Swap Stress for Impressive UNESCO Experiences in Slovakia

Follow in the footsteps of wolves in the Poloniny Mountains, discover the secrets of the Roman Empire
or a lesser-known part of the story of the legendary Beatles. Enter a territory where new inspiration and
a complete inner reboot await.

The rainforest and the Milky Way are calling you

Head to the northeast of Slovakia to Poloniny National Park. You will walk through rare beech forests listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Beech trees up to 60 metres grow in the Havešová National Nature Reserve. You will be amazed by the gigantic 400-year-old fir trees in Stužice. You will enjoy a hike along the trails amidst the wild vegetation and a view of the Milky Way in Poloniny Dark-Sky Park. Wolves and bison live in the forests. You can follow them to the tri-border, where Slovakia, Poland and Ukraine meet. Or hop on a rental e-bike, head to the Sea Eye Lake in the Vihorlat Mountains, and then continue to the wooden temple in Ruska Bystra. This unique temple is one of eight wooden jewels built without a single nail that are also on the UNESCO list.

• 

• 

A gothic gem with a healing oasis awaits you

Enjoy a cup of coffee in the ancient bastion and send your friends a spectacular photo with the dark executioner. Thanks to its medieval authenticity, Bardejov has made it onto the UNESCO list. The square is adorned with the 500-year-old town hall. It is lined with townhouses, where Renaissance and Gothic elements have been preserved in the interiors. The dominant feature of the square is the Basilica of St Egidio (St Giles), with eleven Gothic altars and a view from the tower. Together with the centre and the fortifications, the Jewish suburb with its 18th-century synagogue is also on the UNESCO list. Bardejov was already a favourite spa destination of the Empress Sissi during the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which tells you that you will be treated royally at the local spa.

• 

• 

Immerse yourself in the magical alleys and secrets of a 500–year-old mine

Visitors to Banská Štiavnica will be captivated by the palace architecture, and the extensive underground is also worthy of attention. In 1627, gunpowder was used here for the first time in history when a mine shaft was mined, and the world’s first technical college was founded here. You will discover the secrets of mining in the Bartolomej and Glanzenberg tunnels from 1560. Take a trip to the Štiavnica Hills to visit the 24 mining water reservoirs (tajchs). These unique technical works, which supplied water to the mines, are registered on the UNESCO list together with the town of Banská Štiavnica. Today, the water reservoirs serve as mountain swimming pools and cycling destinations. While wandering the area, you will also come across the Hollywood story of photographer Dežo Hoffmann, who worked with Ernest Hemingway and took more photographs of the Beatles than anyone else. You can spend the night in Hoffmann’s birthplace.

• 

• 

Make a trip to the borders of the Roman Empire
Lovers of history and the art of war will be interested in places full of evidence of 400 years of Roman existence in the territory of today’s Slovakia. The Danube Limes is part of the wider Roman Empire border and the most extensive UNESCO cultural site in Europe, stretching all the way to the British Isles. The Roman military camp Gerulata can be seen on the right bank of the Danube in Bratislava-Rusovce, while the Kelemantia camp in the village of Iža near Komárno was an outpost on the opposite side of the river. Swap history and the art of war for exhibits of modern art at Danubiana Island near Bratislava or immerse yourself in the cultural offerings of the capital.