Slovakia - Wikivoyage, the free collaborative travel and tourism guide - Slovaquie — Wikivoyage, le guide de voyage et de tourisme collaboratif gratuit

Slovakia
((sk)Slovensko)

Flag

Information

Capital city

Bratislava

Area

49 000 km²

Population

5 400 000 hab. (2010)

Density

110,2 inhab./km²

Form of State

parliamentary republic

euro (EUR)

230 V/50 Hz, European plug

Telephone prefix

421

Internet suffix

.sk

Flow direction

Right-hand drive

Spindle

UTC 1

Location

49 ° 0 ′ 0 ″ N 20 ° 0 ′ 0 ″ E

Government site

Touristic site

	WARNING :Coronavirus: The country has closed its borders to all non-residents. Residents coming from abroad must respect a quarantine of 14 days under penalty of a fine.
	Government travel advice:Belgium

The Slovakia, in long form the Slovak Republic, is a country ofcentral Europe border of the Czech Republic to the north-west of the Poland to the north ofUkraine to the east, from the Hungary to the south andAustria at the South West. The main reasons to visit Slovakia are the beauty of its nature, a living history and great possibilities for relaxation and due to the small size of the country it is quite easy to combine all three.

Slovakia has nine national parks, which cover a relatively large part of the country and include the highest part of the Carpathian mountain range, the High Tatras, which offer great possibilities for mountain hiking and winter sports. Geologically, a significant part of Slovakia is made of limestone, which in combination with numerous sources and rivers has given rise to the formation of numerous caves, several of which are listed as World Heritage by UNESCO and beautiful rock formations, the canyons and waterfalls of Slovak paradise and Slovak Karst. Even outside these areas there are some beautiful landscapes, and all of Slovakia is covered by thousands of marked hiking trails.

For history buffs, Slovakia has the highest number of castles and per capita in the world, ranging from simple ruins to well-preserved and furnished inhabitable castles, so if you are a fan of medieval history, look no further. further away. There are also many towns and villages with Gothic and Baroque architecture across Slovakia, including the capital. There are also well-preserved examples of popular wooden architecture, including churches built entirely of wood and the largest wooden altarpiece in the world.

There are many thermal and mineral springs in Slovakia, and around some of these world famous thermal baths offer healing therapies or simple relaxation stays. You can also relax, swim and sunbathe on the shores of several local lakes and pools or try one of the Aquacity water parks. In particular, Bratislava enjoys a vibrant nightlife as well and is a popular party destination.

Understand

Geography

Much of central and northern Slovakia is rugged and mountainous. the Gerlachovský štít with 2 655 m in the High Tatras is the highlight. The Tatra Mountains in the north, shared with Poland, are interspersed with many landscapes of lakes and valleys. These regions experience lower temperatures than the rest of the country. Traditionally, people lived there by raising sheep.

The lowlands are located in the south. The lowest point is at 94 m above sea level on the banks of the Bodrog river at the level of the Hungarian border. The soil is much more fertile there, especially in the area between the Danube and the Lesser Danube. The weather is milder and more particularly the summers can be very hot.

Story

The territory constituting today Slovakia has been occupied since the beginning of the Paleolithic era. Before the migration of the Slavs and Huns, the most influential cultures were Celtic and Roman cultures. Currently, artifacts and evidence of the presence of these cultures can be observed.

The Slavic tribes, who invaded the region in V^e century created a succession of kingdoms that exerted their influence on the territory of present-day Slovakia. During this period, which extends until the disappearance of Great Moravia in X^e century, the Slavs converted to Christianity, and many medieval fortresses were built, the ruins of some of them have been preserved.

From the X^e century Slovakia became part of the Kingdom of Hungary, which after 1867 formed a union with the Austrian Empire and became the Austro-Hungarian monarchy. This Union, which lasted until 1918 was of great influence on the formation of the region and was a multinational state with many cultures that existed and formed a common cultural history shared by many countries ofcentral Europe.

