Have you ever heard about the crazy Easter customs in Slovakia which include guys pouring a bucket of cold water on girls and getting money or chocolate in return? Keep reading and all secrets will be revealed!  But before we get to the part where we discuss the true origins of the well-known “Ice bucket challenge“, let’s put you in the picture about the basic traditions of a Slovak Easter.

Easter is the most significant Christian holiday. Because it is a moveable holiday, its date changes every year. In Slovakia we celebrate Easter for 5 days – from Thursday until Monday. Every day has its name and importance: Holly Thursday (Green Thursday); Good Friday (Big Friday); Holy Saturday (White Saturday); Easter Sunday and Easter Monday.

Prior to the Easter we have 40 days of fasting which end on the Good Friday. During these days people should avoid meat. Good Friday is the biggest fast days of all. You can also do a symbolic fasting during which you stay of something you really enjoy – chocolate, alcohol, cigarettes, or favorite pc game.

by DRHURD.com

When the fast is over…

As any other Slovak holiday, Easter is also connected with the specific dishes, drinks, habits and superstitions. Preparations for the biggest day of the year starts on Green Thursday. Ladies in the house are busy cooking and baking all types of the Easter goodies. The foods most typical for the Easter are Paska bread, egg cheese – Hrudka, smoked pork ham (of lamb), bacon and sausages, hard boiled eggs and various pastries. Who cooks what and how is really different in every family. Most of the times it’s mothers teaching their daughters the secret recipes. The daughters adjust them a bit and introduce them to the new generation. Same dishes have different names based on the region.

by kosicednes

On White Saturday, housewives take a sample of everything they have prepared, put it in the wooden basket and go to church to get their work blessed. Blessing of the Easter Food Baskets on Holy Saturday or Easter morning is a tradition among Roman Catholic and Orthodox Christian Central and Eastern European nations. Food from the basket can’t be eaten until the Easter Monday and it traditionally becomes Easter breakfast for the family. Typical basket should include Paska bread, egg cheese – Hrudka, smoked pork ham (of lamb), bacon and sausages, butter, hard boiled eggs, various pastries bottle of wine, bit of salt and candle that gets lighten up during the blessing process.

Easter decorations

Before we move to the actual Easter habits Slovaks practice on Easter Monday, I have to mention our Easter decorations. To decorate your house before Easter is equally important like the cooking. It’s mostly women who decorate. Symbols of Easter in Slovakia are lamb, small bunnies, little yellow chicks and painted egg shells called “kraslice” (sg. kraslica). Baby animals are pagan symbols of spring and new life – end of night and beginning of day (end of winter and beginning of the spring).

Kraslica is an eggshell with two small holes on the two sides of it. The egg inside has been blown out of the shell. The techniques for decorating the eggs are different: the ornament is drawn with melted wax, the egg is then painted, the wax melts and then on the color background there is a white ornament left. To master this skill you need to practice. Today it’s mostly our grandmothers who decorate eggs in this way. When I was a kid, I painted my kraslice with the water colors and the final touch ups consisted of glitter.

Picture of “kraslice” by Tady

There are two more flowers, rather bushes, and one tree associated with our Easter decorations and Easter itself. The bushes are called “zlatý dážd” (golden rain) and “bahniatka.” People collect the branches and put them in the water. Then they hang their kraslice and other decorations on them. The tree associated with the Easter is willow. Men use willow branches to make “korbáč.“ They use it later on Easter Monday to whip single girls. Yes, I really meant to say whip.

Easter Monday is considered to be the most important Christian holiday – the day of Christ’s  resurrection. As a native born Slovak it has never crossed my mind that there is something special about the way we celebrate the Resurrection Day. It was the horrified looks of my foreign friends when I explained our habits.

Ladies, watch out! It’s Easter Monday

On Monday morning girls have to get up early in order to avoid being splashed with bucket of water in their beds. Then they have make sure that have enough dry clothes ready in order to survive more water splashing and whipping with korbac. Yes, on Easter Monday Slovak women and girls get splashed and whipped. The water splashing tradition is called “Oblievacka” and the whipping part is named “sibacka.” It’s the day hated by women and loved by men

by Bystricoviny.sk

Every single lady needed to get splashed in order to stay healthy and beautiful for the whole next year. The tradition is most visible in the villages, where people tend to honor our national heritage more. Guys had to start very early if they wanted to go through the whole village until noon, because splashing in the afternoon wasn’t polite. They dress up in the national costumes and visit all their cousins, aunts, sisters. On the way through the village they have fun and sing. Once they arrive to the girl’s house, they pull out all the single women out of the house and splash them. Girls, obviously, put some fight into it, so the scene looks like two guys are hold a poor thing while the third, fourth, fifth, etc. splashes her with bucket of water (if they have some mercy they put warm water in).

In the cities guys also visit their relatives. However they tend to move around in smaller groups and wear normal clothes. They don’t carry buckets, just very stinky perfumes J Some often just shower girl in the shower. After the oblievacka and sibacka, women reward men with sweets, fruit, money, painted Easter eggs, or ribbon for their korbac. While it is not required to give Easter eggs to visiting males on Easter Monday, only a few men will leave the house without a drink or small refreshment.

Many people would think that this tradition is humuliating for women without experiencing it. Actually, Allan Stevo, a traveller from Chicago living in Slovakia grabbed the essence of this tradition quite well:

I do not agree with this tradition being called humiliating. I know people who do not like it and therefore decide not to follow it. In the worst case scenario there is still the option of not opening the door. I can ensure everyone reading this that nobody will break inside somebody else’s residence and make them follow this tradition by force. Also please note, as I mentioned in the beginning, only good friends and family members visit each other nowadays, so it also cannot happen that random girl walking down the alley is attacked by “water thugs”.

You can read more on his blog: 10 Videos that You Might Not Like – The Sibacka Captured on Film

When I was younger I always looked forward Easter. I prepared goodies with my mum and painted egg’s shells with my dad. He even showed me how to make a korbac. I really enjoyed all the water-splashing, whipping and the overall atmosphere. I come from a big family and all my cousins and uncles payed me visit. Also my friends and classmates always showed up. I loved the attention. I ran around the house, played a little hide and seek with the visitors. As I grew older I’ve become less fan of it. However these days, when I live abroad, I’ve re-discover the beauty of our traditions and habits. This year I come home for Ester after a long time. I even take my Dutch boyfriend with me. He can’t wait for fun he is going to have splashing me, my mum and all my female friends

As you can see, it’s not the hidden Easter eggs and cute chocolate bunnies that make our Easter traditions so unique. Today’s Easter Monday divides people into two groups – those who love it (obviously mostly guys) and those who wouldn’t mind skipping all the fuzz around it (all the single ladies). Honestly, I don’t know who came up with all the whipping and splashing  and why it’s so different from all the other Easter celebrations. It must have something to do with some old pagan customs Slavic people used to have before the Christianisation. Truth is that all the whipping and splashing is responsible for some of my greatest childhood memories which I am going to remember my whole life. And I guess it was worth getting a little  bit wet.

If you think you would like to know more about the traditions in Slovakia come and visit us! Take a look at the tour Folk Traditions; or plan your own tailor-made tour and learn more about this fabolous country!

The post Do not visit Slovakia during Easter before you read this! appeared first on TIME FOR SLOVAKIA blog.

