Slovakia
Right in the heart of Europe, Slovakia is a small landlocked country full of castles and the beauty of the High Tatras mountains. The capital city, Bratislava with cobblestone streets, beautifully restored and pleasant cafes has a lively cosmopolitan atmosphere. Due to the small size of the country, it is relatively easy to combine visits to Bratislava and see the beauty of High Tatras mountains in one trip. We decided to have a white Christmas in this beautiful country and never regretted it. So, if you are looking for a very cool new European destination, Slovakia is well worth the visit! 

Here are some places we visited:


Bratislava
Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and one of the smallest capitals of Europe, but still the country's largest city. This city may not be as popular as other central European cities such as Vienna or Prague, but don’t let that fool you. We learned that Bratislava is underrated as a European destination. We planed to spend 3 days in this wonderful city, but unfortunately the unexpected rain in the end of December changed our plans. Here are  a few ideas of how to spend 48 hours in Bratislava:

1. AUPARK Shopping Centre
We couldn't wait to arrive in Bratislava and see the city covered in snow, but unfortunately, we were welcomed by rain. Our first half a day we spend in the AUPARK shopping centre. Pleasant mall with a lot of funky small shops, well-known brands and a cheap food court upstairs. After shopping, we checked our hotel and hoped for a dry the next day.

2. Old Town
From one side of the old town to the other in less than ten minutes or you can spend several hours exploring the small streets, shops, and searching for your favourite cafe along the way. I to visit Konditorei Kormuth for cake and coffee. Because we were there in of December, 21st-23th to be precise, the main square had a Christmas Market with a magical atmosphere, crowded with people and the delicious smell of local goodies. I was surprised by a wide variety of at the Christmas Market, so many flavours. When you buy your first glass, you need to pay an extra €2 for the plastic cup with a picture of Bratislava, but when you return it, you get your money back or keep it as a souvenir. This way, they try to cut single-use plastic cups to a minimum. I think it's a great idea.

  • Christmas Market Bratislava
    • 3. Bratislava Castle
    Dominating the hillside next to the old town is Bratislava Castle. Recently renovated, and still, a lot of building work going on, it feels modern and somewhat empty on the inside. Skip the castle tour and instead enjoy stunning views over the city. Entrance to the ground is free. There is a Slovak National Museum you can visit. Overall we didn't spend a great deal of time there as we found it a bit uninvited and quite frankly disappointing. But the views from the castle are amazing.
    4. Ice skating
    One of the best things to do in Bratislava in the winter season is definitely ice-skating. There are some really nice outdoor rinks with fairy lights and Christmas trees set to their backdrop and create a wonderland-ish vibe. So we put skates on. Skating is very cheap, €5 rent of skates including unlimited use of ice ring in the biggest square – Hviezdoslav’s Square.
    5. The Statues of Bratislava
    Some of the most photographed attractions of Bratislava are its sculptures located all over its Old Town. As they are eye-catching and so interesting, there are always attract tourists with phones and cameras. You just can't say you've been to Bratislava if you didn't take this kind of a photo. ČUMIL, or Man at work, is the most popular. The story says that a wish will come true if you touch the head of the man – just keep it secret forever. They are a lot of different kind of statues around the city if you prepare to walk and discover them. If we had more time in Bratislava, I would of make it a mission to take a photo of all of them, but unfortunately, rain ruined our plans.
    6. UFO Tower
    Come to have a look at the 7th largest hanging bridge in the world. Get a panoramic view on the whole Bratislava from the open-air observation deck on top of its UFO-shaped cupola. Photos taken here will surely be a great memory! Unfortunately, we haven't done any of it because of the rain. I know I mention it a lot, but the weather was a little disappointment for us. 
    There is plenty more to see in Bratislava, but we left the next morning after our breakfast and headed to Poprad, away from rain and towards the mountains.
    Poprad
    Poprad is a city at the foot of Slovakia's High Tatras Mountains. It's known as a gateway to Tatras National Park and one of the most important cities in eastern Slovakia, thanks to mountain tourism - it is the administrative, economic and cultural centre of the Tatras region. Poprad is an excellent base for hiking, skiing day trips or someone like us, who want to see mountains and soak up the atmosphere. 
    This is a list of some things you can do when you are in Poprad:

