Slovakia is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the west, and the Czech Republic to the northwest. Central and northern Slovakia is mountainous regions covered by the Carpathian Mountains. Southern and eastern Slovakia is lowland regions, which are important agricultural areas of the country.

 

The Danube River connects Slovakia with Vienna and Budapest, the Rhine-Main channel, and the Black Sea ports.

 

Most shops in Slovakia are open from Mondays to Fridays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Smaller shops have lunch breaks. Big stores and shopping centres are typically open until 7 p.m. or 9 p.m. Tesco hypermarkets (found in Banska Bystrica, Bratislava, Kosice, Nitra and Trnava) are open 24 hours and basic foods can be bought in smaller shops (vecierka), which are open seven days a week and also at night.

 

This information has been compiled for your reference in good faith but please use this only as a general guide. We advise you to check with relevant authorities with regard to the latest requirement for passport, visa, travel advisory, entry restrictions, health requirements, local currency etc as these are subjected to change with without prior notice and our information given below may not be as updated.

 

Best time to go: Take advantage of Slovakia’s beautiful natural attractions during the warm season between May and late October. Summer time is the best time to visit such attractions as Spis castles and Devin. Wildflower bloom in the High Tetras starts in June.

 

Slovakia has the world’s highest number of castles and chateaux per capita. There are 180 castles and 425 chateaux.

Visa: New Zealand passport holders or New Zealand citizens do not need a visa if staying less than 90 days but in between a period of 180 days. A Schengen visa is mandatory for all nationals of New Zealand who will be staying in the country for a duration that is greater than 90 days. Passports and other travel documents are accepted for entry and must be valid for a minimum of 3 months beyond the period of your intended stay. All Passports issued more than ten years before the date of travel, may not be accepted. Please note that it is not possible to obtain an entry visa upon an arrival at Bratislava Airport or any other port of entry to Slovakia. Please contact the nearest Slovak Embassy for visa information.

 

Slovakia’s capital, Bratislava, lies on the boarders of Hungary and Austria. This makes Bratislava the only city in the world to boarder two independent cities.

Currency: Main currency in Slovakia is Euros. If you are travelling with New Zealand dollars, there are exchange offices in Slovakia which can be found at the airport, railway or bus stations, which are completely legal and robber-safe. Credit cards are accepted in most stores, restaurants and hotels in Slovakia. In larger cities such as Bratislava and Kosice, there is an ATM machine located practically on every corner, and in smaller cities such as Presov and Zilina, the walk is not far till you reach an ATM machine. Please note that banks in Slovakia are closed on Saturdays and Sundays.

 

There are more than 6,000 caves in Slovakia with more caves being discovered every year.

 

Health: Slovakia does not have any particular health risk but general hygienic conditions are not the same as in New Zealand. Carry your general medication with you and consult your doctor well in advance to prepare for the trip. Avoid drinking tap water in your Hotels. Always drink mineral water and ensure that bottles are properly sealed when you buy it. Most Hotels provide complimentary mineral water bottles in the room, replenished daily.

 

Slovakia is the geographical midpoint of Europe.
 

Food and drinks: National dish and favourite food of most Slovaks are home-cooked dumplings with sheep cheese and bacon. Slovak cuisine is full of milk products, meat (especially pork), dumplings, potatoes and thick sauces. Onions, cabbage and garlic is a must. Slovaks also love a good distilled beverages‎. Ask for a good "hruskovica" (made from pears) or "slivovica" (made from plums). Clean 100% distillate is the highest-quality alcohol Slovakia has to offer but beware, it's not for weak. Slovakia is big on their wines and the country is divided in six wine-growing areas. Little Carpathians, a small western territory of Slovakia, is said to be the best vine-growing area with almost a thousand years of wine-making traditions. Nowadays, there are 40 varieties of grapes growing in Slovakia.

 

Slovakians enjoy pork, and is considered as its most popular meat.

Safety & security: Like in any other part of the world, a few precautions need to be taken to avoid any problems. Please do not leave your bags unattended at any times. Please use safe deposit in your hotel room or Reception to keep your money or valuables including passport. When you leave the room, it is recommended that you lock your suitcase. It is also recommended to carry a copy of your passport including the visa page. Please ensure that you do not “play with the money” at overcrowded places, you just give robbers a chance!

 

When entering the home of a Slovak, you must take your shoes off.

 

Clothing: Be mindful of the clothes that you pack on your trip to Slovakia. The average weather in Bratislava, Slovakia in the summer is warm; however, the winters are very cold, dry and windy. So pack for the season.

 

The most popular sports in Slovakia are ice hockey and soccer. Baseball and football are seen as very exotic!

Language: Slovak is the official language in Slovakia and spoken by more than 80% of the population. The Slavic language is of the broader Indo-European language family spoken in Slovakia, Serbia, the Czech Republic, Ukraine, Croatia, and Hungary.

 

Most tourists to Slovakia come from the Czech Republic, Poland and Germany.

 

Gratuities: In Slovakia, there are no rigid rules about tipping. Ten percent of the total is enough; 20 percent is too much. When handing your waiter the money, tell him how much you'd like to pay, not how much you'd like to receive back in change. Do the same if paying by credit card or you can leave the tip in cash.

