COMPASS
Eastern Europe
COMPILED BY GABE WEBB
See Slovakia from
tajch to bottom
“Slovakia is a small country in the heart of
Europe,” says Marcela Lauková, managing direc-
tor of Discover Slovakia Tours. “And short travel
distances allow you to see a lot in a short time.”
Many Discover Slovakia itineraries have an
agritourism focus, including the long-time NTA
member’s most popular trip, Explore Eastern
Europe. Over the course of 13 days, travelers
will see the region’s major cities such as Prague,
Krakow, Bratislava and Budapest. They will also
visit rural farms and learn about raising livestock
Clockwise from top: Bratislava Castle, Cold Creek Waterfalls in the High Tatras
mountains, Spiš Castle, choir in Hronsek
50
August/September 2017
and go to historical breweries, as well as explore
the beauty of the High Tatras mountains.
Lauková says the company is deepening its
agricultural tours. “We can now provide a very
technical agriculture program in the Balkans:
Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Montenegro.
We also offer a new program connected to a
Danube river cruise, where we offer agricultural
day trips instead of the regular cultural visits.”
In addition to featuring eastern Europe’s
agricultural output, Discover Slovakia’s tours
showcase its home country’s UNESCO-listed
sites. “There are five cultural and two natu-
ral UNESCO sites located in the small area of
Slovakia,” says Lauková.
The town of Banská Štiavnica and its nearby
mines and reservoirs (tajchs) have been recog-
nized for their historical value. The city thrived
as a mining center during the Renaissance, and
the flourishing economy led to the construction
of beautiful palaces, churches and castles. The
surviving mineshafts and tunnels are recognized
for their technical achievement for their era.
“Nowadays, the city is described as the Soho
of Slovakia,” says Lauková, “with a rich concen-
tration of arts and more than 60 tajchs.”
For 2018, Discover Slovakia plans to expand
its specialty group tour themes. Lauková says
the company has seen increased interest from
groups looking for performance opportunities,
historical sites and active travel.
“Our very first bike group from the U.S. will
arrive in the autumn and will have a six-day
biking program in Slovakia and the Czech
Republic,” she says.
To learn more, contact Lauková at mlaukova@
discoverslovakiatours.com or go to discover
slovakiatours.com.