- is of interest to everyone planning to spend time in the mountains in December-April - the Carpathians, the High and Low Tatras; in May-September - enjoy the natural beauties, go to excursion tours, go fishing and rafting on Slovak rivers.

Slovakia: where is the “country of caves and mineral springs”?

The location of Slovakia (the capital is Bratislava; the area of ​​the country is 49034 sq. km) is Central Europe. Landlocked Slovakia is surrounded by the Western Carpathians in the northeast and north. The highest point in the form of a 2650-meter peak Gerlakhovsky-Shtit is located at. Slovakia shares borders with (670 km), (90 km), (420 km), (90 km) and (200 km).

Slovakia consists of Žilina, Prešov, Košice, Trnava, Nitra, Bratislava, Trencin, Banskobystritsa regions.

How to get to Slovakia?

To get to from travelers will have to fly through, as a result of which the journey will last 6 hours, after - 14 hours, through the capital - 7.5 hours, after - 15 hours, through the Italian capital - more than 8.5 hours.

Tourists who need to be in will be offered to make a stop in the Austrian capital (passengers will have an 8.5-hour flight), in (the journey will take 7.5 hours), in the Czech capital (tourists will be in Kosice 6 hours 40 minutes after departure from Moscow), in (the journey will end 11.5 hours after boarding the first flight).

Those wishing to use the services of the train will reach the Slovak capital, Liptovsky Mikulas and Kosice from Kievsky railway station Moscow in about 42 hours.

Holidays in Slovakia

Those who decide to spend a vacation in Slovakia are advised to pay attention to Bratislava (famous for the castle, Bratislava Castle, SNP bridge, St. Martin's Cathedral, St. light and hydrotherapy, reflex and manual massage, electrotherapy, rehabilitation exercises), (the resort consists of 2 ski areas: the Nova Gola zone is focused on the pros, and Zagradishte is for beginners; the Fu Arena snowboard park is provided for snowboarders; Donovaly has 16 lifts , one of which - "Telemix Nova Gola" has a 1300-meter cable car), (famous for the castle of 1069, the House of the Executioner, the Church of St. Mary, the chapel of St. Michael, the Town Hall; if you wish, you can stay at the Ostrov campsite, located on the shores of Lake Vah, and also come to Trencin for the annual Pohoda music festival held here), waterfall Skok (its water stream, with a temperature of + 4-6˚C, falls from a 25-meter height; these scenic spots suitable for hiking, especially above the waterfall hiking trails with pointers).

Slovak beaches

• beaches on the shores of the Zemplinska Shirava reservoir: on the local 12-kilometer beach there are bungalows, private villas, bars, points where you can rent a boat, tennis courts, mini-golf courses. Those who wish can go fishing, because bream, eel, carp, pike perch, pike are found in the reservoir.
• beaches on the shores of the Senetsky Lakes: they are suitable for diving and fishing, and their equipment is represented by a water park, cottages, boarding houses, volleyball courts, sports equipment rentals.

Souvenirs from Slovakia

Those leaving Slovakia should not return to their homeland without Figaro chocolate, painted gingerbread, Tatranka cookies, pumpkin oil, sheep cheese, slivovitz, boletus, Janosik's hat, wickerwork, homespun rugs, "wollacks" (shepherd's crook).

Slovakia is the youngest country in Europe. The state received full independence only in the early 90s of the XX century. For a long time, being in the shadow of other powers (Austria-Hungary, Czechoslovakia, etc.), Slovakia does not seem to want to play an important role in the economy or politics of the continent. Remaining a "thing in itself", the country has retained all the tourist infrastructure that it has cherished for a century.

People come here for the sake of amazing nature, miraculous mineral springs, clean mountain air, the cheerful disposition of the Slovaks and excellent cuisine, which has absorbed the best traditions of several nations at once, while maintaining its originality. Despite the fact that it is difficult to find masterpieces of architecture or painting that would be known to the whole world in Slovakia, every city, every village here is filled with a cozy and warm atmosphere, a unique European charm.

