Slovakia Travel Forum

I plan to spend some time in Slovakia in June. I would really appreciate any advice on what places I should visit. I have about 9 days to fill - should I head for the Tatras? Any suggestions would be great.

I can't tell you where else to go in the country, as I only went to Bratislava when I was there. What I can tell you is, be absolutely sure you have the correct ticket for the trams in Bratislava. On our way to the train station to leave town, we had changed trams, thinking we were able to do so on one ticket. When we got to the station, a man on board confronted us, showed us a badge (I hope it was real), and demanded our passports. (The reason we assumed he was for real was because we'd seen something in our guidebook about very strict rules for not having correct tram tickets.) He wanted us to pay an exorbitant fine for not having the proper ticket, or he wouldn't give us our passports back. We gave him all the Slovak money we had, plus all our US dollars (about US$70 in total). He still said it wasn't enough, but we promised to leave the country and never return, so he gave our passports back to us. We got out of there and headed straight to Budapest.

I'm sure his badge was real, I was onboard only once when an inspector came on. He was in street cloths, and looked a bit shaby, he blended in with the rest of the crowd very well, then he flashed his badge. Same thing happened to me in Budapest on my first day there, there too you need a different ticket for each tram, or metro train. I played a dumb tourist, they demanded my passport, which I would not fork over, then they demanded money (I think about $15.00) which I was not prepaired to give away, then they threatened to get the police involved which I supported, then they backed off of that one. Someone came by and told them to leave me alone, and told me to just go, which I did with him. I became friends with the fellow, and his girlfriend while I was in town.
Good god, how I tend to ramble at times. Yes, don't miss out on the High Tartras, there are some cute towns on the Polish side as well. Slovakia is a very interesting, and small country which you should be able to see a lot of with the amount of time you have. Enjoy.

I spent a week in the Tatras and I really enjoyed it.
We rented a house in a small village called Strba which is located near Strbsko Pleso.
Hiking in Tatras was very enjoyable. The foothpaths were very clear. We reached Krivan, Solisko, Rysy, Skalnate Pleso... But probably we'll be back for more this summer :-)

Kosice is a very beautiful town in Slovakia. Might be also an option for you.

Thanks for your advice- are all the hiking paths open in June?

They were in June of 2000 anyway. To be honest I think they are open year round. Don't miss out on the beer too!

Right!
I tried at least 14 different beers in Slovakia :-O
My far favourite was Zlaty Bazant, but I also liked Tatran (the brewery is in Poprad, nice&small town near Tatras) and Smadny Mnich.

I just came back from Nitra, Slovakia, I like the country, but the towns are not as interesting as in neighbouring countries Hungary and Czech Rep.
Slovakia is a country of beautiful nature. I have this book my friend gave me on Slovak Paradise (Slovensky Raj) and next time I go, I really want to go there, it is gorgeous!!! I also went to the low Tatras a few years ago, but that was in winter, which gives it a total different look.

One lovely town I saw in Slovakia is Cicmany, where they have gingerbread houses, you can see an old house from the inside, it is like a museumvillage.

Aukje

I visited Slovakia this past July and enjoyed everything! I stayed for three days in Levoca (very cool city center), which is about a 30min bus ride from Poprad(you'll see on my site soon why Poprad wasn't terribly inviting) which is the best launching place for the Tatras and Slovensky Raj. Levoca is also not too far from Spis Castle which is okay for a half day...
Kosice is also a wonderful town with lots to see and do.
Saris is my favorite of the beers, of which I couldn't get enough of...
Bratislava is a nice town and deserves a couple of days.
I don't know how to address the first two posts, I have NEVER had any troubles in Slovakia. Just be smart, when you feel like someone is shaking you down, find a police officer and discuss with him/her present.
I hope to post a few photos soon on my VT site...
ENJOY!--> Slovensko is GREAT!

Definately visit the Tatra mountains for hiking or skiing. The facilities are not as good as in say the Alps, but you will have nice views and it will be a lot cheaper. Most of my friends ski in Slovakia ski in the Tatras on the weekends and then head to the Alps for their week long ski trips. By June the trails will all be open and for the most part dry. There are not many mountains above 2000 m and no glaciers.

Use Stary Smokovec as your home base and then take day trips from there. The trails are well posted and aimed at novice to intermediate hikers, with no 'klettersteig' on ordinary trails.

Bill.

I am just reading about getting 'shaked down' on the trams. I think you got scammed? Not that the badge or the officer was fake, but he simply demanded too much, having your passports, and hoping to pocket the difference.

Sometimes because I could not find a ticket machine, had no correct change, did not know where to buy my ticket, etc., I have been caught riding black. Usually the fine is no more than 10-times a single ticket, and usually the level of the fine is clearly posted on the tram, bus, train, etc. (I know there must be exceptions). I just paid a 100 rouble fine in Moscow a few months ago because I only had a Metro ticket and no Tram ticket. I did get a receipt, but it was not properly filled-out, so I assume the inspector pocketed the money?

However, you are right to never surrender your passport. No ID, no leverage, and they cannot hold you by force. The worse can happen is you waste time going to the police for what that's worth? Definately as hassle if you do not speak the language.

