Part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire until the end of World War 1, the present-day Slovakia became an independent state after the peaceful dissolution of Czechoslovakia in 1993. Slovakia sits at the very heart of Europe and is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south. It joined the European Union in 2004, and its capital is Bratislava.
Our Slovakia Specialist Recommends
‘Slovakia is every bit as exciting for birds as its larger neighbours yet has attracted little attention from birders or other naturalists. When you consider that Slovakia is home to all of Europe’s nine species of woodpecker, many owl species including Ural, Tengmalm’s and Pygmy, eagles, Wallcreeper, warblers, wagtails and much more, I’m sure its reputation as a top birdwatching destination will grow. I recommend visiting while it’s still virtually untouched by tourism, and discover it for yourself!’
