Slovakia is a smaller country, with a population of just over 5 million (only two-thirds the size of New York City!). Don’t let the size fool you; Slovakia is jammed pack with a world of rigorous mountaintops begging to be climbed, the Danube River waiting to be explored, and brilliant, robust architecture asking to be marveled at.
Bratislava is the country’s capital, so it is filled with cobblestone streets, museums, theaters, and government buildings galore. If you want to immerse yourself in Slovak culture, Bratislava is the best place to do it. Fun Fact: it’s the only national capital to border two independent countries simultaneously, Hungary and Austria! So if you’re an accolade lover (like me), Bratislava will treat you right.
Bratislava is also the home of many different universities, so you will have your fair share of students to meet and become friends with (and we don’t just mean native Slovaks!). You’ll be meeting other foreign students from all over Europe and beyond while studying in Bratislava, which means you’ll have plenty of couches to sleep on during your next grand adventure.
Fill up on new (and did we mention, tasty) dishes like halušky, dance the night away to old-time folk music, and walk through historical places like the Bratislava Castle and Betliar Mansion. For you more adventurous folk out there, hike through Slovak Paradise National Park (stocked with with rigorous mountain trails, streams and caves, even camping!). You get the best of both worlds in a country that is small enough to be easily accessible and geographically diverse.