Slovakia (also known as the Slovak Republic) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is surrounded by Austria to the west, Czech Republic to the north west, Hungary to the south, Poland to the north and Ukraine to the east.
With numerous medieval towns, high mountains, caves and a lively capital city, there's probably something for every traveller to enjoy in Slovakia. Slovakia is said to be the country with the highest number of fortified castles per capita in the whole world.
Regions
Cities
Other destinations
Understand
Slovakia has a temperate climate with sunny summers and cold, cloudy, humid and snowy winters.
Much of the central and northern part of Slovakia is rugged and mountainous. Gerlachovský štít at 2,655 m in the High Tatras is the highest point. The Tatra Mountains in the north, shared with Poland, are interspersed with many scenic lakes and valleys. The lowlands are in the south with the lowest point of the Bodrog River being 94 m above sea level.
Slovakia is also a country of massive medieval castles built on the rocks, beautiful detailed ones located on plains (there is about 180 castles and ruins) as well as country of caves. Most of 12 biggest caves (traditional karst caves, ice caves, aragonite cave etc) are open for public for several hours daily only, Tuesday to Saturday.
In 1918 the Slovaks joined the closely related Czechs to form Czechoslovakia. Following the chaos of World War II, Czechoslovakia became a communist country within Soviet-ruled Eastern Block. Soviet influence collapsed in 1989 and Czechoslovakia once again became free.
For many years overshadowed by their north-western Czech neighbors, political representations of Czech and Slovak decided to strike out on their own. The Slovaks and the Czechs agreed to separate peacefully on 1 January 1993 and Slovakia became a country in its own right.
Historic, political, and geographic factors have caused Slovakia to experience more difficulty in developing a modern market economy than some of its Central European neighbors. Finally, however, Slovakia joined the European Union and the NATO in 2004.
Ethnicities
There are some similarities between the Czech and Slovak cultures. However, although the Slovaks may talk and eat like the Czechs, they are not the same. One of the most striking differences is that while Czechs are largely atheists, Slovaks are largely Catholics. This they share with the Poles.
As a Hungarian territory for approximately thousand years, there is a Hungarian-speaking minority of 9.7%, mostly in southern Slovakia. The Slovak language is similar to Czech and Polish, but it is different. On the other hand, you won´t have a problem to understand the Slovaks, if you speak Polish or Czech.
In the eastern part of the country, there are many Romas/Gypsies and some Rusnacs/Rusins and Ukrainians. The Gypsies usually are the poorest, worst educated members of the society. They have higher levels of unemployment, criminality, and alcoholism than ethnic Slovaks. Most of the Gypsies do not give "Gypsy" as their nationality in censuses, but their true number is around 300.000.
There are also some Czechs, Poles and Germans living in Slovakia.
Get In
Visas
Since Slovakia is a EU member, citizens of EU countries do not require a visa for stays in Slovakia.
Australian, Canadian, New Zealand, Mexican and US citizens are all permitted to stay for up to 90 days without a visa.
South African citizens require a visa for entry into Slovakia, unless they have indefinite leave to remain as a resident in another EU country.
If you need a visa, always apply at an embassy beforehand. There are zero chances you get a visa at a Slovak border, no matter how you enter and what your nationality.
By train
The easiest way to get to Slovakia by train from west is via Vienna, in Austria. Bratislava is a simple 50 - 70 minute trip on a express or a local train (either via Kittsee or Marchegg).
Trains also travel to Slovakia from the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary and the Ukraine. Crossing to and from Ukraine is a lenghty process due to bogie changing (different gauge in Ukraine) and security measures. Keep in mind that crossing borders by train anywhere in Europe implies hefty surcharges. The best option is to buy a ticket to a station just on the other side of the border, and buy another one for onward travel there. You'll avoid the surcharge that way.
By bus
Among many others, there are regular services from Vienna, Prague and Budapest to Bratislava; and from Uzhhorod, Ukraine to the eastern Slovak town of Michalovce.
By plane
Bratislava has its own airport. Sky Europe provides the most convenient and cheap way to fly to Bratislava from London, Paris and many other European cities, as well as Kosice airport within Slovakia (22 destinations in total). ryanAir operates to Stansted, Hahn and some other cities.
