This fabulous country features natural landscapes, mountains, caves, medieval castles and towns, folk architecture, spas and ski resorts…

The Slovak Republic (short form Slovakia) is a landlocked country in Central Europe and is bordered by the Czech Republic, Poland, Ukraine, Hungary and Austria.

Although Slovakia came into existence in 1993, Slovaks have existed as a unique entity for over 1500 years. Except for a brief period during World War II, during which Slovakia was a protectorate state of Nazi Germany, the Slovak people have been subjected to domination by stronger political entities, such as the Czechs of the Czechoslovak federation, the Magyars of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and the sovereigns of the Habsburg Empire.

Bratislava, the capital city of Slovakia, situated in south-western Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River, and bordering Austria and Hungary, is the only national capital that borders two countries. Bratislava is a city with a long history and an exquisitely renovated historical centre brimming with baroque palaces, fountains and romantic streets. Like Budapest and Vienna, Bratislava was also a coronation town.

Slovakia is a mountainous country. The Carpathian Mountains start near Bratislava and wind all the way to Transylvania, in Romania. The two major regions are called the Lower Tatras and High Tatras – a popular skiing destination. Ski resorts include Štrbské Pleso, Stary Smokovec, Tatranska Lomnica, but the town of Poprad is the gateway to the Slovak Tatra resorts. The oldest national park in the Slovak Republic - Tatra National Park - was founded here. The landscape incorporates dense forest on the mountains' lower slopes, as well as glacial lakes and mountain streams. The park is paradise for hikers.

There are about four thousand registered caves in Slovakia, but only 14 of them are open to the public. Usually these caves are with stalactites, numerous are the caves of ice, but there are also very special and rare caves, like the Ochtinska Aragonit Cave, that is one of the three accessible caves of this kind all over the world.

Slovakia is also a country with a truly extraordinary number of mineral springs. Many of these springs gave rise to spas and some of them became important international therapeutic centres with the most recent and modern equipment for therapy of varied diseases and health problems. The most popular spa resorts of the country are - Bardejov, Pieštany, and Smrdáky.

More than 300 castles, many only evocative ruins, dot the landscape throughout Slovakia. These fortified places that often sheltered entire towns from rapacious invaders are poignant reminders of the perils of times past. One of the most magnificent sights in Slovakia is that of the ghostly, sprawling ruins of Spiš Castle atop its lonely hill. Covering more than 10 acres, Spiš is the largest fortified castle in Central Europe and a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Enjoy Slovakia!