Interestingly this naming parallels Slovenia, also stemming from slověninъ but differentiated by regional Slavic branches—West Slavic for Slovaks versus South Slavic for Slovenes—despite no direct linguistic kinship beyond shared Proto-Slavic origins. (Both in contrast with non-Slavic Germanic neighbors referred to as Proto-Slavic němьcь meaning mutes.)
With a rich cultural heritage, enchanting medieval castles & vibrant folklore traditions Slovakia is an ideal, uncrowded hidden gem.
@ a glance essentials:
.
Language:
Slovak
-
-
Water safety
Generally Safe to Drink (may taste chlorinated)
Many Locals can speak English, particularly the younger generations in the large cities.
Currency:
Euro
Local Transport
MHD Public Transport; Bus, Tram & Trains are sufficient
Before you start a meal, it’s polite to wish your fellow diners “Dobrú chuť” (enjoy your meal), and when dining out the custom for tipping is to just verbally tell your waiter what to round the bill up to rather than leaving cash on the table.
Hot Tip:
Slovakia has been inhabited since the Middle Paleolithic era. In the Iron Age, ~3c BC, it was settled by Celtic tribes like the Boii (namesake of Bohemia🔍) followed by Dacian and then Germanic tribes in the 1c BC that pushed to Boii out to the west🔍.. The area was subject to Roman military campaigns in the 2c AD and Huns in the 5th, significantly depleting the Germanic peoples, but they managed to avoid direct conquest by either.
a bit of background...
.....................Slovakia's capital city, Bratislava, is the only capital in the world that borders 2 separate countries, Austria & Hungary.
Fun Fact:
Slavs🔍 from the Black Sea/ Carpathian🔍 region, plus more Huns & Avar, then replaced the Germanic tribes, starting in the 6c AD. A Frankish merchant, Samo, brokered tribal alliances amongst the Slavs against the Avars establishing Samo's Empire in the 7c, Central Europe's 1st Slavic state🔍, followed in the 8c by the principality🔍 of Great Moravia, which consisted of the central region of modern day Czechia plus most of today's Slovakia, then called Sclavonia, (a generic Latinization for Slavic lands.)†
Great Moravia was dismantled in the 10c and Sclavonia eventually ended up split between Hungary, (as Upper Hungary or Windenland,) and the Czech Duchy (later kingdom🔍 )of Bohemia, creating the 1st Czech-Slovakian union, which joined the Holy Roman Empire🔍 in 1002 AD.
By the 16c Bohemia and Hungary were increasingly under Hapsburg control, which inspired a series of rebellions over the next few centuries (as well as being subject to raids by Ottomans Turks & Tartars.) And at the dissolution of the H.R. Empire in 1806 the kingdom was absorbed by the Hapsburg Austrian-Hungary Empire. A nationalist revival movement in the 19c lead to further uprisings and the establishment of a republic🔍, Czechoslovakia, after the 1918 collapse of the Hapsburg Monarchy (at the end of WWI.)
Czechoslovakia was the only country in Central/ Eastern Europe to maintain a democracy in the interwar period, until, they were occupied by Nazi Germany in WWII. After the war they became an independent communist nation until after the Velvet (i.e. non-violent) Revolution, again becoming a democracy in 1989 and splitting in 1992 into two countries, The Czech Republic and Slovakia.
† Named for the river Morava or March in German = border or boundary, it also included parts of modern day Hungary, Austria, Germany, Poland, Romania, Croatia, Serbia, Ukraine and Slovenia.
Must Try Local Cuisine:
Lokse - potato flatbread, served w/ duck or goose liver, or spread w/ fat & garlic
Pirohy - dumplings w/ sour cream & crackling ∞ Vyprážaný Syr† - breaded fried cheese w/ tartar sauce
Zemiakové Placky - grated fried potato pancake w/ sour cream
Demikat - creamy cheese & potato soup ∞ Kačica s Červenou - roasted duck & Kapustou - sauerkraut
Halušky - small potato dumpling noodles w/ Bryndzové (sheep cheese) & bacon/ pork scratchings; variations include spinach, sausage & Sztrapacska w/ sauerkraut instead of cheese
Kapustnica - sauerkraut & smoked meat soup ∞ Panenka v Slaninke - roast pork tenderloin wrapped in bacon
Kofola - local 'herbal' cola ∞ Slivovica (plum brandy) ∞ Tatratea - herbal tea liqueur, multiple flavors
➿➰➿
† Made with special regional Slovakian cheese
I haven't yet had the opportunity to visit
Slovakia
(but it's on the list!) - So I don't have any personal
(If you get there first send me your best finds !)
recommendations yet, but you can start with the most popular spots
below, and I'll update with my favorites, hopefully soon!