    1. Poprad Town Centre
    In town, historical buildings in the central street and square still reflect the historical German and Polish influences. The 13th-century Early Gothic church of St. Egidius, one of few high street Protestant churches in Slovakia, retains traces of interior wall paintings from the middle ages. A bell tower built in 1592 with three original bells stands next to the church. Museum-lovers appreciate Podtatranske Museum. We were very impressed by how proud people in their town. It's very clean and nicely decorated with a lot of light-up features. Please note, that Slovakian celebrate Christmas on 24th, not like Brits on 25th, and the place gets very quiet during the holidays, many businesses closed for four days, including bars and restaurants. If you are planning to travel to Slovakia for Christmas, remember to plan ahead your activities. 
    2. AquaCity Poprad
    AquaCity Poprad is a modern and eco-friendly tourist resort which is literally self-sufficient in terms of energy. Using geothermal water and solar energy on a daily basis prevents tonnes of carbon dioxide from being released into the atmosphere. AquaCity manages to cut energy costs and return the savings back to customers in the form of affordable eco-friendly luxury. Aqua city located next to hotel AquaCity Riverside. There are a total of 13 indoor and outdoor swimming pools with water temperature varying between 30°C and 38°C and a few water slides. Entrance not cheap. There are 2 tickets on offer, 3 hours or all day. Three people family ticket is €58, but if you book online one day in advance, you save €8 and pay only €50. Unfortunately, we didn't plan to visit aquapark, so no savings for us. It was a nice way to spend half a day. My daughter enjoyed the water slides while my husband and I were relaxing in 38°C outdoor pool. We would stay longer, but unfortunately on Christmas day, they closed at 3.30 pm. The cafe had surprisingly nice food and reasonable prices.
    3.  Stary Smokovec and funicular
    15min drive from Poprad is a tiny oldest tourist resort Stary Smokovec with a lot to offer. There are many hotels with the biggest in art nouveau style building Grand Hotel, shops, a hire shop, and a few bars and restaurants. Main attraction of this little place is a funicular begins just behind the Grandhotel to the Hrebienok altitude of 1,272 m. Hrebienok is a popular starting point for  very well marked hiking paths from the top.  

    4. Sledging from Hrebienok
    2.6 km-long sledge track leading from Hrebienok down back to Stary Smokovec. It's great fun. 2 hours ticket cost €41 for 2 adults and a child or for €2 extra you can buy a 4-hour ticket. An absolute must-do if you in Stary Smokovec. I was surprised by how fast I was going. Night sledging also available in good conditions every Tuesday, Friday and Saturday from 18:30 to 21:00. 
    5.  Tricklandia
    Mindbending fun for kids and adults. If you have kids, it's a must-have place to visit, but saying that, not sure if my husband and I enjoyed it more then our 11 years old. They have free WIFI so you can download a free app and all your pictures will come to life. Only a certain amount can go at the same time. We went in the winter, so it wasn't very busy, but you can make an online reservation to ensure your slot. The staff are incredible and patiently take you through the areas, explain how to use the app to take the best pictures; they even offer to take family pictures. Entrance is €9 for an adult and €6 for a child, well worth every penny. 



    6.  Visit Tatranská Lomnica
    15-30 min ride by car will take you to Tatranská Lomnica. This is a small town best known for the cable car to Lomnický štít and skiing and hiking resort. This is a very pretty town with a lot of hotels, restaurants and souvenir shops. I don't ski, but visiting this place made me think that I would like to take up skiing. Prices are very reasonable compared to Alps resorts. Passes, rent and lessons are very cheap. But this time we took a cable car to enjoy the views from the top. There are 3 cable cars, which take you to a different point of the mountains. It's not exactly a budget way, return ticket cost €65 for 2 adults and a child to the second point of the cable car, but the views are remarkable, and you could have a hike around. Cafe on top has good food and reasonable prices. The third one takes you to to the highest point of Tatra Mountain 2634 m above the sea level, but unfortunately due to the weather condition, we couldn't get there.  
    7. Kosice
    About 2 hours drive from Poprad will take you to Košice, the second-largest city in Slovakia. Its origins go back to the medieval period, and the Hlavné námestie, the main square, is home to 2 Gothic churches: the vast St. Elisabeth Cathedral and the 14th-century St. Michael Chapel. In 2013 it was the European Capital of Culture. Relatively small and easy to get around Kosice has a lot to offer. Hlavna street, the main pedestrian street, has dozens of colourful houses, city mansions, bustling cafes and shops. We spend one day there before our flight back to UK and it seemed like a busy city, although not at all crowded by tourists. You can't miss in Kosice St. Elisabeth Cathedral completed in the 16thcentury, and it's the biggest cathedral in Slovakia and the easternmost Gothic church in Europe. At the end of Mlynska Street opposite City Park is the charming Jakab's Palace palace. In April 1945 it was the residence of the president of the Czechoslovak Republic, Edvard Beneš. 
    It seems like Slovakia often forgotten and overlooked by tourists, but we had a blast in this country. I believe that it’s only a matter of time when more and more travellers will discover its beauty and start to visit. So go there now, before masses of tourists will spoil it and make this place another commercialized must-see destination.
    Places to eat
    Slovakia doesn't luck of great places to eat, from cheap cafes to fine dining restaurants. If you are in Bratislava while Christmas market is on, I would recommend trying hot food sold there. All of it's very fresh and tasty. Some of it may be a little different, but certainly worth to try. If you are on the budget, I recommend Aupark shopping centre food court. It's very popular for locals as a family eating out, so food is fresh, the choice is great, and the prices are very low. The decor is nice, and you don't feel that you are eating in the shopping centre at all.
    These are some of the places we tried in Bratislava and High Tatras:
    Konditorei Kormuth Cafe, Sedlárska 363, 811 01 Bratislava

