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Spiš Castle

Travel guide · Castles, the Tatra Mountains and mining towns

Travelling to Slovakia

Bratislava on the Danube, the High Tatras, Spiš Castle, baroque mining towns and hundreds of castles. We tell you when to go, what to see and what to eat.

Updated 18 October 2026 · How we make our guides

  • Best time: from March to November
  • Where to eat: a koliba (mountain tavern) or a krčma
Photo: Michal Klajban · CC BY-SA 3.0

Slovakia in 30 seconds

  • The months with the fewest warnings to travel to Slovakia are from March to November.
  • To eat like a local: a koliba (mountain tavern) or a krčma. Don’t leave without trying: Bryndzové halušky, Kapustnica, Lokše.

Slovakia in November

Yes: November is a good time to travel to Slovakia. Our data shows no weather or seasonal warnings that month.

More destinations for November

When to travel to Slovakia

The months with the fewest warnings to travel to Slovakia are from March to November.

  1. Jan with warnings
  2. Feb with warnings
  3. Mar no warnings
  4. Apr no warnings
  5. May no warnings
  6. Jun no warnings
  7. Jul no warnings
  8. Aug no warnings
  9. Sep no warnings
  10. Oct no warnings
  11. Nov no warnings
  12. Dec with warnings

More destinations for those dates: where to travel in March · where to travel in April · where to travel in May · where to travel in June

  • from December to February

    Cold winter

    It’s cold and it snows in the north; some high-mountain trails close.

    What to do: In winter, skiing in the Tatras and Christmas markets; for hiking, June to September.

What to see in Slovakia

The cities and areas most worth your time, with their highlights. Open each one for all the places, where to stay and its day trips.

  • Bratislava

    Bratislava

    A small, walkable capital on the Danube, with a white castle and quirky statues.

    • Bratislava Castle
    • St Martin’s Cathedral
    • Blue Church
    • Čumil
    Bratislava guide
  • High Tatras

    High Tatras

    Mountains with an Alpine feel, glacial lakes, ski resorts and ridge trails.

    • Štrbské Pleso
    • Lomnický štít
    • Popradské pleso
    • Skalnaté pleso
    High Tatras guide
  • Košice

    Košice

    The second city, with Europe’s easternmost Gothic cathedral and a grand main street.

    • St Elisabeth Cathedral
    • Main street
    • State Theatre
    • St Urban’s Tower
    Košice guide
  • Banská Štiavnica

    Banská Štiavnica

    A baroque mining town among hills, a World Heritage Site.

    • Calvary
    • Old Castle and New Castle
    • Mining Museum
    • Holy Trinity Square
    Banská Štiavnica guide
  • Bojnice

    Bojnice

    Slovakia’s fairy-tale castle, with towers and pointed roofs.

    • Bojnice Castle
    • Festival of Ghosts
    • Bojnice Zoo
    • Spa
    Bojnice guide
  • Spiš Castle

    Spiš Castle

    The ruins of one of the largest castles in Central Europe, on a hilltop.

    • Castle ruins
    • Keep
    • Spišská Kapitula
    • Žehra
    Spiš Castle guide
  • Levoča

    Levoča

    A walled medieval town with the tallest Gothic wooden altar in the world.

    • Church of Santiago
    • Renaissance town hall
    • Cage of Shame
    • City walls
    Levoča guide
  • Bardejov

    Bardejov

    A perfect medieval square and wooden churches nearby.

    • Main square
    • Basilica of St Giles
    • Synagogue
    • Bardejovské Kúpele
    Bardejov guide
  • Žilina

    Žilina

    The gateway to the Malá Fatra mountains, with an arcaded square and the village of Čičmany nearby.

    • Mariánske Square
    • Budatín Castle
    • Čičmany
    • Malá Fatra
    Žilina guide
  • Trenčín

    Trenčín

    A town beneath a huge castle, with a Roman inscription almost two thousand years old.

    • Trenčín Castle
    • Roman inscription
    • Peace Square
    • Church of the Nativity
    Trenčín guide

Day trips and activities

What’s most worth booking from each city. We take you straight to the best-rated tour on GetYourGuide, with its reviews and dates.

From Bratislava

From the High Tatras

From Košice

From Banská Štiavnica

From Bojnice

From Spiš Castle

From Levoča

From Bardejov

From Žilina

From Trenčín

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What to eat in Slovakia

To eat like a local: a koliba (mountain tavern) or a krčma, and order bryndzové halušky or kapustnica. And don’t leave without trying:

  • Bryndzové halušky

    Potato dumplings with sheep’s cheese and bacon.

  • Kapustnica

    Sauerkraut soup with sausage, for Christmas.

