Highlights of the trip

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Bratislava castle - the symbol of the city

The Castle Hill in Bratislava, with its original Slavonic castle, was a significant residence in the Great Moravian Empire times. The southwest tower housed the Hungarian coronation jewels for two centuries.

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Devin castle - ruins above the confluence of the Danube and Morava river

Devin Castle is a part of the oldest history of Slovakia, dating from the Neolithic to Napoleon I. The ruins tower on a massive rocky hill, creating an impressive landmark.

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Vlkolinec village UNESCO World Heritage - untouched and complex example of folk countryside architecture

The village comprises two or three-room log cabin-type houses. There are preserved the bell tower from 1770, water well, Chapel of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and school.

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Banska Stiavnica UNESCO World Heritage - gold mining town

The majority of monuments of Banska Stiavnica concentrate in the area spreading between the Trinity and Town Hall squares. The Gothic church of St Catherine from the end of the 15th century and the town hall with its slender clock tower detach these squares.

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The Articled Protestant Church in Hronsek - UNESCO heritage

Wooden church in Hronsek is a precious historical monument, together with a wooden belfry from 1726. The oak pillars have carved header Ionian ornaments. It has a shingle roof with three crosses and a rooster, as a Christian symbol of vigilance.

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Spisska Kapitula UNESCO World Heritage - one of the most interesting Romanesque monuments in Slovakia

The town consists of the Cathedral of St Martin, a former monastery, and a single street. A town wall encloses all of the medieval constructions.

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Spis castle UNESCO World Heritage - partly restored medieval castle

The Spis Castle in eastern Slovakia is one of the largest castles in Central Europe. Slovak National Museum presents various collections on its premises.

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Levoca ancient town - the wealthy center of commerce in the 15 century in eastern Slovakia

The town has a well-preserved historic center. The Church of St. James dates back to the 14th century and houses a magnificent Gothic carved and painted wooden altar, the largest one in Europe.

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Zehra church - UNESCO World Heritage - Biblical stories and legends of the saints painted on the walls

Roman-Catholic Holy Spirit church in Zehra hides unique medieval wall paintings originating gradually from the 13th to 15th century.

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Strbske Pleso - ski, tourist, and health resort next to a glacial mountain lake in the High Tatras

Strbske Pleso village comprises several hotels and residential buildings. With extensive parking facilities and a stop on the Tatra trolley and rack railway, it is a starting point for popular hikes, including Krivan and Rysy peaks.

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Unique High Tatra fauna - 115 species of birds, 42 mammals, eight reptiles, and three amphibians

Notable ice age relicts are Branchinecta paludosa - species of fairy shrimp, Three-toed Woodpecker, Ring Ouzel, Spotted Nutcracker, and others. Mammals are represented by, for example, the European Brown Bear, Alpine Marmot, and the Tatra chamois.

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Unique High Tatra flora - almost half of the park covered with forests, mainly spruce and fir

About 1,300 species of vascular plants grow in the park, of which 37 are endemic to the Tatras (Erysimum wahlenbergii, Cochlearia tatrae), 41 are endemic to the Western Carpathians.