Swing over to Slovakia
With two cities each offering notable museums and sites to explore, it’s time to plan for a summer vacation to Slovakia.
Visitors with just a weekend to spend in Bratislava should start in the city’s old town, with its many museums and palaces.
The Rococo-style Mirbach Palace houses an exhibition of Central European baroque paintings and sculptures, while the Palffy Palace offers visitors a chance to view 19th-century European art, including notable works by Albin Brunovsky, a Slovak graphic artist.
The Museum of Wine Production traces the history of wine-making within the city, according to the Bratislava City Museum Web site.
For a glimpse at the area’s Napoleonic history, visit the Primatial Palace. It was there in 1805 that Napoleon signed the Pressburg Peace Treaty with Holy Roman Emperor Francis II, according to the Heart of Europe Web site.
A collection of 17th-century English tapestries hangs throughout the palace. Primatial Palace also houses part of the Municipal Museum, which features an exhibit on medieval justice and instruments of torture.
Youngsters will enjoy a visit to the Bibiana International House of Art for Children, which offers an art museum just for them as well as theater performances and daily music programs.
The smaller city of Poprad sits in the valley below the High Tatras mountain range. Explore the main square of Saint Giles, where a cluster of graceful religious buildings and a pedestrian street lined with brightly colored buildings await.
Poprad has several museums, including the Tatra Region Museum, which traces the history of the area from the Neanderthal period forward, and the House of Photography, a dedicated photographic institution with many collections.
Another museum to explore is the Tatra Gallery, with two venues, one showing 19th- and 20th- century paintings of the Spis and Tatra regions and the other offering collections of folk costumes that focus on the local tradition of weaving.
Try a visit to Aquacity. The spa resort offers eight pools heated by water from an underground thermal lake, whirlpools, sauna treatments and rides, says the Aquacity Web site.
If you visit Poprad in the summer, take time to hike the peaks of the High Tatras or take the cable car to Lomnicky Stit, one of the range’s highest peaks.
Spisska Sobota, a well-preserved medieval village, gives visitors a peek into the past. The Spisska Sobota Museum houses a collection of furniture and crafts.
— Heather Klinglesmith, compiled from travel Web sites