To the undoubted advantages of traveling to one of the most invisible countries Europe must be attributed very modest prices with high level service. Domestic travel companies most often they sell winter, ski tours to Slovakia. And the country offers tourists the most vivid and memorable beauty all year round.

Budapest

The bus takes 3 hours, the ticket costs 9 euros. tour bus— 16 euros. Not everywhere there is an audio guide in Russian. It is better to stock up on a printed guide - 9 euros.

Krakow

If you don't care about long bus journeys, then from Bratislava you can easily get to Krakow. The trip costs from 34 euros one way, on the way, including all stops in Brno, Olomouc, Ostrava and Katowice, at least 9 hours. Better take the night bus and start exploring ancient capital from early morning.

Overnight in an inexpensive Krakow hotel - from 17 euros. Tour bus with audio guide - 14 euros.

A visit to Slovakia is not only about impressions new country, natural beauties, castles, museums and ski slopes. The location of the country guarantees you impressions of other cities in Europe that you may not have intended to visit. An inconspicuous and "modest" country is fraught with vast opportunities for those who have not yet "discovered" the Old World for themselves. Forward!

It will seem surprising, but in recent years, the increase in the number of tourists in Slovakia is due to the sporting events held in this country. This means that Slovakia is still an unknown country for most tourists. Meanwhile, in Slovakia there is everything that tourists need - thousand years of history, a large number of medieval castles and fortresses, wonderful nature Tatras and Carpathians, numerous thermal spas and beautiful ski resorts.

Geography of Slovakia

Slovakia is located in Central Europe. In the west, Slovakia borders on the Czech Republic and Austria, in the north - on Poland, in the east - on Ukraine, and in the south - on Hungary. total area Slovakia - 49,000 square kilometers, and the total length state border– 1,524 km.

A significant part of the territory of Slovakia is occupied by mountains. East of Bratislava is the Danube Lowland. The entire north of the country is Carpathian mountains, near the border with Poland are Low and High Tatras. The most high peak Slovakia - Gerlakhovski Shtit (2655 meters).

The main rivers in Slovakia are the Danube, Vah, Hron and Ipel.

Capital

The capital of Slovakia is Bratislava, where more than 470 thousand people live. On the site of modern Bratislava, human settlements have existed since the Neolithic.

Official language

The official language in Slovakia is Slovak, which belongs to the subgroup of West Slavic languages ​​of the Slavic language family. The Hungarian language is widely spoken in southern Slovakia.

Religion

More than 60% of the population of Slovakia consider themselves Catholics belonging to the Roman Catholic Church. Another 6% of Slovaks profess Protestantism, and 4.1% are Orthodox Christians.

State structure

Slovakia is a parliamentary republic in which the head of state, according to the Constitution, is the President, elected for 5 years by direct universal suffrage.

Legislative power belongs to the unicameral parliament - the National Council of the Slovak Republic, consisting of 150 deputies.

Climate and weather in Slovakia

In general, the climate in Slovakia is continental. Although Slovakia is a small country, the weather there can be noticeably different in the north, where mountains predominate, and in the flat south.

The warmest region of Slovakia is Bratislava and the south of the country, where in summer the temperature can rise above +30C. In winter in Bratislava, the daily air temperature ranges from -5C to +10C.

In the mountains of Slovakia, snow lies in winter all the time, until April. Summer in the north of Slovakia is mild, with an average temperature of +25C.

Rivers and lakes

Several large (by the standards of this country) rivers flow through the territory of Slovakia - Vah (403 km), Hron (298 km) and Ipel (232 km). Slovak rivers are of great interest for rafting enthusiasts.

Lakes in Slovakia are popular places summer holiday for Slovaks and foreign tourists. The largest of them are Velké Gintsovo Pleso, Zemplinska Shirava, and Strbske Pleso. There are over 180 mountain lakes in Slovakia.

