Our exciting Slovakia round trip continued, and we landed in the east of the country, in the second-largest city with around 240,000 inhabitants. Kosice (German: “Kaschau”) is located about 400 kilometers east of Bratislava, near the borders with Ukraine, Poland, and Hungary. The city center is particularly beautiful, with its many historic buildings, the green city park, and the very relaxed atmosphere. Kosice was even the European Capital of Culture in 2013, which was very beneficial for the city. In the following article, we reveal our top Kosice sights and highlights. Enjoy browsing!
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- Our Slovakia round trip
- Costs of our Slovakia trip
- Country overview of Slovakia
- This might also interest you:
- Getting to Kosice
- Accommodation in Košice
- Sights in Kosice
- 1. The main street Hlavná ulica
- 2. Cathedral of St. Elizabeth
- 3. View from the cathedral
- 4. Urban’s Tower
- 5. St. Michael’s Chapel
- 6. Jacob’s Palace
- 7. Historical Town Hall
- 8. Kosice State Theatre
- 9. Immaculate Conception Column
- 10. Csáky – Dessewffy Palace
- 11. Trip to Spiš Castle
- 12. Trip to the Dobsina Ice Cave
- 13. Hiking in the Slovak Paradise
- 14. Slovak Karst National Park
- Local Mobility
- Conclusion on Kosice | Košice
Getting to Kosice
By Bus: Kosice is located in eastern Slovakia, around 400 km from Bratislava. You can get there by bus from Bratislava. Flixbus* buses run several times a day, and one trip often costs just €14.99. Plan on taking around 6.5 hours for this journey. You can also reach Bratislava by long-distance bus from Germany. From Munich, it takes just under 8.5 hours with one change. Eurolines* is also a major provider of bus connections between Kosice and Germany.
By train:We took the train from Rostock to Bratislava. It was a fairly relaxing journey. From Bratislava, you can take the train to Kosice in just under 5.5 hours; tickets start at around €19. It’s best to check the Railways of Slovak Republic website.
By car: We traveled in Slovakia itself with our rental car*. The roads in the country are very well developed, and you can get from A to B quite quickly (maximum 130 km/h). By the way, Kosice is even located on European Route 50, which runs from France to Makhachkala in Russia. Kind of crazy, right? The city is also located on European Route 71, which leads to Croatia.
Staying overnight in Kosice
We rented a small Airbnb apartment* in Kosice and can recommend it. The accommodation is very centrally located and only 2 minutes from the main road. We’ve also picked out a few nice hotels for you that we would also book ourselves. During our research, we paid a lot of attention to the location and reviews from previous guests. If you have any other accommodation tips for us, please let us know in the comments.
This beautiful 4-star hotel is located right in the historic center of the city and awaits you with a wellness area, a cool café, modern rooms, and a restaurant. Previous guests particularly praise the comfortable beds, the location, and the breakfast.
4.5 out of 5 points on Tripadvisor*
This truly beautiful and cozy vacation apartment is also located right in the city center. Enjoy a terrace, Wi-Fi, a garden, and bike rental. There is also a bedroom, a kitchenette, and a bathroom with a shower. Great attention to detail has been paid here. Previous guests particularly praise the very friendly host, the amenities, and the location.
9.3 out of 10 points on Booking.com*
This chic boutique hotel is just 230 meters from the beautiful Cathedral of St. Elisabeth. Look forward to a stylish bar, a terrace, a restaurant, and cool rooms with balconies. Previous guests particularly praise the architecture, the location, and the delicious breakfast. A top hotel in a top location!
4.5 out of 5 points on Tripadvisor*
The 4-star Boutique Hotel Chrysso, located in the historic center of the city, is also recommended. The rooms are all very stylishly furnished and feature a TV, safe, toiletries, bathroom, and minibar. Previous guests particularly praise the prime location, the competent staff, the modern rooms, and the breakfast.
4 out of 5 points on Tripadvisor*
Sights in Kosice
There’s a lot to see in Kosice, so we recommend spending at least a full day in the city (although two is even better). The good thing is that most of the sights in Kosice are located in the center and can therefore be reached on foot. We’ve highlighted the most important highlights on the map below to give you a first impression.
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1. The main street, Hlavná ulica
The central street in Kosice is called Hlavná ulica and runs along the many historical sights. In the south, the street ends at Liberators’ Square and in the north at Peace Marathon Square. The good thing about this street is that it is almost entirely pedestrianized. Here you can stroll and explore the various restaurants, cafés, and shops. Take your time and turn left or right every now and then. You’ll also find cool shops and restaurants in the side streets.
2. St. Elizabeth’s Cathedral
One of the most beautiful churches in the country is located right in the city center. Construction of the beautiful St. Elizabeth’s Cathedral began around 1380 and wasn’t completed until 1508. Particularly beautiful are the imposing exterior, the beautiful animal-shaped gargoyles, the bell tower, the St. Elizabeth altarpiece featuring 48 panel paintings, and the pretty decorations. Overall, this cathedral is simply an eye-catcher and hard to miss. Incidentally, it is also the largest church in the country.
3. View from the Cathedral
The best view of the city is from the dome of the cathedral, as there is a viewing platform on one of the towers. While we were in Kosice, the platform and the cathedral were unfortunately closed. However, friends of ours were able to enjoy the view a few days before us. They even left a message for us in the guestbook, which we unfortunately couldn’t see. If you’re ever there, we’d be delighted to receive a photo of the message.
