Slovakia

Introduction

Slovakia is a country that is known not only for its food and culture but also for its beautiful castles, tasty Slovakian wine, etc. It is one of the most forested countries in Europe. Besides, it is known for some of the popular places like the Bratislava castle, St Jacob church, mines, gardens, Love bank, lakes, etc.

Location and Population: – Slovakia is located in the Central part of Europe. It shares land borders with Poland, Hungary, Austria, Czech Republic and Ukraine. The geographical area of Slovakia is 48,845 km² According to the census conducted in the year 2021, the population of Slovakia is 5,449,270.

Slovakia’s History: – The history of Slovakia goes back to the 6th century when it was captured by various people and empires such as the Avers, Moravia empire which had parts of Germany, Hungary and Poland. It was during the 10th century, the Moravia empire ended and Hungary was ruling over Slovakia. Since the 10th century up to the 18th century, Slovakia was being ruled by various countries such as Germany, Austria and it had become a part of the Austria-Hungary empire. Slovakia was making economic progress by mining copper, gold, silver, etc and exporting amber as well as fur. It was in the year 1848 when Austria and Hungary split up which resulted in two independent countries. Hungary tried to capture Slovakia by imposing their language as primary language in Slovakia but it was not successful. It was during the 19th century, the Habsburg empire collapsed after the first World war and the Czech as well as Slovak mutually agreed to the formation of new states that merged Czech and Slovak lands. It was in the year 1993, Slovakia got independence. Czechsovkaia and Slovakia got split up, and  that resulted in two independent countries.

Facts you should know about Slovakia: – There are various facts that the tourists should know about Slovakia before they visit it. These are as follows:  –

• Slovakia has the highest number of castles and chateaux per capita in the world.
• The capital of Slovakia, Bratislava is the only capital in the world that borders two independent countries namely Austria and Hungary.
• Slovakia is home to the highest wooden altar in the world which is the altar of St Jakub that is in the St James Church in Levoca.
• Did you know Slovakia is home to the world’s smallest nature reserve, the Oravská Chřiby, which is only 2.5 square kilometres?
• The locals in Slovakia, especially the full-time students below the age of 26 and senior citizens below the age of 62 can travel for free in the local trains of Slovakia.

Culture and Food: – The people in Slovakia are very friendly and generous towards tourists. They value their privacy and they take little time to trust new people. They consider family as their utmost priority and they like folk dances, music, costumes, etc. that go to the other generation in every family. The religion in Slovakia is Christianity.

The Slovak cuisine is a different cuisine as compared to Asian cuisine but it is influenced from the cuisines of its neighbour countries that is Austria and Hungary. The Slovak cuisine involves the use of vegetables, wheat, fruits, meat like Chicken, Pork, Beef and even wild animals like rabbits, etc. Some of the popular dishes of Slovak cuisine are the Bryndzové Halušky, Kapustnica, Prívarok,  Plnená Paprika, Zemiakové Placky,  Skalický Trdelník, Laskonky, etc.

Things to explore in Slovakia: – There are various things for the tourists to explore in Slovakia in terms of festivals, events and adventure activities that are as follows: –

• Hip Hop festival: – The tourists can visit the Hip hop festival that is held at the end of June till the 1st July in the city of Bratislava. The tourists would get to see various hip hop performances from some of the popular Slovakian and Czech performers and it is the largest hip hop event in Slovakia.
• Slovak Food festival: – This festival is held during the month of May and it is a festival that must be visited by all food lovers at the Bratislava castle. The tourists can taste delicious Slovakian and some international cuisines from popular restaurants in Slovakia. Bedies, there are cooking competitions at the festival and food wastage is an essential topic that is discussed. The chefs show how to avoid wastage of food at the festival.
• Gun Shooting Ranges: – One of the most exciting and daring activities that the tourists would love to do is shooting using military guns at the target range. The tourists can visit the Bratislava shooting club wherein they would get to use various weapons like Shotguns, Sub Machine guns, Sniper rifles, Pistols, Semi- Automatic AK-47, etc.
• Ice cave: – The tourists can visit the ice cave which is the largest underground ice cave in Slovakia and a good relief from the summer heat in Slovakia. It is situated in Dobšinská. The tourists would get to see iced floors, waterfalls, pillars and stalagmites. The temperature in the cave is around -2 degree Celsius and it was discovered during the 18th century.
• Kayaking: – It is one of the most popular water sport activities that the tourists love to do and with proper safety. Some of the spots in Slovakia to do Kayaking are at the Danube River, Hornard Canyon, Jezioro Orawskie, etc.

Things to buy in Slovakia: – There are various things for the tourists to buy in Slovakia. Some of them are Slovakian Wine, Alcohol products, Folk Embroidered Clothing, Carved Wooden cross, Tatra tea, Slovakian honey, Corn husk dolls, Glasses, Fujara, etc.

Best time to visit: – The best time to visit Slovakia is during the summer season that is between May to September as the climate would be good for the tourists to cover the outdoor activities and smoothly explore the country. Besides, there would be little rainfall during the summer season to give relief from the hot weather in the country.

