The holiday season is in full swing, and Europe is experiencing a holiday migration. You may or may not have heard it, but the best travel advice you can get is to stay home in August. Or at least move north instead of south.
Many European countries start their summer holidays in August, and you may be hit hard. Either you will be stuck in queues of several kilometres because of the Germans who are moving, or you will not experience the expected service because of the southerners who are on holiday. In Italy in particular, many businesses and shops are closed due to the holidays. So if you are planning to travel in August, consider your destination. A great alternative is Slovakia, so in collaboration with Veronika from the blog She Makes Me Travel, we have prepared 5 tips for you on where to go this summer.
In Bojnice you can also visit the Bojnice Castle , which is one of the most beautiful in Slovakia. On Sunday, August 4, admission to the castle is free, as is the case every first Sunday of the month until the end of the year.
SLOVAK KARST
The greatest treasure of the Slovak Karst is its caves . You can visit several of them there and, thanks to the short distances, you can walk through them even during a long weekend. The most interesting ones include Ochtinská aragonitová cave, Domica, Gombasecká cave, Jasovská cave, Krásnohorská cave and the not yet accessible Ardovská cave, Drienovská cave or Silická ice cave. The last mentioned one is not accessible, but you can go down to it and that is an experience in itself. Silická ice cave is the lowest located ice cave in the temperate zone in Europe. When you walk to it through the forest, you will feel how dramatically the temperature changes with each step.
RYE ISLAND
Lovers of good cuisine will also find their place. The Hungarian influence has significantly influenced the gastronomy of Žitný ostrov, and you can thank the honest food for the full flavors that you will find in the dishes. Most restaurants cook exclusively from seasonal local ingredients. One of the best I discovered there is Villa Rosa in Dunajská Streda. According to the Gurman Award, it is the best thematic restaurant in Slovakia. The restaurant adheres to the principles of slow food and cooks exclusively from local ingredients that come from its own farms. As a gastro enthusiast, I was basically in seventh heaven on Žitný ostrov.
Another attraction of Žitný ostrov is the thermal swimming pools , of which there are also several. Veľký Meder, Dunajská Streda, Komárno and Topoľnýky are the most famous. If you like to treat yourself to a dose of luxury, you can visit the Amade Château in the village of Vrakúň. If you are more of a fan of art and culture, on Žitný ostrov you can visit the Žitný ostrov Museum in Dunajská Streda or the Danubiana Museum of Modern Art, just 15 kilometers from Bratislava. In Orechová Potôn you can go crazy on the Slovakia Ring racing circuit and in Šamorín in the x-bionic sphere sports complex. Still not enough? On Žitný ostrov you will also find Malkia Park , which is home to animals rescued from circuses, or a beautiful windmill in the village of Dunajský Klátov .
BOJNICE
The popularity of Bojnice has been growing significantly since last year, mainly thanks to the opening of the observation tower Čajka v oblakoch . It is a tall building in the forest above Bojnice Castle, it has a metal structure and a wooden footbridge, which you can use to climb to its top. There is also a toboggan there, which children can slide down. The observation tower offers a beautiful view of the entire Bojnice and the surrounding villages. If you decide to go there, go either first thing in the morning to avoid the crowds, or in the early evening, just before the end of opening hours. Then there are also fewer people there and as a bonus you will enjoy the most beautiful sunset in the city.
ORAVÁ
In the vicinity of Dolný Kubín you can also visit the village of Jasenová , where the famous Slovak writer Martin Kukučín was born. His birthplace has now been converted into a small museum. Although there is no extensive exhibition in it, the narration of the guide, a native of Jasenová, will completely captivate you. Not far from Jasenová you can take a nice walk to the Vyšnokubínske skaly, Ostrá and Tupú skala, from where there is a beautiful view. How about combining it with a romantic picnic?
BANSKÁ ŠTIAVNICA AND SURROUNDINGS
If you like to relax and are fond of spas, don't miss Sklené Teplice . It is one of the oldest therapeutic thermal baths in Slovakia, where the water reaches temperatures from 37°C to 52.3°C. In Sklené Teplice, the biggest attraction is the cave steam bath in a naturally created cave with hyperthermal water with a high calcium and magnesium content.
And one more tip in the vicinity of Banská Štiavnica – the manor house in Sv. Anton . Although it is not one of the most famous Slovak monuments, it pleasantly surprised me with its well-preserved interior.
Veronika Šipoš Rosputinská is a journalist and blogger, one half of the travel duo She Makes Me Travel. While she longs to travel the world, her husband Karol would rather buy a server and sit at home. But since they both know that compromises are necessary for a healthy and happy relationship, they travel. They don't have a server. Not yet. You can read the experiences of the passionate traveler and the avid baker on their blog www.shemakesmetravel.com or follow them on Instagram @shemakesmetravel .
