MANY people would be reluctant, at present, to visit countries which border Ukraine.
But for anyone who, like me, is more interested in exploring less well-known corners of Europe, rather than just going to the obvious tourist hot-spots, here is my reflection of two trips I took to Slovakia in 2017.
A tall rectangular castle stands proudly above Bratislava, looking out over the city’s old town and the River Danube. This rocky outcrop has been fortified for over 2,000 years; but the present castle only started to take its current form in the 1500s. Its renovation after a fire 200 years ago has just about been completed.
Three miles away, at the confluence of the Danube and Morava rivers which form the current Slovak/Austrian border, stands the remains of Devin castle.This has an equally long history, until it was blown up by Napoleon in 1809. Wherever you go in Slovakia, you are never far from a castle.
Slovakia became an independent country only in 1993. For almost a thousand years it was part of the Austro-Hungarian empire, but when that collapsed at the end of WW1, it was somewhat arbitrarily paired with the Czech Republic to form Czechoslovakia.
Like most of Eastern Europe, it was dominated by the Soviet Union after the Second World War. But shortly after that too collapsed in 1991, the two halves of Czechoslovakia amicably parted. With a population of just over five million, it is also bordered by Poland, Austria, Hungary, and Ukraine (from which it has recently accepted over 300,000 refugees).
The capital, Bratislava, is relatively small compared with nearby cities such as Vienna, Prague and Budapest; and lacks their grandeur. But as well as the two castles, it has an old town that’s well worth exploring. Uncrowded pedestrianised cobbled streets, cafés and craft beer bars abound, set amid attractive middle-European architecture. Or you can visit what remains of the Jewish quarter, much of which was demolished when the new bridge and road were built in the 1960s. The distinctively-shaped tripod that supports the main road bridge over the Danube incorporates a lift to a restaurant and viewing gallery on the roof, providing spectacular views across the city and beyond, into Hungary and Austria. You can get a 24-hour ticket covering buses and trams within the city, to help you get around.
But the main delights of Slovakia lie in the countryside. The flatlands round the capital soon give way to rolling hills and woodland. A trip eastwards, by road or rail, will take you to delightful, picturesque towns; largely unchanged for centuries. The walled old town of Trnava is barely 45 minutes from Bratislava; with a wide-open public square, quiet back streets and innumerable churches.
Further afield, you can find gems like Banska Bistryca, again with a huge central square, and plenty of bars and restaurants hidden down the ground-floor arched passages between the buildings.
Or Banska Stiavnica, a preserved medieval town built on a series of vertiginous slopes formed by a collapsed volcano, and with its own castle built at the time of the Ottoman advance towards Vienna in 1683.
You’ll find plenty of castles. Some will just be old ruins, left over from the many wars that have raged across this land. Perhaps most spectacular and dramatic is Oravsky. Dating from the 13th century, it sits perched atop a huge rocky outcrop. Despite many attempts, it was never taken by any invading army; though it did suffer a major fire in 1800.
It has been used as the setting for several Gothic-style films, including the iconic Nosferatu. Well worth a tour inside - English-speaking guides are available - though the very highest parts of it are no longer safe for visitors.
Then there’s the huge castle at Trencin, growing organically from the centre of the town. Another castle offering tours is Bojnice; though this was built as a palatial country residence for the once-dominant Palffy family, rather than for military defence.
The further east you go, the less populated the land, the more appealing the landscape, and the higher the Tatra mountains loom, defining the border with Poland. Forty per cent of Slovakia is forest, where apparently bears and lynx still roam.
Slovakia is not so much a traditional holiday destination, as an interesting place for travellers who enjoy going off the beaten track. It has not, as yet, been overrun with tourists, so hotel accommodation and living costs can be half what they are further west. And you can use it as a base for day-trips to Vienna (only an hour away by regular train); or even Budapest (less than three hours) for the bigger city experience.
I paid two four-night visits to Slovakia in May and July 2017. In May I spent two nights in Bratislava, then hired a car and spent one night in Banska Bistrica, and one in Trnava; taking in several castles. In July we spent all four nights in Bratislava, but with one day in Vienna, and a second in Trnava; travelling to both by train.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here