Is Slovakia Worth Visiting? The Answer Might Surprise You

Want to know whether Slovakia is worth visiting?

Or whether it’s just a small, uninteresting country in the east of Europe?

After all, most travellers skip it – visiting Budapest, Vienna, Prague or Krakow – literally circling around Slovakia, but never setting foot in it.

In this post, we’ll tell you the truth and it might not be what you are expecting.

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Here’s a little bit about our journey, if you are new here! If you know us, feel free to skip this part.

After leaving our old life in Scotland in March 2022 (it rains too much there), we travelled full-time for almost 2 years. Sounds fancy, doesn’t it? Well, it was. If you think that carrying overpacked backpacks in 45°C heat around streets that aren’t even on Google Maps is fancy. And that’s just 1% of all the fun we had! 😆

During the 2 years we volunteered in Italy and Bulgaria (free travel while learning new skills, anyone?), explored other amazing European countries and backpacked Southeast Asia. Even our secret wedding was more of an expedition than a wedding. 😅

And, of course, we researched and planned everything ourselves, because you gotta keep the budget low, right? If you are like us, you’ve come to the right place, because we want to share all the useful tips and info with you!

Excited? Good. Let’s get into it so you can go on your own adventures too!

Why should you trust us?

We include this section in all our posts about Slovakia, because maybe you are new here? Maybe you don’t know us at all?

In that case, do check us out, before you decide whether you want to be our friend.

You can read our brief About Us section or check out our Insta, where we share all the current “WTF is going on again” moments that seem to happen to us daily. 😬

But why should you trust our opinion on whether Slovakia is worth visiting?

3 reasons why you should trust us

1. Mirka was born and raised in Slovakia, so you’re getting insights straight from someone who knows the culture, language, and quirks from the inside.
2. We’ve explored Slovakia multiple times together—first with Daniel discovering it as a visitor, then showing it off to our friends. So we get what it’s like to experience it as a tourist too.
3. Recently, we’ve set up a temporary home base in Slovakia, which gave us the chance to dig deeper, go beyond the obvious, and find those underrated gems.

All in all, we would say we are a pretty reliable source.

That is, if you like to get your info from humans instead of robots. 😉

(Though we are not against AI – in fact, we think it can be super helpful in planning your travels. If you are a beginner, we even have a handy guide on how to get started.)

Is Slovakia worth visiting?

Want the TLDR?

Okay, we get it. We are all too busy, and sometimes you just want a quick answer.

So, is Slovakia worth seeing?

Our answer?

Absolutely!

Now, if you are happy with that information, go check flights and start planning your Slovak adventures!

Speaking of, if you need help with that, you might want to:

• See the 19 unusual things you can do in Slovakia, in case you want to include any in your plans
• Check what dangers await you in the country – some are pretty scary
• Book a call with us, if you need more help planning your trip, because things can be confusing in Slovakia at times

If you are not just happy with “yes, Slovakia is worth visiting” answer from us, though, and you want to make up your own mind, read on!

We’ll tell you why we think Slovakia is worth going to – and then you can decide for yourself.

Why is Slovakia worth visiting?

If you’ve read any other articles on our website, you’ll know that we are all about the “why”.

We always explain our reasoning behind things, because we don’t want you to just follow someone else’s advice, like a mindless drone.

We want you to understand things and decide for yourself whether our advice is solid or way too unhinged. 😅

We’ll do the same here – giving you 5 reasons why we think Slovakia is worth visiting.

Reason no. 1: It’s a hidden gem

Slovakia is still so undiscovered. Here is why:

The problems

A geographical mix-up

It’s partially helped by the fact that people forever get Slovakia and Slovenia mixed up – if we had a £ for every time someone claimed they’ve been to Slovakia, only for them to proceed describing Ljubljana, we’d be chilling at the Marina Bay Sands hotel in Singapore right now.

Shadow of fame

Another reason? Slovakia usually gets overshadowed by its more famous neighbours. 

If you can go to eat cake in Vienna, drink absinthe in Prague or chill in a thermal pool in Budapest, why would you go to Slovakia?

We see this all the time – people share their Interrail route and circle right around Slovakia – avoiding it like the plague.

404 – big sights not found

The last reason is the fact that Slovakia just doesn’t have an attraction the world knows about.

There is no Eiffel Tower, no Big Ben, no Colosseum or even an Astronomical Clock.

The irony? There are so many epic and unique things in Slovakia! Even the famous Czech chimney cake actually comes from here, not Czechia! (Or so historical records claim.)

Over the years, though, Slovakia hasn’t marketed itself very well, and so most travellers have no idea what hidden gems await them there.