Full service carriers providing service to Bratislava BTS are Czech Airlines and Lufthansa. Czech Airlines (CSA) provides several flights a day to/from its Prague hub. Similarly Lufthansa (LH) provides several flights a day to/from its Munich hub. There is also nonstop connection to Moscow and several other cities to the east.
The other alternative is Vienna airport Schwechat, which is just about 35 kms from Bratislava. It provides a more convenient way of arriving to Slovakia by the major airlines, but can be more expensive. Buses leave for Bratislava hourly, optionally you can take airport shuttle.
You can also fly to Krakow if you want to go to the Tatra Mountains. Buses from Krakow run to several Slovak towns around the Tatra mountains and Orava.
Scheduled connection between Poprad-Tatry Airport and London - Stansted is operated by SkyEurope Airlines Boeing 737 every Wednesday and Saturday.
Czech Airlines connects its Praha hub also with slovakian airports in Kosice, Sliac and Zilina. One can also fly between Kosice and Vienna (OS) and between Kosice and Bratislava (NE).
Get around
Trains
Train is by far the best option to travel across Slovakia, provided you don't have a private vehicle. Rail network is extensive, the only exception is central southern Slovakia, where buses are more efficient. Trains are fairly priced, reliable and clean. Opt for an InterCity service if you want Western-style comfort; IC trains link Bratislava, Žilina, The High Tatras and Košice. These are somewhat more expensive, but can save you from the crowds: ordinary trains do get crowded, usually on Fridays and Sundays. Watch out for pickpockets at major stations and steer clear of money scams. Also, sporadic robberies occur to sleeping passengers travelling the overnight longliners.
Hitchhiking
Hitchhiking in Slovakia is best done by asking around at gas stations. It used to be that most people only speak Slovak (and possibly understand other Slavic languages) so it was difficult for foreigners who don't speak Slavic languages. However, nowadays most of the young people speak English and almost as many speak German.
Keep in mind that trains and buses in Slovakia are cheap for Westerners, and (apart from extremely rural areas) it might take a while for someone to pick you up. You can find some offers if you travel from Slovakia and into Slovakia as well on specialized web pages. The biggest hitchhikers page in Slovakia is stopar.sk. There can find it offers in English, German and Hungarian language and it is free.
Talk
The national language of Slovakia is Slovak, a Slavic language which is similar to and mutually intelligible with Czech (before the 1993 break-up of Czechoslovakia, newscasters alternated languages in nightly news reports to give fair time to each). The younger generation however already tends to have problems understanding Czech.
Slovak is written using the same Roman characters that English uses, so Western travellers won't have any trouble reading signs and maps.
As a Hungarian territory for so many years, there is a significant Hungarian-speaking minority of 9.7%. Most of the Hungarians live in southern regions of the country and some of them speak no Slovak. Other Slovaks however normally do not speak or understand the Hungarian language.
While you can make do with English and German in Bratislava, in smaller towns and villages your only chance is trying to approach younger people that speak some English. Older residents may know some German. People born between 1935 and 1980 will have learned Russian in school. Sometimes, especially in the North and the East of Slovakia, you may try Polish. Other Slavic languages, especially Serbian, Croatian and Slovenian, may also work. In the east Rusyn, a Ukrainian dialect close to Polish is spoken. It is also intelligible with Russian to some extent.
Buy
The official currency of Slovakia is the Slovak koruna (SKK), symbol Sk, which is written AFTER the numeric value. The word koruna means "crown".
€1 = 34.500 Sk; US$1 = 29.368 Sk (22 Jan 2007).
The Euro is expected to replace the Slovak koruna around 2009; Euros are currently accepted in major shop chains and train stations. Always bring your hard currency into Slovakia and buy Slovak korunas there. Buying Slovak korunas abroad is not a good idea, the exchange rates are much worse.
Although some smaller vendors will accept Euros as well, it is highly recommended to exchange the currency to Slovak korunas beforehand, since most of the times they will do the conversion in their minds, rounding the quantities and even trying to cheat on prices.
Automatic teller machines (ATM, "bankomat" in Slovak, pl. "bankomaty") are widely available in Slovakia except in smaller villages, and obtaining money there should not present a problem. Credit cards and debit cards such as Visa, Mastercard, Visa Electron, Cirrus Maestro are widely accepted both in shops and restaurants in bigger cities.
