Arguably the essence of still mostly rural Slovakia lies outside its increasingly cosmopolitan capital Bratislava. One region well worth your time is Špis in the northeast, including  Slovenský Raj (Slovak Paradise) National Park, the lovely medieval town of Levoča, and early-12th-century Spis Castle (pictured here), one of Central Europe's largest, home to an interesting museum, and part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Read more in our post Slovakia Is an Under-the-radar European Gem.

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