4. Urban Tower
The Urban Tower is also one of Kosice’s sights. The bell tower was built in the 14th century for St. Elizabeth’s Cathedral. After a serious fire in 1966, the 7-ton bell was reassembled and now placed in front of the tower. The tower walls contain 36 gravestones, most of which date from the 14th and 15th centuries.
5. St. Michael’s Chapel
Another attraction in Kosice is the small and pretty St. Michael’s Chapel, located directly in front of the Cathedral of St. Elizabeth. This single-nave Gothic church was built in the 14th century and served for a long time as the cathedral’s burial chapel. Today, a beautiful green park with colorful flowers and park benches surrounds the chapel.
6. Jacob’s Palace
Just east of the Cathedral of St. Elizabeth is the Gothic Jacob’s Palace. This is a truly beautiful building, built in 1899 by the architect Arpád Jakab. He used it as a private residence, and only after World War II did the palace become the residence of the President of the Czechoslovak Republic, Eduard Beneš. You can recognize the palace from afar by its green roofs and spires.
7. Historical Town Hall
Another Kosice attraction is certainly the historical town hall, dating from 1779. This building is located between the cathedral and the Plague Column at Hlavná Street 59. The baroque statues on the roof are definitely eye-catchers, symbolizing various important things of the time: the king, the goddess of justice, or even a Roman soldier. On the front of the historical town hall in Kosice, you can also find the city’s coat of arms. After being used as a library for many years, the building now serves as a visitor center, among other things.
8. Kosice State Theatre
Like almost every large city, Kosice also has a beautiful state theatre. The building was built in 1899 and boasts a lyre-shaped auditorium, statues, ornaments, and a beautiful dome above the hall, featuring scenes from four Shakespeare plays. During the season, numerous premieres by the three ensembles take place here: drama, opera, and ballet. Click here for the program. In front of the State Theater, in the small green park, is the so-called “singing fountain.” Every hour on the hour, the water jets dance in time with the cathedral’s carillon.
9. Immaculata Plague Column
You might be wondering what the so-called Plague Column is all about? This 14-meter-high column was built in gratitude for the banishment of the plague and is located on the former execution site. The column is decorated with various sculptures of saints, archangels, and kings. At the very top sits the statue of the Mother of God, Mary (hence the name Marian Column).
10. Csáky-Dessewffy Palace
Another highlight of Kosice is the Csáky-Dessewffy Palace, located between the Technical Museum and the Plague Column. This neoclassical building dates back to the 19th century and first belonged to Count Anton Csáky and later to Count Dessewffy (hence the name). Later, the palace was used as a gallery and then as the seat of the Constitutional Court of the Slovak Republic. Currently, the building is apparently used as business premises.
11. Excursion to Spiš Castle
There’s plenty to see not only in Kosice, but also in the surrounding area. We definitely recommend a detour to Spiš Castle (Spišský hrad). This ancient ruin sits atop a 630-meter-high hill and is only about 55 minutes from Kosice. Here, you’ll find one of the largest castle complexes in all of Central Europe; according to the Guinness Book of Records, only Prague Castle is larger. Interestingly, many fairy tale and fantasy films have been filmed here, such as “Dragonheart” and “The Last Legion.” Parking is available at the foot of the castle, from where you can continue on foot up to the fortress. The ruins are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and admission costs €8.
12. Excursion to the Dobsina Ice Cave
After about 1:45 hours by car, you will reach the Dobsina Ice Cave. It is one of the approximately 6,200 caves in Slovakia, although only 18 of them are open to the public. We visited the ice cave and marveled at the impressive and enormous ice walls during a guided tour. The deeper we went, the colder it became. In some places, the walls were up to 25 meters thick—crazy, right? The tour was in Slovak, so we didn’t really understand much. It was still beautiful… More about it here: Ice Cave of Dobšiná.
13. Hiking in the Slovak Paradise
A trip to the Slovak Paradise is also recommended. This is a wonderful and adventurous national park with various hiking trails and the impressive Sucha Belá Gorge. Waterfalls, narrow canyons, valleys, ravines, caves, monuments, and diverse hikes await you there. The park itself boasts more than 300 kilometers of hiking trails, many of which are equipped with chains, bridges, and ladders. Be sure to read our post about our hike.
14. Slovak Karst National Park
Just 45 minutes from Kosice lies the Slovak Karst National Park. This national park is not far from the Hungarian border and awaits you with exciting hiking trails. The national park also features more than 1,100 caves and gorges. The town of Rožňava is a good starting point for a visit to the Slovak Karst.
Local Mobility
We only traveled on foot in Kosice, as all the major sights are located right in the city center. Nevertheless, the city also has a very well-developed transport network with trams, buses, and trolleybuses. You can find more information about travel times and tickets here. You can also rent a bike and explore the city. You can register on the Verejny Bicykel website and grab one of the red and white bikes anywhere in the city. You pay only €1 per hour.
Conclusion on Kosice | Košice
We were indeed very impressed by this city. Besides Bratislava, Kosice is a very attractive and interesting city. Especially if you’re taking a tour of the country, a stop in Kosice is a must. We enjoyed our time here and can 100% recommend a detour. From Kosice, we continued our tour and drove towards Banská Bystrica.