Slovakia is a landlocked country in Central Europe bordered by Poland, Ukraine, Hungary, Austria, and the Czech Republic, with a mostly mountainous landscape and a population exceeding 5.4 million people. It matters as a significant Central European nation whose capital Bratislava and second-largest city Košice serve as important cultural and economic centers in the region.
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Slovakia is a modern democratic country and is a member of the European Union as well as NATO.
Recognised refugees in possession of a valid travel document issued by the government of any one of the above countries/territories are exempt from obtaining a visa for Slovakia (but no other Schengen country, except Germany and Hungary) for a maximum stay of 90 days in a 180-day period.
You should have ID with you anyway, but to avoid hassle, make sure to keep an ID on you in border regions.
If you need a visa, always apply at an embassy beforehand. There is no chance you will get a visa at a Slovak border, no matter how you enter or what your nationality is.
thumb|Train at Bratislava Station CP offers an exceptionally useful website and smartphone app with integrated timetables for all trains and buses in Slovakia, including all intra-city and inter-city transports, even indicating from which lane your bus will depart. It is also useful for international travel from/to Slovakia.
thumb|[[Spišské Podhradie|Spiš Castle is one of the largest castles in Europe]] Slovakia combines all the typical features of a grand European history with highly attractive nature and a traveller-friendly modern atmosphere. Its fairly small capital Bratislava may not have the majestic sights you'll find in some other Eastern European capitals, but it has an energetic vibe to it, a lovely Old Town, Bratislava Castle and endless options to have a great time. The city as a whole is a quaint mix of 18th-century rococo and concrete Communist building blocks. An afternoon coffee in one of the countless street cafés along the famous Danube river is an absolute must and a good chance to people-watch and absorb the ambience. For a touch of grandeur, take a river tour down to Devin Castle, an excellent example of Slovakia's record-high number of castles and chateaux. Some of them are little more than a pile of stones hidden in a deep forest, others are luxurious baroque mansions or citadels in the middle of towns. Other worthwhile examples are Spiš Castle (one of the largest castle sites in all of Europe) and the 19th century Bojnice Castle, a favourite tourism destination for the Slovaks. Almost equally popular is the beautiful Orava Castle near Dolný Kubín, high up on a rock overlooking the Orava river. Other good picks for large historic city centres include the old towns of Košice, Trnava and Levoča. Banská Štiavnica is a fabulously preserved medieval mining town and one of the co…
斯洛伐克共和国(斯洛伐克語:Slovenská republika),通稱斯洛伐克(斯洛伐克語:Slovensko),是位于歐洲的共和制國家,也是位於歐洲的内陆国家。根據地理分區的不同定義,斯洛伐克被認為處在中歐和東歐。其前身為捷克斯洛伐克,於1993年和平分離成捷克與斯洛伐克兩個國家。面積約4.9萬平方公里,人口約546萬。斯洛伐克西北鄰捷克、北鄰波兰、東鄰乌克兰、南鄰匈牙利、西南鄰奥地利,首都和最大城市为布拉迪斯拉发。 斯洛伐克人是斯拉夫人的一支,祖先于六世纪左右定居斯洛伐克。公元7世纪,同其他部落共组萨摩帝国。公元9世纪,斯洛伐克人建立,后被摩拉维亚公国征服,并为大摩拉维亚王国的一部分。10世纪,大摩拉维亚王国解体后,斯洛伐克并入匈牙利公国,并于公元1000年成为匈牙利的构成地域。经1241年和1242年的蒙古西征,该地因征战曾被焚毁殆尽,但随后在匈牙利王贝拉四世的领导下逐渐恢复,他同时也引入日耳曼德意志移民,使德裔民族成为除斯洛伐克人外的主要民族,尤其在中部和东部。 奥匈帝国於第一次世界大战後解体,新獨立的捷克及斯洛伐克共同組成了捷克斯洛伐克共和国。在第二次世界大战期间,斯洛伐克成为纳粹德国附庸国。二战结束后,捷克斯洛伐克重获独立。1948年共产党人发动二月政变,使捷克斯洛伐克成为共产主义国家,并接受苏联领导,成为其东方集团成员。随后的二十年里,捷克斯洛伐克民族主义及反共情绪逐渐高涨,这一热潮在布拉格之春达到巅峰;在该年八月份,因苏联武装入侵捷克斯洛伐克平息此运动。1989年,以公民论坛为主导的社会团体发起天鹅绒革命,结束了共产主义统治。1993年1月1日,捷克斯洛伐克议决天鹅绒分离,使斯洛伐克正式成为一个主权独立的国家。 斯洛伐克有先进的高收入经济,在人类发展指数方面排名较高。在公民自由、新闻自由、网络自由、民主治理方面表现优异。斯洛伐克维持着市场经济与社会保障相结合,健全的制度为全國實施医疗保健、免费教育和欧洲最长的法定带薪育儿假。斯洛伐克同时是北大西洋公约组织、欧洲核子研究组织、欧元区、申根区、联合国、经合组织、世贸组织、欧洲委员会、维塞格拉德集团和欧安组织的成员国。斯洛伐克也是世界上人均汽车生产量最大的国家;直至2019年共生产了110万辆汽车,占其工业总产量的43%。