Love. 4 simple letters that can change your life. Love is universal. Feeling described by the word love hits everyone the same. The hormones produced by your body are the same. When you are in love it doesn’t matter who you are or where you come from. It’s only the manifestation of your love that is based on your culture and background.

Slovak love is the same like American, Turkish, Spanish, Eskimo or Swahili. However, our customs and traditions to express our feeling are bit different and unique. Today we live in the gender equality era. Rules between girls and guys, guys and guys or girls and girls got mixed up. The boundaries and etiquette are long gone and it’s up to you how you say “I love you” – “ľúbim ťa.”

Our grandparents and their grandparents lived in a different world. They lived according to the unspoken social rules based mostly on Catholicism. I would say the general rule for expressing love in Slovak is, or used to be, that it’s up to a guy. Girls usually passively waited to be picked out of the crowd. I can’t say that adultery or pre-marital sex didn’t  happen, of course it did. We are just people. But without ever present social media, cameras and smartphones, it was easier to keep it a secret.

by J.Kvaltinova

Love superstitions

Because single young girls didn’t have many choices to present their feelings openly, they did various rituals to influence their love of life or to find a perfect match. Some of the rituals were supposed to predict when and if they get married, other how their future husband will look like, etc. Note that being singe girl after 20 was a huge problem and shame for the family.

A special chapter of love superstitions is dedicated to Christmas. Christmas/Winter equinox was a magical time of the year not just for Christians, but also for pagans who lived in Slovakia before them.

4^th December – Day of St. Barbara – On St. Barbara’s Day, single girls were supposed to get a branch from a cherry tree. In order for magic to happen, they needed to water it early in the morning every day with fresh water transported from the source to the brunch in their mouth. This wasn’t always handy because springs with a fresh water or local wells were not close to the house. When the cherry tree bloomed on Christmas day the girls were supposed the get married soon. Girls who couldn’t pick or decide in between marriage offers got more branches and gave them names of boys. The one that bloomed showed the name of the future Mr. Right.

13^th December – Day of St. Lucia (Lucy) – On St. Lucy’s Day single girls got an apple they kept until the Christmas night. They bite into the apple every day until 24^th December midnight. With their last bite at midnight, they were supposed to see the name of the future groom in front of them. A modern representation of the habit is to write names of 13 boys on 13 separate pieces of paper. Then fold the papers and burn one of them every day (without looking at the names) until Christmas. The name on the last paper was the name of your future husband.

Christmas Night and Christmas Day are also rich for the old superstitions. Single girls were supposed to leave the house for a walk during preparation of the Christmas dinner. The man they meet on the walk is supposed to be their perfect match. Fasting was another way how to get Mr. Perfect. Stricter the fasting better the husband. Another tip for a solo lady was to peel an apple and throw the apple skin behind you in the corner. The letter the apple skin reminds the most, was the first letter in the name of the upcoming fiancée.

Early in Spring girls made little flower wreaths and tossed them into rivers. Whoever picked the wreath was supposed to marry the girl who made it. I really wonder how this one worked out cause the wreaths unusually traveled quite far away. Person who picked them, if any, must have no clue how they got into water.

Last calendar day of Autumn – 30^th November – St. Ondrej (Andrew) – had also magical power for young single ladies. At midnight before St. Andrew’s Day a girl went to knock on a chicken shelter (a place where you keep chickens at night) and ask if she is going to get married. If she hears a cock (male chicken) first, she will get married and if she hears a hen first, poor thing is supposed to come next year again. Another habit associated with St. Andrew is that girls baked fresh bread and put a piece of it in front of a dog. The piece eaten as the first by dog showed which girl is gonna get married first.

Expressions of love and engagement

Once a guy picked his bride it was time to show it. And wait if the loved one’s family will accept his offer.

Early in the spring boys go to the forest where they cut down a tree, mostly a young birch. They decorate the tree with long and colourful ribbons and build it up in front of the girl’s house. The tree is called Máj. This was done every night before the first day of May. If the tree stood crooked than it was a shame for a girl’s family as well for a guy who build it. On 1^st May groups consisted of local musicians and young single boys visited every house with the Máj built night before. They danced with every girl in the house and as a reward they received some booze.

by P.Ďurčo

If the guy likes a girl, he also asked for her bloomed cherry brunch and wore it on his hat. He also could have asked for another little gift, like a flower or flock of hair he then wore on his clothes.

Once the guy decided he wants to marry a girl, his family sent an elder family member to the house of a future bride. If he came back with a positive answer it was time to celebrate. This was not any official engagement, it was more a private try out that was supposed to save you a public humiliation in the case the bride family says no. And yup, parents had a strong word in their daughter’s marriage choice.

Once the families agreed upon marriage, the groom’s family visited the bride’s family where they set up the rules and agreed upon “terms and conditions.” Mostly they just divided money and property among the families. In this part young couple didn’t play a big role. It was the parents talk. This meeting took place a week after the initial contact from the groom’s elderly.

by Z.Skalička

Once the money was divided it was finally time for the proper engagement. Finally, we can talk about the actual  wedding associated traditions and some kind of celebrations. For the engagement lunch or dinner, close family members were invited. It always took place in the house of the bride. The young couple exchanged rings. It can happen that only a bride receives a ring, but usually a groom gets some kind of gift as well (ring, watch, necklace, etc.) Young groom officially asked parents of the girl for her hand and thanked them for taking care of her. He also thanks his own parents. Once everybody agrees, a young couple asks for blessings from both parents, bride’s and groom’s. After the engagement, the couple goes to the church where they announce their plans to the priest. Three following Sundays, the priest announces upcoming marriage during Sunday masses and asks the village people if they know about any issues that could stop the marriage. If no one shows up, the couple is free to get married after 3 weeks from the engagement.

by hellomagazine

Wedding traditions vary from region to region. They are so broad that they would need to be described in a separate post.

From the girl perspective, there is something magical about our grandpas’ chivalry and old fashioned etiquette. Young people knew what to expect, how to react and also had an idea about what’s going to happen. Today we live in a socially undefined era and young girls don’t have a stable ground to stand on. Will he call? If yes, what should I say? On the other hand, we are free to date various partners and learn from our mistakes. We also can pick our partners based on feelings and not on money (at least in my case) ?

As I said at the beginning, love is universal. It’s a state of mind that turns your world upside down. To be in love is a wonderful feeling and I wish you all to experience it at least once in a life. So if you have someone special in your life, don’t forget to cherish him/her and enjoy the time you can spend together!

Happy Valentine!

