Košice is Slovakia's second city, but it never feels second-best. Its historic core is among the finest in Central Europe, its cultural scene runs at its own confident pace, and the surrounding region offers day trips no other part of the country can match — wooden churches, volcanic wine country, karst canyons and even a geyser. If your Slovak itineraries have always ended at the Tatras, keep going east. It pays off.
St Elisabeth Cathedral: Gothic at the edge of the West
The heart of the city is St Elisabeth Cathedral, the largest church in Slovakia and the easternmost Gothic cathedral of the Western European type. Construction began in the late 14th century; inside you will find a precious winged high altar and a rare double spiral staircase. The crypt holds the remains of Francis II Rákóczi, leader of the great anti-Habsburg uprising, ceremonially reburied here in 1906. Climb the north tower, too — the view over the Old Town's red roofs is worth every step.
Hlavná street: the corso, palaces and a singing fountain
Košice has no classic main square but a lens-shaped promenade instead: Hlavná street, lined with burgher palaces, the Urban Tower and the historic State Theatre. In the little park between cathedral and theatre plays the famous singing fountain, where half the city gathers on summer evenings. Take a café table, order a coffee and watch the corso — locals have elevated the evening stroll to an art form. Literature fans can seek out the memorial room of writer Sándor Márai, the city's most famous native son.
European Capital of Culture and the Kulturpark
The title of European Capital of Culture 2013 visibly energised Košice. A former army barracks became Kasárne/Kulturpark, a creative district of galleries, concert spaces and studios, joined by Tabačka Kulturfabrik, a converted tobacco factory. The result is a city that pairs deep history with genuinely contemporary energy — check the programme before you come.
Day trips: Bardejov, Prešov and wooden churches
An hour and a half north lies Bardejov, UNESCO-listed since 2000, whose Renaissance market square with its town hall and the Basilica of St Giles is among the best preserved in Central Europe. On the way back, stop in Prešov, Slovakia's third city, with a long spindle-shaped square and an easy-going vibe. Villages across the region hide wooden churches of the Eastern rite, several of them also on the UNESCO list.
Tokaj, the Slovak Sea and a geyser
The region's southeast belongs to wine: the Slovak part of the Tokaj appellation offers tastings in tuff-carved cellars, most famously in Malá Tŕňa — a bottle of fine Tokaj selection costs a fraction of prices across the border. A little further east spreads Zemplínska šírava, nicknamed the Slovak Sea, with beaches and water sports. And in Herľany, 28 km from Košice, a unique cold-water geyser erupts once every 32 to 36 hours, shooting several metres high — eruption times are published online, so plan ahead.
The Slovak Karst: Jasov and the Zádiel gorge
West of Košice rises the Slovak Karst. Jasov offers a Premonstratensian monastery and a show cave, but the strongest experience is Zádielska tiesňava — a canyon with limestone walls over 300 metres high, threaded by an easy walking trail. Perfect for an undemanding half-day trip.
Practical information
- Getting there: the IC train from Bratislava takes about 5 hours (from roughly 20 euros); driving via the D1 takes a similar time. Košice also has an international airport with scheduled flights.
- How long: 2–3 days — one for the city, the rest for trips to Bardejov, Tokaj or the karst.
- Costs: cathedral entry with tower under 5 euros, lunch 7–12 euros, Tokaj tastings from about 10 euros.
- Tip: a car makes the outlying trips much easier, though Bardejov and Prešov are comfortably reachable by train or bus.
Eastern Slovakia is where the crowds thin out and the experiences multiply. Košice makes the perfect base — a city that surprises you, and a region that keeps you a few days longer than planned.