We had been dreaming visiting this country and nothing could stop us, even cancelled flights. So, we hopped in the car one evening and drove straight to...Vienna. Considering the fact that both capitals are some 60-70 km from each other, we had to make a stop first at the beating heart of Europe. We spent there 3 days, absorbed as much of the city of music, art, culture and fine food as we could and continued to our so long desired destination: Bratislava and the Slovakian Mountains.
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| View from Bratislava Castle |
We left the car at a public parking near the Old Bridge (Stary Most) and headed toward Bridge SNP or the bridge with the UFO tower, which led us directly to the town's square Hviezdoslavovo Namestie. It also gave us the spectacular view to the Old Town from
the opposite bank of the river Danube.
The first thing we noticed upon entering the Old Town part of the city, was the architecture and the "street art"(meaning the many cool statues, hidden around the city).
Hviezdoslav Square starts with a statue of Hans Christian Andersen, then there is the statue of Pavel Hviezdoslav (the most important poet of in Slovakia) and ends with the beautiful building of the Slovak National Theater. This square is also dotted with many places to eat or drink, and also, with huge trees giving escape from the burning sun. From there, you would like to make a left turn, which will get you directly into the heart of Old Bratislava. Make sure to take a good look around the Main Square and find some more of the statues.
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| Michael's Gate |
From there, taking again a slight left turn, you will face the Michael's Gate. It is worth stopping by if you want a nice view over the city, especially to the new modern buildings. It also houses a well-arranged museum of old-time military weapons and armour. The price includes also a visit to the Pharmacy Museum. If you are not particularly interested in pharmaceuticals I don't think that it will impress you very much. Don't forget to look under the gate, too, though!
Going straight forward from there, you will get to the the beautiful Grassalkovich Palace, where once the composer Joseph Haydn used to play and which now serves as the seat of the President of Slovakia.
There is a lot to see in this sunny city but our main goal was, of course, the Bratislava Castle, which we left last, for a dessert. Once representing the magnificence of the rulers, it is now a Museum of History. Walking up the gardens and entering the court is free. If you want to tour it inside, you could visit the official website of the city for most accurate information on prices, visiting hours and hygiene measures.But first, take a nice long walk up to the castle, spend some time enjoying the beautiful gardens, make memorable photos over the Danube River, towards the UFO Observation Deck, breath in the beauty of Bratislava.
We experienced as much as we could from the city in one day, as our main objective were the mountains! But, if you plan on staying longer in the area, probably it would be a good idea to purchase the Bratislava Card. It gives a lot of benefits and discounts!
Our next stop was a sweet small town in northern Slovakia. We strategically chose it, because it lies in the middle of some amazing mountain ranges: Mala Fatra, Low Tatras and the protected landscape area of Horna Orava. Unfortunately, we didn't make it to this last one, but the other two didn't fail to disappoint. Such views are to die for!
The first two days we "conquered" the two highest peaks at the region: 
1. Veľký Choč, 1611m: It starts from the small village of Vysny Kubin and ends at its neighboring village, so have in mind that you would either need a bus to get back to the starting point or walk along the busy street.
2. Veľký Rozsutec, 1610m: is one could be a real challenge at some points but it is totally worth it and thee feel of satisfaction at the top is unmeasurable. This trip starts from Terchová through gorges, Diery, with several ladders enabling you to walk above rushing streams.
2. Veľký Rozsutec, 1610m: is one could be a real challenge at some points but it is totally worth it and thee feel of satisfaction at the top is unmeasurable. This trip starts from Terchová through gorges, Diery, with several ladders enabling you to walk above rushing streams.
As we needed a much deserved rest, on the third day we decided to explore a little bit of the culture of the region. First we drove to the very small village of Lestiny, where we found an wooden church, built in 1688 and lived through the ages almost untouched to these days. Along with seven other monuments, it is now declared s UNESCO World Heritage, known as "Wooden Churches of the Slovak part of the Carpathian Mountain Area".
Another must see is the Orava Castle. As almost any other castle in Slovakia, this one is situated on a high rock, over a river and it is astounding. Here you have two possibilities: either pay for a guided tour or only pay for entry tickets and have a look on your own. I would recommend the second option, as the guides speak mostly in Slovak or Polish. The good news is that they have an audio guide, which you can download from the App-Store for free. It's a great way to explore on your own and in your own pace. You are not allowed to take any photos inside, so try to absorb as much as you can of the atmosphere and authenticity of the place!
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| Top view from Orava Castle to Orava River |
On our last day we decided to get to not one but two peaks and go higher at Jasna region at the Low Tatras. Fortunately, we didn't have to climb all day and all night. We simply parked at InfoCenter Jasna. The people there were really nice and helpful. We bought a cablecar ticket, which allows you to ride every cablecar for as long as you want (or at least at this season that was the offer).
Three different rides took us to the Chopok Peak (2024m) where you have two nice restaurants and undescribable views. From there, following the red marks, you will find yourself on an extremely interesting path to the highest peak of Dumbier (2046m). It takes around 1:30h, walking on very well, self-made paths of rocks, up and down through the clouds. A quick tip: make sure to grab a map of the mountains from the Infocenter. In it are all the possible walking paths, cablecar rides plus many other useful tips and places.
Some useful info:
1. Bratislava Card: http://card.visitbratislava.com/
2. Jasna InfoCenter: https://www.jasna.sk/en/
3. Orava Castle Audioguide: https://www.oravskemuzeum.sk/en/orava-castle-audioguide/
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