Highlights of Slovakia in 3 days

Traveling across Slovakia, we’ll show you the most interesting places we can fit into three days. On our tour, we’ll see several castles, go through four national parks, sample Slovak cuisine and enjoy breathtaking views!

On this trip you will see:

7 castles

4 UNESCO heritage sites,

4 national parks,

try traditional Slovak cuisine,

breathtaking views and areas of outstanding natural beauty,

a lot of the country and its diversity in just three days.

Itinerary

Day 1: Transfer from Vienna and Bratislava. Visit unique village Čičmany and Orava castle.

On the first morning, it’s vital that we leave no later than 8:30 am. A two-hour journey takes us to Čičmany village.

The unique and characteristic element of log houses in Čičmany are their exteriors ornamented in geometrical pattern. The authors of ornaments, as rule, were women who originally adorned only the corners of houses first with mud and later with lime.
The painting was intended to protect the logs against the effect of sunrays. Geometrical ornamentation was also used in embroidery applied to garments, pictures or tablecloths. The Reserve counts 136 houses.

Next, we’ll drive about an hour and half to one of the most beautiful castles in Slovakia: Oravský hrad, where one of the first ever vampire movies was filmed – Nosferatu (1922).

The castle, built on a rock above the river Orava in Oravský Podzámok village like an “eagle nest”, is one of the greatest tourist attractions of Slovakia, but not only. It was built in the place of an older wooden hillfort after the Tartar invasion in 1241. Through the following centuries, this small fortress transformed into an extensive castle structure with 154 rooms. Since 1556, the castle was administered by Thurzo family who initiated the greatest rebuilding actions in its history. The castle then acquired its final form in 1611.

From this picturesque village and castle we head on our way to eastern Slovakia. We’ll stay in High Tatras national park.

This oldest national park in Slovakia has been named as the best place to visit in Europe in 2019.

Overnight in a 4* hotel in a mountain village in High Tatras National Park.

Day 2: UNESCO heritage: Spiš castle, Bardejov town and wooden churches

In the morning we’ll visit Spis Castle, one of the largest mediaeval castles in central Europe. This castle is the largest in Slovakia and belongs also to the largest castles in Europe. The oldest writing about the castle is dated on 1120. The castle is listed in the historical heritage of UNESCO.
Unfortunately from November till March the castle is closed because of weather conditions.
We’ll drive around and you’ll see this castle from outside. But we’ll visit another medieval town next to the castle, Levoca, also UNESCO heritage site.

You have two options here:

1. option: Visit Spis castle and then visit next UNESCO heritage listed town Bardejov.

If you decided to visit mediaeval town Bardejov, registered on the World UNESCO Heritage list, we’ll drive about an hour by car. In this town with a picturesque square we can see the most interesting buildings is the town hall, built in 1505 and the gothic church with 11 wooden altars. The Bardejov spa has played host to a number of dignitaries, including Marie Louise (the wife of Napoleon Bonaparte), Tsar Alexander I. of Russia and Empress Elisabeth, Sisi, of Austria-Hungary.

2. option: Visit Spis castle and then go back to High Tatras mountains and spend there a rest of the day.

High Tatras National Park is the oldest NP in Slovakia. This national park has more than 600 km of marked trails. The Lonely Planet ranked High Tatras as Best destination in Europe in 2019.
We can take a cable way on a peak or we can take a some easy hike to waterfalls.

Accommodation included: Overnight at 4* hotel with breakfast

Day 3: High Tatras National Park – Vlkolinec mountain hamlet – Banska Stiavnica Unesco heritage

After breakfast, we’ll start heading back towards Bratislava, passing the Low Tatras National Park. But we’ll stop to see and visit two important places.

Vlkolinec is a typical Central European mountain hamlet with log houses. It consists of the best-preserved example of an authentic mountain hamlet in Central Europe.
Wooden houses and wooden belfry, dating back to 1770, while the other one is a wooden well, dating back to 1860.

An hour journey through Low Tatras National Park takes us to the town of Banská Štiavnica, a UNESCO Heritage site.

The town was registered as a UNESCO heritage site in December 1993. Until 1919, town was also the site of the first technology-oriented university in the world. First mining university was established here and town became a center for science and technology development in Europe.

Banská Štiavnica is one of the most beautiful and historically interesting towns in Slovakia, attracting artists and romantics with its old mining roads, stylish cafés and many restaurants.

We’ll take in a tour of this picturesque medieval mining town, then have a short break and lunch.
Late afternoon we’ll drive to Bratislava/Vienna.

Expected arrival back in Bratislava: 6 pm

Prices:

2-3 travelers:  EUR 490.00 per person

4-7 travelers: EUR 390.00 per person

Children (6-11 years): 0-8 persons EUR 190.00 per person
Youth (12-17 years): 0-8 persons EUR 250.00 per person