The post Funny Slovak Superstitions about Love and Marriage appeared first on TIME FOR SLOVAKIA blog.

by janeks

Why we love Pieniny National Park

Most of the visitors to the park are Slovak or Polish speaking people. We are sort of used to our bad roads in our country, so we don’t let that to stand in our way when adventure awaits. The park offers you various types of activities. You can go hiking, rent a bike and enjoy some mountain biking, rent a raft and get wild on the water, take a tour on one of the wooden rafts, or just play tennis at the local tennis courts. The easiest way to get to the Pieniny mountains is by car, hiring a local guide, but you can also get here by bus.

by m.chudzik

Rafting on the traditional wooden rafts

First Pieniny adventure on my list is  rafting on the wooden rafts on river Dunajec. This is not adrenaline “on the edge” kind of rafting like you’ve seen in the movies. These rafts are wooden, slow, comfy and safe. It’s a perfect whole 3 generation family fun. But you have to watch your kids so they don’t end up in the river ? The wooden raft can take up to 10 adult people and the rafter/tour guide/the guy who directs the raft. In Slovak, we call these people “pltníci” (sg. pltník) and the rafts are called “plte” (sg. plť).

by H.J.Kovacova

Dunajec is the only river that takes waters from the Slovak territory to the Baltic Sea. It is actually one of only two Slovak rivers flowing to the north. Back in the middle ages people started to use it to transport the goods to the North. It was easier and faster to put the piles of wood to the raft and let the mother Earth do the work for you than to carry them over the mountains. Wood got transported this way the most often because the north people needed wood for the ships. Later in the 18^th century locals started to use it  as a form of transportation for people too.

by timeforslovakia.com

The tour on the raft is 14 km long, takes around 1 hour and 45 minutes  and costs 10 – 12 Eur pp. Once you get into the raft you get welcomed by the tour guide who will direct the raft and also explain and describe what you see. These guys are locals who have rafting in their genes. They all wear old local clothes and black hats decorated with little white shells. The shells have special meaning, every shell stands for one voyage to the north and to the see. Some of them do speak English and some don’t. I guess you need to get lucky with the tour guide ? One little advice – Wear waterproof shoes and prepare you might get bit wet.

The rafting experience is awesome. You will see the best of the mountains from the unique perspective. Through the ages the river created a canyon – Dunajec Canyon. This is the biggest naturally build Canyon in the Central Europe. The sceneries you will see are really breathtaking. The tour guide will point out the highlights of the tour and he will add a little story to every single of them.  The river is pretty deep, at some places almost 12 m. Overall you go through the elevation of 40m.

by Jarek W.

At the end of the tour you have a couple of options how to get back to the start point (and to your parked car). You can walk, rent a bike or hop on the carriage pulled by horses. Transportation back is not included in your initial 10 Eur so you need to prepare some extra cash. Walk back is not that physically difficult (no elevation) but it is pretty long.

Rafts take off every hour and  you need to get your tickets prior to the boarding ?. You can buy them in the little store located next to the raft harbor. Note that places on the rafts are limited and it might happen that you have to wait for the next tour. While waiting, you can enjoy some local food and drinks in nearby restaurant and hotel. Rafts are available daily from 9:00 to 16:00.

by J.Blatnicky

There are various overnight possibilities in the area as well. You can stay in the local hotel, or camp outdoors (you need to register which is app. 2,50 Eur per tent). If you decide to stay longer you can also try real adrenaline rafting or kayaking. Both are available with the instructors. Just ask at your hotel and they will be happy to help you out.

Abandoned monastery in Cerveny Klastor

Another spot worth visiting in the area is Cerveny Klastor – Red Monastery. Cerveny Klastor is an abandoned monastery located nearby the village of the same name. The monastery got its name from the red shingles, on the roof. It was built in the 14th century, when the region was part of the Hungarian Empire. In 1307, a man Master Kokos, committed a murder and as a punishment he had to found 6 monasteries. Later he donated a large portion of land from his village to monks to build a monastery. It was originally built out of wood, but later rebuilt using bricks.

by B.Schraiber

The monastery was home of the Cartesian monks, one of the strictest hermetic orders. Their life in the monastic community was spent in seclusion, in continual silence, prayer, fasting and meditation. In 1565, the monastery was invaded by mercenaries, which resulted in the monks’ abandoning the place and fleeing abroad and dissolution of the monastery. The monastery has never retained its former glory back.

Today the monastery is open to the public. It has been reconstructed and it works as a museum with local geographical exposition, spiritual/monk live exposition and part is also devoted to monastery most famous monk – Cyprian.

by H.Gallyova

Brother Cyprian was a famous surgeon, doctor and pharmacist, who, in his most significant work ‘Herbarium’, written in the 18^th century, describes almost 300 species of herbs found in the Pieniny and the High Tatras. He also opened one of the first Slovak pharmacies and help locals with their illnesses. An old legend says that he died while testing his flying machine. He jumped out of a mountain in Pieniny and when angels saw him flying they stroke him with a lighting and he ended up on the bottom of the river Dunajec.

The museum is open daily all year long. The opening times varies according to the months. In summer months its open from 8:00 till 19:00 and in winter it’s from 10:00 till 16:00. The last tour is always an hour before the closing time and entrance fee is 3 Eur pp. For bigger groups or some special assistance, you need to call them and reserve the tour.

by muzeumcervenyklastor

National park Pieniny has a lot to offer. You can go for a tour on wooden rafts or visit a very unique monastery museum. I haven’t mentioned dozens of hiking paths across the mountains with the most stunning views. You can pick! People in the area are very friendly and will love to help and advise. The untouched beauty of the mountains is well preserved and you will find something to do here all year long. In the winter, you can also check out local ski resorts. In the summer, it’s just 7 km to a big lake in Poland or to Slovak aquacity in Poprad (50 km). The area in general, service and accommodation here is way cheaper than in High Tatars but equally awesome!

Where to stay in Pieniny?

There are plenty of reasonably priced guest houses in the area of the National Park of Pieniny. If you would like to try the traditional rafting during the day, do some walking in the nature and relax with no hassle, the best place to stay overnight is the village of Červený Kláštor located on the right side of the Dunajec river, or a Polish village Sromowce Nizne right across the river. We recommend to book your stay in following hotels and guest houses:

Penzión Tulip

Penzión Tulip is a perfectly located guest house right in the middle of the village of Červený Kláštor. All attractions (such as rafting, kayaking, bike rental & restaurants) are available just few steps from the entrance door. We love this place because you can get the large apartment including kitchen and breakfast for two people for less than 50€!

Click here for bookings, rates and availability.

Drevenica pod Troma Korunami

Drevenica pod Troma Korunami is an ideal place for your stay if you love traditional wooden architecture of Slovakia and you’re looking for a great deal. This is neither a hotel nor guest house, but you will definitely fall in love with this one. It is a wooden cottage with 8 beds and you can book the whole house for just 79€/night during the summer season.

Click here for bookings, rates and availability.

Hotel Nad Przełomem

Hotel Nad Przełomem is the only hotel in our list of recommended accommodations. And it deserves a great respect. We were amazed by excellent breakfast options, big and comfortable rooms with unlimited access to the wellness area and free parking. It was a pleasure to get a 60 min. massage after a day full of entertaining activities in the nature.
Click here for bookings, rates and availability.

Would you like to experience the rafting on the traditional wooden rafts in Pieniny? Book our one-day trip to Pieniny and enjoy your time.

The post Top Things To Do In The Pieniny National Park (Slovakia) appeared first on TIME FOR SLOVAKIA blog.

You would say that Christmas starts on 24/25 Dec. But that’s not entirely true for Slovakia. Because most of the Slovaks are Christians, our Christmas starts 4 weeks ago, to be more exact 4 Sundays before the actual Christmas eve. This period is called Advent. Advent is a season observed in many Western Christian churches as a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus at Christmas. The term is a version of the Latin word meaning “coming”.

by bystricoviny

During this period we prepare various Christmas decorations we will use later, bake gingerbread and other types of pastry, deep-clean houses (traditional period of cleaning windows and curtains :p ) and if you are a true  Christian believer you also go to church to get confession, so you can welcome baby Jesus with a clean soul. All the parties, weddings, big celebrations are postponed during this expectation period. There are of course some exceptions to this rule.  Very typical for this period is so-called Advent calendar or Advent wreath. Most of the time it is a wreath decorated with 4 candles. Every Sunday prior to the Xmas Eve, for the period of the 4 following Sundays, one candle is burned.

