Slovakia

The heart of Slovakia is characterized above all by its mountain landscape. On the border with Poland run the High Tatras mountains, which are ideal for hikers and winter sports enthusiasts. On the Slovak side, the Tatras are usually much less crowded than in Poland, so you often have the beautiful mountain landscape almost to yourself. Mining towns such as the UNESCO World Heritage Banská Štiavnica and the tiny village of Vlkolínec with its unique wooden houses offer those interested in culture enough variety from the landscape.

The Slovak capital is just a stone's throw awy from the Austrian border. The former Preßburg was the coronation site of the Hungarian kings and therefore has a number of magnificent buildings from times gone by. For a European capital, however, Bratislava is still very cozy. Across the Danube, a new part of the city was built during socialist times, offering an exciting architectural contrast to the medieval city center.

In ancient times, important trade routes passed through western Slovakia. Along the Danube floodplains are some of the most charming landscapes in the country. Whether at the Devín or further downstream in the border area with Hungary - here, above all, you can relax well and taste one of the excellent wines. Tours by cruise ship are popular. But a visit to Nitra is also worthwhile, the oldest city in Slovakia together with Bratislava.

Košice with its listed city center and Prešov are the two most important centers of the quadrilateral bordering Poland, Hungary and Ukraine. The landscape promises an interesting mix of karst caves, high mountains and is interspersed with castles and the wooden Carpathian churches characteristic of the region. The region is one of the most charming in the country, but has yet to receive much attention from Western tourists.