Since Košice's tenure as European Capital of Culture in 2013, the cultural scene has continued to bloom: offbeat bars, Soviet city tours and vegetarian dining share the limelight with well-established draws like the showstopping Gothic cathedral, philharmonic orchestra and, yes, ice hockey.

Košice is also a convenient anchor for day trips to Eastern Slovakia's more enigmatic attractions. Within a two-hour drive of the city you can discover the gnarled limestone caverns of Slovak Karst National Park (southwest), Andy Warhol history in Medzilaborce (northeast) and peaceable Tokaj wine country (south and east).

Slovenský Raj's rocky plateaus, primeval forests and interlacing streams form some of Slovakia's most picturesque hiking terrain. Treks often involve scaling metal ladders or balancing on footbridges above waterfalls. For some, the ice-cold slap of river water is reward enough; for the rest of us, it's the views: cliffs giving way to forests and fog-filled valleys, and soft meadows.

Trails are challenging but well-marked, and information centres offer multilingual advice. If visiting outside July-to-August high season, read up in advance.

Gothic spires and razor-roofed houses are gathered like a spiky bouquet in Bardejov's main square, girded all around by medieval walls. Bardejov received its royal charter in 1376 and grew rich on trade into the 16th century. Now inscribed as an architectural reserve by Unesco, the town's historic core is nothing short of spectacular, lined by burgher houses with pointy gables and unique inscriptions. A historic synagogue and frozen-in-time Jewish quarter testify to centuries of Jewish history, cruelly halted by WWII.

Bardejov is an excellent springboard to discover the wooden churches dotted in its surrounds. Another offbeat excursion is the tiny satellite town of Bardejovské Kúpele, 5km away – worth a visit whether you want to absorb 19th-century history or sip its supposedly curative water.

Banská Štiavnica, Slovakia's oldest mining town, owes its glittering history to the ancient volcanoes in its surrounds. Now robed in forest, the Štiavnické Vrchy mountains are what remains of a gigantic caldera. Gold, silver and around 140 different minerals in the volcanic soil brought enormous wealth to the town, particularly during its 16th-century heyday. Wonderfully intact Gothic and Renaissance buildings date to this period, though miners are thought to have toiled here for centuries before.

By the 18th century, Banská Štiavnica had grown into the third-largest town in the Hungarian Kingdom. But 100 years later, minerals were depleted, mines closed and townspeople began to leave. Today, Banská Štiavnica's frozen-in-time ambience is part of its allure. Medieval castles, burghers' houses and sacred sights all contributed to the historic centre's Unesco listing in 1993.

Nudging against the Poland–Slovakia border is the straggling village of Ždiar. The farmers, coal miners and wood cutters who established it in the 16th century could scarcely have foreseen the starry future of this mountain village: today it's immensely popular with hikers and cyclists, and every other log building is a guesthouse or restaurant.

Ždiar is among the oldest settlements in the Tatras. Despite its popularity in summer, the culture of Goral people (Central European highlanders) is evident everywhere from the gingerbread-style log buildings and local embroidery to traditional meals, heavy with cheese.

Central Slovakia’s meadows and forested mountains, speckled with castles, are the ideal backdrop for living out pastoral fantasies. This is the former stomping ground of Slovakia’s own Robin Hood, Juraj Jánošík; though these days it’s hikers who roam the wilds, embarking on trails in Malá Fatra National Park or thundering down the pistes of Low Tatras ski resorts.

Orava and Bojnice Castles, each spectacular and storied, attract the biggest crowds. Those who linger will be rewarded with insights into the shepherding tradition that continues to define Slovak cuisine. Stalls that overflow with cheeses, honey, woodland mushrooms and berries beckon from the roadside – good reasons to tour the countryside at a leisurely pace.

Though Banská Bystrica seldom graces the itineraries of foreign visitors, its WWII history is reason enough to visit this pretty town south of Veľká Fatra National Park. To Slovaks, 'BB' is best known for its history of anti-fascist revolt and its headline attraction is a saucer-shaped museum devoted to the Slovak national uprising.

BB also has a delightful historic centre. This forest of baroque spires and Gothic towers bloomed during a period of prosperity, from medieval times through to the 18th century, when the town grew wealthy from trade and mining. Soviet-era reliefs and the resistance museum's blunt silhouette create a moody contrast against the colourful old town – it's well worth budgeting a day to flit between the two.