Expert travel storyteller Jordan Adkins, founder of InspiredByMaps.com, brings a decade of adventures across 101 countries and 450+ UNESCO sites into rich, off-the-beaten-path narratives, melding ecological expertise with genuine, seasoned travel insights. His full bio can be found here.
Slovakia is a unique nation but an untouched nation waiting to be explored. Even as such a small country, the country of Slovakia is a wealth of outstanding natural beauty, wild historical landmarks and towns, chic nightlife, and much more.
The distinctive energy of Slovakia will leave you desperate to come back. The country has a lot to offer and explore. The charming old towns, UNESCO World Heritage sites, and warm locals can make you feel at home without actually being at home.
Slovakia is known for having some of the best-preserved castles in Europe and most of which are considered UNESCO World Heritage sites. With some intense medieval history, it can be quite an interesting experience to get a chance to learn about the incredible history behind the nation.
Slovakia has been occupied by many different ethnic groups over the years and has been inhabited since incident times. Originally, the germans and Romans disputed Slovakia as their territory until the celts came in the 4th century and expanded into the region.
The first Slavic people to come to the region came in 833 AD from the great Moravian empire. Fast forward to the early 19th century when the country began to develop its political platform and develop like the neighboring countries. The country became part of Austria-Hungary for 50 years before joining Czechoslovakia until 1992 when the country became completely independent.
Slovakia is known for its stunning natural beauty and interesting history, however, the country is much more than this and should be discovered. When choosing the perfect tour within Slovakia, there are a couple of places you should make sure are included on your tour. Here are two of the best places to visit within Slovakia that can be the perfect places to tour.
Starting with the city of Bratislava, The city is considered a maze of narrow alleys, medieval buildings, and tinier squares. The city itself can be considered unique as it is both small enough to see in just a day or two but also interesting enough to keep you here for a while.
Not only is Bratislava the capital of Slovakia it is the largest city in the country with roughly 420,000 residents. It is not only the cultural but economic hub of the country and is also the only European capital to border two countries Austria and Hungary. The city holds some unique and interesting secrets that are worth uncovering, hence Bratislava is a place you want to tour.
The vibrant town of Kosice is Slovakia’s second city and is located further south, close to the Hungarian border. Founded in the 9th century, Kosice is the largest city in east Slovakia and is a major art and culture hub. Here, you’ll be able to taste the best local cuisine, meet the friendliest locals and enjoy the most beautiful art and architecture. Considered undiscovered and off the beaten path, this is the best time to visit the city before the crowds roll in.
So you may be wondering, how can I tour Slovakia? There is so much to do and see how can I plan this. Well don’t let yourself get overwhelmed, this is why an organized multiday tour is important and a great option when traveling abroad. We have preached their benefits for exploring Slovenia, Austria, Germany, (and even Mongolia) – and now, are going to showcase why the best Slovakia tours will help you unlock this country’s secrets with ease.
Organized tours make traveling simpler and take the stress away from booking your trip. No need to plan or book any excursions, everything is done with you and you get the advantage of being with a knowledgeable guide who can give you insider tips and can educate you on the country and all of its sites. Now, let’s take a look at some of the best tours for Slovakia.
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Hiking in Slovakia
Experience Slovakia
Are you a nature lover looking for a natural retreat? This untouched and off-the-beaten path tour will take you out of the bigger cities and deep into the Slovakian woods. Spend your upcoming vacation surrounded by nature with the opportunity to learn more about the country and everything it has to offer. You’ll start and end your journey in the magical city of Kosice.
With things like transportation, meals, an expert guide, and accommodations are completely included. You’ll have 8 days to explore the country while visiting 3 different cities within the country but your party will need a minimum of two travelers to participate. Does this sound exciting to you? Let’s look at what you would be doing day to day on this tour.
Day One: Kosice pick up and travel to Poprad
Day Two: Visit Vysoke Tatry, the High Tatras, and hike through Tatry national park.
Day Three: Hikes in valleys – To Wahlbergovo Pleso through Furkotská Dolina.
Day Four: Peak ascent – Kriváň, Rysy, or Slavkovský štít. Difficulty
Day Five: Visiting Slovak Paradise National Park
Day Six: Prielom Hornadu. Duration: 5h 40 min, Distance: 17,7km, Ascent: 675 m, Descent: 675 m,
Day Seven: Spend a day resting and taking in the beautiful scenery or enjoy the resort.
Day Eight: Poprad and drop off at Kosice Airport
This 8-day hiking tour of Slovakia will leave you speechless due to the undiscovered beauty of the region. As many tourists are not aware of Kosice nor the beauty surrounding it, you can almost guarantee crowds will be minimal and you will have the chance to truly enjoy the destination before tourist truly takes off.
Not only is this tour jam-packed with adventure and fun, but the tour is also operated by a highly-rated tour operator, Experience Slovakia. A local company, experience Slovakia is dedicated to giving travelers the ultimate experience within the country and showcasing their country to the world. With a rating of five out of five stars, you can count on a very high-quality tour that travelers recommend.
