Travel in Slovakia and Czech Republic
 

Ideas on where to go other than Prague, Cesky Krumlov, Kutna Hora, spas, on two week drive? We saw and enjoyed much church architecture last year,thought next year we'd seek less of that, more of its modern uniqueness (e.g., Mikulov) Is there anything of interest in Slovakia? VERY few comments on any travel-related website. Why?

Hi Tom,<BR>In the search box type<BR><BR>Slovakia anyone been there<BR><BR>and you will get some views of those who have visited this lovely, unspoiled country - including myself.<BR>Regards<BR>Maggie<BR>

I am afraid I am little help on modern uniqueness in the Cezch or the Slovak republics, but can say that for nineteenth century great houses, in Bohemia called castles, you might go to stay in Ceske Budejovice and travel to fine houses round about. <BR><BR>As to Slovakia, the Spiz towns, with fine galleried market squares, are good: I stayed at he Arkada hotel in Levoca and pottered over to other places by bus. Also attractive is Kosice, with a fine city centre, and an art gallery with a splendid roomful of Ukrainian icons.<BR><BR>Helpful websites are these<BR>Links, from a museum of Czech and Slovak matters: http://www.ncsml.org/links.htm<BR>Links: http://goeasteurope.about.com/travel...ope/msubsk.htm <BR>Browse websites&quot; at foot of http://sk.orientation.com/en/home.html<BR>http://www.travel-library.com/europe/slovakia/<BR>http://www.budgettravel.com/slovakia.htm<BR>http://www.heartofeurope.co.uk<BR>http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~sever/slovak.html<BR>http://www.slovakia.org/tourism/ <BR>Slovak Tourist Board: http://www.sacr.sk/<BR>http://www.region.sk/<BR>Art, architecture, food, cultural experiences, hiking and other matters. http://www.centraleurope.com/country/country.php3<BR>Accomodation, with prices: http://www.ubytujsa.sk, then Eng<BR>Schedule for busses and trains in Slovak and Czech republics: http://www.vlak.cz/ConnForm.asp?tt=c&amp;cl=E5<BR>Rail: http://elis.zsr.sk/elisint/uk/default.asp<BR>Bratislava, including links: http://www.inyourpocket.com/Slovakia/index.shtml<BR>Bratislava: http://www.bratislava.sk/ANGLICKY/INDEX.HTM<BR>The Tatras: http://www.guardianunlimited.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,3986149,00.html<BR>Poprad Tatry: http://www.tatry.sk/ , www.tatry.net, www.vysoke-tatry.sk www.tanap.sk.<BR>Kosice: http://www.kosice.sk/<BR>List of castles: http://www.hrady.sk/ <BR>Caves: http://www.ssj.sk/<BR><BR>Please write if I can help further. Welcome back to Europe.<BR><BR>Ben Haines, London<BR><BR>

Repeat posting, the first one never took. We traveled in the back country east of Bardejov in 1975. Stood out like sore thumbs. Many villages close to the Polish border have fascinating Ruthenian churches, each covered with patterns of wood shingles. We only saw the inside of one when a suspicious villager who happened to speak a little English came out to check on us. By now the tourist value of these chapels may facilitate the visits.

www.mikulov.cz - capital of Czech and Moravian wine. You can see remarkable vat from 1643 in the Chateau cellar. Its noteworthy capacity is 101,400 litres. It's empty, but a lot of vats are full in Mikulov wine-cellars and you can test wine overnight. It is very seductive chance to explore viticulture and wine in small wine-cellars of mikulover wine-growers, taste local wines, listen cymbalo. The cellar of Mr. Solarik is very unusual. It is located in the limestone cave.

regards
MichalS

My wife and I drove from Olomoucs into Slovakia and spent a great 2 1/2 days in the Tatry Mountains. There are a host of small towns in this area. We stayed at a Pension in Stary Smokowiez and hiked into the mountains to a glacier formed lake and visited a small town that had a great old castle being rebuilt - Spis Castle. It was a 2-3 hour drive from there into Poland - Zakopane. Do try and spend some time in Slovakia.

An update on my previous comments. I was browsing in the travel section of a bookstore and saw the Michelin map for the Czech Republic and Slovakia. It specifically has icons for every little wooden church in the Ruthenian area.

Karlovy Vary (ex Carlsbad) is very interesting in a faded elegant sort of way.

Kosice has a lovely fountain which 'dances' in time to music.

We didn't like the overdone touristy look of Zacopane and pushed on to Crakow.

Hi.

New Slovakia sites for Hotels, Bower is www.top-ubytovanie.sk