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thumb|453x453px|The medieval mining town of Banská Štiavnica Visit the nearest chateau/castle - many of them are hundreds of years old, some preserved in a habitable state with period furnishing. Many guided tours are offered as well. Go hiking! The entirety of Slovakia (except for the flatlands) is covered with hundreds of miles of extremely well-marked hiking trails, that, especially in the national parks, lead though gorgeous landscapes. Get the idea here. Visit one of the traditional wooden churches, they're unique to the region. These might not be readily accessible without a car, however. Go spelunking - caves are interspersed around Slovakia and as many are open to general public they are some of the most accessible in the world. Many are UNESCO listed, including Dobšinská Ice Cave (in the Slovak Paradise), and Ochtinská Aragonite Cave, Domica, Jasovská Cave and Gombasecká Cave (all in the Slovak Karst)
thumb|330x330px|Domica Cave in Slovak Karst|border
Visit a local festival - in the early spring 'Fašiangy' (Mardi Gras) is celebrated, especially in the countryside, and in early autumn the end of the harvest period is celebrated in wine-producing regions. The centre of the town will usually be closed and a traditional market will be available, mostly with local produce and handicrafts for sale and plenty to eat and drink. In bigger cities, similar Christmas markets open during the Advent season. Ski and snowboard in the mountains, especially the High Tatras and the …
Slovak cuisine focuses mostly on simple and hearty recipes. Historically, what is now considered genuinely Slovak has been the traditional food in the northern villages where people lived off sheep grazing and limited agriculture - in the harsh conditions many crops don't grow, and herbs are more accessible than true spices. Therefore, the staple foods mostly involve (smoked) meat, cheese, potatoes and flour. This does not make the food bland, however, and much of it is quite filling and flavoursome, though can be a bit heavy. As no strong spices or truly exotic ingredients are used, sampling local wares is a safe and rewarding experience.
Some dishes are authentically Slovak, many others are variations on a regional theme. A lot of cheese is typically consumed, out of meats pork and poultry products are the most common, with some beef and game dishes, most common accompaniments being potatoes and various types of dumplings. However, a lot of Slovak dishes that use meat don't use it as a primary ingredient. Since Slovakia is a land-locked country, fish and seafood options are limited (carp is served at Christmas, trout is the most common fish). Soups are quite common both as an appetiser and, as some are quite filling, as a main dish.
If you are a vegetarian, the variety of food in the cities should be decent. However, when venturing out into the countryside, the offer may be limited as vegetables are mostly considered a side and/or eaten mostly raw or in salads. Also, be a…
There is a wide range of accommodation available in Slovakia. These range from AquaCity, based in Poprad, through to budget priced rooms in rental chalets.