Eat
'Bryndzové halušky' is Slovak national meal made with potato dumplings and special kind of not Pasteurized fermented sheep cheese called 'bryndza'. You will get pieces of fried meaty bacon on top of Bryndzové halušky. Apart from being very tasty and delicious, the bryndza is also extremely healthy. Some scientists suppose it can even prevent cancer and treat allergies.
Some kinds of bread contains caraway. You may not like it!
When you want to prepare food by yourself, you may find difficulties buying in vilages:
Dishes served in restaurants are usually small and often many items from menu are unavailable. Fried cheese is often considered as substitute of meat.
Drink
For non-alcoholic drinks try Vinea, a soft drink made from grapes, in both red and white and also non-carbonated. Kofola, a Coke-type soft drink, is also very popular among locals and is available both on tap and bottled.
Mineral waters are some of the best in the World and can offer positive effects, such as helping get rid of heart burn. There are many types available from shops and supermarkets, for example Budiš, Baldovská, Salvator, Slatina, Kláštorná etc. Others are only available directly from the many spas that naturally spring up all over the place.
For beers, there are a great variety of local brews that are similar in style to Czech beers. Try out the local Zlatý Bažant, Smadný Mních, Topvar and Šariš. Šariš is also available in a dark version that is thicker and heavier on your stomach. If the local tastes do not satisfy, "Western" beers are sold in the bigger restaurants and pubs. Note that quality of the tap beer may vary dramatically between different restaurants and pubs, depending on how well they can prepare the beer (good temperature, not too much carbon dioxide) and how they care about the equipment (clean pipes etc.).
Slovakia has also some great local wines, many similar to Germanic Riesling styles. There are also sweeter wines from the Southern border regions called Tokaj. Slovak wine might not be widely known outside the region but it is certainly worth a try. The best recent wine years in Slovakia were 1997, 2000, 2003 and 2006. The year 2006 is expected to be the best in the last 40 years backwards.
Slovakia produces good vodkas. Excellent is the plum brandy (Slivovica), pear brandy or liquor Demänovka. But the most popular alcohol is Borovička, a type of gin. In some shops you may try a 25 or 50 ml shot for very little money, so as to avoid buying a big bottle of something of unknown flavour, then decide whether to buy or not to buy ;)
If you are a more adventurous type, you can try some home-made Slivovica that the locals sometimes offer to foreigners. While it is allowed to ferment alcohol at home by law, it is prohibited to distill it. All home-made liquors are distilled in certified destileries so you don't have to be afraid of any health risks (apart from getting drunk). The home-made liquors are very strong (up to 60% alcohol) and usually not very tasty. However, if Slivovica is matured for 12 or more years, it can become a pleasant digestive drink.
Do
Cultural Events
Music Events
Sleep
Surprisingly many hotels and mountain chalets in Slovakia still charge differently based on the origin of their guests (foreign guests – presumed to be more affluent – are expected to pay more). Yes it is illegal in Slovakia, but do not expect the landlord or manager to change their mind.
Work
Unemployment is about 10%, but low in the capital, Bratislava. The country is still developing. Prices are similar to other post-communist countries in Central Europe. They are approaching those of Western Europe for goods such as electronics and brand clothing. Hotels and restaurants are cheap compared to Western Europe. In Bratislava, they are similar to Warsaw or Prague. They are lower especially in central Slovakia, and lowest in eastern Slovakia. These parts are poorer, and unemployment is quite high, reaching 20% in some places.
Stay safe
In case of an emergency, call 112, the universal emergency number. For police you can call 158, ambulance 155, and firefighters 150.
When visiting mountain areas of Slovakia, especially the High Tatra, inform hotel personnel of your trip plans, so that rescuers can be sent to find you if you don't return to the hotel. Also, when visiting High Tatras, contact local mountain rescue service of your intent, they may even provide you with a safety guidelines. Beware: the weather in High Tatras is prone to sudden changes, especially during spring and autumn.
The 2006 film Hostel is an American work of complete fiction, and there are no documented cases of tourists being kidnapped and tortured in Slovakia. It is considered a safe travel destination for all tourists, as is much of Europe. Do not mention it in conversation with Slovaks, as the film did to Slovakia's image approximately what Sacha Baron Cohen's "Borat" did to Kazakhstan.
Stay healthy
No vaccination is necessary to visit or stay in Slovakia although if you plan to visit countryside areas, tick vaccination is recommended. Also Hepathitis "A" and "B" vaccination is advisable as with all European countries.
