100% customisable travel idea
From Bratislava to Košice The grand tour of Slovakia
Slovakia - Bratislava - Tatras - Košice
100% customisable travel idea
Slovakia - Bratislava - Tatras - Košice
100% customisable for you
Pick up your rental car and drive to Bratislava. You’ll stay overnight in the city centre. From the medieval cellars to the Art Nouveau glass roof in the lobby, the architectural styles blend together elegantly, forming an eclectic whole that the décor makes delightful use of. Style, comfort and an excellent level of amenities make your hotel the city’s top accommodation. In the rooms, bedding, furniture and tasselled curtains balance the raw, natural feel of the stone and beams here, and refined classicism there. The restaurant offers modern cuisine, inspired by Italy. The spa and gym provide all the services. And the Franciscan Church, the oldest religious building in the area from the 13th century, stands just a stone’s throw away.
Already scheduled - Bratislava, classic and alternative. By car and then by foot, accompanied by a private guide, you’ll move from one site to another, discovering a subtle reality: the way Slovaks shape their identity today. A reclaimable past, economic challenges, memories of communism - it’s not easy to balance all this. And all this is visible in the city, from the castle to the Mileticova market; from the Red Army cemetery at Slavin to the Steiner bookshop; from the 1936 Manderla building to the Nedbalka Museum, a champion of Slovak modern art.
Drive to Gbel’any. On the way, you can stop in the Trencin region and visit the substantial remains of Beckov Castle. Built on a cliff in the 13th century, it presses the enormous weight of its presence onto the rock. In the nearby Jewish cemetery, there are about a hundred gravestones from the 18th and 19th centuries. The tarred wooden houses with shingle roofs in the village of Cicmany are very elegant; they are decorated with geometric patterns that make them look like Indian blankets.
You’ll spend the night in a large white castle with slate roofs. It’s baroque in style, but classical in intent and not without Renaissance echoes. All around, there’s a large English-style park. The interior design features a modern style, with a more romantic feel in the superior rooms. Recent technical features offer all the comfort you could wish for. The restaurant - with white wooden furniture and a view of the park - serves well-prepared Slovak dishes and international classics. The wellness area is at the heart of the accommodation’s life: Finnish sauna, eucalyptus sauna, salt sauna, and more; massages; indoor swimming pool. There’s even bowling. And there are wide open spaces in the park.
Drive to Jasna Zahradky, in the Low Tatras. You’ll spend two nights in a large modern chalet. Stone and polished wood, wool and metal balance and harmonise. You’ll enjoy the simplicity of the contemporary design and the warmth of the natural materials. There are two bedrooms, a living room and a fully equipped kitchen: plenty of space to live. Large bay windows also offer sweeping views of the mountains. The fireplace is just as enjoyable in the green season as it is when it snows. Breakfast is served on site. A relaxation and well-being area with a sauna is open to chalet guests. Bars, restaurants and bike rental shops are in the immediate vicinity of your home.
Already scheduled - Hike to Dumbier. Dumbier is the highest peak in the Low Tatras, at 2,043 metres (6,703 feet). You’ll take the cable car up to the summit of the nearby mountain, Chopok, at 2,024 metres (6,640 feet), then the hike begins via Demänovske sedlo and Krupova hola, at 1,922 metres (6,306 feet); it then continues on to the summit of Dumbier. From up there, you’ll have a panoramic view of the surrounding mountains, the Hron valley, the Liptov region and the High Tatras. With, as a bonus, a feeling of elevation, lightness and pride. You will have earned these emotions over four hours of steady walking, with no technical difficulty. A private guide will accompany the excursion.
The Low Tatras offer striking geological undulations. They have a distinctly floral and faunal character, typical of continental Europe. Slovaks and Czechs have long come here in winter to ski, and in summer to kayak, raft, hike and more. The Low Tatras are all about fresh air and physical activity.
