Eastern Europe - Travel To Slovakia

 

The Slovak Republic is no mere adjunct to the Czech Republic. It is well deserving of attention in its own right. It is a country that sweeps from the mighty Tatra Mountains through lowlands, canyons, caves and meadows. There are year-round activities, from hiking in the summer to skiing in the winter, and its capital, Bratislava, is a highlight amongst a sprinkling of appealing towns and cities.

The Slovak Republic may have been the ‘junior partner' throughout its alliance with the Czech Republic, but it is now emerging as part of the expanded EU and is an increasingly popular business and leisure destination.

The separation of Czechoslovakia into its constituent parts (the Czech and Slovak Republics) on 1 January 1993 in the ‘Velvet Divorce’ was achieved peacefully. It had not been a long marriage as at the end of WWI, when the Austro-Hungarian Empire dissolved, came the birth of Czechoslovakia. WWII brought Nazi occupation with the Russians moving in during the aftermath to make Czechoslovakia part of the Soviet Union.

 

 

Getting around Slovakia

Traffic drives on the right. The major routes run from Bratislava to Presov and Kosice, via Kralovany and Poprad. The network of roads and supporting services is dense and reliable. Roads are standardised as motorways, first-, second- and third-class metalled roads, and are generally in good condition, particularly on the main arteries. Motorways are equipped with emergency telephones every half a mile or less.
Slovak Republic Railways provides a cheap and efficient national service. The extensive network of buses covers all areas and is efficient and comfortable.

Facts about Slovakia

• Enjoy the folk festivals that liven up most towns and cities, with dancing, local costumes and food. These tend to be in the summer months leading up to the harvest festivals in September.

• Cycle along Europe's longest cycling route, the Danube Cycle Trail, which stretches from Passau in Germany along the Danube, through Vienna, Bratislava and on to Stúrovo. Cyclists can then continue their journey by taking a ferry across the Danube into Hungary.

• Set out on the Slovak Republic's excellent network of marked hiking/walking trails. The Small Carpathians are a major walking area. Kamzík is the first major hill and the cafe, which offers superb views, can be reached either on foot of by chairlift.

• Go fishing, canoeing, boating and swimming at the lakes and rivers, which nestle amidst the glacial landscape. The best locations are at Liptovská Mara, Orava, Sl'nava and Zemplínska Sírava. Go rafting on the Dunajec River in the Pieniny national park.

• Head for the slopes at the skiing centres that are set in the 30 mountain regions, the best of which are the Tatra Mountains. Other popular mountain areas include the Slovensky raj range, and the Malá Fatra range with its neighbouring Vrátna dolina valley.

• Take the waters - the country offers a great wealth of curative springs, thermal spas, climatic health resorts and natural mineral waters. Highlights include Bardejovské Kúpele, Dudince and world-famous Piestany with its opulent Thermia Palace Hotel.

• Enjoy a tipple in the Small Carpathians, which stretch from Bratislava's northern suburbs to the Váh valley and are a major wine-growing area. Modrá is a major centre for wine and folk pottery.

Slovakia Airports

Bratislava Airport (BTS) (M R Štefánik) (website: www.letiskobratislava.sk) is 9km (6 miles) from the city.
Kosice Airport (KSC) is 10km (6 miles) south of the city (website: www.airportkosice.sk).
Tatry-Poprad Airport (TAT) is 5km (2.5 miles) from the city.

Visa/Passport requirements

Citizens of EU countries, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Japan and the USA can enter Slovakia visa-free for up to 90 days. South Africans do need a visa.

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