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Which Are the Best Castles in Slovakia?

Posted by Margarete on Jul 30

What are the best castles to visit in Slovakia? Which ones are must see? Are you going to Slovakia soon and want to know what amazing castles should you see along your trip? Or have you recently returned from Slovakia and have something to recommend? What about you native Slovaks out there? Is there a fascinating castle or ruin somewhere hidden in the countryside that most people don’t know about?

I’d love to hear from you.

Slavín Memorial and WWII

Posted by Margarete on Mar 24

Slavín is the name of a memorial in Bratislava, located on a hill close to the city center. It was opened in 1960 and is a memorial and cemetery of the Soviet soldiers that died while fighting to liberate the city from the Axis units, mainly made up of Germans, in April 1945.

Slavín is a neat place to visit if you want to see some spectacular panoramic views of Bratislava and clear views of Bratislava castle. Once, some friends and I went up to take some pictures. We did a little exploring at the top, and found a little path that led us to the side and away from the monument (looking at the image on the right, you’d go down the stairs in the direction of Nový most, about half way until you see a small path on the right side). There behind the trees we found a free-standing bunker. I was surprised. When was it built, who built it, and what were they defending against?

Typical Slovak Souvenirs

Posted by Margarete on Mar 01

Often when you take a trip to a foreign country, you’d like to bring back a few authentic souvenirs. It can be a little difficult to pick something up if you don’t know what to look for or where to buy it. The following are some ideas for typical and some not-so-typical Slovak souvenirs:

Visiting Vlkolínec-Stepping Back in Time

Posted by Margarete on Jan 28

For someone like me who likes to imagine what village life in Europe was like centuries ago, the village museum of Vlkolínec is a treat. Imagine being able to walk through a village where traditional houses are preserved, and to be able to go inside the homes where people once lived and worked. In Vlkolínec you can do exactly that.

Slovakia - The Country Where We Live

Posted by Margarete on Oct 30

I recently came across this document on Slovakia while I was browsing the Slovak Ministry of Foreign Affairs Web site. This document is called, “Slovakia-The Country Where We Live”. It’s a 50-page PDF on many subjects to introduce someone to Slovakia. It’s very well done, with lots of beautiful color pictures and short pieces of text. Though it’s very simplistic and may even be geared towards children, I think its effectively constructed and pleasant to click through.

Click on the title page to begin viewing.
Note: this PDF is rather large at 12 MB.

Slovak Wine Harvest Events in September

Posted by Margarete on Sep 07

Since it is now the autumn season, I was recently thinking about harvesting time in Slovakia. Why was I thinking about the harvest in Slovakia when I have never even considered harvests in the US? Maybe it’s because land, agriculture, and the cycles of nature are so much a part of life in modern-day Slovakia.

One of the biggest celebrations of the harvest, specifically the harvesting of wine, is called vinobranie. The vinobranie is a festival that usually happens in the second or third week in September, and is celebrated by many towns and villages. The wine tradition in western Slovakia goes back as far as the 12th century when German vintners came, bringing their skills in wine growing and harvesting to the Small Carpathian Mountain region.

In Bratislava for a Few Hours

Posted by Margarete on Sep 05

On several different travel forums I’ve seen this question posed more than once:

I have the possibility of traveling to Bratislava since it is so close to Vienna, before I travel to Prague (or Budapest). Is Bratislava worth the stop?

The short answer is yes, it’s worth the trip. The longer answer is, based on the factors that people base their decision, such as time, cost, and interest, here’s why if you have a few hours to spare before on your way to Prague or Budapest, then a trip to Bratislava is worth it:

Slovak Folk Culture

Posted by Margarete on Aug 24

One of the things that struck me as a foreigner in Slovakia was that the folk culture of traditional music and dance are more commonly found here than any place I had ever visited or lived. I’m not saying that you could see scenes like the one in the picture everyday, but if you are looking for folk culture, you don’t have to look long or far before you find it.

When and where are the best places to see folk culture in person?