Slovakia punches far above its weight — Bratislava's compact castle-crowned capital, the High Tatras mountains dramatic in all seasons, and Medieval towns so unspoiled they make Czech Krumlov look touristy.
- Capital
- Bratislava
- Population
- 5,413,813
- Area
- 48,845 km²
- Languages
- Slovak
- Currency
- Euro (€)
- GDP
- $147,031M
Good to know
Driving side
Right
National dish
Bryndzové halušky
Annual visitors
15,299,000 (2018)
Safety
Low (1.12/100k)
Avg temp
8.8°C
Religion
Christianity
Coast
Landlocked
☎ Police 158 · Ambulance 155 · Fire 150
Travel guide
"SK" redirects here. For the Canadian province, see Saskatchewan; for the Republic of Korea, see South Korea. Slovakia (Slovak: Slovensko) or the Slovak Republic (Slovenská republika) is a country in Central Europe. The main reasons to visit Slovakia are its natural beauty, vivid history and great opportunities 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 portion of the country and feature the tallest part of the Carpathian Mountain Range, the High Tatras, which offer great opportunities for mountain and winter sports as well as great vistas. Geologically, a sizable part of Slovakia is made out of limestone, which in combination with many springs and rivers has resulted in formation of numerous caves (12 open to the public, several of which are UNESCO listed) and the beautiful rocky formations, canyons and waterfalls of the Slovak Paradise and Slovak Karst. Even outside these areas, there are some beautiful landscapes, and all of Slovakia is covered by thousands of well-marked hiking trails. For history lovers, Slovakia has the highest number of castles and chateaux per capita in the world, ranging from simple ruins to well-preserved habitable castles with furnishings, so if you are a fan of medieval history, look no further. There are also numerous Gothic and Baroque cities and towns across Slovakia, including the capital. There are also well-preserved exampl
© Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA)
Explore Slovakia
Best time to visit
High Tatras: June–October for hiking, December–March for skiing. Bratislava is lovely April–October and for Christmas markets in December. Spring wildflowers in May are spectacular. Summer (July–August) is warm and festival-filled.
Visa
Citizens of US, UK, EU, Canada, Australia and most Western countries receive 90 days Schengen visa-free in Slovakia.
Public holidays
UNESCO World Heritage Sites (12)
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