Medieval towns, stunning natural assets grace Slovakia
Nearby national parks, although not exactly untrammelled wilderness, showcase Slovakia’s significant natural assets. Swarming with local hikers, Slovak Paradise National Park (also called Slovensky raj) is loaded with user-friendly amenities and covered with signage and hiker assists. We did the popular Sucha Bela trail, which follows a stream and waterfalls via hair-raising gorge-side catwalks and metal ladders. Acrophobics, beware. As I nervously waited in a line of 50 or so people to climb the first intimidating 27-metre ladder, mere inches from a waterfall, I watched fearless five-year-olds and dog-toting adults scampering up. This was my last chance to turn back; heading the wrong way on the trail henceforth could incur fines.
I somehow mustered the courage to continue. After several hours of hoisting myself up on chains and praying that the ladder rungs would hold, I emerged at the top of the canyon where, to my delight, mountain bikes awaited. For about $10, you could rattle down the mountain on squeaky braked, rusty bikes and be back at the base in no time to enjoy a fried dough snack at any of the park’s several cafés.
Thirty minutes northwest of Levoca, the ski resort town and former Soviet playground of Stary Smokovec serves as a gateway to hikes in the rugged, Alp-like mountains of Tatra National Park, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. For less ambitious hikers, a funicular railroad delivers you (and hordes of others) to a closer base to access delightful walks to waterfalls and into the mountains.
And the best was yet to come. Pushing southeast to complete the Slovak circuit, we arrived in Banska Stiavnica. (Not to be confused with Banska Bystrica, which is rumoured to be worthy of a visit and, unlike Banska Stiavnica, made it into DK’s guidebook.) It is a perfectly preserved medieval town whose main street winds its way up to the cobblestoned town centre, Trinity Square, and whose charms, culture and food rival those of any Italian hill town.
Set in a valley, it has two smallscale castles on either side — the 13th-century “old castle” and the 16th-century “new castle” — both with panoramic views. The town celebrates its mining history with museums. Because our pension was built over a mini-mine museum of its own, we skipped them. But we did take in an organ concert of Bach compositions in a 15th-century church and a medieval festival that fittingly took over the town square, complete with armoured knights, blacksmiths, stiltwalkers and makers of chocolates and dumplings, all of them dressed in period garb.
Medieval towns, natural beauty, cultural riches, magnificent castles, great food, a thriving café culture — all at affordable prices and with no tourist crowds. Slovakia turned out to be a fine destination after all.