History of Slovakia

Ancient people on the territory of modern Slovakia lived in the early Paleolithic era. Roman legions came to Slovakia in the 6th century AD. After the fall of the Roman Empire, Slovakia was invaded by Germanic tribes and Goths. Around the end of the 8th - beginning of the 9th centuries, Slavic tribes settled in Slovakia, and the Principality of Nitra was formed, which then became part of Great Moravia, and later - part of Hungary.

Under the blows of the Ottoman Empire in the 16th century, the Kingdom of Hungary broke up into three parts, and in 1526 Slovakia became part of the Holy Roman Empire.

Only after the end of the First World War, Slovakia gained independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and united with the Czech Republic (Czechoslovakia was formed).

In 1939, Slovakia, as, indeed, the entire territory of Czechoslovakia, was occupied by German troops.

After World War II, the Communist Party came to power in Czechoslovakia. In 1968, the troops of the Warsaw Pact countries suppressed the attempts of the leadership of Czechoslovakia to build "socialism with a human face", and instead of Alexander Dubcek, Gustav Husak began to lead the country.

In 1998, the Communist Party lost power in Czechoslovakia, and, in the end, in January 1993, this country broke up into two independent states, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

In 2004, Slovakia was accepted into the NATO military bloc, and in 2009 it became a member of the European Union.

culture

Slovakia is a country with rich cultural traditions and folk customs. Slovaks are very proud of their culture and cherish the traditions of their ancestors. Each Slovak region has its own typical folk costumes and customs. Slovak folk culture is known for its dances, music and songs.

Every summer, many Slovak cities host folklore music festivals, some of which have already become international.

Cuisine of Slovakia

Slovak cuisine is unique. She was greatly influenced by Austrian and Hungarian cuisines. The main products of Slovak cuisine are pork, poultry, cabbage, potatoes, flour, cheese, onions, and garlic.

Traditional Slovak dishes are cheese dumplings, draniki (potato pancakes), pasta (pasta) with potatoes, breaded cheese, schnitzel, and cabbage soup.

The traditional alcoholic drink in Slovakia is slivovitz (plum vodka). Beer is also very popular in Slovakia.

Sights of Slovakia

In Slovakia, curious tourists will find a large number of interesting sights. The top ten attractions in Slovakia, in our opinion, include the following:

Cities and resorts in Slovakia

Most big cities in Slovakia - Bratislava, Kosice, Presov, Zilina, Banska Bystrica, Trnava, Nitra, and Trencin.

Every year in Europe, the ski resorts of Slovakia are becoming more and more popular, combining beautiful nature and excellent skiing infrastructure. The most famous of them are Strbske Pleso, Liptovsky Mikulas, Tatranska Lomnica, Smokovec, Jasna, and Podbanske.

There are 1,470 mineral and thermal springs water. Resorts have been built near many of them. The most popular of them are Piestany, Smrdaky, Sliac, Sklenne Teplice, Trencianske Teplice, and Luchki.

Souvenirs/Shopping

From Slovakia, tourists most often bring dolls in folk Slovak costumes, giant shepherd flutes ("fujara"), shepherd's hatchets, ceramics, glassware and porcelain, wine, chocolate, and sheep cheese.

Office Hours

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Slovakia- state in Central Europe. It borders on the Czech Republic, Poland, Ukraine, Hungary and Austria. Has no access to the sea.

Most of the country is mountainous highest point country - the city of Gerlakhovsky-Shtit, 2655 m). A third of the country is occupied by the fertile South Slovak and East Slovak lowlands in the southeast and the Danube lowland east of Bratislava.

Airports in Slovakia

Airport Bratislava Miroslav Stefanik (Bratislava Milan Rastislav Stefanik Airport)

Kosice Barca Airport

Poprad-Tatry Airport

Hotels in Slovakia 1 - 5 stars

Slovakia weather

Moderate continental, with warm summers and cold winters. Precipitation on the plains falls from 450 to 700 mm. per year (mainly in winter and off-season), in the mountains - up to 1600-2100 mm. in year. At the same time, the snow mountainous areas, despite its relatively low altitude, lies 4-5 months a year, but the weather is quite changeable, so thaws are frequent.