It’s also the time when cities and towns start to prepare for Christmas. They put on decoration, Christmas lighting and organize Christmas markets. December is a very cold month and you need some mulled wine and warm punch to keep yourself fit. It also gets dark pretty early, so nice afternoon walk through the Christmas market with all those lights and some nice booze will set you into the mood for some Xmas shopping.

by nitralive

Slovak Christmas lasts three days. We celebrate from 24^th until 26th . We also receive our presents at 24^th, on the Christmas Eve after the dinner. Tradition is that we build up our Christmas tree on 23th Dec, but these days everybody is busy and people build up the tree usually the weekend before Christmas Eve. Some families with small kids build up their trees on the night from 23^rd  to 24^th. So when the children wake up in the morning they have a special surprise from Baby Jesus. And yeah, our gifts get delivered by the baby Jesus, not by the Santa Claus ? And yes, none of the kids ever questioned the fact how can a baby deliver the presents. It’s all just part of the Christmas magic.

by najmama

There is one more thing you can’t forget before the Christmas Eve. Buy a carp. Carp is a traditional fish we eat on Christmas. But it’s a tradition, not an obligation. A lot of people end up eating a different kind of fish. Before Christmas, you can buy live carp in a lot of supermarkets and on open door markets. You bring this poor thing home and keep it in your bath until the dinner time. Your kids get excited from new fish and they name little “Nemo”. They take baths together, feed it until one day little Nemo gets cooked and served ?

by jancigovci

24^th December – Christmas Eve: It’s my  most favorite day of the  whole year. Since morning mums are busy in the kitchen cooking Christmas soup – kapustnica and making the mayonnaise potato salad. There are many variations to the soup. Some people make mushroom soup other make sour lentil soup. Rest of the family either help or just fool around and try to find something yummy to eat. You are not supposed to eat the whole day, so you can enjoy the Christmas dinner (See the golden pig). But with all that cooking you usually grab little something to eat anyway. TV is full of Christmas movies and radio plays Christmas songs all day long. Christmas Eve is celebrated together with the family. Parents, grandparents, kids, uncles, cousins will sit behind one table and enjoy this special feast.

by nfkms

Generally, our Christmas dinner consists of some starter, soup made of cabbage and mushroom and fish with a mayonnaise potato salad. It’s food that gets cooked only once a year and everyone looks forward to it. These dinners and recipes have many variations, depends on the region and family traditions.

Some of the families set one extra plate on the table for all the loved who are not among us anymore. Some put coins under the plates on the table, to have prosperous next year. Other families cut and share an apple, so they can meet in like this again. Some families pray, some don’t.

Back in the days, people were more superstitious and followed more traditions. On Christmas night, you could predict who will die or if someone in the family gets married. Also, the dinner looked differently. In the poorer regions, it consisted of the simple soup, richer people also got fish on their tables. Only the kids in the richest families received gifts.

by partnersgroup

After the dinner head of the family (usually the father/grandfather) goes to the living room where it’s the Christmas tree. Everyone else waits until the head of the family puts the gifts under the tree. Then he rings the bell and the rest of the family is allowed to enter the room as well. Then we open our presents. People with older kids who grew up from the baby Jesus phenomena arrange the gifts under the tree before the dinner, so they have less work later.

Rest of the evening we spend talking, having deserts, watching TV and just enjoying each other company. Kids spend their evening playing with new toys. Some people go to the church at midnight so they can sing together beautiful Christmas songs.

25^th December – Christmas Day: Everybody gets up late after the night full of digesting that yummy food from last night dinner. Nobody hurries up. Today it’s the day you visit your families and friends, come together an wish each other Merry Christmas.

In villages, groups of youngsters get together, dress up in folk costumes and walk around the village and sing Christmas songs and wishes. They stop in every village house where they get treated with pastry, lot of food and tapas and of course alcohol. Many people also go to church again. They pray together and celebrate that Baby Jesus got born.

by katgymbs

26^th December – Second Christmas Day: The second Christmas Day is very familiar to the first one. We mostly spend it with families and friends, finishing all the food from the Christmas Eve. The biggest difference is, that the ban of the parties is lifted. In many cities and villages, St. Stephan parties are organized.

Personal experience: Since I live abroad, I don’t get to see my family that often as I would like to. That’s why are these traditions and moments with loved ones so precious to me. On 24^th Dec my parents cook together the Christmas dinner. We have cabbage soup with forest mushroom and pork sausage. We don’t eat carp, rather have fillets. It’s my job to prepare the Christmas table, we always use special dishes, napkins, etc. I hide coins under each plate to make sure we all be rich next year (never works, but it’s a cute tradition). Dinner starts with a prayer, after which we all  eat a piece of garlic that is supposed to keep us a healthy whole year. After that, we have special round wafers with honey. That one is followed by the soup and then fish with the salad.

After the dinner, my dad goes to the living room to open the window for the baby Jesus and once the baby leaves we can come in and open the presents. Following days, we spend visiting families and friends and celebrating together. I always get like 5 extra kg from all the “super healthy” food, but I would never change a thing!

Merry Christmas  everybody!

The post Slovak Christmas Traditions appeared first on TIME FOR SLOVAKIA blog.

Museums in Košice

You can find a regional museum in both cities, but Kosice is a home of the Eastern Slovakia Museum, one of the oldest and most important museums in Slovakia. Its exhibitions provide visitors with an insight into the history and nature of Eastern Slovakia. The museum features a number of unique exhibits. Except three major exhibitions – natural, historic and cultural- it’s also a home of the Golden treasure. The golden treasure has been found in 1935 during a reconstruction of the one of the city buildings. It is believed that the treasure has been hidden around the year 1679 because the city was occupied by a Hungarian lord Imrich Thokoly. It consists of more than 2900 golden coins, golden chains and some golden medals.

by Iveta Vaculová

The Carpathian Nature exposition is the natural exposition of the Eastern Slovakia museum.
The exposition is dedicated to the nature of the Carpathian region. A rich natural collection fund of the museum is represented by the exhibition consisting of 1,100 pieces of geological samples, 800 pieces of invertebrate and vertebrate zoological collections and 140 botanical exhibits.

by vsmuzeum

Centuries in Art – The exposition shows to its visitors the development of art from the early Middle Ages to the beginning of the 20th century. It covers everything from the local Sacral art trough the craftsmanship of medieval artists until the exposition accentuates the indications of the interiors illustrating the housing from the 18th century to the beginning of the 20th century.

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The Mikluš’s prison is also part of the museum. The exposition consists of the interior of the former prison, the underground premises of the former torture chamber, which also includes a permanent installation of wax figures of executioner Mikluš and his captive and a mini-lapidary collection.

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The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 9:00 till 18:00 and in winter months till 17:00. Entrance fee is 2 Eur. You can also buy a Welcome Kosice card which gives you a free access to 10 museums in Kosice, discounts in cafés, shops and restaurants and free public transport around the city.

