World Guide

Slovakia

Country · Europe, Eastern Europe

Orava Castle
Pictured: Orava Castle · Photo: Jurbox, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons

Slovakia is a country in Eastern Europe with the capital Bratislava. It has an area of 49,034 square kilometers and a population of about 5.4 million people in 2025. The country offers travelers a mix of castles, churches, and natural landscapes.

Highlights

The site covers 10 top sights. In the capital city of Bratislava, visitors can see Bratislava Castle, the Blue Church, St Martin's Cathedral, and Grassalkovich Palace. Other sights across the country include Orava Castle, Spiš Castle, the High Tatras, the Cathedral of St. Elizabeth, and Vlkolínec.

Food and drink

Traditional dishes and items to try include Bryndzové halušky, Liptauer, Tvorog, Oblea, Lokša, Parenica, Korbáčik, Borovička, Šúľance, Oštiepok, Strapačky, and Opekanec.

When to go

The climate at the capital features daily highs and lows. January is cold with highs of 2 °C and lows of -4 °C, while July and August are the warmest months with daily highs of 26 °C and lows of 16 °C. Rainfall is distributed across the year, with May seeing rain on about 14 days and other months generally ranging between 7 and 12 rainy days.

Practical notes

The currency is the euro. The official language is Slovak. Plugs are of type C and E, operating at a voltage of 230 V. Driving is on the right side of the road. The time zone is UTC+01:00.

Cities

Food and drink to try in Slovakia

  • Bryndzové halušky
  • Liptauer
  • Tvorog
  • Oblea
  • Lokša
  • Parenica
  • Korbáčik
  • Borovička
  • Šúľance
  • Oštiepok
  • Strapačky
  • Opekanec

Top sights in Slovakia

  1. Orava CastleOrava Castle
  2. Spiš CastleUNESCOSpiš CastleSpišské Podhradie
  3. Bratislava CastleBratislava CastleBratislava
  4. High TatrasHigh Tatras
  5. Blue ChurchBlue ChurchBratislava
  6. St Martin's Cathedral, BratislavaSt Martin's Cathedral, BratislavaBratislava
  7. Most SNPMost SNPBratislava
  8. Grassalkovich PalaceGrassalkovich PalaceBratislava
  9. Cathedral of St. ElizabethCathedral of St. ElizabethKošice
  10. VlkolínecUNESCOVlkolínecRuzomberok

Weather by month

The warmest month is July, with an average high of 26 °C. Rain is spread fairly evenly through the year.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Average high, °C25101521232626211583
Average low, °C-4-315111416161272-2
Rainfall, mm383744396368647065425250
Rainy days10878141211119889

Temperatures and rainfall: 1981–2010 averages for Bratislava (4 km grid), from CHELSA. Rainy days: 2015–2024, NASA POWER.

Also worth a look

Neighbouring countries and territories