Places to visit in Slovakia

• Bratislava: – The city which is the capital of Slovakia, situated in the south western part of the country is Bratislava. The tourists can explore the Bratislava castle which is the most popular castle in the city. It is located on the hill above the old town and the Danube River. The castle is converted into a museum and the tourists would get to see the mirror room, various exhibits such as the Castle gallery, Witness of the past, treasury, the History and Future of Bratislava castle, etc. Besides, there is a tunnel in the castle that would take the tourists to Crown tower that would give the tourists a good view of Bratislava, Austria and some parts of Hungary. The tourists can visit the Slavin which is not just a war memorial but a cemetery that has around 6,845 soviet soldiers who tried to take over the city during the second world war in the year 1945.The tourists can visit the St Elizabeth blue church which is also known as the Little blue church and it is situated in the east side of the old town. The church is known not only for the blue colour but also for its beautiful architecture.
• Košice: – The city which is the second largest in Slovakia and is located near the Hornád river is Košice. The tourists can explore the Košice zoo where the tourists can personally interact with a wide range of wild animals that they might have never seen or heard of before. Some of the wild animals in the zoo are Red Panda, Gvira strange, Antelope moose, Argus the peacock, etc. The tourists can visit the Urban tower that is situated in the main street. The tower is known not only for its architecture such as the pyramid roof, but also for the seven-ton bell inside the tower that goes back to the 15th century, wax exhibits of people that are related to the Slovakian history, gravestones, etc. Besides, the tourists can visit the botanical garden of P. J. Šafárik university which is the largest garden in Slovakia. It is a home to around 4,000 types of plants. It also has ponds and various types of flowers, etc.
• Banská Štiavnica: – The town which is situated in the Central part of the country is Banská Štiavnica. The tourists can explore the open-air mining museum where the tourists would get to see the museum that is on the surface and they would go underground to see the mine that is a part of the museum. The museum on the surface exhibits various mining equipment, mining buildings, etc. After the tourists’ finish viewing the museum on the surface, they will go inside the Bartolomej mine dressed in the miners costume that includes lanterns and helmets. Once the tourists reach the mine, they would see various mining equipment that were used by the workers between the 17th and 19th century such as the Gapel. The tourists can visit the Love bank which is a unique place in the city of Banská Štiavnica. This is a place that is based on a true love story of Marina and Andrej Sládkovič. The tourists would get to see the longest love poem of the world that was written by Andrej Sládkovič. The best part of the Love bank is the tourists can buy a Love box in which they can store things that remind them of their loved ones like pictures, jewellery, etc. Besides, the tourists can visit the Počúvadlo Lake which is the largest lake in the city and is known for its charming view. The tourists could see the reflection of the Sito mountains during the day time and a good hiking spot. The tourists can also take romantic walks around the lake and do various water sport activities such as swimming, boating, etc.
• Presov: – The city which is situated in Eastern Slovakia and is the third largest city in the country is Presov. The tourists can explore the wine museum which is one of the most popular museums in Presov. The tourists would get to see wines from all around the world including the grape wine that is produced in Slovakia. The tourists would get to see exhibits regarding wine production at the museum. Besides, the tourists can taste some delicious wine and also buy the wine directly from the museum. The tourists can visit the Neptune fountain which is situated at the market square. It has the statue of a Sea Lord standing on the rock and there are four creatures on the four sides of the fountain namely snake, crocodile, frog and fish. It is a good spot for the tourists to click pictures with their loved ones. Besides, the tourists can visit the water tower which is situated in the Šariš region built between the 19th and 20th century. It is a tower that includes a reservoir and the tourists can go to the top of the tower that would give them a good view of the Šariš region. The tourists would also get a good view of the Tatras mountain ranges.

How to reach Slovakia from India: – The tourists can reach Slovakia from India through flights but there are no direct flights to Slovakia from India. There are around 1 or 2 stops depending on the airline chosen by the tourists. Some of the airlines that fly to Slovakia are Air India, Lufthansa, Egypt Air, etc. The tourists can also reach Slovakia through train by taking a flight to countries near Slovakia such as to Vienna, etc.

Popular Packages: – Here is a list of popular packages to travel to Slovakia. It also includes packages to travel to other countries including Slovakia which are as follows:

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

• What is the currency of Slovakia?
  Ans: The currency of Slovakia is Euros.
• What is the language spoken in Slovakia?
  Ans: The language spoken in Slovakia is Slovak but the locals can also speak in English.
• What are the eateries that serve Indian food in Slovakia
  Ans: A portion of eateries that serve Indian food in Slovakia are Royal Kashmir, Punjabi Dhaba, Taj Mahal Indian Restaurant, Little India, Govinda, etc.
• What is the national sport of Slovakia?
  Ans: The national sport of Slovakia is Ice hockey but football is also popular in Slovakia.
• Which places are popular for shopping in Slovakia?
  Ans: There are various places for the tourists to shop in Slovakia such as Aupark shopping centre, Eurovea, Forum mall, Galéria, etc.