Located at the very heart of Europe, the diminutive country borders with Austria, the Czech Republic, Poland, Ukraine, and Hungary. The capital of Slovakia is Bratislava, an historical, increasingly popular city located 60km east of Vienna. The country’s natural beauty lends itself perfectly to a range of outdoorsy activities such as trekking and skiing in the two local mountain ranges, the High Tatras and the Low Tatras. For less sporty types, Slovakia serves up a staggering amount of magnificent castles, many of which date back to the Middle Ages. Three of the most famous castles are Bojnice Castle, the Spis Castle and Bratislava Castle. Other eye-catching structures of Slovakia are the wooden churches of the northern and north-eastern parts of the country. Some date back as far as the fifteenth century but most were constructed in the two or three hundred years later.

Getting there

Several airlines operate flights to Slovakia, including Czech Airlines and Austrian Airlines.

Getting around

The transportation system of Slovakia is good, and encompasses many forms, including buses, trains and trams. The main railway station is located in Bratislava’s Old Town, and it conveniently provides services to all parts of Slovakia as well as to the Czech Republic, Austria and Hungary.

Local information

Language: Slovak

Time: UTC/GMT +1 hour

Climate: On the whole, Slovakia’s climate can be described as temperate with warm summers and cold winters, but since the country is so geographically diverse, the climate tends to vary across the country.

Tipping: The tipping service is not particularly pronounced in Slovakia, but 10 percent is recommended.

Duty free: 200 cigarettes, 11l of spirits, 90 litres of wine, 50g of perfume or 250ml of eau de toilette, gifts up to the value of €175.

Safety: Serbia is generally a very safe country to visit, but you should always be aware of pickpockets when entering crowded tourist places and travelling via public transport.

Currency: Euro

Laws: All visitors, and residents of Slovakia are required by law to carry a passport at all times. A photocopy is not sufficient.

Healthcare: There are no specific vaccinations required for travel to Slovakia, but a vaccination for tick-borne encephalitis is recommended for those intending to spend time in the forest. The country has a reciprocal health agreement with most EU countries, and thus provides emergency healthcare on the same terms as nationals. In order to benefit from the scheme, EU travellers should carry a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) with them.

Socket type: Type E