The city of Kosice has a lot to offer. Beautiful city center, friendly people and lot of activities for youngsters and older visitors. But also outside of the city there is a lot to explore. The next museum on my list is the Andy Warhol museum in Medzilaborce.

Andy Warhol Museum in Medzilaborce

Museum of the contemporary art and Andy Warhol in Medzilaborce is still the only museum dedicated to the work and message of Andy Warhol in Europe. And why this small town? Everybody knows that Andy was born in the US, but what is less known is that his parents come from this region and emigrated to the US. Andy was influenced by his mother and her craft work. She also sold her little homemade creations to help the family to survive. The museum holds many private items of the famous painter, including originals and the copies of his most famous paintings. Most of the items have been given to the museum by the Andy Warhol Foundation and Andy’s brother Paul.

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The entrance to the museum is 3,50 Eur and the museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 am until 17:00 pm or 16:00 pm in the winter months. If you are a fan of Andy’s work this museum is a must-stop on your journey.

The museum of historic vehicles

Another stop on our museum journey is a tiny museum of historic cars in a town named Kežmarok. The museum of historic vehicles in Kežmarok is located behind the walls of Kežmarok Castle. It’s open from Monday till Sunday during the main season and the entry fee is only 2 Eur. Don’t miss your chance to see a unique fire truck Skoda 154 (1929), the only one of its kind in Europe. The exposition has been put together by the automobile club of Poprad and it consists of various cars from and after the WWII period. All the cars have a different story and the tour guys are eager to tell them out. I am sure all the car lovers will see the soul in these old cars. I know this small  museum might not be the attraction of the year, but it still might be a lovely off-road stop on your way to Tatras or the aqua park in Poprad.

If you have more time to explore, visit the exhibition of the Kežmarok Castle dedicated to the history of the castle and see unique weapons, pharmacy equipment and listen to the sad story of imprisoned mistress of Albert Lasky in the observation tower.

The Museum of Military History

One of the most interesting museums in the east part of Slovakia is the Army museum in Svidnik. The museum of Military History in Svidnik is a part of the bigger museum in Piestany that was created in 1965 to remember the terrors of the WWI and the WWII. The Svidnik part of the museum is mostly dedicated to the Carpathian operation that happened in the WWI, WWII battles in the region and also home resistance against Nazi occupation.

The exposition includes old documents and photographs, 3D models of the battles, various old vehicles, tanks, uniforms, weapons and aircrafts from the era in between the 1914-1945. It’s both indoor and outdoor exposition. And because this is an army museum, everything is organized, cataloged and professional. Even on the museum webpage you can find all the categorized details of every single item in the museum. The museum is really worth of visit especially when you have small kids. They can get in old army vehicles, tanks and aircrafts. Everything is authentic and all the items experienced the real combat.

Nearby the museum you can find a memorial of the Dukla battle, the cemetery of Nazi soldiers and abandoned German and Russian tanks. The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 9:00 am until 17:00 pm and the entrance fee is only 1Eur. It is important to remember what has happened in those two horrible wars and to not repeat the same horrible mistakes again.

Open-air Museums of Folk Architecture

Last but not least part of the museum post is dedicated to the outdoor museums – skanzens. Well, the concept of skanzen has been already introduced in my previous posts, it’s basically and authentic outdoor museum of a city of a village. And we have quite a few skanzens in this part of the country – skanzen in Humenne, Ždiar, Stará Ľubovňa, Bardejov and Svidník.

Each of the skanzens will show you how people used to live couple of hundred years ago. The center of every little village was always a church. All these little churches are built exclusively from wood. They are also open so you can also get inside and see the interiors. These little villages also include living houses of people from various social backgrounds, houses where they store tools and animal houses. Nearby every skanzen there is always a local folk restaurant that serves traditional Slovak dishes. That gives you one more reason to check them out :o)

East Slovakia is beautiful. I personally come from Prešov which is a center of Šariš region in East Slovakia. It’s a beautiful city filled with great people as well as the rest of Slovakia. People over here speak a special dialect which seems to be un-understandable for the rest of the country. Also, a joke comes to my mind talking about East Slovakia – In the whole world noone ever defeated alcohol, but Eastern Slovaks achieved a draw. Cheers!

The post Best Museums To Visit In The Eastern Slovakia appeared first on TIME FOR SLOVAKIA blog.

The central Slovakia has two major cities – Žilina in the North and Banská Bystrica in the center of the region. Both have rich history and city /regional museums you can visit – Považské Museum in Žilina and Central Slovakia Museum in Banská Bystrica. These museums host mostly geographical and  historical  expositions of their region.  In the case you are in the mood for some travelling and something more unique, we have couple of suggestions:

Bojnice Caste and museum

The castle was originally wooden. Later it was gradually built up from stone as the property of the Poznan family in the 13th century. It was owned by many royal families until it ended up in the hands of Jan Frantisek Palfi who restored the castle in the current romantic shape. In 1950, a museum has been established within the walls of the castle.

Today the castle is known for many attractions, including the popular Castle Fairytale, the International Festival of Ghosts and Spirits and the Summer Music Festival. It hosts one of the most popular museums in Slovakia and has featured in many Slovak and international movies. The castle is available to rent out and you can organize every-girl-dream wedding here. Because all girls want to be a princess at least for a day :o)

Bojnice Castle is surrounded by the castle park featuring numerous species of trees. The park also contains a ZOO, the oldest and one of the most visited ZOOs in Slovakia.

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Open-air museums of folk architecture

Open-air museums of Slovak folk architecture are called skanzens. There are 11 official skanzens in Slovakia located all around the country. Skanzens offer the best possibility to travel back in time and to experience the authentic atmosphere of the Slovak village from couple of hundred years ago. They are basically preserved old villages with authentic houses, churches, stables, etc.  Most of the buildings are made of wood, or combination of wood and stone.

What makes every skanzen different it’s its differences in the architecture – mostly decorating. Every area and region in Slovakia has different habits, folk dresses and also culture. All these features plus the location  shaped the look of these historic villages. Most of the skanzens also offer various exhibition, demonstration and workshops of Slovak folk crafts.

Open-air Museum of Slovak Village

Probably the best skanzen to visit in the central Slovakia is an open-air museum of Slovak Village. Built in late 60s as a largest exhibition of traditional folk architecture, this museum shows the way of life in Slovakia. A visitor can see here all kinds of buildings – peasant houses, larders, lumber rooms, farmsteads, shepherd’s huts, sacral and the craftsman’s and linen-maker’s houses.

Every year, regular events with demonstrations of traditional manufacturing, craftsmanship and folk culture are held here. The dates of these events are available on the Museum’s website. Besides open-air exhibitions and various events, the Museum of the Slovak Village offers also a possibility to buy handcrafted folk items. Finish your visit and refresh yourself in an 1811 log inn from Oravská Polhora.

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Čičmany  

This village located close to Žilina is known for being the first folk architecture reserve in the world which was founded in 1977. All the houses are made out of timber and have ridge roofs, galleries and pointed or linear walls. The village consists of 136 buildings. Another characteristic of the village is its white decoration. The white geometrical ornaments of the house’s wall has been done by local women. The paint was supposed to protect the houses from the nature forces. The same geometrical ornaments can be found on local folk dresses, tablecloths and other undefined products made by the crafty house wifes :o)

It possible to spend a night or two in a hotel Javorina that’s located 10 min walk from village and is furnished in the same style like a village. Here you can also see a little petting zoo and a popular sky resort is located near by the village too. And of course, try sole local Slovak specialties served there!

