Featured Writer: McAllister and Co

My last few days in Slovakia were spent in the Tatras Mountains. Wow, what incredible scenery, fresh air, crispness and, above all else, calmness.

Once I’d booked into the hotel in Smokovec, I was soon out and about in the snow and the sunshine. I’ve never really seen the appeal of a ski-ing holiday; I didn’t really get it. I most certainly do now. The air was so clear, I could see for miles and everyone looked so happy, so exhilarated and so healthy.

I mingled with skiers, soaking up the rays and the last snow of the season, and I travelled up the mountain in the ground cable car. The views, again, were breath-taking and once at the top, I wished I had snow boots or skis rather than my totally inappropriate fashion boots. No-one batted an eyelid, even when I did my best Bambi impression! On my descent, and on less snowy ground, I explored a slice of the resort, before sampling the wellness centre in my hotel.

The whole resort was calm, the sounds of laughter and chatter, no shouting nor loud music. On the whole, if I am to ski, it will be in Slovakia. There was a sense of enjoyment rather than mass commercialisation, and I can imagine in the peak season, it will be busy but that the atmosphere will remain.

My tour of the mountains included lunch at the Hotel Kempinski in the (very) High Tatras and a brief visit to the Liptov region in the low Tatras , where I was woken by the sound of birdsong, a babbling brook and the sun streaming through the fir trees.

So surprised by Slovakia? You bet.

I had an excellent five days, I met some lovely people, saw some fabulous sights and stayed in some brilliant hotels with great staff, who, even if they could not speak English, helped as much as they could. Even finding an English travel adapter for my plug, as I had left mine in Bratislava – well I needed an excuse to go back there.

I need no excuse to go back to Slovakia now. It’s on the top of my list in for the future.

I urge you to add it to your list too.

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