May, June and September are the most convenient months for a "normal" visit to the country, for ski holidays the most favorable period is from November to March.

average temperature air in Bratislava t°C

Language of Slovakia

Official language: Slovak

Czech, Hungarian, German, English are widely spoken and, in their places of residence, the languages ​​of ethnic groups.

Currency of Slovakia

International name: SKK

The Slovak crown is equal to 100 hellers. In circulation there are coins in denominations of 10, 20 and 50 hellers and 1, 2, 5 and 10 crowns (Sk) and banknotes in denominations of 20, 50, 100, 500, 1000 and 5000 crowns. Czechoslovak coins and banknotes are not valid.

Credit cards EuroCard, MasterCard are accepted in almost all banks, as well as VISA, American Express and Eurocheque. They are accepted by most large hotels, at gas stations, less often - in restaurants and shops. ATMs are becoming more common in Slovakia, although outside major cities it is better not to rely on them. Slovak ATMs are usually connected to the international payment systems MasterCard, VISA, Plus, Maestro, Cirrus.

Visa

To obtain a visa to Slovakia, you need:
- Passport with the personal signature of the owner, which is valid for 6 months after the end of the trip;
- 1 color photo 3.5 x 4.5 and a questionnaire with the personal signature of the tourist;
- Visa for children under 15 years old - issued free of charge
- At the age of 15, paid as for an adult.
- Questionnaire for filling out a visa application form.

Customs restrictions

Import and export of national and foreign currency is not limited (the declaration is required if the amount exceeds 150 thousand kroons or its equivalent in foreign currency). When exporting currency, it is necessary to present a document confirming its origin.

Duty-free import is allowed (including postage) up to 200 pieces. cigarettes or 100 thin cigars, or 50 regular cigars, or 250 grams of smoking tobacco, up to 1 liter of strong alcoholic beverages(strength over 38%), up to 2 liters of wine, up to 50 ml of perfume, up to 250 ml of eau de toilette, as well as personal items worth no more than 30 thousand kroons. Tobacco products can only be imported by persons over 16 years of age, alcoholic products - over 18 years of age. Medicines and medicines can be imported duty-free in the amount necessary to meet the minimum personal needs.

Mains voltage

Tips

Tipping in restaurants is approximately 10% of the bill. To give them or not is at the discretion of the tourist.

Office Hours

Banks are open daily, except Sunday, from 9 am to 11 am and from 2 pm to 4 pm. On Saturday - until 12 pm. Exchange offices on weekdays they usually work from 7-8 to 17-19 with an hour lunch break (some - around the clock). Weekend hours are usually from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Most shops are open daily, except Sunday, from 9 am to 6 pm (large supermarkets and shopping centers Thursdays are usually open until 7pm. On Saturday, most shops are open from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Security

Street robberies and pickpocketing are quite rare, but both are quite possible in urban transport. You should also be especially careful with the storage of ski equipment and photo and video cameras.

Country code: +421

First level geographic domain name:.sk

Emergency Phones

Police - 158
Emergency and ambulance system on the roads - 154
Ambulance - 155
Fire protection - 150

SLOVAKIA

(The Slovak Republic)

General information

Geographical position. Slovakia is a state of Central Europe, the State borders on Poland, Ukraine, Hungary, Austria and the Czech Republic. Area. The territory of Slovakia covers 49,035 km. sq.

main cities, Administrative division. The capital of Slovakia is Bratislava. Largest cities: Bratislava (443 thousand people), Kosice (235 thousand people), Nitrate (90 thousand people), Presov (88 thousand people). Administratively, Slovakia is divided into 3 regions and the capital equivalent to them.

Political system

Slovakia-republic. The head of state is the president. The head of government is the prime minister. The legislature is the unicameral National Council.

