kosice tour

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Equal parts pretty and gritty, Košice captures attention with its old town, a jewellery box of Gothic towers, medieval bastions and baroque sculpture. The pride of Eastern Slovakia's largest city is its central square, which boasts the country's greatest concentration of historic monuments.

Attractions

Must-see attractions.

Cathedral of St Elizabeth

This 14th-century cathedral dominates Košice's main square, its gables bristling above tall, stained-glass windows while colourful roof tiles evoke a…

Rodošto & Mikluš Prison

This complex's motley attractions form a whirlwind tour of Košice's history. In the bastion, whose walls date to the 15th century, Košice is revealed as a…

Much of Košice's finery is assembled along Hlavné nám, a long plaza with flower gardens, fountains and cafes on either side. Stroll past the central…

Art studios and traditional workshops line quaint Hrnčiarska, including herbalists, blacksmiths, potters and purveyors of precious stones. Some of their…

East Slovak Museum

Choose your own adventure at this sizeable regional museum with two distinct galleries. 'Centuries in Art’ offers richer cultural insights, with 16th…

Lower Gate Underground Museum

The underground remains of medieval Košice – lower gate, defence chambers, fortifications and waterways dating from the 13th to 15th centuries – were only…

East Slovak Gallery

A thoughtfully curated gallery space with rotating exhibitions of contemporary art, the East Slovak Gallery also has a permanent collection of 19th- and…

Plague Column

A statue of the immaculate conception of the Virgin Mary crowns Košice's 14m-high 'plague column'. Raised in 1723, this masterful baroque sculpture is a…

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Home » Travel Guides » Slovakia » 15 Best Things to Do in Košice (Slovakia)

15 Best Things to Do in Košice (Slovakia)

Amateur historians will be in dreamland in Košice, Slovakia’s beguiling second city in the east of the country. There’s an impossible amount of noteworthy sights to get through in the Historic Centre, but the good news is that they’re all packed tightly in the space of a few streets.

Most of your attention will be on Hlavná Ulica (Main Street), which splits into two parallel branches that skirt the big monuments like the Gothic ensemble of the Cathedral, Urban Tower and St Michael Chapel. This is just the first step on a journey that will lead you through a medieval dungeon, a singing fountain, an opera house with low-cost seats, and bring you to a record-breaking brilliant stash of gold at the East Slovak Museum.

Let’s explore the best things to do in Košice :

1. Hlavná Ulica (Main Street)

All of Košice’s historic monuments are concentrated onto one glorious street.

In the north, at the Immaculata monument, the street breaks off into two parallel branches.

On the outer edge of the street are stately palaces, municipal buildings and townhouses.

On the inside are the city’s main sights, all in a line and interspersed with squares, fountains and little parks,. The cathedral, Urban Tower, State Theatre and St Michael Chapel are all here, so you can jump from one incredible monument to the next.

Hlavná Ulica is part of Slovakia’s largest historic centre, and you can duck down the side streets where more churches, museums and old-time restaurants await.

2. St Elisabeth Cathedral

With pride of place on Hlavná Ulica is the westernmost Gothic cathedral in Europe, and also Slovakia’s largest place of worship, begun in 1378. The cathedral is unusual as its north portal, rather than its west or south, is the one that is most ornamented.

Pause beneath the relief in the tympanum showing people arriving at the gates of heaven, the last judgment and Christ on the cross.

Also go around to the south facade, where above the main window is a sun dial from 1477. Inside, the frescos are also from the 15th century, as is the sensational double spiral staircase leading to the King’s Oratory.

There’s tons of detail to get through, but make time for the the crypt of Hungarian national hero Francis II Rákóczi, and go up the 60-metre church tower for a view to remember.

3. Urban’s Tower

Next to the cathedral is its former campanile, which was raised during the 15th century.

These days the inside holds a small waxwork exhibition of famous people from Košice’s past.

Urban’s Tower is also in the Gothic style, but with little extras added down the years like the portal, which was carved in the 17th century, and the arcades on the corners from the beginning of the 20th century.

These protect historic ledger stones from the 1300s and 1400s, which were embedded into the tower’s stonework after being removed from the cathedral.

The tower’s original bell was cast in 1557 and weighs seven tons.

It was damaged in a fire in the 1960s and after it was restored it was placed in front of the tower as a monument.

