One Week in Slovakia

What You Should Know Before Going On A Slovakia Tour

Where is Slovakia? 

Slovakia is located in the literal center of Central Europe. Slovakia was once part of the country Czechoslovakia until 1993 when the two countries decided to dissolve and become the separate countries of the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Slovakia is entirely landlocked in between the countries of Poland, Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary, Romania, and Ukraine. 

What is the Weather Like? 

You can experience all four seasons in Slovakia. With Slovakia’s unique location and landscape, their weather is greatly influenced by the mountains and the winds from the Mediterranean and Baltic Seas. Much of Slovakia is made up of mountains, river valleys, and plateaus. This means the valleys and plateaus will be warmer than the mountains, while the mountains will be cooler and wetter. 

The spring and fall in Slovakia are generally cool and wet. Spring is especially unpredictable with storms and weather changes. Fall seems to be a little more consistent, but if you travel during the fall, make sure to bring jackets as the wind on the plateaus can be very strong. 

Even though Slovakia has many mountain ranges, summers can be very warm in the lower altitudes. It is not uncommon for many summer days to be 100 degrees and sunny. However, even during the summer in Slovakia, you can see some strong thunderstorms.  

Slovakia during the winter is the perfect time for winter sports enthusiasts. Most of the country will see snow throughout the winter months. The snow will stay in the mountains the whole winter, but down in the valley, much of the snow will melt or won’t be around the whole three months of winter. 

What to Pack

What to bring with you on your Slovakia tour all depends on what time of year and activities you are doing. If you’re going during the summer on a river cruise, then make sure to pack light clothes and good walking shoes. If you are hiking the Tatra Mountains during the fall, you’ll want to pack layers, wind jackets, and even better hiking shoes. 

For adventure holidays in Slovakia during the summer, packing light and breathable clothes is extremely important as you will be on the go and summer is extremely warm. For skiing in Slovaki or animal treks in the mountains, make sure to pack thick coats, scarves, and rubber soled shoes to protect you against the wind and snow. 

The most important thing to remember when packing for Slovakia is layers. While the seasons can follow a pattern, with Slovakia’s landscape, changes in weather can be sudden and unexpected. You don’t want to be caught walking through a meadow near the Danube River without a jacket or umbrella when it decides to storm. 

Best Time to Visit Slovakia

Like what to pack, the time to visit Slovakia largely depends on the activities you want to do and the theme of your tour. With Slovakia’s vastly changing climate and drastic differences in temperature between the summer and winter months, there are certain times of the year that cater better to certain tour themes. 

If you are looking to go on a hiking tour of Slovakia, then visiting during the late-spring or early-fall would be best. On the other hand, if you want to go skiing and see some of Slovakia’s beautiful and elusive wildlife, traveling during the winter months would be the best time. 

River cruises to Slovakia generally occur from April-October since the snow has melted and temperatures are rising. However, during the spring and summer rains you may also encounter high waters which could affect your journey. 

If you are going on a tour of Slovakia and nearby countries during the summer, be forewarned that temperatures will be very hot and the crowds will be larger. 

Common Slovakian Phrases

Slovakians speak the Slovak language, naturally. Slovak is considered part of the Slavic languages that are widely spoken in Eastern Europe, Poland, and the Balkans.

Slovak has 46 different letters and many of those sound differently than how they are written. Slovak can be a little tricky for those who aren’t familiar with Slavic languages, but keeping in mind some of these key phrases will help you get around the country and communicate with locals. 

• Hello = Dobry den (DOH-bree den)
• Thank you = Dakujem (JAY-koo-yehm)
• Yes = Ano (AAH-no)
• No = Nie (NYEE_eh)
• Please = Prosim (PROH-seem)
• How much is this? = Kol’ko to stoji? (KOH-lee-koh toh STO-yeeh?)
• How are you? = Ako sa mas? (AH-koh sah MAA-sh?)
• I don’t understand = Nerozumiem (NEH-roh-zoo-myehm)
• Where is the bathroom? = Kde je toaleta? (kdeh yeh TOH-ah-leh-ta?) 

Is Slovakia Safe?

The crime rate in Slovakia is low. However, in high tourist areas like Kosice and Bratislava there have been pickpocketing and scam reported. It is highly recommended for travelers to make sure their items are secure and to double check vendors or local tour guides before booking. Also, make sure you use taxis with meters so you are not overcharged. 

Slovakia is also an amazing place for solo travelers. The country has a good transportation system and the cities are considered quite safe. It’s advised to take normal precautions when visiting if you are traveling on your own. 

A note of caution: travelers should be aware when traveling by road through Slovakia. Some of the roads through the mountains can be small and precarious. It’s recommended that you drive these roads during the day time to avoid issues and to make sure you bring plenty of motion sickness pills for those windy roads. 

Common Countries Also Visited on Slovakian Tours

Slovakia is commonly included in tours of Central Europe. Since Slovakia is located in the heart of Central Europe and has a wide variety of tour activities to offer, tours are able to combine Slovakia with surrounding countries in their itineraries. 

In addition to Central European tours, Slovakia is also included in Danube River cruises. Slovakia’s capital, Bratislava, sits on the Danube as it flows from Slovakia into Austria. Stops these Danube River voyages are often Hungary, Serbia, Austria, and Germany. 

For hiking tours, Poland is often paired with Slovakia as the Tatra Mountains is the border between the two countries. Many of these tours take you through the Carpathian and Tatra Mountains that make up southern Poland and northern Slovakia. 

Slovakia is also a popular destination for cycling tours. Cycling tours of Central Europe can follow the same route as the Danube with stops in Hungary and Austria, but also can include the Czech Republic as well.