Relief. Most of Slovakia is located in the region of the Western Carpathians, which are low and medium high mountains with soft rounded landforms. Only the most tall array country - High Tatras - has rocky mountains with traces of glaciation. The lowlands occupy a small area in the southwest.

Geological structure and minerals. On the territory of Slovakia there are deposits of iron ore, antimony, magnesite, manganese.

Climate. Slovakia has hot summers and cold winters. The sunniest and warmest region of the country is located in the Danube valley to the east of Bratislava. The average temperature in January is -2°С, in July +21°С. Summers in the mountains are cooler, and there is a lot of snow in winter. It rains all over the country in autumn.

Inland waters. The rivers mainly belong to the Danube basin. The border between Slovakia and the Czech Republic runs along the Morava River.

Soils and vegetation. Large arrays deciduous (oak, beech) and coniferous forests cover the slopes of the mountains.

Animal world. Wolf, lynx, hare, fox, bear, deer, roe deer, hedgehog are common in Slovakia.

Population and language

The total number of inhabitants of Slovakia is about 5.5 million people. The average population density is 110 people per 1 sq. km. km. 77% of Slovaks live in cities. The most densely populated areas are located in the east of the country. About 570,000 Hungarians currently live in Slovakia, which is 10% of the total population. On the territory of the republic there is the largest gypsy diaspora in Europe, amounting to 300 thousand people. Poles, Jews, Russians and Ukrainians also live in Slovakia.

The official language of Slovakia is Slovak.

Religion

About 60% of the population is Catholic. Of the Protestants, most of all Calvinists and Lutherans, as well as a small percentage of the population, profess the Orthodox religion. The Catholic Church plays a significant role in political life country.

Brief historical outline

IV century. n. e. Slavic tribes appeared on the territory of modern Slovakia.

In the VI century. the Slavs had to defend their territory from the incursions of the Arabs. During this period, an independent Nitra principality stands out.

19th century Czech princes annexed the lands of the Slovaks to the Great Moravian Empire. Mojmir I became the first ruler of this ancient Slavic state. The closest neighbor of his power was the Frankish Empire, from where Christian missionaries came to the Czechs, trying not only to convert pagan tribes to a new faith, but also to strengthen the Frankish influence on the lands of the Slavs. Mojmir did not want to submit to a formidable neighbor and, in order to strengthen his own independence, sought to enlist the support of another powerful state of that time - the Byzantine Empire.

Continuing his policy, the next ruler of Great Moravia Rostislav (846-870) invited two missionaries from Constantinople - Cyril and Methodius. Thanks to the work of the brothers, Byzantium soon granted the Moravians the privilege of worshiping in Old Church Slavonic and using the Glagolitic script developed by Cyril. Old Church Slavonic became the third world language in Europe, along with Latin and Greek.

During the reign of the nephew of Rostislav Svyatopolk (871-894), the Slavic state again falls under the influence of Catholicism, the Moravian independent church organization was approved not from Constantinople, but from Rome.

In 896, the invasion of the Czech lands by the Magyars began. The Great Moravian Empire practically ceased to exist.

At the beginning of the XI century. part of the territory of Slovakia was captured by the Hungarian princes, and by 1018 almost all of its territory became part of the Kingdom of Hungary.

In the XIII century. Hungary entered a period of feudal fragmentation. For this reason, its rulers were unable to repel the invasion of the Tatars in 1241, after which the southwestern and southeastern regions of the Slovak lands were especially affected, they were completely ruined.

In 1298, the large Hungarian feudal lord Matus Chaka, with the support of the petty nobility, took possession of the territory of western and central Slovakia and helped the Czech king Wenceslas II to gain a foothold on the Hungarian throne for several years.

In the middle of the XV century. Invasion of the Ottoman Empire began on the territory of Hungary.

In 1526, the Turks inflicted a decisive defeat on the Hungarian-Slovak army at the Battle of Mohacs. The capital of the Kingdom of Hungary was moved from Buda to Bratislava.