The village is open all year long and the entrance is just 2 €. During the tour you and walk free around the village and enter the open houses. You can see how were the houses equipped and furnished years ago.

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Museum of Orava village

It is located three kilometres away from Zuberec, at Brestová in Orava Region. Over an area of about 20 hectares you can find typical folk buildings moved here from various regions of Orava. Contrary to Čičmany, not all the houses are made of timber. A lot of them are made of stones and bricks.

The Museum is divided into five sections regarding each individual region. Once you get in the houses you will notice markable differences in furniture and equipment, based on wealth of the owners. Richer people lived in houses with multiple rooms, poor people shared only one room houses which worked as kitchen, living room and bedroom at once.

The Museum regularly organises ethnological expositions and the international Podroháčsky Folk Festival is held in the local amphitheatre in August. The museum is open all year long but opening hours vary based on the season. Entrance fee is about 2,50 €.

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Vlkolínec (UNESCO)

You don’t have to visit open-air museums to see the traditional folk architecture of Slovakia. There are a lot of villages in Slovakia, where the real traditions still prevail. One of the best-known Slovak villages is undoubtedly Vlkolínec. Thanks to its charming look and completely preserved character of typical Slovak settlement, Vlkolínec was added to the List of the World’s Cultural Heritage of UNESCO in 1993.

On the edge of the village is a small car park for visitors. The entry fee is only 2€ and you get all necessary information flyers in Slovak, English and German explaining the village’s history.

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Museum of Coins and Medals in Kremnica

This is one of the oldest museums in Slovakia. It was created in 1890. First it hosted mostly geographical expositions but today it is the one and only exhibition specialized in numismatics and medal making in Slovakia. It is situated in a gothic burgher´s house in the historical square of the city of Kremncica. The current exhibition was opened to the public in 2003, after a complex renovation. The exhibition presents the history and evolution of the means of payment in Slovakia from  ancient times till the present coins and banknotes, as well as the history of medal making, includes several unique exhibits.

An important part of the exhibition is dedicated to the history of the old mining and minting town of Kremnica with its well known Mint, which has been in operation nearly 700 years. In the exhibition-space,  the museum offers various temporary exhibitions presenting, in particular, numismatics and medal art, etc. The museum is open all year long and the entrance fee is less than 3 €.

Once you’re done in the museum, there is still plenty to see in the small town of Kremnica. You can check out the city castle, the exhibition of the STONEWARE GARDENS which is located in the same building or the local gallery.

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Museum of Slovak National Uprising

Slovak National Uprising was one of the key events in Slovakia’s history. During the WWII, Slovaks decided to join the Soviet Army and fight against Germany. That was the largest armed resistance, which took place on the territory of German allies during the World War II. Thousands of soldiers died fighting for liberation from Germans. Don’t forget to make a short stop in the biggest city of Central Slovakia and visit this museum, which is located right in the middle of the city.

The monumental building of the museum belongs to the strangest buildings you have ever seen. Many criticize the architecture for being monstrous or cold-hearted, others like it for being futuristic or ambitious. Form your own opinion and don‘t forget to take photos when walking around the amazing collection of tanks, guns and uniforms. You can even enter an old Russian plane from WWII and explore it from inside!

Open-air mining museum

Banská Štiavnica is known for many as a lovely town with rich mining history. The town became the biggest mining centre of the Habsburg Monarchy and it is the home of the first mining academy in the world. This completely preserved medieval town was inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1993.

One of the best attractions in the town is the open-air mining museum. Visitors pick up helmets, cloaks and lamps and enter the underground excursion in mines. Dressed up as real miners you will descend to one of its pits dated from the 17th century. The underground tour takes about 90 minutes and costs only 5€.

Open-air forestry museum

To visit the open-air forestry museum in Vydrovská valley we recommend to take a ride on one of the most spectacular railroads in Central Europe – Čierny Hron Railway. Travelling by this historic steam train will take you right back to the times when it was used to transfer wood from the surrounding forests. The route twists amongst an overwhelming scenery of woodlands to reach the highlight of its journey – The Forestry Open-Air Museum in Vydrovská valley with its magical atmosphere. Close your eyes and listen to the birds singing in the trees with rustling leaves – it’s the best way to enjoy this place. Take a walk in this open-air museum and get an in-depth insight into the hard life of lumberjacks and foresters.

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The possibilities to spend a day outdoors in Slovakia are limitless. You can pick out of the outdoor museums, Zoos, or just walk around the city and enjoy the day without having to rush somewhere.

As you can see Central Slovakia has a lot to offer. And in the case you are not a museum fan, you can still enjoy the untouched Slovak nature or try some local dishes and beers.

Would you like to visit some of the best museums in Central Slovakia? Drop us a line at hello@timeforslovakia.com and we will arrange a private tour for you. Several museums are part of our authentic multi-day tours. We visit the open-air museum of Slovak architecture during our interactive Tour of Slovak Folk Traditions. The museum of Slovak National Uprising is a jewel of our Communism Tour and the open-air mining museum in Banská Štiavnica  is included in the programme of Highlights of Slovakia Tour.

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So, what is a cave? I am sure most of you (at least those who have seen Batman movie) have an idea what a cave is. A cave is a remarkable natural phenomena – a hollow place in the ground, especially a natural underground space large enough for a human to enter. Caves are formed by various geologic processes and can be variable sizes. So not just those huge underground palaces with a waterfall where you can hide your batmobile :o)

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It doesn’t matter which cave you decide to visit. All of them are unique and beautiful. A cave trip can fit a family with small kids, elderly couple or group of physically fit youngsters who want to explore and have some fun. The only thing you need to keep in your mind is to wear proper hiking shoes, warm coat (The climate in caves is way colder and more humid than the climate outside) and listen to your cave guides!

The caves are located all around the Slovakia. I divided the most beautiful and popular caves into 4 groups, based on the region where they are located: High Tatras, Low Tatras, Slovak Paradise and Slovak Karst:

1. High Tatras Caves

Slovak highest mountains can offer a lot for an outdoor tourist. However because of the nature of the mountains (they consist almost exclusively from granite) you cannot find many caves here.

Belianska jaskyňa cave

It’s the only cave open for tourists in the High Tatras. It boasts calcite waterfalls, pagoda-like stalagmites and lakes. There is a naturally-formed “music auditorium” which holds concerts every August.  The tour takes app. 70 min during which you walk over almost 1,4 km and elevation difference is 122m.

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2. Low Tatras Caves

The consistency of the mountains is different from the one we can find in the High Tatras. Here you have a chance to explore many caves, including the biggest underground labyrinth of the Cave of dead bats.

Bystrianska jaskyňa cave

It is one of the biggest caves in the Low Tatras region and consists of two parts – Old and New Cave. The old part of the cave is known for centuries, it was in 1923 when the new Cave was discovered. This cave is also used for the speleo-therapy – The climate in the cave helps with the respiratory diseases and problems. The tour takes app. 45 min.

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Stanišovská jaskyňa cave

It’s the only cave open daily all year long in the region of Liptov. To experience the real atmosphere of the underground cave during your hour-long tour, you’ll be guided by real cavers down the unlit paths with the help of your headlamps. The elevation is 28m.

