15 unbelievably beautiful places to visit in Slovakia

Slovakia is full of amazing places. It is an ideal country if you would like to plan a budget trip and if you like to see medieval towns, visit castles, castle ruins or go hiking. These are just the fifteen places I have been to and found wonderful. Everyone has their own opinion about the best places to visit in Slovakia. This is my list of what I believe are the top fifteen beautiful places to visit. Do share about your favorites destinations in comments!

Places to visit in Slovakia

1. Levoca

Levoca is a beatiful town, often described as a jewel among the Slovak towns. It is renowned for its town hall and the highest gothic altar in the world in St. James church.

Levoca, places to visit in Slovakia by Katka

Levoca, places to visit in Slovakia by Katka

Levoca, places to visit in Slovakia by Katka

2. Spis Castle

Spis Castle is one of the largest castles in Central Europe. It is included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. You might have already seen it if you watched movies The Last Legion (2007) or Dragonheart (1996).

Spis Castle, places to visit in Slovakia by Katka

3. Spis Jerusalem

Not far from the Spis Castle is Spis Jerusalem – a grassy area with several chapels whose location in the landscape is similar to the Calvary of the ancient Jerusalem. Professionals believe that in the past when pilgrimage to the Holy Land was problematic, those chapels were built not far from the Spis Castle to imitate Jerusalem.

Spis Jerusalem, places to visit in Slovakia by Katka

4. Siva Brada

Siva Brada (Grey Beard) is a travertine hill with a small geyser. On the top of the hill stands Chapel of the Holy Cross. The Chapel is part of Spis Jerusalem.

Siva Brada, places to visit in Slovakia by Katka

5. Slovak Paradise

Slovak Paradise is a National Park situated in East Slovakia. Those who like hiking might apreciate gorges with ladders and walkways overhanging raging torrents or ladders next to waterfalls. However, there are several routes safe for hiking with children as well.

Slovak Paradise, places to visit in Slovakia by Katka

6. Zavada

Zavada is a small village near Levoca situated in Levoca Mountains. It offers great views of Tatra Mountains as well as trails for hiking or cycling.

Zavada, places to visit in Slovakia by Katka

7. Cerveny Klastor

Cerveny Klastor (Red Monastery) was a monastery established in 14th century. Nowadays it is a museum. If you visit it, ask the guide about the Flying Monk who lived there.

Cerveny Klastor, places to visit in Slovakia by Katka

8. Bardejov

Bardejov is a well-preserved fortified medieval town  located in north-eastern Slovakia. The town is one of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites.

Bardejov, places to visit in Slovakia by Katka

9. Hervartov

Hervartov is a small village known for its wooden Church of St Francis of Assisi. The church was built in 15th century and it is the oldest and best preserved wooden church in Slovakia. It is worth visiting mainly for its wall paintings.

Hervartov, places to visit in Slovakia by Katka

10. Bojnice Castle

Bojnice Castle is one of the  most visited castles in Slovakia. Both the interior and the extensive park surrounding the castle are beautiful. In front the castle entrance stands 600-year old lime tree of Bojnice with 12.5-m trunk circumference.

Bojnice Castle, places to visit in Slovakia by Katka

11. Pribylina

Pribylina is the youngest open-air museum in Slovakia. Visitors can see there a Renaissance chateau with a luxurious interior, mayor’s house, municipal school, workshops of a tailor, wheelwright and blacksmith and a firehouse station. A must see is the early-gothic Church of Virgin Mary with the original fragments of wall paintings.

Pribylina, places to visit in Slovakia by Katka

12. Vlkolinec

Vlkolinec is another open air museum and another Unesco site. It consists of 45 buildings with the traditional features of a Slovak village.

Vlkolinec, places to visit in Slovakia by Katka

13. Marianska Hora

Marianska Hora (Marian Hill) is one of the oldest and best known pilgrimage sites in Slovakia. The hill offers spectacular views over the town Levoca.

Marianska Hora, places to visit in Slovakia by Katka

14. Stara Lubovna

The town Stara Lubovna is worth visiting for its castle and the Museum of Folk Architecture, which is located at the base of the Castle Lubovna. The open air musem contains 25 log structures from the first half of the 19th century until the beginning of the first third of the 20th century.

Stara Lubovna Castle and Museum of Folk Architecture, places to visit in Slovakia by Katka

15. Svidnik

Those who are interested in World War II can visit Svidnik and its Open-Air Military Museum. It shows 55 heavy war machines. There are valuable aircrafts, tanks, Soviet and German howitzers and many others.

Svidnik, places to visit in Slovakia by Katka