Most Known For:
♦️ Hiking in National Parks: Slovak Paradise Park: w/ gorges, ladders & waterfalls, or
High Tatras; w/ Gerlachovský štít, highest peak in the Carpathian Mtns🔍 & home to the
last sherpas of Europe; porters that carry loads of 100kg up the mountain on skis.
🔸 Žilina District’s (9) Wooden churches🔍 of Slovak (16c-18c) & the 1st ever folk architecture
reservation in Čičmany village w/ wooden houses painted in distinctive white, geometric
patterns, preserved Vlkolínec folk village or Terchová village - known for vocal &
instrumental shepherd folk music w/ the Fujara; an extremely long traditional flute🪈 (160cm - 200cm)
♦️ Banská Štiavnica - medieval mining town within a volcanic caldera w/ still working Clapping Tower; Klopačka- a giant
clapping contraption built to wake up miners
🔸 Bratislava - w/ quirky street sculptures, Bratislava Castle, St. Martin's Cathedral🔍 & Hlavne Namestie Square
♦️ Levoča - w/ Basilica🔍 of St James & the world’s tallest wooden altar, and the 16c Cage of Shame were women
caught on the streets after dark were imprisoned overnight in their undergarments (with heads shaved)
🔸 Stará Bystrica Astronomical Clock - world’s newest & most accurate astronomical clock, using satellite
controlled software to display true solar time.
♦️ Castles & Caves - Slovakia has over 1000 caves & the highest # of castles per capita w/ ~300 like the ruins of
12c Spiš Castle, one of Central Europe’s largest
🔸 Medieval Bardejov - beautifully preserved town w/ a town square that looks like a movie set
👀 NOTABLE SLOVAKS:
🎾 Martina Hingis | World No. 1 tennis champ† 🎭 Peter Lorre (László Löwenstein) | Actor
(Casablanca, The Maltese Falcon, Hitchcock films e.g)
† Has played for Switzerland, but Slovak born
👣-NOTABLE PEOPLE:
🌀 Fašiangy (Carnival)- masked parades w/ bear + goat costumes e.g.; rooted in ancient pagan rituals to chase
away winter. Bratislava or rural Malá Fatra include folk traditions like 🐖 hog-killing & humorous rituals like
Pohreb Basy (Burial of the 🎻 Bass) a parody funeral for a double bass ("death" of music for the next 40 days.)
🌀 Salamander Days / Fair | Banská Štiavnica (Sept) - celebrating mining ⛏️ heritage with parades etc.
🌀 Jánošík Days (Jánošíkove Dni) | Terchová (Aug) - international folklore festival in to honor national hero Juraj
Jánošík, a Robin Hood-like outlaw.
🌀 Burning 🔥 of Morena - spring ritual still practiced in many villages. where an effigy of Morena (a goddess of
winter/death) is burned or drowned to welcome spring & rebirth
🌀 Východná Folklore Festival (July) - folk ensembles, traditional songs, dances, music, crafts, and workshops
🌀 Folklore Festival Under Poľana | Detva (July) - regional folk costumes, performances, dances & crafts
Site Key:
Five Star Recommend
Make the Time!
Worth the Effort/ $
Planning a Trip?
Make a DONATION of $5 or more and receive a FREE Thank You Gift of a FULL CITY TRAVEL GUIDE with even more favorites and the address/ contacts for all recommendations. Just include your EMAIL ADDRESS in the transaction description of your donation along with the name of the city you're visiting.
UNMOORED DETAILS DESTINATIONS PLAN YOUR TRIP ON A BUDGET TRAVEL BLOG
YOUR HOST- JULIA EUROPE PLANNING, PACKING & PASSPORTS HISTORY & CULTURE
SPECIAL THANKS AFRICA & MID EAST BOOK TRANSPORTATION MYTHS, LORE & LEGENDS
PRIVACY & TERMS OF USE ASIA & OCEANIA SLEEPING ARRANGEMENTS FRIENDS & ADVENTURES
CONTACT THE AMERICAS TRAVEL INSURANCE LOCAL FESTIVALS
Notices: Unmoored is not a licensed travel agency. The Site's intended to educate, inform & entertain and is not to be used as a source of official travel itinerary planning, or legal advice. It is merely the experiences and reflections of fellow traveler. - The site may contain affiliated links, (there is never any extra cost to you for using these links) but Unmoored only includes affiliated links for products/ companies that we would willing endorse on the site even without the affiliation.