The most luxurious hotels can mostly be found in major cities such as Bratislava and Košice and in the major tourist destinations like the High Tatras or the spa towns (the situation here is unique as the price of the hotel usually includes some of the spa procedures). These hotels offer Western style comfort and prices.
There will be at least one hotel available in every major town or tourist area, but the quality varies. Some of the mid-range hotels were built during the Communist era in the corresponding architecture style, which might make them look less appealing from the outside, though the interiors might be perfectly adequate.
Budget hostels are mostly concentrated in the major cities, and you can expect typical hostel prices as in the rest of (Central) Europe. If you are venturing outside of cities, there are numerous mountain huts available for short-term rent in the mountain areas. Especially in touristy areas there will be many private rooms available for rent, look out for 'Zimmer Frei' signs. This typically does not include breakfast.
When hiking, official maintained mountain cabins offer cheap accommodation for hikers on trails in all of the national parks and a lot of the national conservation areas. They have a limited number of beds (if any) and generally limited capacity, so for the more frequented p…
alt=A silver-coloured Slovak police car with a blue-yellow pattern|thumb|A police car Slovakia is a very safe country, even by European standards. As a visitor you are unlikely to encounter any problems whatsoever. Violent crime is especially uncommon, and Slovakia sees less violent crime per capita than many other European countries.
In case of an emergency, dial 112, the universal European emergency number. You may also dial 150 for the fire brigade, 155 for an ambulance, and 158 for the police.
When visiting cities, exercise the same caution as you would in any other European city - use common sense, be extra careful after the dark, stay aware of your surroundings, keep your belongings in sight, and avoid drunks and young men. Pickpockets can sometimes be found in bigger crowds and at major transit stations.
Attitudes towards LGBT travellers are fairly tolerant, especially so in the Bratislava region. In other parts of the country you might get weird stares for open displays of homosexuality, however, you are at no real risk of violent crime. Nevertheless, exercise caution, especially so due to the 2022 Bratislava terrorist attack, which unfortunately inspired more open displays of hostility - but also empathy.
Attitudes towards other races and ethnicities (i.e., not white) are generally very tolerant for much of the population. You might be stared upon if very "foreign-looking," but this is often simple curiosity. Nonetheless, the situation can differ in places with h…
thumb|Liptovská Mara water reservoir in [[Central Slovakia]] No vaccination is necessary to visit or stay in Slovakia, although if you plan to visit countryside areas, a tick vaccination is recommended. Hepatitis A and B vaccination is also advisable as with all European countries.
Despite its many issues, the standard of healthcare is relatively high, but the language barrier might be a problem as not many doctors speak English. However, this should not be a problem in major towns, which have a Fakultná nemocnica.
The huge majority of foods and drinks are perfectly safe, and the hygiene standards in Slovakia are the same as elsewhere in the European Union.
Tap water is drinkable everywhere - according to one study, water used as tap water in the Bratislava-Vienna region is the cleanest in the world. If you prefer mineral waters, you can choose from a multitude of brands, since Slovakia has quite possibly the highest number of natural mineral water springs per capita.
The High Tatras might not be the biggest or tallest mountain range, but some trails may feature strenuous climbs, and rocky terrain, and the weather may prove unpredictable. Take proper gear, do not overestimate your abilities, and use common sense.
If you decide to swim in the local rivers/natural pools/lakes, as many locals do, remember that unless expressly stated otherwise, these activities are not supervised by a lifeguard, and you are doing so at your own risk.
Ticks can be found in the countryside f…
alt=An old European street with parked cars|thumb|A street in the city of Košice Slovaks are friendly and peaceful people living in a free, democratic state. There are not really issues that would provoke actual hostility or trouble. Usually the worst thing that can happen is that you would be thought a bit boorish and have some history explained to you over a beer. However, it pays to be respectful and sensitive when discussing certain topics.
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