Košice is a walking city built along one street. Spend day one on Hlavná: climb the cathedral's north tower, go underground at the Lower Gate, see the Golden Treasure and catch the fountain show after dark. Day two is for Mikluš Prison, Jakab Palace and the Kunsthalle, or the children's railway at Čermeľ. Add a third day for Spiš Castle and Levoča.
Slovakia's second city sits at the far eastern end of the country, closer to Hungary and Ukraine than to Bratislava. Its long, lens-shaped main street holds a Gothic cathedral, a theatre and a singing fountain, and the 2013 Capital of Culture year left barracks and a pool turned into arts venues.
Slovakia's largest church anchors the main street. Inside, find the royal staircase, a rare Gothic double spiral, and the crypt where Francis II Rákóczi was reburied in 1906. The tower costs a few euros and looks straight down Hlavná.
The long pedestrian main street widens into a square around the cathedral and the theatre. The fountain between them plays music with its jets on the hour; the evening shows are lit. It does not run in winter.
Builders found nearly 3,000 gold coins at Hlavná 68 in 1935, the richest coin hoard ever found in Slovakia. The East Slovak Museum shows it in its main building, a short walk north of the cathedral.
Rebuilding Hlavná in the 1990s uncovered the medieval Lower Gate, its bastion and the old water channels, and the city roofed them over as a museum beneath the street. Low-key, and a good half hour.
Two joined Gothic burgher houses served as the town jail for centuries. The East Slovak Museum now shows the cells and the story of the town’s justice; pair it with the Executioner’s Bastion around the corner.
The national technical museum, founded in 1947, fills a Hlavná townhouse with mining, metallurgy, clocks, cameras and early aircraft. It also runs a 42-seat planetarium with shows on the night sky.
Architect Peter Jakab built this neo-Gothic mini castle in 1899 from stone left over from the cathedral's restoration. President Beneš lived here briefly in 1945. It is a facade stop, not a museum, and photographs best from across the road.
A 1960s indoor pool became Slovakia's first kunsthalle for the 2013 Capital of Culture year, and the pool mosaic and stepped forms survive. Shows are contemporary and change through the year, so look at the programme first.
A 4.2 km metre-gauge line through the Čermeľ valley, opened in 1955 as a pioneer railway and still running. The ride takes about 20 minutes and runs from late April to early November.
Slovakia's largest zoo covers 292 hectares of forested hills in Kavečany, at the city's northern edge. Walking trails link the enclosures, and a DinoPark of life-size dinosaur models sits beside them.
Slovakia’s oldest-running music festival, held since 1956.
The 1369 coat-of-arms charter, marked with concerts on Hlavná.
The spring half marathon from the Peace Marathon organisers.
The international film festival; 19 to 25 June in 2026.
Europe’s oldest marathon, first run in 1924.
White Night: three evenings of contemporary art across the centre.
Stalls along Hlavná from the Immaculata, with a lit tree.
A public holiday; expect shorter hours in some shops.
Just south of the city, with scheduled flights across Europe. City bus 23 runs to the station in about 20 minutes.
ŽSSK runs direct trains to Bratislava in about five and a half hours; RegioJet runs the same line.
The city transport company runs trams, buses and trolleybuses on one ticket. Buy before boarding or from the driver.
The bus station beside the railway station serves Jasov, Herľany, Spiš and Bardejov.
Potato dumplings in sheep cheese with bacon, the national dish.
Half-moon dumplings filled with bryndza or potato.
Sauerkraut soup with sausage and mushrooms, a Christmas staple.
Thin potato flatbreads, rolled around goose fat or poppy seed.
Fried dough with garlic, cheese and sour cream.
Paprika beef stew, a legacy of the Hungarian centuries.
Sweet golden wine from Slovakia’s share of the Tokaj region.
Spiral-rolled steamed sheep cheese, often lightly smoked.
Get our one-page Košice cheat sheet plus a fresh destination every Thursday.
Slovakia
