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How many days in Slovakia? 7 days from the Danube to the High Tatras
By Tony Panopoulos · travel-agency planner in Greece · Updated
Most visitors see Slovakia as a day trip from Vienna to Bratislava, but the best of the country lies 300 km east, in the granite peaks of the High Tatras and the castle country of Spiš. Give it seven days and travel west to east along the main railway: two in Bratislava, one in the mining town of Banská Štiavnica, three in the mountains and gorges, and a last one in Košice.
Short answer
Five days covers Bratislava, the High Tatras and Spiš Castle by train. Seven adds Banská Štiavnica and a full day of ladders and waterfalls in Slovak Paradise.
The 7-day plan, day by day
Day 1: Bratislava old town and castle
Morning. Start at Michael's Gate, the only surviving gate of the medieval walls, and walk 5 minutes to the Main Square (Hlavné námestie) and the Old Town Hall. Continue to St Martin's Cathedral, where 11 Hungarian kings and queens were crowned between 1563 and 1830.
Afternoon. Climb 10 minutes to Bratislava Castle, the white box with four towers above the Danube. The gardens are free; the museum inside costs about €10-15.
Evening. Cross the SNP Bridge to the UFO tower, 95 metres above the river (deck about €10), then return to the old town for dinner and a Slovak beer at €3-4.
Look out for Čumil, the bronze sewer worker peeping out of a manhole at the corner of Panská and Rybárska brána; it is the city's most photographed statue.
Day 2: Devín Castle and the Blue Church
Morning. Take bus 29 from the Nový Most stop (about 25 minutes) to Devín Castle, a ruined fortress on a rock where the Morava meets the Danube, on the old Iron Curtain line. Entry is about €8; allow 1.5 hours.
Afternoon. Back in town, walk to the art-nouveau Blue Church of St Elizabeth, painted sky blue inside and out, 10 minutes east of the old town. Then visit the Slovak National Gallery on the riverfront (permanent collection often free or a few euros).
Evening. Take the evening train to Banská Štiavnica (about 3 hours, changing at Zvolen or Hronská Dúbrava), or leave early next morning. Wine bars on Sedlárska street pour Small Carpathian wine at €4-6 a glass.
Buy train tickets from ZSSK online or at the station; regional trains are cheap, and fares are the same on the day.
Day 3: Banská Štiavnica, the silver town
Morning. This UNESCO-listed mining town climbs a volcanic caldera, its houses stacked on steep streets. Start at the Holy Trinity Square with its plague column, then visit the Old Castle (about €8), a church turned fortress, and the New Castle, built against the Turks.
Afternoon. Go underground at the Open-Air Mining Museum (about €12, 2 km out), walking a 17th-century gallery in a helmet. Then climb to the baroque Calvary (Kalvária) east of town, about 30 minutes each way.
Evening. Swim or walk at the Počúvadlo lake, one of the tajchy, artificial reservoirs built in the 18th century to power the mines (about 20 minutes by car). Dinner in town costs €12-18 for a main.
Onward to the Tatras by bus and train via Zvolen and Banská Bystrica takes about 4.5-5 hours, or about 3 hours by car.
Day 4: To the High Tatras: Štrbské Pleso
Morning. Travel east to Štrba, then take the rack railway up to Štrbské Pleso, the glacial lake at 1,346 metres. Walk the flat 2.5 km path around the lake in about 45 minutes, with the peaks reflected in the water.
Afternoon. Hike to Popradské pleso, a forest lake below the peaks, about 1.5 hours each way on marked trails; nearby, the Symbolic Cemetery remembers those who died in the mountains.
Evening. Stay in Starý Smokovec or Tatranská Lomnica, linked by the electric mountain railway (TEŽ). A mountain-hut dinner of goulash and dumplings is about €10-14.
Many high-mountain trails above the huts are closed from 1 November to 15 June to protect wildlife and for avalanche safety; check the TANAP park website before planning a summit hike.
Day 5: Lomnický štít and the Skalnaté pleso cable cars
Morning. From Tatranská Lomnica, ride the gondola and cable car up to Skalnaté pleso (1,751 m), then the small cabin to Lomnický štít (2,634 m), the second-highest peak in Slovakia. Tickets to the summit cost roughly €60-90 and sell in timed slots; book online days ahead in summer.
Afternoon. Walk down from Skalnaté pleso to Hrebienok (about 2 hours) past the Studený potok waterfalls, then take the funicular to Starý Smokovec (about €10-15).
Evening. Rest in a hotel spa in the Smokovce, or drive 30 minutes to Poprad for its thermal water park and its old Spišská Sobota square.
Weather changes fast above 2,000 m; if the summit is in cloud, change your slot rather than going up blind.
Day 6: Slovak Paradise: ladders and gorges
Morning. Drive or take the bus from Poprad to Podlesok near Hrabušice (about 30 minutes). Hike the Suchá Belá gorge, a 3-4 hour loop climbing up ladders and metal steps beside waterfalls. The national park fee is about €2.
Afternoon. If you have energy, continue to the Kláštorisko meadow, with a ruined Carthusian monastery and a chalet serving soup. Return to Podlesok by the marked trails.
