2-Day “Castles and Mountains” Slovakian Highlights Tour

Let's be honest, when thinking of a vacation to Europe, Slovakia is probably not the first country to pop into one's head. That is a shame, because this little country really packs a punch! It's mountainous terrain, spectacular vistas, stellar hiking, medieval towns, and, maybe most importantly of all, its abundance of castles make this little sister of the Czech Republic a popular destination for Europeans!

Did we mention the castles? If we didn't then we soon will as we'll be visiting no less than three spectacular castles on our first day! First off is Trencin castle. Perched high above the town of the same name and offering broad views of the surrounding countryside, Trencin is a good appetizer for the smorgasbord of castles that will be coming your way. Next we'll visit the Walt Disney-like Bojnice castle. Don't try to pronounce it, just admire it in all its romantic, fairy tale-like glory.

By now we won't have to tell you that 80% of Slovakia is mountainous terrain as we approach the Mala & Vel'ka Fatra Mountains. Hiking abounds here (see our 3-day “Hiking Slovakia” tour below) but we'll move on to the Orava castle, featured in the 1922 vampire flick Nosferatu. Any castle that was used in a vampire movie has to be interesting and the Orava castle doesn't disappoint. The views from the towers are stunning and we should also be able to view a demonstration of a maiden in distress and sword fighting knights!

Note: At this point an optional 1-day tour to Krakow, Poland and Auschwitz concentration camp is available. Please see description below.

Day two of our “Castles and Mountains” tour brings us… you guessed it, more castles and mountains! Things don't slow down today as we leave early for a quick visit to the Demanova valley in the Low Tatra mountain range, home to brown bears, wildcats, and other wildlife. Our visit to the Low Tatras will be brief because waiting for us close by are the famous High Tatra Mountains!

The whole Tatra range is part of the Carpathian Mountains which extend through Slovakia (forming its border with Poland), Ukraine, and on into Romania. The highest point in the whole of the Carpathian Mountains, Gerlachovsky stit (8,707ft.), is found here in the High Tatras. Our view up to the high, majestic peaks will have you thinking Switzerland as you gaze upon the highest point in all of Eastern Europe!

This is prime hiking country (see our 3-day “Hiking Slovakia” tour below) and relatively short walks can get you up pretty high but we'll do it the easy way and take the popular cable car up to the summit of 8,641 ft. Lomnicky stit. After this you may be thinking that your tour of Slovakian highlights will be winding down… but you'd be wrong!

From there we're on to the Spis region of Slovakia and the medieval-walled town of Levoca. Here we'll see the 59-foot high, carved altar at the gothic St. James church. We'll also visit 15th century Bardejov and its Gothic-Renaissance old town square, listed on Unesco's World Heritage list.

But we've saved the best for last and, even if you've seen plenty of castles by now, you won't want to miss the granddaddy of all Slovakian castles, the Spis castle. This is one of the largest castles in Central Europe and has been featured in several films including Dragonheart (1996) and The Last Legion (2006). It is also on Unesco's World Heritage list.

Because of all the wonderful hiking opportunities in Slovakia we wouldn't want you to miss out just because you chose our “Castles and Mountains” Slovakian Highlights tour and not our “Hiking Slovakia” tour (see below). Therefore we offer the option of adding in a short day hike to our 2-day itinerary upon request!

In addition, we offer tailor-made Slovakian trips with castles, mountains, and hiking. Please contact us for more details. However, if a hiking adventure to Slovakia is more your style then read on!

3-Day “Hiking Slovakia” tour

When you tell your friends you have chosen our three-day “Hiking Slovakia” tour they might think you've lost your mind. After all, how many people can really say they've been hiking in Slovakia?! But while they'll be back at home watching TV or stuck in traffic, you'll be sky high in the middle of the Tatra Mountains having a blast and seeing some of Central & Eastern Europe's most incredible scenery.

On top of this, we'll not need tents or sleeping bags (or even dinner, for that matter) as the mountain ranges in Slovakia have a very organized system of hiking chalets complete with a warm bed and a hot meal. We'll wake up, stretch our legs, head out, hike all day, and sleep like babies at night. What could be better?

The options for hiking the Tatras are many and depend on your interests and preferences. It is possible to hike in several different mountain ranges (each are unique) or to take a several-day hike along the ridges and peaks of one particular range (ex. the 40-mile Tatranska magistrala trail in the High Tatras). Please contact us for more information.

After your six-day trip to Budapest, Bratislava, and Vienna, our “Hiking Slovakia” tour is a perfect way to combine urban and rural and to visit wonderful man-made sights as well as see some of God's wonderful creation. Now dig out your hiking boots and let us drag you around the Slovakian mountains for a couple of days. We promise it will be an adventure you will never forget!

2-Day Krakow, Poland and Auschwitz concentration camp

The serenity of God's creation amongst the mountains and valleys of Slovakia will most definitely be broken by viewing the cruel barbarity unleashed against 1.5 to 2 million souls who were exterminated during World War II by the Nazis at Auschwitz (Oswiecim in Polish) concentration camp near Krakow, Poland.

When the Nazis retreated from Auschwitz they tried to destroy and hide the horrendous atrocities that had taken place here. However, they only partially succeeded and there is much left to see. Auschwitz is basically a sprawling outdoor museum with barbed wire, camp barracks, and guard towers as far as the eye can see. The Nazis created Auschwitz I originally for Polish prisoners and later built Auschwitz II - Birkenau solely for the purpose of exterminating Jews.

Especially moving are the main entrance and train tracks, featured in the movie Schindler's List, at Birkenau camp where millions of Jews arrived and were immediately selected for work or extermination.

You'll view row upon row of camp barracks, miles of electrified barb wired fence, the “showers” where so many died by gassing, crematoriums, and even where the Nazis dumped the ashes of millions of exterminated Jews. You'll learn more about men like Rudolf Hess, Heinrich Himmler, and Josef Mengele, the barbaric and cruel doctor nicknamed “The Angel of Death” who conducted twisted medical experiments on prisoners, especially children and twins, many times without anesthesia. A trip to Auschwitz is a moving, sobering, and unforgettable experience and one we promise you'll never forget.

Day two will be in Poland's number one tourist destination, Krakow! A lovely city which boasts Europe's largest medieval town square, Gothic churches, and the magnificent Wawel Castle, Krakow somehow escaped unscathed from the bombing of World War II (unlike Warsaw, its northern neighbor and capital of Poland), making its architecture in the old town something to behold.

Krakow was Poland's royal capitol for over 500 years...and it shows! We'll begin our exploration at the Wawel Castle grounds which will include the Wawel Cathedral. After this we'll spend time moseying around the Old Town which is surrounded by walls and parkland, which at one time was a moat! Rynek Glowny is Europe's largest medieval town square and opportunities for photo taking, shopping, and dining abound!

This extension to our Slovakian tours is a must see and we highly recommend it! Krakow is a beautiful city and Auschwitz an unforgettable experience!