Museum of the Slovak Village
Starting off strongly with going back to the roots of the Slovak people. Since Slovakia was a part of Austria-Hungary in the 19th century, which is the village inspired by, most of its population lead a rather simple life that is beautifully depicted in this museum. The village consists of example houses (you can enter the furnished ones as well!) from different regions all over the country. And what could be better than a massive portion of “bryndzove halusky” (a traditional Slovak meal) after a walk through the history?
The Andy Warhol Museum of Modern Art
The only place from the list I haven’t visited yet, but it sure is on my bucket list! Not many people know that the parents of the king of pop-art were born in today’s Slovakia. The museum is divided into three sections: one dedicated to of Paul and James Warhol, another one exhibits authentic material connected to the origin of the Warhol family and the last but definitely not least displays 160 Andy Warhol’s works, such as Red Lenin.
The River Dunajec
The Dunajec River flows through Pieniny National Park and creates a natural border between Slovakia and Poland. This destination is quite popular for the traditional rafting with amazing views of the surrounding mountain massif and woods. Originally, this route was used to transport wood to the coasts of the Baltic Sea. After each successful journey, a raftsman received one seashell that would be put onto their hat belt.
The Devin Castle
A little further from the city centre of Bratislava, in the borough of Devin, you can find the ruins of Devin Castle. Since the ancient times it’s been an important place for the inhabitants, whether as a place of pagan rituals or as one of the first churches in today’s Slovakia that was built here during Great Moravian period. In the more recent years, it was destroyed by Napoleon’s forces and after a visit of a leading figure of Slovak national revival, it’s been a national symbol till these days. Moreover, the whole area is lovely, especially with the view of the Danube river.
Harmanecka Cave
The first cave I ever visited, so it’s near and dear to my heart. I’m not a sporty person so I was complaining all the way hiking up towards the entrance. However, as soon as I stepped in, I was transported into a different world. A world full of calming darkness, surprisingly fresh air, unfinished processes of stalactite and stalagmite formation and pure beauty, which was there for me to see.
Thanks to such trips, I’ve fallen in love with my home country and as there’s something for everyone, I believe you will too.
Feature Image Credit: Wikimedia.com