In 1918, the Slovaks and the Czechs joined together to form the Republic of Czechoslovakia. During World War II, Czechoslovakia briefly divided, with the Czech part occupied by the Nazis and the Slovaks forming an independent satellite state of the Third Reich. After the chaos of World War II, Czechoslovakia in 1948 became a communist country in the Eastern Bloc under Soviet influence. The communist regime collapsed in 1989 and Czechoslovakia became a Western-style democracy.

For many years, eclipsed by their Czech neighbors in the northwest, the political representatives of the Czechs and Slovaks decided to stand on their own two feet. The Slovaks and the Czechs agreed to separate peacefully on January 1, 1993, and Slovakia became an independent country in its own right. This separation is called velvet divorce. The two countries remain culturally close and there is a high level of political and economic cooperation.

Due to historical, political and geographic factors, Slovakia has found it more difficult to develop a modern market economy than some of its neighbors in Central Europe, but currently it has one of the most dynamic economies in Europe. . It has been a member of the European Union and NATO since 2004. Slovakia is a member of the Schengen Agreement and the country adopted the euro on January 1, 2009.

Weather

Slovakia belongs to the northern temperate climatic zone with a regular alternation of four seasons and variable weather conditions with a relatively uniform distribution of precipitation throughout the year due to the influence of the Atlantic currents. This temperate oceanic climate tends towards the continental climate mainly in the south of the country where the influences of the dry air masses located in the east accentuate the temperature differences which are in winter in the east of the country up to 3 ° C colder than in the west at the same altitude.

The average temperatures of the warmest regions in the plains of the southwest of the country are from -1 to −2 ° C in January and from 18 to 21 ° C in July with an annual average of 9 to 11 ° C. In the central and northern valleys the annual averages are 6 to 8 ° C and sometimes lower in high valleys like the Orava region. Around 1000m, these temperatures are 4 to 5 ° C and fall to −1 ° C at 2000m altitude.

Some climatic data:

Station	Region	Latitude	Longitude	Altitude (m)	Annual precipitation (mm)	Average temperatures in January (° C)	Average temperatures in July (° C)
Bratislava	Western Slovakia	48° 12’	17° 12’	129	580	0	20
Kosice	Eastern Slovakia	48° 42’	21° 16’	231	610	-2	18
Žilina	Central Slovakia	49° 14’	18° 37’	314	770	-3	17
Lomnický štít	High Tatras	49° 12’	20° 13’	2635	1561	-11	3

Population

The Slovaks are a West Slavic people close to the Czechs and Poles. There are some similarities between Czech and Slovak cultures, but the two nationalities remain distinct. One of the most striking differences is that the Czechs are largely atheists, while the Slovaks are largely Catholic, like their Polish neighbors. However, Czech culture remains very present in Slovakia. Cinema, literature or music are often in Czech.

In the south of the country, a strong Hungarian minority locally in the majority is the most demanding minority. They have their political party. There is a Hungarian language university in Komarno, a daily press on the title Új Szó and you can find books in Hungarian in some bookstores in the south of the country.

In the eastern part of the country, there are many Gypsies or Roma, often socially disadvantaged, some of whom live in slums far from villages and towns. The main ghetto of this type called Luník IX is located at Kosice.

In the northeast, the Ruthenians and Ukrainians are Eastern Slavic populations of the Greek-Catholic religion for the Ruthenians and Orthodox for the Ukrainians. Their language is written in the Cyrillic alphabet.

The German populations historically present in many cities were expelled en masse after World War II.

We reproach small Czech, Polish and Vietnamese minorities.

Culture

See as well: Intangible cultural heritage in Slovakia

Holidays

On public holidays, shops are closed except on December 24 where they are open until 12 h.