We did get swindled in Budapest in 1994. We were invited into a bar to have a drink, we ordered drinks for the girls, and then they hit us with a $500 tab. We spent hours negotiating with them, but they would not let us go. We did not have mobile phones, and could not call anyone or leave. We eventually talked them down to about half the original amount, and they gave us a receipt for food & drink, so we could claim it later as a business expense. We went to the police afterwards, and the police came back with us, but all they did was write down the passport numbers of those involved and nothing else, other than leaving us at the bar, with the angry mafia types. Needless to say, we beat a hasty retreat outta there.

It was a few years ago, but some friends of mine had the samething happen to them last year, so it is still going on. The morale of the story here, is that if there is something shady going on in these countries, you can bet it is with tacit approval from the local police, and they may not be of as much help as you assume.

No sense in getting upset over a few Koruna or Forints. I once got into a fight with a taxi driver in Prague over what was probably less than $20 between the official and unofficial price. I ruined a suit and spent the whole evening at the police station. Should have paid the money and walked away. Oh well, live and learn. Travel is an experience.

Bill.

Just my two cents:

We also had our only trouble in Europe on our way to Bratislava. We had Eurail passes, which we had been assured were good in Slovakia. But upon entering the country, the conductor on the train said they were no good, and charged us what seemed like too much at the time for a "valid" ticket.
But the rest of the day was fine, we went to the castle and the museum there, and walked all over town and ate at a restaurant and got the train home to Vienna with no problems.

After all these 'bad' experiences I would like to add a good one. It was 1994 (maybe people have changed since then?) I had an interrail ticket for the whole of Europe. I decided to pay my message-in-a-bottle-friend a visit for the first time. I had no idea how things worked in Slovakia and I had no information at all on which I could rely. I took a train from Vienna to Bratislava, which was good. In Bratislava it was a bit of a problem to find out where to go, all I knew was that I had to go to Nitra. By repeatetly saying "Nitra" a few times, and showing a picture of a train, I got on a train and I understood that I had to switch trains in Nova Zemsky.
The train-conductor came checking, took my ticket and looked at it in amazement and had no clue what to do with it. I tried to explain in my best german, but the guy was totaly confused. He smiled when I said "Nitra", handed me back the ticket without stamping, nodded and walked on. When the train was about to stop in Nova Zemsky he came towards me probably saying; "miss, you have to transfer here", he took my bag and helped me put it on my back, then he showed on his watch what time the train to Nitra would come.

This was my first experience with Slovakian people, and I loved them instantly...I have been there 4 times now, and never had any bad experience.

Aukje

Ahhh, I feel so bad. I was the first to answer in this Forum, and feel responsible for having started this discussion down a negative path. I was not feeling so good, and so when Slovakia was mentioned, my first memory was a bad one. But I did spend a few days there, and I do remember good things too...watching the nightlife in one of the main squares, walking around the castle and admiring the view, a man giving me a souvenir I was admiring for free, and having one of my best dinners in Eastern Europe. So it was not a completely bad experience by any means. The transit police are formidable, but everyone else was quite nice!

Hi.

See Matcrazy1' s Slovak pages and you will see what is top in Slovakia:)

We have been to Slovakia a number of times! We love the people! We have made friends there that will last a life time!

I have read this thread and I must confess all our experiences weren't as positive as well!

We have been charged for speeding (? Non of the Slovakian drivers were held!). For parking in the wrong spot (? Non of the Slovakian cars had a ticket!) And the worst of our ecperiences was that our sons got a severe beating when visiting a disco in Poprad, just because they were foreigners.
The police was quite helpful during that occasion! Even more our friends were, who came to our assistance in an instance.

Corrupt policemen are every where and if you give them a chance......

Over all I would say Slovakia is a very hospitable country! We will go there again this year and our sons will go there again as well, because they love the country and its people.
Never judge a country by one bad experience I would say! The help and love we received after our sons got beaten down was heart warming! It made me love Slovakia and its people even more! The number of people that like to take advantage of you or harm you are so small in comparison with the hospitality you meet when trying to make friends.

Love, Dora.

LOL!!! This whole thread was corrupted with bad experiences! So sad!

Slovakia is such a beautiful country!! The Tatra's are great!! I hate it I am no longer able to hike, due to an accident that ruined my left leg. I tried two years ago to hike from Skalnate Pleso to Hrebienok, a quite easy going path, but it was to much! Still my hubby and kids love to hike the Tatra´s. I will wait for them at home and enjoy their stories of adventure and great views.

The Slovak Paradise is an experience of a lifetime!! Really I mean it. Before my accident I climbed a few gorges in the Slovak Paradise and that is what I hat most: that I am not able to do that again!

Love, Dora.

Well, I spent 2 days in Bratislava, 2 years ago and been to Tatra. You may get a hiking guide and some other brochures for free from the Slovak Embassy in your country. Bratislava is a low key town not much to see, though there is a pleasant old town centre, and Bratislava castle by Duna.

Be Careful !
I went there for a weeks holiday in the high Tatras and ended up getting married to a Slovak (many months later I might add).