We leave Bratislava and drive to Banská Štiavnica – a completely preserved medieval town. Thanks to the characteristic architecture and a rich mining history typical for this region, the town of Banská Štiavnica has been included in UNESCO World Heritage list. We agree – it’s one of the most charming places you have ever seen. Today you have the option of exploring the town’s stunning range of attractions at your own pace. We take a walk around the Trinity square, visit Gothic church of St. Catherine from the late 15th century or the Town Hall before we taste the real jewel of Slovak beers in a local brewery. Here you will be served many different varieties of beer with long tradition – Lager, Weizen, Special Dark or Beer distillate – all made with special care.

After lunch we will visit the open-air mining museum, where we pick up helmets, cloaks and lamps and enter the underground excursion in mines. Dressed up as real miners we will descend to one of its pits dated from the 17th century.

Our tour continues to the village of Hronsek, where a beautiful wooden church inscribed to UNESCO World Heritage List is located. This unique church was built only of wood, without using a single iron nail. Listen to the stories of the fights between the Catholics and Protestants and admire the fabulous interior. It can accommodate more than thousand worshippers!

We finish the day in the city of Banská Bystrica. This city is surrounded by two beautiful mountain ranges, Great Fatra and Low Tatras. We will explore the historical centre with its fantastic renaissance appearance and enjoy the meal in a local restaurant.

During World War II the city of Banska Bystrica became the center of Slovak National Uprising – one of the key events in the history of Slovaks. The resistance of people against Nazis is well documented in the Museum of Slovak National Uprising, which we will visit after breakfast. The exposition charts the darkest moments of WWII in Slovakia with amazing collection of tanks, guns and uniforms. You can even enter an old Russian plane from the war and explore it from inside!

Afterwards we travel to the National Park of Low Tatras to visit the unique Demänovská Cave of Liberty. Don’t forget to take some warm clothes because the average temperature in the cave is close to only 7 °C. Thanks to its spectacular dripstone decorations this cave belongs to the most beautiful caves in Europe. A rich complex of stalactites and stalagmites together with little karst lakes creates an ideal environment for bats. Be patient, you will perhaps spot one of them hanging upside down!

We continue our tour to a typical Slovak village called Vlkolínec. It is a remarkably intact settlement of 45 buildings with the traditional features of a Slovak village located in the mountains. Vlkolinec was included in UNESCO World Heritage list in 1993 as being the best preserved and most comprehensive unit of its kind in the whole region. You will have a chance to hear stories about our crazy Slovak traditions.

Today we drive east to visit the biggest medieval castle in the Central Europe – Spiš Castle. Keep your eyes open while the road leads us through the beautiful scenery of High Tatras, the mountains we are proud of. As the Greeks have their Olympus and the Japanese their Fuji, the Slovaks also have their holy mountain – Kriváň – the peak in a shape you recognize instantly. In a few minutes you will be overwhelmed by the incredible size of Spiš Castle. It has become the number one Slovak location for movies set in medieval times, such as The Last Legion and Dragonheart. Thanks to its turbulent history and fascinating architecture, it’s no wonder the castle was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1993.

Just a few minutes from Spiš Castle is a town of Levoča. In medieval times, the town of Levoča belonged to the prominent European towns. It is still almost completely surrounded by medieval walls and the town is included in the UNESCO List in its entirety. The St. James church is a home of the highest wooden altar in the world. It was built of lime wood without use of a single iron nail.

Our journey continues to Štrbské Pleso, the highest located settlement in Tatras. Here you are free to explore – walk around the Štrbské Pleso lake, hire a boat, visit Lakes of Love, take a chair lift to the upper parts of the mountains or drink a coffee in restaurants and cafés with panoramic views.

Do you remember Max Schreck in a role of Dracula (Count Orloy) welcoming his guest on an old abandoned castle with a nightmare-like atmosphere in a world-famous movie Nosferatu Symphony of Horror? Well, we are going to visit that castle! The Orava Castle. But no worries! It has nothing in common with a dark atmosphere of its movie role, but it offers breathtaking views on the region and nearby located White Tatras! Orava Castle, also called eagle nest because of its position on the top of the cliff, was owned by many aristocrats, county heads and noblemen, protecting important road to Poland and serving as an administrative and military centre for the region. Take some pictures from the citadel on the top of the castle hill, your friends will not believe their eyes how huge this castle is!

Our Highlights of Slovakia tour ends at your desired drop-off point (airport, station, hotel) in Bratislava, Vienna or Budapest. Enjoy your return home with great memories from your journey in Slovakia!