←Slovakia travel guide
Košice Region, Slovakia
Kosice
Eastern Slovakia's cultural capital anchored by a Gothic masterpiece
ArchitectureCultureHistory & Heritage
Kosice is Slovakia's second-largest city, built around the graceful Hlavna Street and the Cathedral of St Elisabeth, the largest church in the country and a pinnacle of Gothic architecture. The city served as a European Capital of Culture in 2013 and remains a gateway to several UNESCO World Heritage sites within a short drive.
Check Slovakia visa requirements →
Best time to visit
May to September
Region
Košice Region
Main airport
Košice KSC (KSC)
Beyond the City
Day Trips from Kosice
UNESCO World HeritageHistory
Spis Castle
Spis Castle is one of the largest medieval castle complexes in Central Europe, its sprawling ruins crowning a solitary hilltop in eastern Slovakia's picturesque landscape. The fortress dates to the 12th century and once served as the administrative centre of the Spis region; together with the nearby ecclesiastical town of Spiska Kapitula and the walled medieval town of Levoca, it forms a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visitors walk among restored towers, chapel ruins, and exhibition halls that trace the castle's role in Slovak and Hungarian history.
Nature
Slovak Paradise National Park
Slovensky raj (Slovak Paradise) is a national park of deep limestone gorges, waterfalls, and forest plateaus in eastern Slovakia, traversed by a network of trails aided by ladders, chains, and wooden walkways fixed to near-vertical canyon walls. The park is home to the Dobsinska Ice Cave, a UNESCO-listed natural wonder whose frozen chambers and stalactites have been drawing visitors since the 19th century. The diversity of routes, from gentle valley walks to vertiginous gorge scrambles, makes it one of Slovakia's most distinctive outdoor destinations.
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Plan Your Trip
Getting Around Kosice
Tours, stays, transfers, and flights — curated partner options are on the way.
Tours & Activities
Skip-the-line tickets, guided tours, and day experiences — curated partner options are on the way.
Coming soonWhere to Stay
Hotels, apartments, and guesthouses across every neighbourhood — booking options are on the way.
Coming soonAirport Transfers
Private and shared rides between the airport and the city centre — partner options are on the way.
Coming soonFlights
Compare fares from hundreds of airlines to find the best route in — search options are on the way.
Coming soonTravel Guide
Frequently Asked Questions About Visiting Slovakia
Entry requirements vary by passport. Check the requirements for your specific passport on the Slovakia page at Yoogo.
Slovakia uses the euro (EUR), having adopted it in 2009. Card payments are widely accepted in cities, hotels, and larger restaurants, though it is wise to carry some cash for smaller towns, rural guesthouses, and market stalls.
Slovakia is generally considered a safe country with low levels of violent crime. As in any European city, travellers in Bratislava and Kosice should be alert to pickpocketing in busy tourist areas and around public transport hubs.
Trains connect Bratislava to Kosice, Zilina, and other major cities, with ZSSK operating the national rail network. Regional bus services run by SAD reach smaller towns and villages not served by rail, and renting a car is a practical option for exploring the High Tatras, Slovak Paradise, and the many UNESCO-listed small towns.
Late spring (May to June) and early autumn (September) offer pleasant temperatures, fewer crowds, and ideal conditions for hiking and sightseeing. Summer (July to August) is the warmest period and best for high-altitude trails, while winter (December to March) suits skiers heading to the Tatras resorts.
Slovak is the official language, with Hungarian spoken by a significant minority in the south. English is widely understood in Bratislava, in tourist areas, and among younger generations, though knowledge of basic Slovak phrases is appreciated and can be helpful in rural areas.
No specific vaccinations are required for entry to Slovakia, but travellers should ensure routine jabs are up to date. Tick-borne encephalitis vaccination is recommended for those planning extensive hiking or camping in forested areas, particularly in summer.
Tipping is customary in restaurants, with around 10 per cent of the bill considered appropriate; in more casual settings, rounding up to the nearest euro or two is common practice. Tipping hotel porters one or two euros per bag and rounding up taxi fares are both appreciated but not obligatory.
Slovakia has good 4G coverage across cities and main tourist corridors, with 5G available in Bratislava and Kosice. Travellers with a compatible device can purchase an eSIM from providers such as Airalo before departure, which connects automatically to local networks including O2 and Orange upon arrival.