Must-see attractions in Slovakia

Gazing at fairy-tale Bojnice Castle stirs fantasies of knights and maidens in even the world-weariest travellers. Blushing sandstone towers and…

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…

Folded into a bend in the Strečno River, this medieval castle offers stupendous views over the surrounding valleys. Written mentions of Strečno Castle…

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…

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…

Formerly a distinct town, Poprad's Spišská Sobota neighbourhood is lined with attractive burgher houses. Settled by German colonists around the 13th…

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…

Marching around this noble stronghold is a riveting history lesson. Visitors scale stairs and stride across rampart walkways, peering into the 13th…

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…

Resembling a pointed witch's hat, this fascinating little church squats in a tree-shaded spot in Hervartov village, 7km southwest of central Bardejov…

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…

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…

Art studios and traditional workshops line quaint Hrnčiarska, including herbalists, blacksmiths, potters and purveyors of precious stones. Some of their…

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…

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…

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…

Pyramidal mountains furred with evergreen forests form the majestic terrain of Pieniny National Park, shared between Slovakia and Poland. On the Slovak…

Its enigmatic atmosphere amplified by a forested backdrop, this fortified monastery has undergone enormous change (and destruction) since it was…

This manicured site offers a thoroughly genteel castle experience. Stroll past old draw wells and boulevards shaded by chestnut trees to reach the castle …

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…