  • Lokše

    Potato pancakes.

  • Pirohy

    Potato and cheese dumplings.

  • Vyprážaný syr

    Fried breaded cheese.

  • Borovička

    Juniper spirit.

The typical dish of Slovakia, at home

Bryndzové halušky
Photo: Gregory finster · CC0

Bryndzové halušky

Slovakia’s national dish: raw-potato dumplings with bryndza sheep’s cheese and crispy bacon. It’s eaten in mountain kolibas with a glass of žinčica, sheep’s whey.

  • Serves 4
  • 40 min

Ingredients

  • 600 g potatoes
  • 250 g flour
  • 1 egg
  • Salt
  • 250 g bryndza (or fresh sheep’s cheese mixed with feta)
  • 150 g diced smoked bacon
  • Chives

How to make it at home

  1. Grate the raw potatoes very finely and mix with the flour, egg and salt into a sticky dough.
  2. Push it through a spätzle maker (or scrape it off a board with a knife) into boiling salted water.
  3. When they float, lift them out with a slotted spoon.
  4. Fry the bacon until crisp.
  5. Toss the hot halušky with the bryndza and serve with the bacon and its fat on top, and chives.

The trick: If you can’t find bryndza, mix feta with a little soured cream.

Curious facts about Slovakia

What guidebooks don’t tell you and will help you understand the country better.

  • It has more castles per head than almost any other country.
  • Spiš Castle is one of the largest in Central Europe.
  • Bratislava was the capital of Hungary for almost three centuries.
  • The High Tatras are the highest part of the Carpathians, with peaks over 2,600 metres.
  • Bryndza is a sheep’s cheese with protected status.
  • Dobšiná Ice Cave is a World Heritage Site.

Traditions of Slovakia

Customs and celebrations that will help you experience the country like a local.

  • Fujara

    A large shepherd’s flute, on UNESCO’s Intangible Heritage list.

  • December Christmas markets

    In Bratislava and Košice.

  • July Východná Festival

    Slovak folklore.

  • June Bratislava Coronation Days

    A historical re-enactment.

What not to do in Slovakia

First-trip mistakes that are easy to avoid.

  • Don’t underestimate the mountains: in the Tatras the weather changes quickly.
  • Don’t forget the electronic vignette if you’re driving.
  • Don’t leave without trying halušky.
  • Don’t turn down a toast with borovička (juniper spirit).
  • Don’t expect everyone to speak English in the villages.
  • Don’t walk off the marked trails in the national parks.

Before you go

Entry requirements depend on your passport and change: always check them with official sources before travelling.

Frequently asked questions about Slovakia

What people search for most before travelling to Slovakia.

What’s the best time to travel to Slovakia?

The months with the fewest warnings to travel to Slovakia are from March to November.

What to see in Slovakia in a week?

The essentials of Slovakia: Bratislava, High Tatras, Košice, Banská Štiavnica and Bojnice. How many places fit into your days, and in what order, depends on your dates and how you get around: the Bagintravel app plans your trip day by day in a minute.

What to eat in Slovakia?

Bryndzové halušky, Kapustnica, Lokše, Pirohy, Vyprážaný syr, Borovička. To eat like a local: a koliba (mountain tavern) or a krčma.

What is the typical dish of Slovakia?

Bryndzové halušky. Slovakia’s national dish: raw-potato dumplings with bryndza sheep’s cheese and crispy bacon. It’s eaten in mountain kolibas with a glass of žinčica, sheep’s whey.

What should you not do in Slovakia?

Don’t underestimate the mountains: in the Tatras the weather changes quickly. Don’t forget the electronic vignette if you’re driving. Don’t leave without trying halušky.

Is it worth travelling to Slovakia in November?

Yes: November is a good time to travel to Slovakia. Our data shows no weather or seasonal warnings that month.

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Guide reviewed 18 October 2026. Seasonal data, places and areas: the same ones the Bagintravel app uses. Sources and method.

Photos: cover, Michal Klajban (CC BY-SA 3.0). Bratislava, Diego Delso (CC BY-SA 4.0). High Tatras, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0). Košice, Adam Jones from Kelowna, BC, Canada (CC BY-SA 2.0). Banská Štiavnica, Adrian Tync (CC BY-SA 4.0). Bojnice, Lady Rowena (Public domain). Spiš Castle, Petr Kratochvil (CC0). Levoča, Pudelek (CC BY-SA 3.0). Bardejov, Doko Ing. Mgr. Jozef Kotulič (CC BY-SA 3.0). Žilina, No machine-readable author provided. Juloml assumed (based on copyright claims). (CC BY-SA 3.0). Trenčín, Ingo Mehling (CC BY-SA 4.0).