Slovakia officially the Slovak Republic (Slovak: Slovenská republika), 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
southwest, and the Czech Republic to the northwest. Slovakia's mostly
mountainous territory spans about 49,000 square kilometres (19,000 sq mi),
with a population of over 5.4 million. The capital and largest city is
Bratislava, while the second largest city is Košice.
If you want to enjoy waterfalls, gorges and rock formations then
visit Slovak Paradise, Pieniny, or Strážovské Hills. The plateaus,
meadows with colourful flora and unusual karst formations in the
Muránska Planina and Slovak Karst National Parks will take your
breath away. Take a trip to watch wild animals in the deep forests
of Poloniny, Čergova or Poľana. Your guide through the mountains
will be one of the best marked networks of hiking paths in the
world. Whichever path you take, you can take a rest in the cosy
atmosphere of mountain chalets or traditional shepherd's cottages.
Slovakia has abundant cultural and historical, fortified and stately
buildings. There are more than 100 castles and at least double this
number of manor houses built in different historical eras. In the
past, they were the protagonists of history and their owners
controlled the life of the country and its people. Every manor house
area also had a garden or park. The curias once owned by petty
gentry, can be seen in almost every village in Slovakia.
The High Tatras of Slovakia are an outdoor paradise. Jagged
mountains, emerald green lakes, rugged hiking trails, cabin cars all
come together to form the perfect adventure destination. Go on
short, easy walks around alpine lakes, ride a cable car to one of
the highest peaks in Slovakia, and hike to Rysy, the tallest
mountain in Poland. Come explore this quiet little corner of Europe.