Exploring the 'real' Slovakia

Those Slovaks from areas outside of Bratislava will tell you that in order to experience the real Slovakia you must travel outside of the capital city. To an extent this is true but it is also somewhat naïve as it ignores the reality that Slovaks are embracing the glitz, glamour and wealth offered by the free market, which is currently only available in Bratislava.

Despite locals’ determination to head west for work and play, the other areas of Slovakia offer a great deal for tourists in both winter and summer. I am always sceptical of any area confident enough to label itself as a paradise but took a short break in May to formulate my own opinion on Slovensky Raj (Slovak Paradise) and the Spišska region.

The 19,000 square metre Slovensky Raj National Park, southeast of the Tatras, presents a different hiking challenge to its mountainous neighbours, being flatter, heavily forested and dominated by the impressive power of water, where rivers, canyons and waterfalls abound.

We based ourselves in a pension on the very boundary of the park in the Čingov area. A great location but not the place to develop the warmest first impression of the park. The route in follows one of the few roads which intrude into the outskirts of the park and the immediate impression as you walk along paved roads with the forest either side of you dotted with wooden cottages is of landing in the middle of a Butlins or Centreparks.

Thankfully once you enter the park the tarmac disappears and the only sound is the soothing flow of the mighty Hornad River Canyon meandering between high cliffs and whispering directions as you follow the parallel trails.

We were lucky enough to be able to hear the voices from the water. The week previous to ours was a national holiday in nearby Poland. The Poles have developed a liking for this area. Hotels and Pensions were full, sales of alcohol were up and the trails were bursting at the seams according to our friendly accommodation host. Be wary if you are planning a trip here that you know if a Polish invasion is likely. A number of the trails within the park are two-way and on a few occasions we found ourselves waiting to scale ladders or chains, which could become a bit monotonous in high season or during holiday periods.

In the park, the main trails around the Canyon present a pretty steady gradient but still offer challenges for those seeking something more difficult in the form of ladders, wooden walkways and metal platforms to scale boulders and cross areas of water. The quality of assistance offered by these bridges and platforms is unreliable, and at times footing can be precarious, but that is all part of the experience. Especially considering I have no sense of balance since breaking my leg and my girlfriend suffers from mild acrophobia (fear of heights), we were laughing at each other in equal measure as I plunged into whatever I was supposed to be traversing and she bruised her shins and knuckles from gripping so tightly to steep ladders.

Personally, if visiting Slovensky Raj, I recommend you take the yellow trail along Sokolia Dolina and the green trail along Veľký Kysel, which offers a magnificent range of waterfalls, great views and a series of ladders and chains to negotiate. I should add it gives you a great sense of achievement once you have walked them. Of course, you should visit Tomášovský výhľad, but everyone else will as well, so prepare for the tranquillity and eye candy being spoilt by some crying child or huge groups of hikers shouting at each other.

If you plan on using public transport to get to Paradise I think two days three nights is enough to explore as the different entrances are a long way apart and you can only walk so many ways from a single access point. Although you don’t need any great level of fitness be prepared to walk for six or eight hours to get the most from the area, but it is well worth it. The views (particulary from Tomášovský výhľad) and mature woodland are simply stunning, the sounds of nature puts you at peace with the world, and the constant presence of water gives a wonderful vitality to the place. Quite simply, in my opinion it is the most beautiful place to hike in Slovakia. If, like me, you want to avoid the big crowds I recommend May or September.

The nearest ‘big’ town to the park is Spišská Nová Ves. Ask any Bratislavan about this town and the first thing they will say is ‘gypsies’. There is an inherent east/west rivalry in Slovakia and for Westerners gypsies is the main argument against the east.

For me, Spišská Nová Ves has a certain charm, although it is only apparent in the areas around the main square, and I suggest you use the many pubs and restaurants around here. The square contains a beautiful church and provides good views as you eat dinner or walk around.

However, the town is cursed by a strange phenomenon. It seems that huge amounts of people are sporting hand and wrist injuries and were displaying protective strapping just to illustrate the point. Maybe it is all the fashion in Spišská Nová Ves but it was an evident quirky trait of the town.

Since I was a youngster running round and through the legs of my parents’ dog I have loved the majesty and mystery of castles. The image of a crisp winter morning with the mist clearing to slowly reveal a fortress on the top of a hill has always excited my imagination more than any history book.

Spišský Hrad, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is certainly intimidating and looms large over the tiny village of Spišsky Podhradie. The short, but steep, walk up to the castle elicited the usual jokes about why people always chose to build castles at the top of hills and the essential inherent problems of heaving all your equipment up the hill. But it is a great time to lose yourself in the image of a bloodthirsty army trying to lug their weapons and supplies up a hill while the defending army point and laugh as yet another catapault from the would-be invaders’ supply goes rolling down the hill.

I’m not altogether comfortable with paying for admission to a castle, however, the excitement of the grand spectacle and the fact you’ve walked up to the entrance makes it a must. However, once inside you realise you’re not the only ones who thought this.

For me, the magic kind of disappeared when we were presented with a stage show with mock sword fights for the hoards of screaming children and the maintenance men shearing the grass with their noisy electric strimmer. ‘Excuse me guys, I’m trying to imagine life here in the 13th to 17th century’. Exploring the upper reaches, the towers and walking the exterior walls allows you to refocus on life, but never without a background noise of a baiting crowd of seven and eight year olds.

It was just a bit too Disney for me. Sitting and finishing a drink outside the castle walls allowed me to refocus but by then I had the image of invading children rather than invading armies. For the sheer scale and aura of the castle pay it a visit but take the kids!

Levoča makes it into all the tourist guides written about Slovakia, but to be honest I can’t fathom why. It’s okay … and well, that’s it. The heart of the city is housed within the old city walls and it is a pleasant town for a stroll. St Jacobs Church has a towering gothic altar and there is the aptly named Cage of Shame, where women of the 16th century were pillared for being a little too easy. A short walk, an ice-cream and an enquiry as to whether the cage could be reopened and house my girlfriend for the night, which was to no avail, and I was done with Levoča. Luckily, the Basilica of the Virgin Mary, located on a hill a few kilometres from the city provides a longer walk and a good panorama of the Spiš region.

The Spiš Region offers delightful scenery, some wonderful hiking and some fine landmarks, but if you are seeking the party atmosphere of Bratislava you may be disappointed.

Bratislava is in Slovakia, but it is not the real Slovakia.

Some extra tips:

We pre-booked accommodation in Slovensky Raj but for the rest we just booked on arrival at the tourist office.

Prices are much cheaper than Bratislava and the facilities, as I have found the case in the majority of Slovakia, are basic but good.

The nearest train station to Slovensky Raj is Spišská Nová Ves and from there buses run into Čingov, although you may need to check times, especially if you plan on travelling on Sunday or late in the evening. Buses are cheap, but busy.