Dated	French name	Local name	Meaning
January 1, 2022	New Year and National Day	Novy Rok Deň vzniku Slovenskej republiky	Independence in 1993
January 6, 2022	Epiphany	Zjavenie Pána (Traja králi a vianočný sviatok pravoslávnych kresťaňov)	Adoration of the Magi or Baptism of Christ and Christmas for Orthodox Christians
April 15, 2022	Good Friday	Veľký piatok
April 18, 2022	Easter Monday	Veľkonočný pondelok
May 1, 2021	Labor Day	Sviatok práce
May 8, 2021	Victory over Nazism Day	Deň víťazstva nad fašizmom	Allied victory of 1945
July 5, 2021	Feast of Saints Cyril and Methodius	Sviatok svätého Cyrila a Metoda	863
August 29, 2021	Slovak national uprising	Výročie SNP	Anniversary of the Slovak National Uprising of 1944
September 1, 2021	Constitution Day of the Slovak Republic	Deň Ústavy Slovenskej republiky	1992
September 15, 2021	Feast of Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows	Sviatok Panny Márie Sedembolestnej, patrónky Slovenska	Patroness of Slovakia
November 1, 2021	Toussaint	Sviatok všetkých svätých
November 17, 2021	Day of the fight for Freedom and Democracy	Deň boja za slobodu a demokraciu	Velvet revolution in 1989
24 December 2021	Christmas Eve	Štedrý večer
December 25, 2021	Christmas	1.sviatok vianočný
December 26, 2021	Saint Etienne	2.sviatok vianočný

Regions

Slovakia is subdivided into eight regions, which took their name after their capital, grouped into three groups.

Slovakia regions map

Western Slovakia

Central Slovakia

Eastern Slovakia


Western Slovakia - Tourism in Western Slovakia focuses on the capital Bratislava and its immediate surroundings. The south of the region is a vast plain along the northern bank of the Danube. It is the breadbasket of the country. The North is made up of wide valleys of the Váh and Nitra rivers separated by wooded mountains often surmounted by a castle as in Nitra, Trenčín Where Bojnice.

Central Slovakia - Central Slovakia is a region located in the heart of the Carpathians. We find there Jasná the largest winter sports resort in Slovakia and several national parks: Low Tatras, Veľká Fatra, Malá Fatra and Muránska planina. From an architectural point of view, we can observe several old mining towns including Banská Štiavnica World Heritage Site. The main cities are Žilina and Banská Bystrica.


Eastern Slovakia - Eastern Slovakia is the mountain region of High Tatras, summit of the Carpathian mountain range, and Slovak paradise, paradise for hikers. There are the cities of Levoča and Bardejov classified as world heritage as well as the majority of wooden churches in the country. The main towns in the region are Kosice, second city in the country and Prešov.

Cities

48.14472217.1127781 Bratislava – The capital just 60 km of Vienna, the renovated center is pleasant for a city trip. (last update Feb. 2018)
48.71666721.252 Kosice (Cassovia) – Second city and city of art and history, it is the city that saw the birth of the Hungarian writer Sándor Márai. There is the easternmost Gothic cathedral in Europe. (last update Feb. 2018)
48.73555619.1452783 Banská Bystrica – Main city in the center of the country and center of the Slovak national uprising against the fascist regime in 1944. (last update Feb. 2018)
48.45861118.8930564 Banská Štiavnica – Recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, it is the jewel of the Slovak mining towns. (last update Feb. 2018)
49.29521.2758335 Bardejov – Recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, the city has perhaps the most beautiful square in Slovakia. (last update Feb. 2018)
49.02277820.5905566 Levoča – Recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, the city has retained its ramparts and the checkerboard plan of its streets traced in the Middle Ages. (last update Feb. 2018)
48.31472218.08757 Nitra – One of the oldest cities in Slovakia, in the west of the country. (last update Feb. 2018)
4921.2333338 Prešov – The third largest city in Slovakia, the metropolis in northeastern Slovakia is just 30 km from Košice. (last update Feb. 2018)
48.89416718.0405569 Trenčín – Small regional capital surmounted by a majestic castle. (last update Feb. 2018)
49.21666718.73333310 Žilina – Main urban center in the northwest of the country. (last update Feb. 2018)

