My recommendations of places to see in Slovakia

Being a volunteer in Bratislava brings you a lot. It is a human-size capital city. It is smaller than usual capital cities in Europe, but it is alive. There are a lot of opportunities and activities here. And if Bratislava isn’t enough for you then there are a lot more places to see in Slovakia and the neighboring countries.

For the places, if you like history, I would recommend visiting castles. You will learn about Slovakia's influences from different cultures during the centuries. In Bratislava, there is Devin castle but also Červený kameň, just an hour by bus, that is worth the visit. In Trenčín, there is the third biggest castle in Slovakia. There is also Bojnice castle in the middle of the country, which looks like a castle straight from a Disney movie. And many more! Indeed there are about 120 remaining castles all over Slovakia.

If you like nature, I would definitely recommend Slovenský raj aka the Slovak paradise, which is a national park at the center of the country. There is amazing nature with beautiful hikes. Nearby there is Dobšinská ľadová jaskyňa, which is an ice cave. It stays between - 3 and 3 the whole year inside. I find it amazing. Actually there are more caves in Slovakia. So you should go to at least one. There is one near Bratislava, called Driny.

Again on the topic of nature, there are a lot of lakes in Bratislava and around. I love bodies of water so I love it. I would recommend going to natural lakes like Rusovské jazero and Čunovské jazero. They are located in the south of Bratislava. Also Slovakia has mountains, the high Tatras (Vysoké Tatry), with nice hikes and landscapes.

In Bratislava, I would recommend going to cultural centers. There are so many. They have different programmation from concerts, parties to workshops with different topics so there will be something you will like for sure. To name a few: A4, Nová Cvernovka and Pakt.

If you want to visit some other cities in Slovakia, I would recommend going to Trnava, Trenčín, Košice, Poprad and Banská Štiavnica! These are very different cities with different vibes and highlights. Visiting them, you get a better picture of Slovakia.

Finally, if you want to get away from Slovakia or visit somewhere else, Bratislava has a lot of connections with the neighboring countries and cities nearby. For example, Vienna, Budapest, Brno and Krakow!

Have a nice time in Slovakia and enjoy discovering this beautiful country and its surroundings!
 

Text a foto: Frédérique Fairier (Bratislava seen from Devínska Kobyla)

Frédérique je dobrovoľníčka programu Európsky zbor solidarity na projekte v organizácii Mládež ulice. Projekt bol podporený z projektu EÚ Európsky zbor solidarity.