Tap water is drinkable everywhere - according to one study, water used as tap water in the Bratislava-Vienna region is the cleanest in the world. If you prefer mineral waters, you can choose from multitude of marks, since Slovakia has probably highest numbers of natural mineral water springs per capita. Blue label usually indicates carbonated ones ("perlivá"), a green label indicates mildly carbonated ones ("mierne perlivá") and white, pink or red indicates those without carbon dioxide ("neperlivá").
Respect
Remember that Slovaks are a separate nation that have their independence for several years only.
As with all "young" nations, some people can be sensitive on nationality issues.
Slovakia (long form: Slovak Republic; Slovak: Slovensko, long form Slovenská republika) is a landlocked country in Central Europe with a population of over five million and an area of about 49,000 square kilometres (almost 19,000 square miles). The Slovak Republic borders the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south. The largest city is its capital, Bratislava. Slovakia is a member state of the European Union, NATO, OECD, WTO, and other international organizations.
The Slavic people arrived in the territory of present day Slovakia between the 5th and 6th century AD during the Migration Period (Migration of Nations). Various parts of Slovakia belonged to Samo's Empire, the first known political unit of Slavs, Great Moravia, the Kingdom of Hungary, Habsburg (Austrian) monarchy, Austria-Hungary, Czechoslovakia throughout history. Slovakia became independent on 1 January, 1993, after the Velvet Divorce.
History
= Before the 5th century =
From around 450 BC, the territory of modern-day Slovakia was settled by Celts, who built powerful oppida in Bratislava and Havránok. Biatecs, the silver coins with the names of Celtic kings, represent the first known use of writing in Slovakia. From 6 AD, the expanding Roman Empire established and maintained a chain of outposts around the Danube. The Kingdom of Vannius, a barbarian kingdom founded by the Germanic tribe of Quadi, existed in western and central Slovakia from 20 to 50 AD.
= Slavic states =
The Slavic population settled in the territory of Slovakia in the 5th century. Western Slovakia was the centre of Samo's Empire in the 7th century. Slovak state, known as the Principality of Nitra, arose in the 8th century and its ruler Pribina had the first Christian church in Slovakia consecrated by 828. Together with neighboring Moravia, the principality formed the core of the Great Moravian Empire from 833. The high point of this Slovak principality came with the arrival of Saints Cyril and Methodius in 863, during the reign of Prince Rastislav, and the territorial expansion under King Svätopluk.
= Kingdom of Hungary =
After the disintegration of the Great Moravian Empire in the early 10th century, the Magyars gradually annexed the territory of the present-day Slovakia. In the late 10th century, southwestern Slovakia became part of the arising Hungarian principality (since 1000 Kingdom of Hungary). Most of Slovakia was integrated into the Kingdom of Hungary by c. 1100, northeastern parts by c. 1400. Because of its high level of economic and cultural development, Slovakia retained its important position in this new state. For almost two centuries, it was ruled autonomously as the Principality of Nitra, within the Kingdom of Hungary. Slovak settlements extended to northern and southeastern present-day Hungary, while Magyars started to settle down in the southern part of Slovakia. The ethnic composition became more diverse with the arrival of the Carpathian Germans (from the 13th century), Vlachs (from the 14th century), and Jews.
A huge population loss resulted from the invasion of the Mongols in 1241 and the subsequent famine. However, medieval Slovakia was characterized rather by burgeoning towns, construction of numerous stone castles, and the development of art. In 1467, Matthias Corvinus founded the first university in Bratislava, but the institution was short-lived.
After the Ottoman Empire started its expansion into Hungary and the occupation of Buda in the early 16th century, the center of the Kingdom of Hungary (under the name of Royal Hungary) shifted towards Slovakia, and Bratislava (known as Pressburg, Pozsony, Pressporek or Posonium at that time) became the capital city of the Royal Hungary in 1536. But the Ottoman wars and frequent insurrections against the Habsburg Monarchy also inflicted a great deal of destruction, especially in rural areas. As the Turks retreated from Hungary in the 18th century, Slovakia's importance within the kingdom decreased, although Bratislava retained its position of the capital city of Hungary until 1848, when the capital moved to Budapest.
During the revolution in 1848-49, the Slovaks supported the Austrian Emperor, with the ambition to secede from the Hungarian part of the Austrian monarchy. But they failed in the end to achieve this aim. During the period of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, from 1867 to 1918, the Slovaks experienced severe oppression in the form of Magyarisation promoted by the Hungarian government.