Best Slovakia Hiking in 5 days
Active Travel Slovakia
Located in the north of Slovakia, close to the border of Poland, and Spanning over 600 km of mountainous terrain, the Tatras are some of the most beautiful mountain ranges in Europe.
Tatras national park was the first protected park in Slovakia. With a whopping 2,500 meters in height, The National Park of the Tatras is the first protected area established in Slovakia. You’ll spend 5 days hiking within the area and you’ll get a chance to see 4 destinations in Slovakia.
Beginning and ending in Bratislava, this tour is jam-packed and almost all-inclusive. You can count on your meals, transportation, lodging as well as an expert guide as being completely included in the tour. Here is a look at what you would be doing over those 5 days.
Day One: Transfer from Bratislava/Vienna to High Tatra Mountains. Hike to a waterfall Skok.
Day Two: High Tatra Mountains – chalet and the mountain lake Zelené pleso
Day Three: Hike to the lake Veľké Hincovo Pleso and Kôprovský peak
Day Four: Slovak Paradise National Park tour. Suchá Belá – gorge
Day Five: Transfer back to Bratislava/Vienna
With that itinerary in mind, the Tatras mountains are something truly remarkable and a staple when visiting Slovakia. Not only it is a safe area but it is accessible as well. With over 100 lakes, pristine waterfalls, and breathtaking views this outdoor paradise is the perfect retreat for traveling to become in tune with nature once more.
Offered by Active Travel Slovakia, this tour is considered highly rated by travelers for its authenticity, organization, and expert guides that help you make the most of your trip. All in all, this is a fantastic tour for nature lovers or those who like to hike. This is a perfect opportunity to immerse yourself in nature and the underrated mountains of Slovakia.
Cycling in West-Slovakia: Mountains to Danube Along the River Váh
idemRAD
Get a chance to visit the enchanting mountains of northern Slovakia. You’ll get a chance to see some of the best wildlife and completely immerse yourself in nature.
Visit the ancient cities, the castle remains, watermills, spa towns, and traditional restaurants within the country and travel with peace of mind knowing you have a local specialized guide there to help make the most of your trip. You’ll get a chance to start your journey in Mala Fatra and end in Komarno.
You’ll cycle your way through western Slovakia, through the mountains to the Danube. This 7-day tour includes 3 cities within Slovakia as well as a knowledgeable guide, meals, transportation, accommodations, and more.
If you’re a cycler it can be an amazing experience to cycle and travel at the same time. Here is a look at your seven-day cycling adventure and what exactly it entails.
Day One: Arrive in Žilina where you’ll get a chance to sightsee or spend the day as you, please.
Day Two: Žilina to Považská Bystrica (40 or 68km) (fortress Strecno visit)
Day Three: Považská Bystrica to Trenčín (62km)
Day Four: Trenčín to Piešťany (47km)
Day Five: Piešťany to Šaľa (61km)
Day Six: Šaľa to Komárno (63km)
Day Seven: Departure from Komarno.
On this seven-day discovery tour, you will get a chance to cycle through one of the most beautiful parts of Slovakia while getting a chance to explore the country and learn about its culture/tradition the country. This tour is not recommended for those with heart conditions or who do not have a moderate level of fitness which is important to note as well.
This tour is operated by idemRAD, a European-based company focused on bringing active travel forward to those who enjoy fitness. The goal of this operator is to make travel not only affordable but appealing to the cycling community.
With an overall rating of five out of five stars, this operator has an exceptional rating and is highly recommended by travelers. This tour itself is also rated five out of five stars and is one of the best tours in Slovakia.
Wine Tasting & Spa
Experience Slovakia
Are you a fan of the spa? Fancy wine tasting? This tour is for you! You’ll enjoy the relaxing atmosphere of Slovakia as well as taste some of the domestic wine, and retreat in some of the country’s best spas.
You’ll be taken to a traditional winery where you will get the option to sample Tokaj, often known as the king of wine in Slovakia. As well as enjoy some of the best wine tasting and spas within the country of Slovakia! It is important to note that a minimum of two travelers is required for this tour, as prices are listed for two people.
You will start and end your journey in Kosice with a total of four days and 3 destinations in Slovakia. Spend your time indulging in wine tasting and luxurious spas and you can completely relax knowing things like your accommodations, an expert guide, meals, and transportation are completely included. Here is a look at your day-to-day itinerary for this tour.
Day One: Kosice and Tokaj region
Day Two: Poprad
Day Three: High Tatras
Day Four: Poprad and returning to Kosice
Enjoy some of the best spas in the world on this 4-day group tour through Slovakia. You will get a chance to completely retreat and decompress from the stresses of day-to-day life. Although not well known for its relaxing atmosphere, Slovakia is the perfect place to relax and return to nature.
You can also count on this tour to be fantastic as the tour itself has an overall rating of five out of five stars and so does the tour operator. This is one of the best tours in Slovakia and if you’re looking for a relaxing retreat away from everything this is the perfect tour for you.