In the middle of the XVI century. The Habsburgs took over the Hungarian crown, and Slovakia became part of the vast Austrian Empire.

In the middle of the XIX century. Ludovit Štúr (1815-1856), son of a pastor, created the Slovak literary language.

In 1918, the Slovaks recognized the provisional government of Tomas Masaryk, as a result of which Czechoslovakia was formed.

In 1918, the President of the Republic, Tomasz Masaryk, during the signing of the law on Slovak immigrants in the United States, promised that an independent Slovak parliament would soon be formed.

In 1920, the constitution of a united Czechoslovakia was adopted, official language which was declared Czech.

In 1935, in the parliamentary elections, the majority of Slovaks gave their votes to political organizations that advocated autonomy.

In 1938, under strong public pressure, the autonomy of Slovakia was proclaimed as part of Czechoslovakia.

In 1939, after the capture of Czechoslovakia by German troops, a protectorate regime was established in Slovakia, and it formally gained independence. The country was headed by the pro-fascist leader J. Tiso.

In August 1944, the Slovak partisans organized a national uprising, which was brutally suppressed in October of the same year.

In April 1945 Soviet troops started with the liberation of Slovakia; by May 1945 Bratislava was liberated.

In 1947, due to the deteriorating economic situation in the country, the communists began to lose the support of the general population.

In 1948, the so-called February victory of the communists took place, when, after twelve non-communist ministers resigned, Gottwald secured the approval of a new government, in which there were no longer representatives of other parties.

In the 1990s, serious reforms were carried out in the post-communist republic to transfer the national economy to market principles, in particular, the privatization of state property.

In April 1990, the Federal Assembly announced the new name of the state: the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic.

Market reforms in Slovakia were much more difficult than in the more economically developed Czech Republic.

In 1992, in a referendum, the majority of the Slovak population voted to secede from Czechoslovakia.

Brief economic essay

Slovakia is an industrial-agrarian country. Ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, machine-building, oil refining, petrochemical, chemical, timber, woodworking, textile, food industries. Farming predominates in agriculture (cereals, sugar beets, etc.). Horticulture, viticulture. Meat and dairy cattle breeding. Export: machinery and equipment, products of oil refining, chemical and woodworking industries, agriculture, etc.

The monetary unit is the Slovak krone.

A Brief Outline of Culture

Art and architecture. On the territory of Slovakia, monuments of primitive art, as well as ancient Roman buildings from the first centuries of our era, have been preserved. From the Middle Ages, the development of Slovak art took place in the context of a centuries-old struggle for the preservation of national culture.

First architectural monuments belong to the early medieval period. Romanesque buildings of the 11th-12th centuries: a single-hall church in Drazovets, a basilica in Dyakovets, as well as a number of castles. In the XIII-XV centuries. Gothic architecture is developing in Slovakia, in its own way architectural features close to the Czech architectural tradition. Cathedrals in Bratislava, churches in Kremnica and Presov have survived to this day. In the XVI century. secular architecture dominated. During this period, in the spirit of the Renaissance, town halls, residential buildings were built, and castles were also rebuilt. In the XVII-XVIII centuries. Baroque art spread in Slovakia (Trinity Church in Bratislava). In the heh century. Slovak architecture was characterized by classicism.

Bratislava. Stary Grad, St. Martin's Cathedral (XIV century), church of the XIII century, old town hall(XIV century). Kosice. Cathedral of St. Elizabeth (XV century). Nitra. Castle (XIII century), Basilica of St. Emeram (XIII century).

Numerous medieval castles countrywide.

Literature. J. Kollar (1793-1852), a figure in the Slovak and Czech national revival, a poet, scientist, in poems ("Daughter of Glory") and articles, spoke with a program of cultural rapprochement of the Slavs.

Music. By the second half of the XIX century. includes the activities of a galaxy of talented composers who laid the foundations of modern Slovak music. The largest of them is YAL. Bell (1843-1936).