= Twentieth century =
In 1918, Slovakia joined the regions of Bohemia and neighbouring Moravia to form Czechoslovakia (confirmed by the Treaty of Saint Germain and Treaty of Trianon). During the chaos following the breakup of Austria-Hungary, Slovakia was in 1919 attacked by the provisional Hungarian Soviet Republic and 1/3 area of Slovakia temporarily became the Slovak Soviet Republic.
During the Interwar period, democratic and prosperous Czechoslovakia was permanently threatened by the revisionist governments of Germany and Hungary, until it was finally broken up in 1939, as a result of the Munich Agreement concluded a year before. Southern Slovakia was lost to Hungary due to the First Vienna Award.
Under pressure from Nazi Germany, the First Slovak Republic, led by a clerical fascist leader Jozef Tiso, declared its independence from Czechoslovakia in 1939. However, Tiso's government was strongly influenced by Germany and gradually became a puppet regime. An anti-Nazi resistance movement launched a fierce armed insurrection, known as the Slovak National Uprising, in 1944. A bloody German occupation and a guerrilla war followed. Most Jews were deported from the country and murdered in German concentration camps during the Holocaust. Jozef Tiso was hanged in 1947 for collaboration with Nazism.
After World War II, Czechoslovakia was reconstituted and came under the influence of the Soviet Union and its Warsaw Pact from 1948 onward. In 1969, the state became a federation of the Czech Socialist Republic and the Slovak Socialist Republic.
The end of Communist rule in Czechoslovakia in 1989, during the peaceful Velvet Revolution, was followed once again by the country's dissolution, this time into two successor states. Slovakia and the Czech Republic went their separate ways after January 1, 1993, an event sometimes called the Velvet Divorce, but Slovakia has remained close partners with the Czech Republic, as well as with other Central European countries within the Visegrad Group. Slovakia became a member of the European Union in May 2004.
Geography
The Slovak landscape is noted primarily for its mountainous nature, with the Carpathian Mountains extending across most of the northern half of the country. Amongst them are the high peaks of the Tatra mountains,
Several municipalities, for example Komárno, Šahy, and Želiezovce, have a Hungarian majority. Other ethnic groups include Roma with 1.7%, Czechs with 0.8%, Ruthenians with 0.4%, Ukrainians with 0.2% and Germans with 0.1%. The estimated percentage of Roma ranges from 1.7% (self-identification of the Roma in the last census) to around 5.6% (based on interviews with municipality representatives and mayors, that is based on the ascription by the remaining population). Note however that in the case of the 5.6%, the above percentages of Hungarians and Slovaks are lower by 4 percentage points in sum.
The official state language is Slovak, a member of the Slavic languages, but Hungarian is also widely spoken in the south of the country and enjoys a co-official status in some municipalities.
The Slovak constitution guarantees freedom of religion. The majority of Slovak citizens (68.9 %) identify themselves with Roman Catholicism (although church attendance is lower); the second-largest group are people without confession (13%). About 6.93% belong to Lutheranism, 4.1% are Greek Catholic, Calvinism has 2.0%, other and non-registered churches 1.1% and some 0.9% are Eastern Orthodox. It is estimated that there are about 5,000 Muslims in Slovakia. About 2,300 Jews remain of the large estimated pre-WWII population of 90,000.
In 2004 Slovakia had a fertility rate of 1.25 (i.e., the average woman will have 1.25 children in her lifetime), which is one of the lowest numbers among EU countries. The fertility rate is currently increasing again.
Politics
Slovakia is a parliamentary democratic republic with a multi-party system. The last parliamentary elections were held on June 17, 2006 and two rounds of presidential elections took place on April 3, 2004 and April 17, 2004.
The Slovak head of state is the president (Ivan Gašparovič, 2004 - 2009), elected by direct popular vote for a five-year term. Most executive power lies with the head of government, the prime minister (Robert Fico, 2006 - 2010), who is usually the leader of the winning party, but he/she needs to form a majority coalition in the parliament. The prime minister is appointed by the president. The remainder of the cabinet is appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister.