Slovakia Ancestry Private Tour
Experience Slovakia
Do you have Slovakia’s history that you want to discover? It’s time to discover the true story of your ancestors and connect to your motherland. After the war, many Slovaks moved abroad and since then, their connection to the homeland has been cut.
With the rise of ancestry or 23&me, more people are finding out about their Slovak history and are looking to educate themselves on where they came from. Get the chance to learn about your roots in detail and take the journey to discover who you truly are. Your tour will start in Kosice and end in Poprad. You will, of course, have the chance to tailor this tour to your interests too!
It’s also important to note that This tour does require a minimum of two people and is not meant for solo travelers. You’ll spend 7 days exploring Slovakia with a chance to visit two cities within the country.
Things like hotel stays, an expert guide, meals, transportation, and much more are completely included so you can travel with ease. Let’s look at what you would be doing over the 7 days and how you would spend your time each day.
Day One: Visit Kosice. This is where you’ll be picked up by one of your guides and checked into your accommodation.
Day Two: Visiting the village where your ancestors come from, finding out more about their culture.
Day Three: Trying the food your ancestors used to eat. Finding out more about the music and traditions they had.
Day Four: Visiting the churches where they got baptized or even married, the old graves, and talking to the local priests.
Day Five: Visiting the schools, talking to the locals, mayor, and possible relatives that are still living in the area.
Day Six: Explore the area where they come from, how they used to live, and their old habits and clothes.
Day Seven: Departure day!
Spend the next seven days completely discovering your ancestry on this tour and indulging in the local culture. If you’re interested this tour also offers the ability to create a family tree but with an additional cost.
Which is extremely unique and something you don’t want to pass up if you plan on taking this tour. In addition, this tour is completely customizable to reflect your interests. I know I touched on this briefly before, but according to what you like to do and see, your tour will reflect just that. This is because it is a private tour. The tour itself is rated five out of five stars and so is the operator.
Operated by “Experience Slovakia” A local company dedicated to giving travelers the best experience whilst traveling in Slovakia. Overall it is highly recommended by travelers and is one of the best tours in Slovakia especially if you’re looking to discover your heritage.
The Best of Eastern Slovakia
Experience Slovakia
Eastern Slovakia is completely underrated and never really talked about in terms of tourism. Although this can be a great thing as the region is not overrun with tourists so you can be sure you will be completely enjoyed without the large crowds. With a combination of nature, UNESCO World Heritage sites, and articulate history, you’ll be pleasantly surprised at what this region has to offer.
It is really important to note that You will need a minimum of two travelers to partake but this tour is only offered to parties of four or fewer. You will start and end your journey in Kosice with 7 days to explore the eastern region of Slovakia and Youll see a total of 9 different cities within the country.
Travel at ease knowing this tour is almost completely all-inclusive with meals, transportation, an expert guide, hotel stays, and much more. It is important to note that flights from your destination of origin or insurance are not included in the cost of the tour. Let’s look at what your week in eastern Slovakia would look like and what you would do.
Day One: Arrive in Kosice!
Day Two: Levoca / Spis Castle
Day Three: Vysoke Tatry
Day Four: Stara Lubovna
Day Five: Slovak Paradise National Park and Betliar Manor House
Day Six: Pieniny National Park / Kezmarok
Day Seven: Poprad/Kosice
This seven-day tour gives you the chance to explore the undiscovered and off-the-beaten-path region of eastern Slovakia. You’ll get a chance to fully immerse yourself in the culture as well as enjoy the delicious food and beautiful attractions in the area. You can count on enjoying some of the friendliest people and some of the warmest hospitality too.
Operated by Experience Slovakia, this tour operator is local and one of the best in the country. Committed to giving travelers the best experience in Slovakia, this operator is highly rated with an overall rating of five out of five stars. Needless to say, this tour is highly rated by travelers and is one of the best tours in Slovakia.
Overall, Slovakia is a country you just can’t miss. Often overlooked, this small landlocked country is a hidden gem just waiting to be discovered. You’ll find some of the best wildlife and nature that will leave you speechless and you will also leave you wondering why this country isn’t one of the top countries in Europe.
Tatras National park and the Carpathian mountains are just two of the best natural wonder to tour in the country. Spend time in Bratislava and Kosice to educate yourself on the intense but charming history and beautiful architecture scattered around both cities.
Every city you visit within the country will leave you mesmerized big or small. We are so happy that you’ve taken your first step into visiting this beautiful country and you will enjoy it. Visit Slovakia – Travel in Slovakia? Good Idea!
If none of these tours work for you in Slovakia, please do not worry. There is a wide variety of tour options in the country, and we are confident that there will be something that fits your needs and interests.
Take a look at all the group tours in Slovakia now, which you can sort by private or group, maximum sizing, budget, dates, and much (much more). The team at TourRadar is also always more than happy to answer any questions, provide further information or assist in any way in finding the perfect tour for you.
