Europe’s geographic center is near Kremnica, Slovakia. Slovakia is a peaceful country located east of Austria and south of Poland with a population of over five million. It is a country of majestic mountains, alpine meadows, the lovely Danube River, rich cultural experiences, and a high number of fairytale castles.

History

In the 5th and 6th century, Slavic tribes settled in Slovakia. In the 9th century, the Slavs united and formed the Great Moravian Empire. However, the empire collapsed after only 80 years because of the invading Hungarian forces. For the next 1,000 years, Slovakia was part of Hungary. After World War I, a Czech-Slovakian state was formed. After the end of World War II, Czechoslovakia became part of the Soviet Union’s communist controlled countries. Finally, in 1989 protests against communism and continued unification with the Czechs led to a sovereign Slovakia in January of 1993.

Culture and Sightseeing

Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, is a lovely city of winding streets and fascinating architecture located on the banks of the Danube River. Bratislava Castle with parts as old as the 10th century, 14th century St. Michael Gate’s, 18th century Grassalkovich Palace, the watch museum called House of the Good Shepherd, Old Town Hall, 16th century St. Martin’s Cathedral are excellent places to visit. Also centered in Bratislava is the Slovak National Museum which is a collection of museums throughout Slovakia which are dedicated to preserving Slovakia’s culture.
Devin Castle is on a hill overlooking the confluence of the Morava and Danube Rivers. It has served as a fortification since 864 AD.
13th century Spissky Hrad is one of the largest castles in Central Europe; it showcases both Gothic and Romanesque architecture.

Eat & Drink

In Slovakia, breakfast means enjoying different kinds of bread with various toppings. Slovakia cuisine uses lots of potatoes, cheese and garlic. One traditional dish is Bryndzove halushky, which is potato dumplings with sheep’s cheese and topped with bacon. A favorite soup is cabbage soup with sausages, and sometimes plums and mushrooms. Another popular dish is Treska, which is a cold salad made of codfish, mayonnaise and fresh vegetables. Coffee is a very popular drink and is part of Slovakia’s culture. Two traditional alcoholic drinks are Slivovica, which is made from plums, and Borovicka, which is made from juniper berries. Vinea, made from grapes, and Kofola, a cola drink, are popular non-alcoholic drinks.