Slovakia
From Imakoopedia
| Flag | |
 | |
| Quick Facts | |
| Capital | Bratislava |
| Government | parliamentary democracy |
| Currency | Slovak koruna (SKK) |
| Area | total: 48,845 sq km water: 45 sq km land: 48,800 sq km |
| Population | 5,422,366 (July 2002 est.) |
| Language | Slovak (official), Hungarian, Czech |
| Religion | Roman Catholic 60.3%, atheist 9.7%, Protestant 8.4%, Orthodox 4.1%, other 17.5% |
Slovakia (also known as the Slovak Republic) is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is surrounded by Austria to the west, Czech Republic to the north west, Hungary to the south, Poland to the north and Ukraine to the east.
With numerous medieval towns, high mountains, caves and a lively capital city, there's probably something for every traveller to enjoy in Slovakia. Slovakia is said to be the country with the highest number of fortified castles per capita in the world.
| Table of contents |
Cities
- Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia
- Nitra
- Kosice
Understand
Slovakia has a temperate climate with cool summers and cold, cloudy, humid winters. Although this is somewhat changing and summers are more often being hot and dry.
Much of the central and northern part of Slovakia is rugged and mountainous. Gerlachovský štít at 2,655 m in the Hight Tatras is the highest point. The Tatra Mountains in the north are interspersed with many scenic lakes and valleys. The lowlands are in the south with the lowest point of the Bodrog River being 94 m below sea level.
In 1918 the Slovaks joined the closely related Czechs to form Czechoslovakia. Following the chaos of World War II, Czechoslovakia became a Communist nation within Soviet-ruled Eastern Europe. Soviet influence collapsed in 1989 and Czechoslovakia once more became free.
For many years overshadowed by their north-western Czech neighbors, political representations of Czech and Slovak decided to strike out on their own. The Slovaks and the Czechs agreed to separate peacefully on 1 January 1993 and Slovakia became a country in its own right.
Historic, political, and geographic factors have caused Slovakia to experience more difficulty in developing a modern market economy than some of its Central European neighbors. Finally, however, Slovakia joined the European Union and the NATO in 2004.
Get In
Visas
Since Slovakia is a EU member, citizens of EU countries do not require a visa for stays in Slovakia.
Australian, Canadian, New Zealand and US citizens are all permitted to stay for up to 90 days without a visa.
South African citizens require a visa for entry into Slovakia.
By train
The easiest way to get to Slovakia by train is via Vienna, in Austria. Bratislava is a simple 50 - 70 minute trip on a express or a local train (either via Kittsee or Marchegg).
Trains also travel to Slovakia from the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary and the Ukraine.
By plane
As Vienna airport Schwechat is just about 35 kms from Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, it's the most convenient way of arriving to Slovakia by the major airlines. Buses leave for Bratislava hourly, optionally you can take airport shuttle.
Bratislava has its own airport, too, albeit much smaller than that of Vienna, many regular flights are scheduled to land here. Sky Europe provides the most convenient and cheap way to fly to Bratislava from London, Paris and other European cities.
Get around
Talk
The national language of Slovakia is Slovak, a Slavic language which is similar to (and mutually intelligible with) Czech. While you can probably make do with English and German in Bratislava, in smaller towns and villages your only chance is trying to approach younger people that speak some English. Older residents may know some German, so it could help to brush up on your high-school classes. People born before 1980 and after 1935 have learned Russian in the school.
Slovak is written using the same Roman characters that English uses, so Western travellers won't have any trouble reading signs and maps.
Buy
The official currency of Slovakia is the Slovak Crown (Slovenská koruna, Sk / SKK). Euro is planned to replace the Slovak Crown around 2007. Also, from May 1st, 2004, Euro is accepted in major shop chains.
Automatic teller machines (ATM) are widely available in Slovakia with small exceptions {villages) , and obtaining money there should not present a problem. Credit cards and debit cards such as Visa, Mastercard, Visa Electron, Cirrus Maestro are widely accepted both in shops and restaurants in bigger cities.
Eat
Bryndzove halusky is Slovak national meal made with potato dumplings and special kind of sheep cheese (that is not actually the cheese) called "bryndza". You will get pieces of fried meaty bacon on top of Bryndzove halusky. Very tasty and delicious.
Drink
For non-alcoholic drinks try Vinea, soft drink made from grapes, featured in both red and white. Additionally, there is also Vinea without CO2. Kofola, another soft drink similar to Coca Cola, is also very popular amongst locals and is available both on tap and bottled. For beers, try Zlaty Bazant, Smadny mnich and Saris. Saris comes also in dark version that is thicker and heavier on your stomach. Still, if you prefer some western beers, they are served on regular basis in bigger restaurants and pubs.
Sleep
Learn
Work
Stay safe
In case of an emergency, call 112 - universal emergency number. For police especially, call 158, ambulance 155 and firefighters 150. When visiting mountain areas of Slovakia, it is advisable to inform hotel personnel of your trip plans. Also, when visiting High tatras, contact local mountain rescue service of your intent, they may even provide you with a safety guidelines. BEWARE, weather in High tatras is prone to sudden changes, especially during Spring and Autumn.
Stay healthy
No vaccinations is necessary to visit or stay in Slovakia although if you plan to visit countryside areas, tick vaccination is recommended. Also Hepathitis "A" and "B" vaccination is advisable as with all European countries. Tap water is drinkable everywhere, but if you prefer mineral waters, you can choose from multitude of marks, since Slovakia has probably highest numbers of natural mineral water springs per capita.
Respect
Contact
- Slovak Television (http://www.stv.sk/)
External Links
- Official Slovak Tourist Board (http://www.sacr.sk/)
- Slovak Government (http://www.government.gov.sk/)
