And so, my wife and I decided to visit Slovakia, we had almost nothing planned in advance, just accommodation and a couple of places in the vicinity. And it was one of the coolest trips ever. Have a seat, I’ll tell you all about it!
Trip was by own car, so all the following guide will be relevant to those who also will travel to Slovakia by own car!
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You can also find each place individually at this page!
My wife and I live in Riga, Latvia. And we left by car. It took us about 15-16 hours to get there. And after such a long trip we wanted to take a shower. Which we did when we arrived at the apartment.
As it turned out, we were lucky with the apartment. The apartment was very comfortable and cozy. It was on the 2nd floor of a private house with a terrace, where we could spend evenings with a cup of tea. And what is not unimportant, the location itself was also no less convenient, as the apartment was in the middle of all the sights we wanted to visit.
Since it was still day, after a short rest we decided to hit the road. And our first stop was:
After seeing the castle, and there is a lot to see, we went home and went to bed, as we were very tired from the trip!
The next morning, after a hearty breakfast, we went to the hottest place in Slovakia, the Slovak Paradise.
Unfortunately, at that time we could not find a detailed guide where to start our route, so we drove along the national park to look for a parking lot according to the sign. And our first stop was in Dobšinská Ľadová Jaskyňa. Every stop in Slovakia creates its own wow effect. But this place was not particularly noteworthy and we drove on.
We learned that one of the worthwhile trails starts from the village of Píla, where we went. At the entrance we were charged 2 euros for parking and we set off. The trail is not hard to find, there are signs and I also marked all our stops on the map.
We liked the trail very much, it consisted of different obstacles, rivers, forests, as well as obstacles that are interesting to overcome.
This trail is not intended for children and can be dangerous, so if you are with children, then unfortunately you can not go all the way through it, as it can be dangerous.
In any case, even part of it consists of very beautiful places.
After the trail, since we still had strength, we decided to go further. On the map we found that not far from us is a picturesque castle, and there we went.
At that time, the castle was under reconstruction, but even to walk around it gave us pleasure, as the views there open unforgettable!
Not far from the castle, we found a waterfall on the map and rushed to it. Unfortunately, there is no parking near the waterfall, and it is forbidden to leave a car along the road. We still decided to leave it and go to the waterfall.
After we returned, the police were already waiting for us. Smiling, they warned us not to leave the car here, and then they got in the car and drove off. And we followed them home. The second day was coming to an end.
The next day we planned to go a little farther away from our habitat and the first stop was in Demanovska Dolina. The valley is very picturesque, and even without getting out of the car, eyes scattered in different directions, you want to stop and enjoy the scenery.
You can’t miss the parking lot to the cave, there will be a large parking lot and a bunch of people. From the parking lot to the cave itself you will have to walk up the path for about 15-20 minutes. Entrance ticket at the time cost 12 euros per person. I want to note right away that it is absolutely worth to take a jacket, because the temperature in the cave can drop to 6 degrees, when outside it can be 20-25 degrees.
The cave is big enough, if you have not been in such caves, the wow effect is guaranteed!
After the cave we decided to have a snack and not far away we found a nice restaurant with a good view.
After we had a bite to eat, we decided to go hiking in the Kvačianska Valley. At the beginning of the trail there is a huge parking lot where you can leave your car for free. The trail is quite long, but not difficult, so it is suitable for children as well.
On our way home, we noticed some interesting buildings and decided to stop by. As it turned out, this village hosts the annual Slovakian folklore festival Výhodna. There is an exposition of wooden sculptures and the tower offers a view of the Tatra Mountains.
After that we went home, so day 3 has come to an end.
Even though we lived far away from the capital, we decided to visit it anyway. A little bit about the autobahn we traveled on. For us it is usual that if the autobahn is paid, then there are payment points, but it turns out that in Slovakia there are no such points, and some sections of the autobahn are paid. We decided not to take the risk and pay.
The minimum charge for the autobahn at the moment is 12 euros for 10 days.
On the way to Bratislava, we decided to stop at one of the landmarks and stretch our legs. The castle is quite picturesque. There are souvenir shops inside the castle
The city is simply delightful! The narrow streets, old buildings with bright facades, and cozy cafes on every corner created an atmosphere that was simply mesmerizing. We strolled through the Old Town and visited Bratislava Castle, where we had an amazing view of the whole city.
We also found a very popular sculpture. It is called “Man at Work” and is located in the heart of the old city of Bratislava.
In general, to see the whole capital one day is not enough, for the whole day we had time to visit the Bratislava Castle and walk around the old town, have a snack and already had to leave in the opposite direction. So if you have the opportunity to stay in the capital for a few days, we recommend taking advantage of this opportunity!
Day 5 We had originally planned to spend the whole day in the mountains, but the weather decided for us. It was raining and we had to find a plan B. For us, plan B turned out to be the thermal springs and we never regretted it.
There are different types of baths and pools inside. Also in one of the baths, every half hour there was a show from the bath attendant. There are also three large pools of different temperatures outside. In the rain in this pool is the best!
The way to the mountains starts from the parking lot, which is located next to the huge lake Strebske Pleso.
As you can see on the map, you can choose several trails for hiking in the mountains, we chose the one that leads to the Skok waterfall. This is one of the most popular trails in Slovakia.
There is a road around the lake that offers incredible views of the mountains.
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After you pass the lake, the trail to Skok Falls begins. There are signs everywhere, so it’s hard to get it wrong.
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The trail is wide enough and a lot of people, too, so the climb feels safe and fun.
And this is what the waterfall itself looks like:
The trail does not end there, but goes to the top of the mountain. Then the trail goes through the waterfall itself, where it is quite slippery. You can hold on to the special chains for safety. However, I don’t recommend hiking with children, even though the Slovaks themselves hike with children in more dangerous places!
As a reward for this hike, you are rewarded with views like these:
Then we started to go back down to Štrebské Pleso.
When we came down, we decided to climb another peak, but since we were already running out of strength, we decided to take the elevator. The elevator takes us almost to the top. At the top there is a cafe where you can sit with a cup of hot tea, and look at the unforgettable views.
Then, if desired, you can go up quite a steep slope to the peak, where there is a cross with the marking of the altitude 2117m above sea level.
After that we went down the same way on the elevator, that was the end of day 6.
After yesterday’s walk, I wanted something simple, but at the same time something interesting. And the choice fell on the zoo Zoo Kontakt. We liked the zoo, what was especially memorable was the white tiger cubs!
That was the end of our trip. For the rest of the day we decided to go shopping for souvenirs for our loved ones.