    To be honest, this place feel like it was created for tourists only. There is a €10 minimum charge for a tasting menu which include cake and a hot or cold drink. Not a fortune, but a tad too expensive. I think it's worth every penny. Everything served in original vintage china. The place is gorgeous. The entire interior is furnished with original, historic antiques from 16th-19th century. The rooms are decorated with paintings and frescoes in the Renaissance style and are focused on the history of Bratislava. You pay for the experience, not the food. I loved it and highly recommend if you are in Bratislava.


    Carnevalle Restaurant
     Hviezdoslavovo námestie 20, 811 02 Staré Mesto, Bratislava
    Located right in the heart of the Bratislava, the place looked very modern and inviting. We only have a quick lunch in this place after our ice skating, but this place served one of the best beef tartare I've tried in a while. The wine was lovely too, but it's not a cheap place to eat. 
    Urban House
    Laurinská 213/14, ground floor, 811 01 Bratislava
    We were very hungry one morning and picked this place because it's looked nice and it was quite busy. Urban House has everything, the man behind the counter with a manban, waiters with a lot of tattoos and cool haircuts, modern interior. Food comes in everything it should not come in, like in any other urban cafe. Unfortunately, coffee cold, food doesn't much high expectation of the interior and the menu. If you are in too fancy words and ingredients, but not the taste, then yes, this is the place to be. 


    Bratislava Flagship
    Námestie SNP 8, 811 02 Bratislava
    With a massive main hall with a back drop of a stage and fine furnishings for a second feel like being on a deck of an old medieval ship. This very large restaurant is serving the traditional dishes. Food fresh and portions are huge. We ordered two main dishes for three of us but could do with just one. The atmosphere is great, food tasty, wide choice of wine and house-brewed beers, prices are good.
     I highly recommend visiting when you are in Bratislava. 
    Central Restaurant "Starý Šmakovec"
    Starý Smokovec 24, 062 01 Vysoké Tatry
    This is the only place that was open on Christmas day, mostly offer stakes, a little expensive, but we had a great time.

    Café Razy Restaurant
    Námestie svätého Egídia 58/38, 058 01 Poprad
    Great vibe, friendly staff and reasonable prices make this place a must-try, in my opinion. Great choice of pizza, cooked right there in the giant pizza oven build in the corner.
                                                              Where we stayed

                                                              Boutique Apartments Possonium,
                                                                                                 Sancova 20, 81104 Bratislava
    Located only 15 min walk from the old town centre, this place exceeded all our expectations. It cost us £92 for 2 nights for a large room with a private external bathroom, including kitchen with a dining table, sofa and very cool deco. 
    Hotel Poprad 
    Partizánska 677/17, 058 01 Poprad
    Poprad is an excellent base for exploring the Tatras Mountains in Slovakia. A small town with a lot going on and hotel Poprad right in the centre and walking distance from everything. This 90's paradise cost us £258 for 4 nights for the suite. Hotel very clean, breakfast included. Our one-bedroom suite was huge, and I hope they never change the decor. Some might say it's old, but I say it's classic. I felt I was in 90's Russian mafia movie: leather round sofa, plants and dark green tiles in the bathroom. 

    Heading to Slovakia soon?  Discover more

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