Other destinations

See as well: World Heritage in Slovakia

49.1709320.094681 Tatra National Park – With 2 655 m of altitude, the Gerlachovský štít is the highest mountain in Europe north of the Alps. (last update Feb. 2018)
48.911920.391312 Slovak Paradise National Park – A hiker's paradise. (last update Feb. 2018)
49.4100820.438693 Pieniny National Park – Park located in the deep meanders of the Dunajec river at the border Polish. (last update Feb. 2018)
48.9414519.570084 Low Tatras National Park – The Low Tatras are after the Tatras, the highest mountain range in Slovakia. (last update Feb. 2018)
49.0806122.532275 Poloniny National Park – Wilderness in the extreme northeast of Slovakia. (last update Feb. 2018)
48.9919319.119646 Veľká Fatra National Park (last update Feb. 2018)
49.1156818.822337 Malá Fatra National Park (last update Feb. 2018)
48.7810820.031858 Muránska planina national park (last update Feb. 2018)
48.6158920.542379 Slovakian Karst National Park – The only Slovak national park located in the south of the country with many caves, some of which are recognized world heritage by UNESCO. (last update Feb. 2018)

To go

Formalities

See as well: Traveling in the Schengen area

The citizens of the Swiss and the European Economic Area which includes theEuropean Union, the'Iceland, the Norway and the Liechtenstein only need a national identity card or a passport valid. They don't need any Visa to enter or circulate in the Schengen area and are generally allowed to stay as long as they wish.

Remarks

⁽¹⁾ Nationals of these countries need a biometric passport to enjoy visa-free travel.

⁽²⁾ Serbian nationals with passports issued by the Serbian Coordination Directorate (residents of Kosovo with Serbian passport) need a visa.

⁽³⁾ Taiwanese nationals need their ID card number (a letter followed by nine digits) written in their passport to enjoy visa-free travel.

Nationals of the following countries do not need a visa to enter the Schengen area: Albania⁽¹⁾, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Bosnia and herzegovina⁽¹⁾, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Colombia, South Korea, Costa Rica, Dominica, El Salvador, United Arab Emirates, United States, Grenade, Guatemala, Honduras, Israel, Japan, North Macedonia⁽¹⁾, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova⁽¹⁾, Monaco, Montenegro⁽¹⁾, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Saint Kitts and Nevis, St. LUCIA, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Serbia^(1,2), Seychelles, Singapore, Taiwan⁽³⁾ (Republic of China), East Timor, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Vatican City, Venezuela as well as holders of a passport of Hong Kong SAR, of Macau SAR and all nationals British (including those who are not citizens of the European Union).

The visa-free travelers mentioned above and not members of theEEE or from Swiss cannot stay more than 90 days out of a 180-day period in the Schengen area in its entirety and, in general, cannot work during their stay (although some countries in the Schengen area allow certain nationalities to work). The counting of days begins once you enter one of the Schengen countries and does not return to zero when you leave one Schengen country for another.

New Zealand citizens can stay longer than 90 days, but without working if they do not have a work permit, in some countries of the Schengen area, namely Germany, Austria, the Benelux, Denmark, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Italy, Iceland, Norway, Portugal, Sweden and Switzerland

If you are not a national ofEEE or from Swiss, even if you are exempt from a visa, unless you are Andorran, Monegasque, San Marino or Vatican, make sure your passport is stamped both when entering and leaving the Schengen area. Without an entry stamp, you may be treated as having exceeded your stay when trying to leave the Schengen area. Without an exit stamp, you may be refused entry the next time you seek to enter the Schengen area as you may be assumed to have exceeded the time allowed on your previous visit. If you cannot get a stamp in the passport, keep documents like boarding passes, transportation tickets, etc. which can help convince border control personnel that you have stayed in the Schengen area legally.

Recognized refugees in possession of a valid travel document issued by the government of any of the above countries / territories are exempt from visa for Slovakia (but for no other Schengen country except theGermany and the Hungary) for a maximum stay of 90 days over a period of 180 days.

If you need a visa, always apply at the embassy. There is no chance of getting a visa at the Slovak border, no matter how you enter or whatever your nationality.

The entry points to the Schengen area in Slovakia are the airports of Bratislava, Kosice and Poprad and border posts withUkraine :

48.4328522.137451 Čierna nad Tisou - Tchop – Rail border post. (last update Feb. 2018)
48.8841322.420092 Ubľa - Malyj Bereznyj – road border post. (last update Feb. 2018)
48.5111522.154023 Veľké Slemence - Mali Selmenici – Only pedestrian and cyclist for visa-exempt nationals in Slovakia and Ukraine. (last update Feb. 2018)
48.6554222.265084 Vyšné Nemecké - Uzhhorod – Main road border post. (last update Feb. 2018)
48.5624722.160375 Maťovské Vojkovce - Pavlovo – Cargo rail border post only. (last update Feb. 2018)

By plane

The main airport, M. R. Štefánik Airport, is located at Bratislava and it is relatively modest in size. The other international airports are those of Kosice and Poprad-Tatry, they both have a very limited flight offer.

