SLOVAKIA - Hike A Mountain, Sing A Folksong...
To see, to hear, to taste and to experience...to feel the heart of the country in the heart of Europe. To get to know the people, habits, traditions, culture, history and the present. Have an unusual experience – get to know SLOVAKIA! May, June and September are the prime visiting months, with April and October as chillier and sometimes cheaper alternatives. Most Slovaks take their holidays in July and August when hotels and tourist sights are more than usually crowded, and hostels are chock-a-block with students, especially in the Tatras mountain resort areas.
View some beautiful pics from Slovakia!
Slovakia features interesting natural landscapes, mountains, deep caves, medieval castles and towns, folk architecture, spas and ski resorts.
Capital: Bratislava - is Slovakia's largest city and has been the capital since 1969. Here the Carpathian Mountains, which begin at the Iron Gate of Romania, finally come to an end. If travelling by train, you'll see vineyards on the slopes of the Little Carpathians, where they meet the Danube River.
Population: 5,400,000
Population growth rate: 0.127% (2007 est.)
Languages: 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. Slovak is a West Slavic language, closely related to Czech
Government type: Slovakia is a parliamentary democratic republic with a multi-party system. The Slovak head of state is the president (Ivan Gašparovič, 2004 - 2009), elected by direct popular vote for a five-year term
What We All probably should know about Slovakia
Every Slovak knows the names Ľudovit Štúr and Alexander Dubček- the Slovak national heroes. One of the leaders of the Prague Spring of 1968 was Alexander Dubček.
Slovakia is not only about jaw-dropping sights and superlatives; it's about experiencing a place less touched by the glitz and glam of its possibly 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.
1. Spisske Podhradie
The town itself is tiny but neighbouring Spisska Kapitula, a 13th century ecclesiastical settlement housing 200 people and Spissky Hrad castle, the largest castle in Slovakia and on the World Heritage List, are the true reasons why you'd come here.
2. Trencin
The incredible views are the real reason to trek up the hill to Trencin castle. Just before peak season hits, you may catch actors practicing their medieval fencing in their old soccer shirts. You'll have to wait a bit longer to see the full outfit.
3. Kosice
Miklus Prison consists of 16th century houses with medieval torture chambers and cells. The nearby East Slovak museum contains a locked vault (yet you can wander around freely within it) with 2920 or so gold coins from the 15th-18th centuries.
Trivia:
Andy Warhol's parents, originally from the village of Medzilaborce, in the Northeast of Slovakia, came over to America to seek their fortune, like so many other Slovakians at that time.
The most famous Slovak names can indubitably be attributed to invention and technology. Such people include Jozef Murga, the inventor of wireless telegraphy; Ján Bahýľ, the inventor of the motor-driven helicopter; Anyos Štefan Jedlík, one of the inventors of the first electric motor; Jozef Maximilián Petzval, inventor of the camera zoom and lens; Jozef Karol Hell, inventor of the industrial water pump; Štefan Banič, inventor of the modern parachute; Aurel Stodola, inventor of the bionic arm and pioneer in thermodynamics; and, more recently, John Dopyera, father of modern acoustic string instruments.
The best known Slovak hero was Juraj Jánošík (the Slovak equivalent of Robin Hood). A prominent Slovak explorer was Móric Beňovský.
In terms of sports, the Slovaks are probably best known (in North America) for their hockey personalities, especially Stan Mikita, Peter Šťastný and Peter Bondra. Martina Hingis (1980) - tennis-player, former No. 1
Richard Müller (1961) - the best-known current Slovak pop-rock singer
Models:
www.Slovakinfo.com is one of EuroCircle's favorite groups among the European networks in NYC. They are such a nice and friendly people - yet you are always amazed when they come how attractive they are. A rare combination in this city! We love them - share the evening of Friday, Nov 9th with some of our favorite people @ Branch - with Slovakian Twist!
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