Drive to Tatranska Lomnica, in the High Tatras. You’ll spend two nights in a Belle Époque monument. In 1904-1905, the hotel was created from the plans of the architects Quido Hoepfner and Gejza Györi from Budapest. Oriels, turrets, arched windows - Carpathian Jugendstil in all its imperial and royal splendour. The interior has been modernised, of course, but stylistic touches appear everywhere. The indoor pool is especially striking in this respect. In the rooms, the décor sometimes borders on kitsch, but never quite crosses the line. You’ll have fun with it and enjoy a cosy level of comfort. A beautiful dining room with a view serves polished international cuisine. The wellness area leaves nothing to be desired: outdoor infinity pool, indoor pool, jacuzzis and sauna. At the spa, the treatments draw some of their elements directly from the nature of the Tatras. And they are delivered with the professionalism that comes from a proud tradition of thermal spas.
Already scheduled - Wildlife and flora of the Tatras. First of all, the High Tatras are impressive and spectacular; although their footprint is small, they rise high. This verticality sets them apart and attracts the local acrobats. Like the chamois, for example, that feed in the high-altitude meadows. They share them with the marmots, which are under close protection: you cannot stop the golden eagle from taking a few, but otherwise - hands off! On the lower levels, there are pine and spruce forests, as well as bears, wolves, lynx and eagle owls. All this nature is teeming with life. Accompanied by a private English-speaking guide, you’ll set out on a nature hike for the day.
Optional - Churches and attractions of the north.
Drive to Kosice. Along the way, you can visit the great Spis Fortress, which saw every possible transformation of a castle from the 12th to the 17th century. You should also stop in Levoca, where the Basilica of St James houses an exquisite limewood altarpiece carved at the beginning of the 16th century. The castle and the church are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
You’ll settle in for two nights in the centre of Kosice. The hotel is modern and meets international standards. It has a bright, clean interior and practical fittings. In the rooms and bathrooms, you’ll find everything you usually need. An indoor pool and massage service are at the heart of the wellness facilities. The bar-restaurant serves long drinks and coffees, as well as a light lunch. As urban fashion now goes hand in hand with this, your accommodation rents out bicycles.
St Elizabeth’s Cathedral dates mainly from the 15th and 19th centuries, with Gothic and Neo-Gothic styles. It is a noble building, rich in furniture. The large altarpiece of Saint Elizabeth, dating from the 15th century, is undoubtedly the major work here. It features three painting cycles: Elizabeth, the Passion, Advent. Around this large church, you’ll find examples of architecture from every style and era, as you would expect in a major regional capital. The walk along Hlavna ulica is quite pleasant. The Baroque Marian plague column dates from 1720. The Tabacka Kulturfabrik offers theatre, live music, creative exchange and cheap beer in a former tobacco factory.
About 30 km (19 miles) west of Kosice is the famous Jasov Premonstratensian Monastery, whose abbey church features a stunning Baroque décor. The library, for its part, reminds us that the information age did not begin with today’s social networks. Interestingly, you’ll experience similar feelings of grandeur in the nearby accessible karst cave: Jasovska Cave - UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Road to Hodrusa-Hamre, in the Stiavnica Mountains. On the itinerary, the Vigl'as region stands out. The Lutheran church - known as the “articular” church - of Hronsek was built of wood in the 18th century. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Just like the historic centre of Banska Stiavnica, for that matter (built with elegance thanks to gold and silver mines). Zvolen’s quadrangular castle dates from the 14th century: Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque. Expression of Italian influence in the region.
Overnight stay in a hotel focused on wellness and outdoor activities. The facilities are practical and let you enjoy a relaxed stay. They even invite you to do so - bright spaces, light, neutral tones, immediate comfort. The rooms meet serious standards. The bathrooms feel like outposts of the spa. With its indoor pool and saunas, the spa updates a long-standing tradition. The chef makes his greige dining room a place to meet the terroir, with fresh cuisine and a positive mood.
Drive to Vienna Airport. Car drop-off. Return flight.
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