Good news for you

While all of this might seem like a bad thing, it’s actually great news for you!

The fact that Slovakia is so undiscovered means:

• You can visit beautiful places without crowds (and it’s a lot easier than in other places, for example, you don’t have to wake up at the crack of dawn to be able to take pictures alone at a palace).
• There aren’t that many tourist traps. Sure, the centre of Bratislava has now caught on and is pretty touristy. But that’s a very recent development – we remember it just a few years ago, when you would rarely see foreign tourists even in the capital city! And outside of Bratislava? Life just goes on as it always has.
• Speaking of, you can still see the real life in Slovakia everywhere you go. It’s not like in Paris or Venice where you wonder: “Are there any locals actually living here, cause all I am seeing is tourists??”. If you want authentic experiences, you will find them here.
• You can go to what feels like a remote corner of the world – say, a small village in Laos. No pavements, dusty roads, basic accommodation, and Wi-Fi that works… when it feels like it. But if that village happens to be on the backpacker trail, it might still feel like a tourist trap. You can end up feeling awkward or unwelcome, like you’re just a walking wallet.
  
  Slovakia, on the other hand, offers something different. Despite what some people still assume, it’s a fully developed country (though rural areas definitely exist if you’re after that off-grid vibe). You’ll get proper roads, cafés, functioning Wi-Fi – all the comforts of a developed world – and yet, you might still feel like the only foreigner around. Because honestly? You probably are.
• Visiting Slovakia will also give you bragging rights. How many of your friends have been to London? Or New York? Or Rome? And how many have been to the High Tatras in Slovakia? You will definitely have cool stories from places your friends haven’t even heard of after your trip to Slovakia.

Reason no. 2: So many cool things

Slovakia has so much to offer:

• Beautiful castles? Look up Smolenice or Bojnice Castle.
• How about wandering through castle ruins solo, no guide needed, or floating down a river on a traditional wooden raft?
• A shocking stat? There are more than 7,100 known caves in Slovakia! Yep, you read that right. Visit 13 of the best ones with a guide, but there are some you can explore on your own, too!
• Into hiking? The mountains in Slovakia are amazing – the most popular ones are the High Tatras, of course, but there are actually 9 national parks, so you can easily find less popular hikes too (just remember to stay safe in the mountains).
• Winter sports? Yes, just head to the mountains! You can even find an epic ice sculpture there – its theme changes every year and you can see it for free!
• Picturesque towns? Our home base is one – a charming little town full of history – and just a 30-min train from Bratislava!
• Activities for kids? So many!! They definitely won’t be bored here. Every town and village has playgrounds. Attractions often run fun events for kids. There is even a whole city built just for children!
• In need of healing therapy? Slovakia has over 1,500 registered mineral springs. That’s more than in Canada, for example, and look at the size difference between the two countries! In Slovakia, you can drink yummy stuff (mineral water is available everywhere in shops), go to a spa for procedures or even top up your own reusable water bottle at a mineral spring in a forest!

We won’t go on and on, but basically, Slovakia is super cool. We actually put together a list of 19 epic experiences you can have in the country – check it out so you don’t miss out when you go.

The one issue

The one thing Slovakia doesn’t have?

Access to the sea.

Which, with summer temperatures now hitting mid to high 30s °C (new development. Thanks climate change), means summers can be unbearable.

It also means Slovak people are OBSESSED with water and especially the sea.

In summer, the top conversation for everyone is where you are going on holiday – which sea destination?? And if you are so unfortunate as not to be going by the sea, which lake are you hitting? Or how are you going to cope? Daniel, as a person who comes from an island surrounded by the sea, finds this obsession hilarious. 😅

Reason no. 3: Slovakia is safe

Safety is often a concern when venturing into unknown parts of the world. We get it. That is why we talk about travel safety a lot on this website.

The good news?

Slovakia is a very safe country. 

You don’t have to worry about much when visiting (that is unless you attend a Slovak wedding or a celebration of any kind, and people pull out bottles of homemade fruit distillates. Then be very afraid and hide.)

There are things you should be aware of, though, possible dangers and solutions, to make sure you stay safe. We wrote all about it in this post about safety in Slovakia, so make sure you check it out.

But again, generally speaking, Slovakia is a very safe country to visit.

Reason no. 4: The location

Another thing people never realise?

How close Slovakia is to other major European cities!

Vienna? 1hr 20mins by bus from Bratislava.

Budapest? 2.5hrs by a bus or a train from Bratislava.

Prague? 4.5hrs by train or a bus from Bratislava, direct.

Krakow? 6-7hrs direct bus from Bratislava.

We know that’s just talking about Bratislava and not other parts of Slovakia.