Slovakia's highest legislative body is the 150-seat unicameral National Council of the Slovak Republic (Národná rada Slovenskej republiky). Delegates are elected for a four-year term on the basis of proportional representation. Slovakia's highest judicial body is the Constitutional Court (Ústavný súd), which rules on constitutional issues. The 13 members of this court are appointed by the president from a slate of candidates nominated by parliament.
Slovakia is a member state of the European Union since May 1, 2004 and of NATO since March 29, 2004. As a member of the United Nations (since 1993), Slovakia was, on October 10, 2005, for the first time elected to a two-year term on the UN Security Council (for 2006-2007). Slovakia is also a member of WTO, OECD, OSCE, and other international organizations.
Regions and districts
As for administrative division, Slovakia is subdivided into 8 kraje (singular - kraj, usually translated as regions, but actually meaning rather county), each of which is named after its principal city. Regions enjoy a certain degree of autonomy since 2002. Their self-governing bodies are referred to as Self-governing (or autonomous) Regions (sg. samosprávny kraj, pl. samosprávne kraje) or Upper-Tier Territorial Units (sg. vyšší územný celok, pl. vyššie územné celky, abbr. VÚC).
# Bratislava Region (Bratislavský kraj) (capital Bratislava)
# Trnava Region (Trnavský kraj) (capital Trnava)
# Trenčín Region (Trenčiansky kraj) (capital Trenčín)
# Nitra Region (Nitriansky kraj) (capital Nitra)
# Žilina Region (Žilinský kraj) (capital Žilina)
# Banská Bystrica Region (Banskobystrický kraj) (capital Banská Bystrica)
# Prešov Region (Prešovský kraj) (capital Prešov)
# Košice Region (Košický kraj) (capital Košice)
(the word kraj can be replaced by samosprávny kraj or by VÚC in each case)
The "kraje" are subdivided into many okresy (sg. okres, usually translated as districts). Slovakia currently has 79 districts.
In terms of economics and unemployment rate, the western regions are richer than eastern regions; the relative difference is not bigger however than in most EU countries having regional differences.
Economy
Slovakia has pursued a difficult transition from a centrally planned economy to a modern market economy. Major privatizations are nearly complete, the banking sector is almost completely in foreign hands, and foreign investment has picked up.
Solid domestic demand boosted economic growth to 4.1% in 2002. Strong export growth, in turn, pushed economic growth to a still-strong 4.2% in 2003 and 5.4% in 2004, despite a downturn in household consumption. Multiple reasons entailed a GDP growth of 6% in 2005, the 4th highest rate in the EU (after the three Baltic states). GDP growth is expected to reach 8.2% in 2006 (the year-to-year growth amounted to unexpected 9.8% in the 3th quarter of 2006 and stayed high at 9.5% year-to-year change in the 4th quarter of 2006), and 8.0% in 2007. The 9.8% growth came as a surprise to local analysts (6 % were expected), given that the big foreign investor Kia is going to launch its production only in late 2006. In 2006, Slovakia reached the highest economic growth among the members of OECD.
Unemployment, peaking at 19.2% at the end of 2001, decreased again to some 8.9% (March 2007). In addition to the economic growth, migration of workers to other member-states of the European Union also contributed to this reduction. The unemployment rate still remains among the highest in the EU.
Inflation dropped from an average annual rate of 12.0% in 2000 to just 3.3% in the election year 2002, but it rose again in 2003-2004 because of increases in taxes and regulated prices. It reached 3.7 % in 2005.
Slovakia plans to adopt the Euro currency on 1 January 2009 and has already entered the ERM II for this purpose (Slovak euro coins).
Slovakia is among the most attractive countries in the EU for foreign investors mainly because of its low labour costs (a 2005 survey by the prominent consultant firm Deloitte shows that Slovakia has the lowest labour costs in the European Union) and low tax rates. This issue has sparked criticism from some other EU countries, which accuse Slovak government of social and tax dumping. In recent years, Slovakia has been pursuing a policy of encouraging foreign investment. However, that has not shown any benefits so far in innovation capabilities within the country.
Despite a sufficient number of researchers and a solid secondary educational system, Slovakia (as well as some other post-communist countries) still faces many challenges in the field of modern knowledge economy. The business and public Research and development expenditures are deeply below EU average.
Tourism
Slovakia features interesting natural landscapes, mountains, deep caves, medieval castles and towns, folk architecture, spas and ski resorts.
See also
Culture
Holidays
Miscellaneous topics
Further reading
External links