Airport Vienna-Schwechat is less than an hour from Bratislava by coach (or train bus) the means to get there from Bratislava are numerous and frequent. Airport Budapest is also used to serve Central and Eastern Slovakia. You can also go through the airport of Krakow or that of Rzeszow if we go to the north of the country (High Tatras).

By train

International trains passing through Slovakia are:

EC trains (EuroCity), mainly daytime train with dining car:

EC 130/131 Varsovia: Budapest-Keleti pu. - Bratislava hlavná stanica - Ostrava hlavní nádraží - Katowice - Warszawa-Wsch.
EC 170/171 Hungaria: Budapest-Keleti pu. - Bratislava hlavná stanica - Praha-Holešovice - Berlín Hbf
EC 174/175 Ján Jesenius: Budapest-Keleti pu. - Bratislava hlavná stanica - Praha-Holešovice - Berlín Hbf - Hamburg-Altona
EC 177/378 Slovenská strela: Bratislava hlavná stanica - Praha-Holešovice - Berlín Hbf
EC 270/271 Petrov: Budapest-Keleti pu. - Bratislava hlavná stanica - Brno hlavní nádraží
EC 272/273 Avala: Belgrade - Subotica - Kelebia - Budapest-Keleti pu. - Bratislava hlavná stanica - Praha hlavní nádraží
EC 274/275 Jaroslav Hašek: Budapest-Keleti pu. - Bratislava hlavná stanica - Praha hlavní nádraží
EC 276/277 Slovan: Budapest-Keleti pu. - Bratislava hlavná stanica - Praha hlavní nádraží
EC 532/533 Rákozci: Budapest-Keleti pu. - Miskolc-Tiszai - Hidasnemeti - Kosice
EC 536/537 Hornád: Budapest-Keleti pu. - Miskolc-Tiszai - Hidasnemeti - Kosice
EC 1006/1011 RegioJet: Žilina - Čadca - Ostrava-Svinov - Olomouc hlavní nádraží - Pardubice hlavní nádraží - Praha hlavní nádraží

Night trains EN (EuroNight):

EN 444/445 Slovakia: Kosice - Žilina - Ostrava hlavní nádraží - Praha hlavní nádraží
EN 476/477 Metropol: Budapest-Keleti pu. - Bratislava hlavná stanica - Praha-Holešovice - Berlín Hbf

Night trains R (Rýchlik) :

R 440/441 Excelsior:Kosice - Žilina - Praha hlavní nádraží - Cheb
R 442/443 Šírava: Humenna - Kosice - Žilina - Praha hlavní nádraží

REX (Regional express) trains between Bratislava and Vienna.

Os trains between Tchop and Čierna nad Tisou.

As well as direct cars for theUkraine (Lviv, Kiev), the Russia (Moscow) and seasonal in summer for the Bulgaria (Burgas).

By bus

Among other things, there are regular services between Vienna, Prague and Budapest for Bratislava, and of Uzhhorod in Ukraine to the Slovak city of Michalovce and of Krakow via Zakopane in Poland To Poprad. Most towns, even secondary ones, have a regular daily connection to Prague.

Taking a bus from Prague to Bratislava is slower but cheaper than the train if you buy a ticket in advance.

Eurolines – The Eurolines company serves Slovakia. It offers prices among the lowest on the market and in any case often cheaper than traditional airlines. (last update Feb. 2018)
Student Agency – Czech travel agency having developed its own bus company. Connects many cities in Slovakia with Brno and Prague from where it is possible to continue to Western Europe. (last update Feb. 2018)

On a boat

There are passenger lines on the Danube between Vienna, Bratislava and Budapest.

By car

Bratislava is connected to Prague and Brno by the Czech highway and E65, To Vienna by the Austrian motorway E58 and to Budapest by the Hungarian highway and E75.