Slovakia

=__**Welcome** to the fabulous Travel Guide to Slovakia by Marysia!__= = = ==Ahoj! (pronounce Ahoy) This is your travel guide to Slovakia, a lovely country in Europe whose soccer team made the World Cup soccer tournament. In this travel guide, you will find the best current information, books to read, places to visit, and so much more! Let's get started!== ==Slovakia borders on the Czech Republic, Austria, Ukraine, Poland and Hungary. The population is 5.4 million and Slovakia is the size of New Jersey and New Hampshire put together. It has lowlands in the south and the Tatra Mountains in the North. The mountains are called Vysoke Tatry and they are quite high mountains. Many people go and hike or ski there. Here is a link to a Slovak website that gives a lot of information about the [|Tatra Mountains].== ==**The capital of Slovakia is Bratislava with a population of less than 500,000 people. In Slovakia people speak Slovak which happens to sound very similar to Polish and somewhat similar to Russian (which sounds a bit like Ukrainian, if you know what I mean).**==

__CLIMATE AND WEATHER__
**Slovak climate is considered temperate. Their summers are cool and winters are cold. Bring your jacket and an umbrella!**

Today's Weather media type="custom" key="6019449" __BOOKS__
==**To start, let's get you a book to read on the plane. I would recommend [|A History of Slovakia], by Stanislav J. Kirschbaum. It is a wonderful book about the history of Slovakia.**== ==If you would like to learn some Slovak I would recommend [|Book 2 English-Slovak for beginners.]==

==If you would like to listen to some [|Slovak music], go to this link,scroll down and click play.==

**__AIRPORT AND TRANSPORTATION__**
==The main international airport is in Bratislava. You can rent a car but there are only a few highways so it is easier to take a train. You can take a train and travel to other European countries (such as Austria) by train or go to the Tatra mountains. You can also use buses in all cities and towns.== =__Hotels__= ==**You will need a good place to stay. There are lots of luxurious and beautiful hotels in Slovakia**. **Click on the link to find some great [|Slovakian Hotels]. Here is a link to [|Various Hotel Reviews]. Hotel room prices vary between $100 to $200 per night depending on the location.**==

The capital of the country, Bratislava is worth visiting. It has many historic buildings such as the 15th century Old Town Hall or St. Martin's Cathedral.
==I would recommend going to the Bratislava Castle. It is a famous and very old landmark of Bratislava. Many legends are connected to it. The Castle's history goes back to Stone and Bronze Age and later Iron Age settlements. There are even remains from a Roman settlement. In 1552 the capital of the country was moved there and a reconstruction began. Another reconstruction was done in Baroque style in the 18th century. In 1811 the Castle burned down and a final reconstruction began in 1953. The Castle is located at Zamocka ul. The phone number is 421 2 59 34 16 26 in the Old Town. It is open from 9-9.30 p.m. in the summer and from 9-6 p.m. in winter.== ==Also, the Historical Museum of Bratislava is full of interesting facts. It is located at the Castle and is open from 9-5 p.m. daily. It has various exhibitions including "Treasures of the Past". Here is a link to that and other great [|Museums].==

__US AND SLOVAK EMBASSIES__
==If you want to make staying in Slovakia easier, then here is a link to a [|United States Embassy] in Slovakia: If you ever lose your passport or get robbed you can call the US Embassy at (421)(2) 54430861 or go to Hvizdoslavovo Nam. 4 Street or email them at consulbratislava@state.gov. The Embassy will also have a lot of information about Slovakia. Charge D' Affaires' name is Keith A. Eddins. Before you leave you can obtain more information at the Slovak Embassy in Washington, DC located at 3523 International Court Northwest, phone number 202 237 1054. You can email them at info@slovakembassy-us.org. The ambassador's name is Peter Burian.==

I recommend trying Slovak cuisine. You should try potato dumplings with sheep cheese, potato pancakes, cabbage soup and goulash soup.
==**Here is a link to a restaurant called [|Prasna Basta]. Prasna Basta is a lovely Slovakian restaurant with lots of traditional dishes for you to try. It has a simple and pleasant atmosphere. An average dinner costs about 40 euros or about $50.**==

==Sheperd's huts are usually found in mountainous areas or recreation sites. They offer traditional Slovak food for reasonable prices. You can enjoy a pleasant atmosphere inside the hut, or a natural one on an open air terrace. The prices range from 80-100 Slovak Korunas. If you want to ask where the nearest shepherd's hut is, say "Kde je najbližšia koliba" (pronounced Gdye ye naiblizha koleeba)==

=__//Enjoy your trip!//__=