Evening. Stay in Poprad or a guesthouse near Hrabušice. Several gorges are one-way, upwards only, so you cannot climb back down the ladders.
Wear shoes with grip and gloves for the chains; the ladders are wet and slippery, and the route is not for people afraid of heights.
Day 7: Spiš Castle, Levoča and Košice
Morning. Drive 25 km from Poprad to Levoča to see the Basilica of St James and Master Paul's carved altar, at 18.6 metres the tallest Gothic wooden altar in the world (about €5-6). The town hall stands on the long main square.
Afternoon. Continue 15 minutes to Spiš Castle (about €10-12), one of the largest castle complexes in Central Europe, on a limestone hill above the walled church town of Spišská Kapitula.
Evening. Drive about 1 hour to Košice. Walk Hlavná street to the Cathedral of St Elizabeth, the easternmost Gothic cathedral in Europe, and watch the Singing Fountain play in the evening by the State Theatre.
Climb the north tower of St Elisabeth’s in Košice for the view (a few euros), and see the crypt of Prince Francis II Rákóczi.
Only have 5 days?
With 5 days, spend one day in Bratislava, take the morning train to Poprad (about 4 hours), give two days to the Tatras and one to Spiš Castle and Levoča. You lose Banská Štiavnica and Slovak Paradise.
Got extra days?
Extra days fit the Malá Fatra ladders at Jánošíkove diery near Terchová, the wooden village of Vlkolínec, or the UNESCO Dobšiná Ice Cave, about 1 hour from Poprad.
Where to stay in Slovakia
| Budget | Area | Why | Typical double/night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | Poprad / Bratislava hostels | Cheap rooms by the main railway, easy for day trips. | €40-70 |
| Mid-range | Bratislava Old Town | Walk to the castle, cathedral and river, trams to the station. | €90-150 |
| Mid-range | Starý Smokovec / Tatranská Lomnica | Mountain hotels on the TEŽ railway, near trailheads and cable cars. | €80-140 |
| Comfort | Štrbské Pleso / Banská Štiavnica townhouses | Lakeside spa hotels, or restored burgher houses with caldera views. | €160-300 |
Getting around
The main railway runs Bratislava - Žilina - Poprad - Košice: about 4 hours to Poprad and 5 to Košice, for roughly €15-25. In the Tatras, the TEŽ electric railway links Štrbské Pleso, Starý Smokovec and Tatranská Lomnica. Bratislava trams and buses use a 30-minute ticket of about €1.10. A car makes Banská Štiavnica, Slovak Paradise and Spiš much easier; buy the motorway e-vignette online (about €12 for 10 days, approximate).
What to eat in Slovakia
The national dish is bryndzové halušky: small potato dumplings with sheep's cheese and fried bacon, about €8-11, best at a salaš (shepherd's restaurant). Try kapustnica (sauerkraut soup with sausage, at Christmas especially), lokše (potato pancakes) and langoše fried bread with garlic. Restaurants serve a denné menu at lunch on weekdays, soup and main for €7-10. Drink Kofola, the local cola, Zlatý Bažant beer at €2.50-4, and Tokaj wine from the southeast. Fruit brandy, especially slivovica, is offered as a welcome.
Best time to visit
June to September for hiking, when all high Tatras trails are open and highs reach 22-27°C in the lowlands. September is ideal: fewer crowds and settled weather. Ski season runs from December to March at Jasná and Štrbské Pleso. Bratislava's Christmas market fills the Main Square from late November.
Month-by-month weather for Slovakia →
What a day costs
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing a double) | €25 | €55 | €110 |
| Food & drink | €20 | €35 | €65 |
| Sights & tickets | €10 | €25 | €60 |
| Local transport | €8 | €15 | €40 |
| Total per person, per day | about €63 | about €130 | about €275 |
Approximate 2026 prices; towns charge a local accommodation tax of about €1-3 per person per night, highest in Bratislava and the High Tatras.
Before you go
Common questions
Can I do Slovakia without a car?
Yes for the main line: trains are frequent and cheap from Bratislava to Poprad and Košice, and the TEŽ railway covers the Tatras resorts. Banská Štiavnica, Slovak Paradise and Spiš Castle are reachable by bus but slower, with fewer connections at weekends. A car for the eastern part saves about a day.
Is a day in Bratislava enough?
One full day covers the old town, the cathedral and the castle. A second adds Devín Castle, the Blue Church, the riverfront galleries and the UFO tower. With one week in the country, many travellers give Bratislava a day and a half and then move east.
When are the Tatras trails open?
Trails above the mountain huts are generally closed from 1 November to 15 June. Lower routes, such as Štrbské Pleso to Popradské pleso and Hrebienok to the waterfalls, stay open all year. Check snow in early summer; some passes hold snow into July. Tell your hotel your route.
Is Slovakia expensive?
Not compared with Austria next door. A weekday lunch menu costs €7-10, a beer €2.50-4 and a train across the country around €20. Prices peak in Bratislava’s old town and in Tatras resorts in July and August, and the Lomnický štít cable car is the one big expense.
How this guide was made
Compiled by TonyPlan from official tourism, transport and attraction sources and on-the-ground travel knowledge. Prices are approximate for 2026 and change with season; anything we could not confirm is marked as approximate.
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