 

Slovakians enjoy drinking sweet wine.

Airport tax: There is no airport tax levied on passengers upon embarkation at the airport.

 

The old medieval town of Levoca is the home to the highest wooden alter in the world.

Internet: Internet is common in Hotel rooms and a lot of hotels also have internet facilities at their Reception or Business Centre for use by guests at a small fee. Cyber cafes are popular and can be found near your Hotel.

 

Slovakia has more than 1300 mineral springs.

Telephone: Mobile network coverage in Slovakia is very good. When calling from outside of Slovakia use the code +421. If you wish to make a call to a solid line or mobile phone, always exclude the first zero as shown in the example: 00421(0) 903 123 567. The zero in brackets is always excluded. When calling from within Slovakia, you will need to include a zero before the rest of the number as shown in the example: 0903 123 567. To call internationally from Slovakia, always dial 00, then the country code, then proceed with the rest of the number.  Telephone numbers of Hotels arranged by us will be supplied to you in your itinerary. It is recommended to buy a mobile SIM card on arrival if you need to be in touch with people back home.

 

Full time students under 26 years of old can travel for free on trains in Slovakia.

Time Difference: 1 hour ahead of GMT; during summer time, which lasts from March to October, it is 2 hours ahead of GMT, as in most European countries.

 

Slovakia belongs to one of the top countries with the most beautiful women in the world.

Photography: Taking photos as well as the use of drones in/ and or around the airports, government buildings and military establishments are prohibited. If you are taking photos of local ladies, please politely ask for prior permission.

 

The staff of Slovak and Slovenian embassies meets once a month with their colleagues to discuss and exchange of wrongly-addressed mail

Electricity: The Slovak Republic uses the 220V electricity. If you have a gadget or electrical appliance which needs 110V, you should use a convector. Otherwise, there is a danger and risk of fire. It would be a good idea to carry one from home. A type E plug adapter to Slovakia if your plug won't fit into a Slovak power outlet. Visit this website for more information on plugs: https://world-power-plugs.com/slovakia

 

All countries except Austria use their own currencies, which gives Slovakia a big advantage for foreign tourists.

 

Postage: Postal system in Slovakia is rather slow and your mail can take 2-3 weeks to reach. However, sending mail to part of Europe can take 5 business days and 7 business days for the US and Australia. Postage is cheap and the Hotel staff will be happy to direct you to the nearest post-office.

 

Ivan Bella, was the first Slovak in space, and was part of a nine day Russian-French-Slovak mission on the space station MIR in 1999.

 

Cities of interest:

 

Bratislava
Bratislava is the largest as well as the capital city of Slovakia. Some of the more greater Slovakia tourist attractions Bratislava are the Bratislava Castle where you can get a picturesque view the city from the top of  hill, the Old Town where you can visit different pubs and take in the cultural mix of the local people, and the Rusovce Lake where you can go on a nude adventure, if you’re up for it.

 

Kosice

In 2013, the charming city of Kosice was named the European capital of culture and has a cosmopolitan feel to it that expertly mixes the old with the new. Explore the Old Town where you will find medieval architecture and many of the buildings here are protected. For a fine example of Gothic style, head over to St Elisabth Cathedral, built in the 14th century, as well as the St Michael Chapel that also dates from the same period. If you like culture, and then feel free to spend an afternoon in the East Slovak Gallery that pays tribute to Slovak art, or the East Slovak Museum to learn more about the history of Slovakia. Kosice is the perfect city to be in when you want to experience and capture the Slovak culture

 

Levoca
If you are a fan Renaissance architecture, and then come to Levoca because it is the place for you. The city has an abundance of ‘must see architecture’ which includes the Roman Catholic Church of St. James which is famous for having the highest carved wooden alter in the world. It is also worth taking a trip to the Old Town as it is still surrounded by the original town walls and has been announced as UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visit the town square where you will find the Old Town Hall which is now a museum for those who want to learn more about the region, as well as the iron cage that still sits in the square with the rather alarming name, ‘The Cage of Shame’ which was used in days gone by to punish criminals.  

 

Piest’any
If you are looking for a place to get away to while still taking in the rich culture, cites and activities that Slovakia has to offer, then Piestany is the city for you. The world famous spa town is known for its medicinal geothermal water and sulphuric mud that contains exceptional therapeutic effects especially on inflammatory disorders. Besides having the luxury of being able to kick your feet up and relax on the beautiful island, the town offers you its rich cultural life with loads of opportunities to do sports and activities.

 

The town of Piestany attracts many visitors all year round, as they hold many important events such as the Piestany music festival, Organ Days, Country Lodenica, Hodokvas Multimedia Festival, "Cena Slovenska" automobile race or the international rowing regatta "O pohár SNP". There are many hotels, guest-houses, restaurants and cafés in and around the town. Art cafés with galleries are especially popular. The town has a wide range of sports facilities and activities such as tennis courts, a football stadium, an indoor ice rink, a riding centre and a water skiing resort, as well as a golf course and bowling or squash centres. Fun sports facilities and activities that will keep you busy.