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Cave of Dead Bats

It’s the cave, where a great number of bat bones about 6000 years old was found. The underground cave labyrinth consists of 14 floors with a total length of almost 20 km and elevation of 324 m. It is located in the mountain terrain on the way to Dumbier peak. Dressed in speleological clothes with a mining helmet you’ll discover the mysterious undergrounds of Low Tatras. The tour can take up to 3 hours.

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Demänovská Cave of Liberty

One of the most beautiful caves in Europe and the most visited in Slovakia, this national natural monument is full of underground halls and domes, tunnels and richly decorated ponds with stalactite water lilies on the surface and cave pearls at the bottom. Only ¼ of the total length of almost 9 km is available for tourists. The tour can take from 60 to 100 min.

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3. Slovak Paradise Caves

Slovak paradise is famous for its breathtaking scenery above the ground nature. However, there is also a lot to see under the ground.

Dobšinská Ice Cave (UNESCO)

One of the most famous ice caves in the world. The ice filling has a volume of 110.132 m3 and occurs in the form of ground ice, waterfalls, ice stalagmites and columns. In the Great Hall, its thickness is as much as 26.5 m. The temperature here gets never over the 0°C. Thanks to its significance and unique ornamentation, it was included into the UNESCO World Heritage List. The salient point is in the village Dobšinská ľadová jaskyňa and tourists have to overcome the altitude difference of 130 m via switchbacks to climb to it. The length of the sightseeing trail is 515 m and seeing it takes 30 minutes.

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4. Slovak Karst Caves

A lot of Slovak caves are located in the mountain range called Slovak Karst. The caves of Slovak Karst system are listed in the UNESCO’s World Heritage List.  These caves are noted for having the world’s highest stalagmite¹, aragonite² and sinter formations³ and an ice filled abyss⁴, which considering the territory’s height above sea level, is a unique phenomenon for central Europe.

1 – Stalagmite: Type of rock formation rising from the floor of a cave. Stalagmites are usually formed by the ceiling drippings.

2 – Aragonite: Naturally occurring, crystal forms of calcium carbonate, very rare to be found.

3 – Sinter Formations: These formations are created by sintering process: a solid mass of material is formed by heat or pressure without melting it to the point of liquefaction.

4 – Abyss: A hole so deep or a space so great that it cannot be measured

Domica cave (UNESCO)

Domica is also called the pride of the Gemer region. It’s the biggest cave in the Slovak Karst formation and its characterized by enormous undergrounds domes. Here you can also take a trip along the underground river Styx which is highly recommended. The cave is home to 11 kinds of the bat and tour can take from 45 to 60 min.

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Gombasecká jaskyňa cave (UNESCO)

Its most valuable ornamentation consists of thin sinter ”feathers”,  which are in places as much as 3 m long. The chambers are captivating in the fragility of form and coloring of the rich pigments. The length of the sightseeing route is about 530 m and it takes 30 minutes. The visitors overcome the altitude difference of 43 m during the tour.

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Jasovská jaskyňa cave (UNESCO)

It offers interesting “cathedrals” and chambers and galleries deepened by a river, pagoda-shaped stalagmites, waterfalls, scallops and anthodites. The cave was already inhabited by the Neolithic man. The locals knew about the cave in the Middle Ages and used it as hiding in time of Tartar or Turkish raids. Its passageways are arranged in five levels and cover a total length of 2,811 meters. The sightseeing route is 720 m long and takes about 45 minutes.

Ochtinská Aragonite Cave (UNESCO)

This cave is a world rarity and unique natural phenomenon. It is interesting for variety and abundance of aragonite filling and a rare development of underground space. Thanks to its significance and unique ornamentation, it was included into the UNESCO World Heritage List. Only few caves around the world can offer the same aragonite crystal formations. A 145 m long pit leads to the entrance of the cave at the altitude of 642 m above sea level; 230 m of its total length of 300 m is now accessible to public (seeing it takes 30 minutes).

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Most of the Slovak caves are open daily (except Monday) during warmer months (April – October), but some of them are open all year long.

Have you already some of these awesome caves in Slovakia? What is your favorite? Please comment below and share your experience.

Would you like to visit caves with a local guide? Don’t hesitate and drop us a line at hello@timeforslovakia.com and we prepare for you an unforgettable journey in Slovakia. And don’t forget to enjoy your trip!

The caves in Slovakia: An Underground paradise! See more at http://t.co/ynJ0TL9MnA pic.twitter.com/1qpJoDt81t

— TIME FOR SLOVAKIA (@time4slovakia) September 15, 2015

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You wouldn’t find another Slovak region that has preserved the traditions and habits of everyday life more than Orava. Hard work, strong moral values and importance of the family are the key values of every proud Oravak (someone who comes from Orava).

One of the most outstanding symbols of Orava is its castle – Oravsky Hrad (Orava Castle). It is one of the most beautiful and largest castles in Slovakia and it is situated on a high rock above the Orava river in the region of the North Orava. The village that has grown around the castle is called Oravsky Podzamok.  It’s a cozy small place full of local restaurants and folk shops. People are friendly and ready to help you.

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As it usually goes with Slovak castles, also Orava castle was built in the place of a former fortified fortress. That was right after the Tartar raids, in the mid 13th century. A legend says that the castle  couldn’t be built by any man, that’s why the rich nobleman who owned the fortress made a pact with a devil. The devil was supposed to build the most spectacular home for the nobleman in one night, otherwise the nobleman’s soul will end up in the hell. But the devil didn’t succeed and he wasn’t able to finish the castle in one night.

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. One of the most memorable owner was Francis Thurzo, close friend of Elizabeth Bathory (labelled by the Guinness World Records as the most prolific female murderer but that’s a different story) got the castle reconstructed extensively, added supporting walls to statically disturbed parts, annexed a palace and a new chapel.

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In 1800, the castle burnt out after several days and nights of fire. Fortunately, it got repaired and reconstructed almost immediately. Shortly after that one of the first museums in Slovakia was established here. Currently the Orava castle hosts three different expositions: Historical, Archeological and the exposition of the natural history.

Before you get to the castle make sure you had a proper breakfast. You need energy for this trip. The place is pretty accessible and you can leave your car at the Castle parking lot down in the village. The only way how to get up there is the old fashioned walk. The castle itself is huge and well restored. You feel like walking back in time, right into the middle ages. The whole 17th-century atmosphere is completed by local students and actors wearing medieval clothes and behaving accordingly to their dress code. Be prepared for live performances like dancing, singing, instrument playing, fencing, archery, hawkers, and many more.

The tours around the castle are both in English and Slovak. The tour guides are pretty passionate about their jobs and would love to answer your questions and get some feedback. Please don’t be one of those zombie tourists who blindly follow the crowd. Ask and explore! There is so much to be seen and said. The castle rooms look great, you will get a chance to see the restored army rooms, living rooms, bedrooms or toilet.

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A special part of this article is reserved for the view from the highest part of the castle. Only for the bravest! To get there you will need to use some steep and narrow iron staircase, but the view is well worth it. Imagine all those noble men who spend nights there counting their money and planning the next battle strategy. Or all those peasant lovers who hide there to get their first kiss. The castle is full of stories of local people who lived and died there. Just keep your eyes and ears open and you might see the ghost of Elizabeth Bathory herself.

