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Slovakia

Name: European Trail
Brand: Contiki
Price: 5065 NZD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.7 (547 reviews)

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Travel In Slovakia

From the Tatra Mountains to the mighty Danube River, Slovakia is a country with abundant natural attractions sitting pretty alongside manmade wonders like Bojnice Castle, and charming cities like Bratislava and Košice. It’s a beautiful place - start planning your Slovakia travel adventure now to find out for yourself.

FAST FACTS

Language: Slovak
Currency: Euro
Electricity: 230V
Visas: Click here to see if you need a visa to enter Slovakia.
Dialling Code: +421
Time Zone: (GMT+01:00)

ABOUT CONTIKI

From quick breaks to epic journeys, Contiki exists to connect young travellers with the time of their lives.

See more about Contiki

Things to do in Slovakia

Slovakia's varied palette of attractions means there's something here to please all comers. Read on for our top 5 pick.

Take in the views from Bratislava Castle

Perched on its hilltop vantage point, Bratislava Castle dominates the city skyline and offers commanding views of the Danube River and the distinctive Most SNP Bridge. From here you can see all the way to Austria, and - given sufficiently clear skies - even Hungary. It's also home to a branch of the Slovakian National Museum, meaning you can catch the views and get your cultural fix in one fell swoop.

Hike in The High Tatras

Home to famed peaks like Lomnický štít, the High Tatra Mountains are the largest in Eastern Europe. They're located in the north of the Slovakia along the border with Poland, and showcase some of the country's most majestic mountain scenery. Come here in summer to hit the hiking trails, or visit in winter to ski or snowboard at resorts like Štrbské Pleso and Tatranská Lomnica.

See Spiš Castle

This vast complex of ruins dates from the 12th century and is one of the largest castle sites in Europe. Located near the town of Spišské Podhradie in central Slovakia, it's a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Slovakia travel must-see.

Catch an opera at the Slovak National Theatre

The Slovak National Theatre old building is worth the visit for its beautiful and ornate architecture alone. An excellent program of opera and ballet further explain why this ranks as one of the most essential things to do in Bratislava and a Slovakia travel 2022 must.

Explore Slovak Paradise National Park

Situated in eastern Slovakia, this national park covers almost 200 square kilometres and is renowned for its landscape of waterfalls, gorges, caves and ravines, as well as the UNESCO World Heritage listed Dobšinská Ice Cave. It's home to a 300km network of hiking trails and an abundance of wildlife, including deer, wild boars, wolves, golden eagles and even brown bears.

Top 5 Festivals in Slovakia

Pohoda

Trenčín

Held at Trenčín airport, Pohoda features a cutting edge lineup of jazz, electronica and big name contemporary acts. Its main thoroughfares are on concrete so you even if it rains you can avoid those Glastonbury-style mud baths!

For more information on the Pohoda, click here.

Bratislava Jazz Days

BJD is held annually in October, featuring a heavy lineup of internationally renowned jazz performers.

For more information on the Bratislava Jazz Days, click here.

International Film Festival

Bratislava

Known as IFF Bratislava, this annual festival is held each November, and features all the latest hot-tips from the world of international and independent film.

For more information on the IFF Bratislava, click here.

Grape Festival

This open-air festival is held at Piešťany Airport each August. It features a wide-ranging lineup of rock, pop, electronica, world music and more. Röyksopp, Interpol and José González are past performers.

For more information on the Grape Festival, click here.

Bratislava Music Festival

Slovakia's leading festival of classical music is held annually in November and December, featuring performances from leading orchestras, ensembles and soloists from around the world.

Top 5 Museums and Galleries in Slovakia

Slovakia isn't short on museums, so deciding which to see can be tricky. That's where we come in - read on for our pick of the best.

Bratislava City Museum

Bratislava City Museum is spread over 8 sites around the city. Highlights include the Museum of Clocks and the biggest of the bunch, the fascinating Museum of the City History.

For more information on the Bratislava City Museum, click here.

Slovak National Gallery

Bratislava

The Slovak National Gallery is home to the country's best collection of modern and classic art. It occupies two sites in Bratislava: the Water Barracks and the magnificent Esterházy Palace.

For more information on the Slovak National Gallery, click here.

Slovak Technical Museum

Košice

The Slovak Technical Museum has branches across the country, although our highlights would be Košice's excellent Museum of Aviation and the Museum of Transport in Bratislava.

For more information on the Slovak Technical Museum, click here

Slovak National Museum

Bratislava

The Slovak National Museum is another institution with branches across the country, and if you’re in Bratislava you can tick a few off at once. Start with the Natural History Museum, the Museum of Jewish Culture and the Museum of History, located in the magnificent Bratislava Castle.

For more information on the Slovak National Museum, click here.

East Slovak Gallery

Košice

Another museum located in the cultural hotspot of Košice in the east of the country, the East Slovak Gallery is home to some 6,400 works of classical and contemporary Slovakian art.

For more information on the East Slovak Gallery, click here.

Food in Slovakia

Traditional Slovak grub is hearty, with dumplings, delicious cheeses, pork, potatoes and cabbage making up the country's culinary backbone. Modern-day Slovakia food is a different story, with international and contemporary influences giving rise to a buzzing and diverse gastronomic scene.

Bryndzové halušky

Slovakia's national dish consists of boiled potato dumplings similar to gnocchi, cooked with bryndza sheep's cheese and deliciously smoky chunks of bacon. Trying this is one of the most essential things to do in Slovakia!

_{Best eaten at}
_{Slovak Pub, Obchodna 62, Bratislava 811 02}

Kapustnica

This delicious and filling soup is made from sauerkraut, fresh cabbage, pork, dried mushrooms and tomatoes, along with a particular blend of seasonings.

_{Best eaten at}
_{Divny Janko, Jozefska 2, Bratislava}

Pečený pstruh

This dish of baked trout is very popular in Slovakia. Simple and delicious, it's usually served with potatoes and seasonal vegetables on the side.

_{Best eaten at}

_{Riverbank Restaurant, Dvořákovo nábrežie 7528/6, Bratislava}

Plnena kapusta

Also known as Holubky, this mouthwatering dish of cooked, stuffed cabbage leaves is Slovakia's answer to the spring roll.

_{Best eaten at}
_{Zelený Rodrigéz, Zámocká 7013/36, Bratislava}

Bryndzové pirohy

These small, ravioli-like dumplings are a Slovakia travel essential. Pirohy come with various fillings, but bryndza sheep's cheese is the clear favourite.

_{Best eaten at}
_{12 apoštolov, Kováčska 281/51, Košice}