Slovakia by train

May to September is the best time to visit Slovakia for hiking and city sightseeing, with the warmest weather and hiking trails in the High Tatras fully open from mid-June. December to March is the best time for skiing in the High Tatras. May, June and September offer a quieter, more affordable alternative to peak summer. There are highlights year-round: Bojnice Castle hosts its International Festival of Ghosts and Spirits every spring, autumn brings Vinobranie grape harvest festivals with folk music and grape-stomping to wine regions like the Little Carpathians, and Christmas fairs fill town squares with mulled wine and handcrafted ornaments through December.

The best things to do in Slovakia include exploring Bratislava's old town, hiking in the High Tatras, and visiting Slovakia's castles and thermal spas.

• Exploring Bratislava's old town and riverside castle, with its 9th-century origins overlooking the Danube

• Hiking or skiing in the High Tatras, Slovakia's highest mountain range

• Relaxing in thermal spas near the Tatras and around the country

• Wandering the wooden churches and folk architecture near Košice, and the UNESCO-listed village of Vlkolínec

• Visiting Spiš Castle, one of the largest castle complexes in Central Europe

• Touring the Dobšinská Ice Cave, accessible year-round including winter

• Climbing wooden ladders and boardwalks through the Suchá Belá gorge in Slovak Paradise National Park

• Touring the fairy-tale towers of Bojnice Castle, said to be Central Europe's most romantic, complete with a 600-year-old lime tree in its grounds

Slovakia is reachable from London via a change of trains in Brussels, with a Nightjet sleeper train connecting onward through Frankfurt or Vienna to Bratislava. Daytime trains also connect Bratislava with Vienna, Prague and Budapest. Within Slovakia, trains connect Bratislava with towns and cities across the country.