The castle is open daily whole year except April. The opening hours varies from month to month, depends on how long there is light outside (winter has shorter days and thus shorter opening hours). The tours should take place every 30 min. If you want to visit with a bigger group also private tours can be arranged. For an extra fee, there is an option to visit the castle chapel. You shouldn’t skip it.

On your way down from the castle, you will feel blown away and for sure hungry. Don’t forget to stop in the local restaurant where you can feast on Slovak traditional dishes and nice beer. Try some pyrohy or halusky. You won’t regret it. And then, when your tummy is full and the mood is up in the sky, turn around and look again at the majestic Orava castle. It’s simply beautiful! It almost makes you want to climb back on the top of it.

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Would you like to visit Orava Castle? Drop us a line at hello@timeforslovakia.com and we prepare a trip with a local guide and a driver according to your wishes and preferences.

Orava castle is also included in the 7-day tour Highlights of Slovakia. Book your private tour now!

The post The Ultimate Guide to Orava Castle in Slovakia appeared first on TIME FOR SLOVAKIA blog.

These mountains are full of breathtaking mountain lakes. Every mountain lake in the High Tatras is called “pleso”. Pleso is a tarn created either by the melted glacier or by the rain water. In Slovakia, plesá (pl. from pleso) are located mostly in the High Tatras and they are characterized by their circle shape.

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The legend says the lakes were created by a powerful man called Dunajec who wanted to help his friend, The Fairy Queen of the High Tatras, who was captured by the cruel ruler of the North Sea. The ruler of the North Sea was lonely and sought a wife which he found in the Tatras. He promised his future wife, the Fairy Queen, that once they’d get married, they would visit her beloved old home every year. But after the marriage, he locked her up in his castle in the North Sea. The old friend, Dunajec, showed up and created the mountain lakes – Plesa, so the Fairy Queen could see her old home through them.

In the High Tatras there are more than 80 tarns, 32 are located on the Slovak side of the mountains (the rest of them are in Poland). All of them are worth to pay a visit. To pick 5 of the most beautiful tarns is a really difficult task, simply because all of them are breathtaking.

1. Popradské pleso tarn

Popradské pleso is a popular tourist spot thanks to its accessibility. You can get there by foot, bike or car (for a car you need a permit.). It’s a perfect spot for a family trip. Besides the unforgettable view, you can get a nice lunch at the cottage hotel that’s located by the lake. You must try the Tatran Soup! It is also possible to rent a room over there. Popradske pleso lies right on the path of Tatranska magistrála and it is a 60 minutes walk from the tarn of Štrbské pleso. Near to the Popradske pleso there is a symbolic cemetery as a memorial devoted to people who worked and tragically died in the High Tatras.

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2. Štrbské Pleso tarn

Štrbské pleso is known by many as the symbol of the High Tatras. I consider this tarn to be one the busiest spot in the mountains. The tarn is surrounded by a walking path which doesn’t require much physical stamina and every square centimeter of the path is accompanied by the beautiful lake view. Štrbské Pleso village is also a popular ski resort. You will find many hotels there, cute little folk restaurants, a trolley and rack railway and lots of space to park.

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3. Skalnaté pleso tarn

Formerly called Lomnicke pleso tarn is my personal favourite mountain lake in the Tatras. It is situated in Skalnata dolina (Rocky Valley) under the southern slopes of the Lomnický štít peak. If you decide to walk there, be prepared for a pretty rough hike. However, you can also get up there with a cable car which continues up to the Lomnický štít peak (that’s as close as you can get to heaven in Slovakia). The local climate as well as the human activity (mainly by building activities) eroded its banks and caused the slow process of its disappearance. So you better hurry up if you want to see it.

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4. Veľké Hincovo pleso tarn

Velke Hincovo pleso is the biggest and deepest glacial mountain lake in the High Tatras. The maximum depth is 53 metres (174 ft). Its surface remains frozen for around 270 days of the year. It is named after a shepherd who was the first to enter the valley where the lake is located. What makes this lake so unique is that the water is so crystal clear that you can see almost 12 meters deep.

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A spectacular video of the frozen lake of Veľké Hincovo pleso which ice is like a clear sheet of glass, allowing for a perfect view of the bottom, has recently gone viral.

5. Zelené pleso tarn

Zelené pleso is a tarn in the High Tatras mountains located in the glacier basin at Kačacia dolina (Duck valley) in Slovakia. It is accessible by foot or bike (during the winter you can get there also on cross-country skis). It’s also a popular tourist spot where you can get a view + dinner combo package. The tarn has an emerald green color but to enjoy it you must see it in the summer. During winters, it’s frozen and covered with snow.

by dominiks

Help keep the lakes clean

Walking around the Tatra tarns we can see groups of people smiling to the animals coming for their portion of bread. Such a lovely moment, isn’t it? For those who answered “Yes, why not?”, the following words can be a true surprise. As water in tarns does not flow, it has to deal with everything that comes in – including hundreds of kilograms of baker’s goods each year. Similarly to an aquarium such foreign matters cause strong degradation of water. This process has already resulted in spontaneous change of fish species in the most visited Štrbské pleso tarn and negatively affected the rare whitefish.

It doesn’t matter if fish and ducks eat the bread or not, if it passes through their digestive tract or it simply sinks. It will end in the lake anyway. Fish and ducks may enjoy feeding as much as we do, but only we – humans are here to understand and avoid the effects. The tarns have been here for around 10 000 years. Let’s preserve them in a great condition for future generations by considering these notes written in red on each educative board nearby Štrbské pleso tarn.

by I.Marhevsky

All the High Tatras plesa (tarns) will make you want to stop for a while and enjoy being alive. Peace, glory and the breathtaking beauty of the mountains will boost you up with energy. The images of the Tatra’s landscapes will get stuck in your head, and just like in the Fairy Queen tale, you will remember them forever and you will want to come back. I am 100% positive about that

All the mountain lakes in the Tatras are located in the national park and they are protected by law. It is important to have that in mind when you decide to visit them. Please enjoy the beauty and preserve it also for the future generations. Belong to those who care. Healthy nature will thank you.

by R. Agatowski

Accommodation in High Tatras

There are plenty of accommodation options in the area of High Tatras. If you would like to be as close to the mountain lakes as possible, the best places to stay overnight in High Tatras are the villages of Štrbské Pleso, Starý Smokovec and Tatranská Lomnica. We recommend to book your stay in following hotels:

Štrbské Pleso

– Wellness Hotel Borovica

– Grand Hotel Kempinski High Tatras

– Hotel Solisko

– Hotel Crocus

Starý Smokovec

– Grand Hotel Starý Smokovec

– Grand Hotel Bellevue

Tatranská Lomnica

– Kukučka Mountain Hotel and Residences

– Hotel Lesna

– Horizont Resort

If you are looking for a reasonably priced accommodation right in the heart of High Tatras, there is a mountain hotel under the Tatras peaks called Horsky Hotel Popradske Pleso. Perfect location, low prices and authentic accommodation on the bank of the Popradske Pleso lake. Similar but more expensive accommodation is located at the Velicke Pleso Lake.

Would you like to visit the High Tatras in Slovakia? Send us an email at hello@timeforslovakia.com and we prepare a trip according to your wishes and preferences.

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