But.

Let’s face it. Bratislava is the main hub that most travellers end up in when visiting Slovakia. So it’s fair to use it as a central point.

What does this mean for you?

How does location help you when figuring out: “Is Slovakia worth visiting?”

This is how:

• Being close to other major cities means you can shop around when it comes to flights. Flight to Bratislava too expensive? Or non-existent from your home country? Just check any of the other nearby major cities.
  
  For example, Vienna airport has connections to loads of countries, and it’s just a 1hr bus ride away from the centre of Bratislava! We actually fly from Vienna most of the time, rather than from Bratislava!
• It also means you don’t have to limit yourself to visiting just Slovakia. You can easily do a daytrip to Vienna or end your trip with a few days in Prague. So many cool options!
• You can also do wild day trips where one moment you are in Slovakia and the next in a fairytale palace in Austria – and you won’t believe the border crossing to get there!
• Understanding that Slovakia is in Central Europe can help you avoid getting punched in the face. Okay, that’s an exaggeration, no one will actually punch you if you say Slovakia is in Eastern Europe, but you’ll definitely score brownie points with the locals if you show that you’ve actually looked at a map and know Slovakia isn’t chilling next to Siberia.

Reason no. 5: Prices

The problem

Prices in Slovakia are a bit debatable these days.

Here’s the deal.

Slovakia used to be super cheap.

In recent years, though, things have changed. For worse, of course.

Prices have gone up – not just disproportionately to salaries (which are very low), but also disproportionately to other European countries, meaning, rumour has it, things are cheaper in Germany or Austria, than in Slovakia these days…

The good news

While living in Slovakia might suck (low salary + high prices), for a foreigner, the country is still super affordable.

The key things you might be buying on your trip are cheap:

• You can find cheap accommodation, especially outside of high season
• Restaurants, especially outside of the biggest cities are cheap, plus lunch menus are common here and they usually offer big portions for little money
• If restaurants are not your thing, local bakeries sell delicious, cheap pastries, and supermarkets work on weekly offers – whatever is on offer that week is what people buy, because it’s (usually) at a decent price
• Alcohol did get more expensive recently, especially spirits, but beer is dirt cheap, as is wine. Oh, and for those of you who don’t drink, there is mineral water for less than 50 cents, and make sure to try everyone’s favourite soft drink Kofola too (from the Czech Republic but much loved in both countries. Get it in a supermarket or on tap in bars and restaurants.)
• You can get around cheaply using public transport (a good network of buses and trains)

We are all about saving money, so we love how cheap some things still are in Slovakia. Including some cool events, like unlimited mead tasting for €5? Are you kidding us? Sold!

But there is something you should think about, especially when it comes to the low prices in Slovakia.

The one thing to keep in mind

There is something we tell everyone when they ask: “Is Slovakia worth visiting?”

Yes, yes it is.

But don’t wait too long.

Just a few years ago?

It was so cheap.

The prices have skyrocketed recently, more so than in other countries. And salaries? They stayed the same. So life in Slovakia is getting tougher.

Politicians suck. And that’s putting it lightly. We won’t get into this because we don’t talk about politics in our corner of the internet. 

All we want to say is that things might not last.

The local prices might keep going up.

The standard of living might be going down, which might mean that locals will try to get more money out of travellers, for example.

And, eventually, Slovakia might just get discovered, and you know what happens then.

So visit now. While the country is an affordable hidden gem.

Planning a trip to Slovakia

If we have successfully convinced you that Slovakia is worth visiting, here is what you should do next:

• Set up flight price tracking if you are not ready to book just yet. We do this on Skyscanner – create alerts to notify you whenever there is a change in the price. Remember, Slovakia is so well positioned, you don’t have to rely just on the Bratislava airport, but you can easily fly to Vienna too. Budapest is also perfectly doable and, if you have more time, you can consider Prague or Krakow as well.
• Check out the 19 quirky things you can do in the country and decide whether you want to try any of them – unlimited wine event, anyone??
• We’ve already talked about safety, but remember to read our article on the dangers in Slovakia so you are prepared (especially if you are heading into the forests and mountains).

Do you want to plan an epic trip that goes beyond Bratislava? If it’s all too confusing or overwhelming, you can book a consultation call with us and we can help you with it – translating Slovak, navigating transport or helping you understand what on earth people mean when they talk about a 72% (!!) tea drink that you must try.

So, is Slovakia worth visiting? What do you think, after reading this article?

We tell everyone to take a trip there, while it’s still an undiscovered and pretty untouched place. You’ll have cool experiences, and it won’t cost you a lot, and that’s a combo we like.