White geometric patterns painted across dark timber houses give Čičmany a distinctive village streetscape. The tradition began as a way to protect wooden surfaces and later evolved into elaborate folk designs. Several preserved houses illustrate traditional architecture and village life, while the surrounding Strážov Mountains offer opportunities for walking.
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Čičmany
Piešťany
Piešťany's thermal springs have drawn visitors for generations, making it Slovakia's best-known spa town. Most historic spa facilities are located on Spa Island in the River Váh, reached via the Colonnade Bridge, whose famous statue depicts a man breaking a crutch. Treatments traditionally use thermal mineral water and sulphurous mud, while parks and early-20th-century architecture add to the appeal.
Banská Štiavnica
Gold and silver mining shaped Banská Štiavnica for centuries, leaving a rich collection of historic buildings in the hills of central Slovakia. Its UNESCO-listed centre contains Renaissance houses, churches and former mining institutions, while the Old and New Castles recall the town's strategic importance. Visitors can explore its mining heritage underground and walk beside the tajchy, reservoirs originally built to power mining machinery. The surrounding Štiavnica Mountains offer hiking and cycling.
Bardejov
Bardejov's beautifully preserved medieval town centre surrounds a long rectangular square in the country's northeast. Colourful burgher houses line the square, dominated by the Gothic Basilica of St Giles and the historic town hall. The historic centre is UNESCO-listed and compact enough to explore comfortably on foot.
Bojnice Castle
With its pointed towers, turrets and romantic silhouette, Bojnice looks markedly different from Slovakia's more austere medieval fortresses. Although medieval in origin, much of its present appearance dates from a late-19th-century reconstruction inspired by French Gothic and Renaissance castles. Its richly furnished interiors contain historic artworks and decorative rooms, while a cave lies beneath the castle.
Bratislava
Set beside the Danube, Bratislava combines the intimacy of a small historic city with the energy of a national capital. Wander through the pedestrianised Old Town to find medieval lanes, Baroque palaces, lively squares, St Martin's Cathedral and the blue Art Nouveau Church of St Elizabeth. The Danube waterfront, cafés and compact centre make the city particularly easy to explore on foot.
Bratislava Castle
Four corner towers give Bratislava Castle its distinctive silhouette on a hill overlooking the Danube. The site has been fortified for centuries and became an important royal residence when Bratislava served as the coronation city of the Kingdom of Hungary. Today the restored castle houses exhibitions of the Slovak National Museum, while its terraces and grounds provide broad views across Bratislava and towards Austria.
High Tatras
The High Tatras are characterised by jagged peaks, alpine lakes and forested valleys. A network of marked trails ranges from gentle walks around Štrbské Pleso to demanding mountain hikes, while cable cars provide easier access to several high viewpoints. Tatranská Lomnica, Starý Smokovec and Štrbské Pleso are the principal resort centres and useful bases for exploring the mountains. In winter, the region is a popular skiing destination.
Košice
Slovakia's second-largest city has an attractive historic centre arranged around the long pedestrianised Hlavná ulica. At its heart stands St Elizabeth's Cathedral, Slovakia's largest church and one of the easternmost major Gothic cathedrals in Europe. Nearby are St Michael's Chapel, the singing fountain and the State Theatre, surrounded by cafés and handsome historic buildings. Košice's sizeable student population gives the old centre plenty of life.
Levoča
A remarkably complete medieval centre lies behind the surviving walls of Levoča in the historic Spiš region. Its main square is lined with Renaissance houses and dominated by the Basilica of St James, whose 18.62m (61ft) wooden high altar was carved by Master Paul of Levoča in the early 16th century. Levoča forms part of the UNESCO-listed Levoča, Spišský Hrad and associated cultural monuments site.
Orava Castle
Perched on a rocky crag above the Orava River, Orava Castle appears to grow directly out of the cliff. Expanded from the 13th century onwards, the fortress became a maze of courtyards, stairways, chambers and defensive structures at different levels. Film enthusiasts may recognise it as a location used for the 1922 silent horror film Nosferatu.
Slovak Karst and Domica Cave
A limestone landscape of plateaux, sinkholes and underground caverns stretches across the Slovak Karst in southeastern Slovakia. At Domica Cave, tours reveal stalactites, stalagmites and other formations, with a short underground boat trip on the River Styx when water levels permit. The caves of the Slovak and Aggtelek Karst, which extend into Hungary, are UNESCO-listed.
Slovak Paradise National Park
Deep ravines and waterfalls give Slovak Paradise National Park a character quite different from the Tatras. Popular trails thread through narrow gorges using metal ladders, platforms, chains and footbridges beside streams and waterfalls. Suchá Belá is among the best-known routes, while gentler forest paths suit visitors who prefer to keep their feet firmly on the ground. Good footwear is essential, particularly after rain.
Spiš Castle
The immense ruins of Spiš Castle spread across a limestone hill above the countryside of eastern Slovakia. Founded in the 12th century and expanded over subsequent centuries, it became one of the largest castle complexes in Central Europe before being damaged by fire in 1780. The castle is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, along with nearby cultural monuments.
Vlkolínec
About 45 traditional log houses line the lanes of tiny Vlkolínec, a remarkably intact mountain settlement near Ružomberok. Many are painted in soft colours, and together they illustrate the traditional rural architecture of the northern Carpathians that earned the village UNESCO World Heritage status. Vlkolínec remains inhabited, so visitors should remember that it is a living community.
Wooden churches of the Carpathians
Small wooden churches scattered across eastern and northern Slovakia preserve the religious traditions of several communities. Eight Roman Catholic, Protestant and Greek Catholic churches built between the 16th and 18th centuries form a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Some contain elaborate iconostases and painted interiors, while others reflect the more restrained traditions of Protestant worship.
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