10 Days Highlights of Slovakia

About the destination: Halfway between East and West, North and South of Europe, Bratislava is in a crossroad, bordering Austria and Hungary. It is a beautiful old city, lovely and warm, and its tranquility contrasts with the busy and active life of the present inhabitants. Surrounded by a pastoral landscape of vineyards and historic castles, occupying both banks of the River Danube, Bratislava gives a sense of time travelling. Bratislava has a delightful medieval quarter, Stare Mesto, with small and narrow streets, a castle on top of a hill near the Danube and many castles and ancient churches to explore. The old town consists of two squares, Hlavne namestie , Main Square and Hviezdoslav Square, named after the famous Slovak poet. Communist buildings that stretch endlessly along the river speak of the country’s pre-incorporation into the European Union in 2004. Since then the city has rose in fame for cultural tourism as well as becoming a thriving business centre. Visitors to Bratislava will find an ever-increasing choice of plush accommodation and a plethora of chic bars and restaurants, as well as the chance to visit its great offer of museums, galleries and modern art spaces. And when you’ve had your fill of exploring the city itself, it’s easy to escape from the hustle and bustle to walk, cycle or picnic in the forested hills that surround it – or to discover some of the many vineyards and castles of the surrounding region.

About the destination: Žilina is a natural centre of north-western Slovakia and with a population of 84 604 inhabitants (as per December 31, 2010) it ranks among the largest cities in Slovakia. Its geographic location is 49°15' of north latitude and 18°45' of east longitude and it lies at an altitude of 333 metres above sea level. Žilina is situated around 200 km from Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. Žilina is located in the valley of the Váh river, in the Žilina Basin, at the confluence of the Váh river with its tributaries Kysuca and Rajčanka. The Žilina Basin is surrounded by the mountain ranges of Malá Fatra (Lesser Fatra), Strážovské vrchy (Strážov Hills), Súľovské vrchy (Súľov Hills), Javorníky and Kysucká vrchovina (Kysuce Highlands). Žilina is a centre of significant political, cultural, sport and public health care institutions. It is the seat of new Žilina Diocese, important business centre and entrance tourist gate into the Žilina Region. It is the seat of the Žilina Self-Governing Region authorities, one of eight regions of the Slovak Republic, with an area of 6 788 km2 and with 697 502 inhabitants (as per December 31, 2009). The city of Žilina is the seat of the Žilina Region. Together with the Region, it keeps a stable position of the second or third place in gross domestic product per inhabitant. Its economic potential can be proven by the fact that Žilina has (after Bratislava) the biggest number of traders per thousand inhabitants. As for the number of join stock companies and limited companies, Žilina keeps third position in Slovakia. The Slovak Commercial and Industrial Chamber in Žilina is the second biggest in Slovakia. Nowadays, the city of Žilina represents a dynamic development accelerated by KIA Motors Slovakia investments. However, the City is not only a centre of car production, but together with the Upper Váh River Region (Horné Považie), it is an interesting tourist destination. Interesting events held in the city of Žilina and its surroundings during the year (Carnival Slovakia, Central European Festival of Concert Art, Old Town Festival, Folklore Festival in Terchová, Medieval Day, Rajec Marathon ...) make the development of the City tourism more dynamic. The city of Žilina is a centre of theatres, museums, galleries, parks and sports facilities. Its historical centre is crossed by one of the longest and the most beautiful pedestrian zones in Slovakia.

About the destination: The oldest of our protected areas, the National Park of Tatras (TANAP) in the north of Slovakia, was founded in 1949. It covers the high-mountain area of the Tatras and it is the unique protected area of flora and fauna among the tallest European high mountains situated north of the Alps. The National Park of High Tatras was established as the first of its kind in Slovakia. Five years later the Polish side of the Tatras won a similar statute. Along with its Polish part, the High Tatras constitute the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve since 1993. The administrative headquarters of the National Park is located in Tatranská Lomnica. The TANAP contains mountain and high-mountain plants such as dwarf pine, pine woods and a wonderful flora. Rare animal species such as the eagle, bear, or marmot live here as well. The chamois is the symbol of Tatras. It is one of the most precious species, as it developed in isolation since the glacial age. This is the reason why it differs from its relatives living in the Alps or Apennines. Its protection is extremely strict because only 1000 animals survive at present. The tallest mountain of Slovakia is one of the peaks of the High Tatras - Gerlachovský štít (2,655 m). Symbol of the country though is the mountain Kriváň. The Park contains more than 100 alpine lakes and several waterfalls. The biggest and deepest lake of the Tatras is the Veľké Hincovo pleso, while the one situated highest is the lake Modré pleso (2,192 metres above sea level). The most visited lakes are the Štrbské pleso and Popradské pleso. The only cave open to public in the TANAP is the Belianska jaskyňa. For the sake of security, the hiking paths in the high-mountain levels of the TANAP are closed from 1 November to 15 June. Visitors accompanied by mountain guides are allowed to divert or abandon officially marked hiking routes only between 16 June and 31 October. The Museum of TANAP in Tatranská Lomnica founded in 1957 provides exhausting information about TANAP and its inhabitants. In fact, it is the best source of information before one visits the mountains, as it offers the natural and overall history of the place. Among the best localities to choose for access to the TANAP is the town Poprad and the tourist resorts Starý Smokovec, Tatranská Lomnica, Štrbské pleso (the highest situated tourist resort). The mountain ranges of Západné Tatry - Roháče are best accessible from tourist centre Zuberec.