Dates & Prices

Price includes

• private coach transportation throughout the programme
• airport transfers Košice Airport – Prešov – Košice Airport
• private English-speaking guide
• 3 nights in a 3-star hotel
• accommodation in standard twin rooms / studios
• 3 breakfasts
• 2 lunches
• entrance fees to attractions included in the programme
• tour operator insolvency protection

Price does not include

• flights to/from Košice
• comprehensive personal travel insurance
• meals and services not specified in the programme
• optional experiences

Prešov

A colourful historic city and the natural base for exploring the Šariš region.

Prešov combines a compact historic centre with an authentic local atmosphere away from Slovakia’s busiest tourist routes. Its elongated main square is lined with historic town houses, churches and cafés, making the city an ideal base for excursions across Northeast Slovakia.

For this programme, Prešov also works exceptionally well logistically: Bardejov, the opal mines and Šariš Castle can all be reached without spending large parts of the holiday travelling.

Bardejov – UNESCO World Heritage

One of Slovakia’s finest preserved medieval towns.

Bardejov is one of the cultural highlights of Eastern Slovakia. Its historic centre was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2000 and is centred around an exceptionally well-preserved medieval square surrounded by historic burgher houses.

The town combines Gothic and Renaissance architecture, historic fortifications and the monumental Basilica of St. Giles within a very compact pedestrian centre.

Bardejovské Kúpele

Centuries of European spa tradition surrounded by forests and historic architecture.

Just outside Bardejov lies one of Slovakia’s traditional spa resorts. Its history is connected with mineral springs documented as early as the 13th century.

Over the centuries, the spa attracted aristocratic and royal visitors including Emperor Joseph II, Russian Tsar Alexander I and Empress Elisabeth of Austria, known as Sisi. Today, historic spa architecture, landscaped parks and mineral springs preserve the atmosphere of a classic Central European spa town.

Hervartov Wooden Church – UNESCO

A remarkable survival of medieval wooden architecture.

The Roman Catholic Church of St. Francis of Assisi in Hervartov dates from the end of the 15th century and is regarded as Slovakia’s oldest and best-preserved wooden church.

Together with seven other wooden churches of the Slovak Carpathians, it was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2008. Its historic Gothic paintings and later wall paintings survive inside the compact timber structure.

Slovak Opal Mines

An underground story that once supplied precious opal to European royalty.

Hidden beneath the Slanské Hills between Prešov and Košice is an extensive historic mining system associated with Slovak precious opal.

The Dubník mines contain more than 35 kilometres of tunnels. Until major Australian deposits were discovered in the late 19th century, this area was the world’s principal historic source of precious opal.

Among the famous stones associated with the mines is the Harlequin opal, now held by the Natural History Museum in Vienna.

This is one of the strongest differentiators of the entire NEST programme because it is not simply another castle, church or city tour. It gives international visitors an attraction strongly connected specifically with this part of Slovakia.

Šariš Castle

A hilltop fortress overlooking the heart of the Šariš region.

Above the town of Veľký Šariš stand the extensive ruins of Šariš Castle. The castle grounds can be explored on foot and its elevated position provides broad views over the surrounding landscape.

The site is particularly suitable as the final experience of the day after the underground opal mines: visitors move from a mysterious subterranean attraction into an open landscape and one of the region’s dominant historic landmarks. The castle site is accessible year-round, with visitor services operating seasonally.

Product Positioning

A compact cultural discovery programme for groups looking for an alternative Central European destination beyond the established Prague – Vienna – Budapest circuit.

Within only four days, clients experience:

• a UNESCO medieval town
• UNESCO wooden heritage
• a historic European spa resort
• one of the world’s most remarkable historic opal-mining locations
• a major medieval castle
• the regional capital of Prešov
• local gastronomy
• comfortable private transportation

Why this product works commercially

Very compact geography.
The programme contains substantial sightseeing without requiring long-distance coach transfers.

Easy air access.
The itinerary begins and ends at Košice International Airport, allowing it to operate as a self-contained short-break product.

Strong product differentiation.
Bardejov and Hervartov provide recognised UNESCO heritage, while the Slovak Opal Mines create a distinctive experience that is difficult to replicate elsewhere.

Balanced programme.
Historic towns, spa culture, underground exploration, landscapes, castles, gastronomy and free time are combined rather than concentrating on a single type of attraction.

Clear group economics.
The programme is calculated from a minimum of 30 paying participants.

Expandable.
Welcome and farewell dinners, special cultural experiences, enhanced mine visits and additional sightseeing in Košice can be added depending on the target market.

Best suited for

• cultural touring groups
• senior and active-senior groups
• associations and special-interest groups
• Central European discovery programmes
• first-time visitors to Slovakia
• groups arriving through Košice Airport
• tour operators looking for destinations outside heavily visited European tourism corridors

Product format

Duration: 4 days / 3 nights
Gateway: Košice International Airport
Base: Prešov
Operating season: May – mid-October
Minimum group: 30 paying guests
Transport: Private coach
Guiding: English-speaking guide

Short B2B description

A four-day discovery of Eastern Slovakia designed for international groups arriving via Košice Airport.

Based in Prešov, the programme combines UNESCO-listed Bardejov and Hervartov with the historic Bardejov Spa, the extraordinary Slovak Opal Mines and Šariš Castle.

Short driving distances make it possible to offer a varied Central European programme within only three nights, combining heritage, local culture, gastronomy and experiences that remain largely undiscovered by international visitors.