Hike a mountain, sing a folk song. Slovakia is not about jaw-dropping sights and superlatives; it's about experiencing a place less touched by the glitz and glam of its more famous neighbours. Outside the cities you can still find traditional villages, folk traditions and tourist trails meandering through the hilly countryside.
A plethora of fortresses and castles pays testament to the history of conquerors and domination in this small country, independent only since 1993. Foreign influences can be seen in the 18th century rococo town buildings, Gothic churches and a few 15th-century town squares.
Slovakia sits in the heart of Europe, straddling the northwestern end of the Carpathian Mountains and forming a clear physical barrier between the plains of Poland to the north and Hungary to the south. The spectacular High Tatra alpine range runs along Slovakia's northeastern border, shared with Poland. Gerlachovsk ý (2655m/8708ft) is the highest of the mighty Tatra peaks. Although almost 80% of Slovakia is over 750m (2460ft) above sea level, the portion south of Nitra is a fertile lowland stretching down to the Danube River, which forms the border with Hungary. Slovakia also shares borders with the Czech Republic in the northwest, Austria in the southwest and Ukraine in the east.
Capital: Bratislava
President: Ivan Gaš parovič
Prime Minister: Robert Fico
Government: parliamentary democracy
Time zone: GMT +1
Area: 48845
Population: 5447502
People: Slovak (85.7%), Hungarian (10.6%), Romany (1.6%), Czech (1%)
Languages: A West Slavic language, closely related to Czech. 60% Roman Catholic, 10% Protestant, 4% Orthodox
Currency: Slovak Koruna (Sk)
Major industries: Metal products, electricity, gas, coke, oil, rubber products and agriculture
Major Trading Partners: EU (esp. Germany, Czech Republic, Austria, Poland)
Daylight Saving: From end of March to end of October
Country Dialing Code: 421
Sky Europe runs daily flights to Bratislava (BTS) from 22 European cities (usually alternate airports). Connecting from farther afield is a bit trickier, but Czech Airlines has frequent connections through Prague. Slovak Airlines flies to Brussels and Moscow (in conjunction with Aeroflot), albeit infrequently. Once a week Sky Europe flies between London Stansted and the Poprad airport, beneath the High Tatras. Bratislava is only 64km (40mi) from Vienna. Buses link Vienna International Airport (VIE) and Bratislava's main bus station just about hourly. Direct trains connect frequently with Prague (4.5 hours), Budapest (three hours) and Vienna (one hour).
A fairly efficient, reasonably priced train system links most of the country. Buses are best for getting to smaller villages and towns off the main lines. Be warned that buses are prompt, so it's advisable to arrive at least 10 minutes prior to departure. Keep an eye on your gear as pickpocketing is not unheard of. Slovakia's size, upgraded motorways and relatively quiet smaller roads make it pretty easy to get around under your own steam, either by car, motorbike or bicycle. Roads often follow old routes through villages and small towns with sudden sharp bends and reduced speed limits, but they are fairly well-maintained and other road users are mostly considerate. Be aware that a Western car with foreign number plates is an automatic target. And never ever leave valuables visible in a car; anything in view is apparently fair game for pilfering.
The damp continental climate over most of the Slovak Republic is responsible for warm, showery summers, cold, snowy winters, and generally changeable conditions. Higher altitudes produce colder weather and more snow in winter. Summers everywhere are sunny and enjoyable, though air conditioning is not common, expect pleasant average highs around 26° C (78° F). Winters usually linger around 0° C (32° F), becoming quite icy at night in the mountains.
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