Bratislava Travel Forum

Hi there,

I am going to be visiting Slovakia for two weeks in August.
As I am at the start of my planning I have a few basic questions for all of you:

- I would like to learn a little Slovak to help me get around however I have only been able to find Czech learning resources. Will learning some Czech be sufficient?

- What are the absolute 'must-dos' of Slovakia? My rough guide is in the post but as yet I know virtually nothing about the country. Your suggestions may include visits to areas around Slovakia but, as I only have two weeks, I would like to use most of my time to get to know Slovakia better.

Any other thoughts would be most welcome

Graham

If you like archeology why not to visit Liptovsky Hradok (Celt's village reconstruction)- not a tourist place at all.
No Slovakia without mountains.No mountains without Tatry (Tatra).There is also a paradise (Raj) in Slovakia.I feel there as in heaven.So never go to hell (Hel) here (Poland).
For culinary- I like Salas u Franka in Stara L'ubovna, or a restaurant in Zuberec, Slovenska Restauracia in Liptovsky Mikulas, Salas in Michalovce (byce gule- true bull's balls with Gypsy live music) or Hungarian influences cuisine in Roznava's market square restaurant.Due to geography I'm more northern Slovakia oriented.Halusky or strapacky is a must!

Hi Graham,

there shouldn't be any problems re the Czech language. Both languages are said to be mutually intelligible.
Have a look at http://tinyurl.com/yrwtr3

Good Luck!

Hello Graham,
Many people there understand Czech,Russian and English.
Good luck!

Hi,
Bratislava is a must-see - beautiful capital - yet you can see all in one day without too much hassle. The Old Town is rather small and compact.

I recommend to drive ca. 3-4 hours to the High Tatra region. Lots of B&B`s, pensions and hotels there - and stay there for 3 days if hiking is your thing. The mountain hikes we did were ca. 5-6 long (return trip) but rather easy, well-sign-posted and the scenery was the best I have ever seen in Europe (well maybe Norway was equally good).

Three hikes I absolutely recommend (details on my Slovakia page):
- Popradske Pleso mountain lake and Rysi summit
- Batisovske Pleso
- Tatranska Javorina

On the way between Bratislava and the High Tatra are two worthwhile detours:
- the village Vlkolinec (UNESCO world monument, wonderful old wooden houses, great landscape)
- the Open Air museum (Skansen) Kysuce

If you leave Bratislava in the morning, you will have time to do both and still arrive in the Tatra around 6/7 p.m.

Best regards - Michael

Hi Graham,

What are your interests? Or, more precisely, what do you want from your trip? To give you the best advice, it'd be good to know what you like. People want different things when they visit - some people want a beer tour, some want a walking holiday, some want a mixture of walking/culture, some want to visit religious sites, etc.......

There's certainly more to Slovakia than Bratislava and the High Tatras, though, so be prepared to trek around to meet the real Slovakia ;-)

Hi,
yes, Bratislava and High Tatras are the most famous. I think, our castles are must see too. For example Trencin http://www.trencin.sk/en/12513 or Bojnice http://www.bojnicecastle.sk/HOME/index-en.htm, both of them are on the way from Bratislava to Tatras - by car. Czech and Slovak language are very simmilar, we understand each other very well. If You have some question about our country, ask me :-)

Hello Graham,

I guess Bratislava is already on your list, it is definitely worth a 2-3 day stay.

I can also higly recommend a visit of the High Tatry region. Popradske Pleso was among the higlights in this region.

I also really liked Kosice which is Slovakia's second biggest city and located about 1 h by train to teh east of the High Tatry. I have just build my Kosice page and uploaded it.


I hope this helps

HORSCHECK

Hi Graham,

Great suggestions here, especially Kosice, the many castles to choose from and the Tatry Mountians, I would also add that you might look into one of the various Spas in the mountian area. There are lots of small towns and villages that you might pass through while in the center or eastern portion of the country. I'd suggest checking on-line for any celebrations or events that may be held while you're in the area. I think it would give you a wonderful idea of how festive these celebrations are and how important traditions are to the people.

A person who is fluent in the Czech or Slovak language could mostly understand a person speaking the other, but as a person learning Czech and planning to speak with Slovaks, you might run into misunderstandings. You can get English\Slovak language books when you arrive in Bratislava and if you have learned some Czech already, it shouldn't be too difficult to adjust your vocabulary

I would caution you to choose well, when finding a place that serves Halusky. My dad (who was a Slovak) recommended this dish to me and the place I ordered from did an awful job of it. Either that, or it is definitely an aquired taste.

If we hardly include castel's ruins into archeology mind you Spiski (or -y?) Hrad.
Nobody mentioned here things which are my other favourites like Oravsky (or -i?) Hrad, and caves in Slovensky Kras.

About beverages- something different for me is Horec, or blueberry liquor.

One amendment- not Liptovski Hradok but Havranok is Celtic open air museum.