4. St Michael Chapel

The last of the ensemble of Gothic monuments clustered around the cathedral is this lovely chapel constructed in 1300s.

Found where the city’s cemetery used to be, it was initially an ossuary dedicated to St Michael, the patron saint of the deceased, and like Urban’s Tower it has ledger stones in its outer walls going back to the 1370s.

In the 17th century it became known as the “Slovak Church “, as it was the only place of worship where masses would be conducted in the Slovak language.

Despite its small size the chapel has all the attributes of a church, including a sacristy, oratory and choir.

At the entrance to sacristy you can find the oldest known depiction Košice’s coat of arms, dating to the 14th century.

5. Immaculata (Plague Pillar)

In a little fenced enclosure at the upper end of Hlavná Ulica is Košice’s elaborate plague pillar.

It’s a Baroque Marian column, capped with a sculpture of the Virgin and erected in the 1720s to praise her for ending the plague epidemic that had hit Košice in 1709-10. Around the pedestal are statures of St Sebastian, St Ladislaus and St Joseph.

And greeting you on the plinths that punctuate the fence are St Margaret, Archangel Gabriel, St Margaret, St Barbara, St Michael and Elizabeth of Hungary, all added later.

6. State Theatre

Košice’s striking Neo-Baroque opera house is also on Hlavná Ulica and replaced the first theatre which went back to 1756. It was designed by the German-Hungarian Adolf Lang who specialised in that bold Historicist style and contributed many grand monuments throughout Hungary.

In the lavish auditorium, tilt your head back to see the painstaking detail of the gilded stuccowork and frescos of scenes from Shakespeare’s tragedies.

You can ask for a tour at the entrance during the day, but you might as well just come by in the evening to watch an opera or ballet as tickets are absurdly cheap.

7. Mikluš Prison

On an alley off Hlavná Ulica is a compound of two medieval houses, which in the early 1600s were converted into Košice’s city prison.

It’s strange to think that for 350 years before that point these had been everyday homes.

The prison is a testament to the city’s harsh penal system, in which over 60 crimes were punishable by execution.

Inside, you’ll watch a video about the prison and Košice’s development down the centuries.

With the help of an audioguide you’ll tour the cells and will go down into the creepy torture chamber.

You can also visit the executioner’s quarters where the swords that put people to death are exhibited.

8. Levočský Dom

Right by the State Theatre on Hlavná Ulica is Slovakia’s oldest inn, which has stood here since the 15th century.

For almost all that time it has been in the hospitality business, and owned by some of the most important figures in the city.

One event that happened here was the wedding reception for Gabriel Prince Bethlen of Transylvania and Catherine of Brandenburg in March 1626. The inn’s only hiatus came in the 17th century when it was granted to the Jesuits who turned it into a pharmacy for a few decades.

You’ll recognise the inn by its elegant bay window, which has Košice coat of arms between the mullions.

9. Beggar’s House

Overlooking the Immaculata is a gorgeous Art Nouveau house dated to 1898, and one of the prettiest in the Košice.

Just under the gable there’s a mural of Elizabeth of Hungary and above it is a statue of a beggar, doffing his cap to people on the street below.

According to legend this career beggar got rich from the generosity of the citizens, and never had to pay tax from the money he received as gifts.

So with all his earnings he could afford to build a house here, in the most prestigious part of the city.

10. Old Town Hall

As good a place as any to start your visit to Košice, the Old Town Hall now hosts the city’s visitor centre and tourist office.

This fine building was finished in 1780 at the transition from Baroque to Neoclassical.

An interesting piece of trivia is that the Russian field marshal Mikhail Kutuzov stayed here on his way home after the defeat to Napoleon’s army in the Battle of Austerlitz.

In the imposing pediment on the facade is an elaborate rendition of the city’s coat of arms.

The visitor centre is on the ground floor and has a shop and small exhibition about the city.

Across the town hall’s courtyard is the Slovan Cinema, dating to 1927 and now used for concerts and plays.

11. Košice Gold Treasure

One of the first things you might read about Košice is its gold treasure.

It is the largest single hoard of gold in Slovakia, and one of the largest in the whole world.

This stash was found by chance while excavating the foundations of the Finance Directorate in 1935, and contains coins from 16 different regions in Europe.

The treasure dates to the 17th, and is made up of 2,920 gold coins, two gold medals and an exquisite gold chain.

Since 1970 it has been in the vault of this plush Neo-Renaissance museum, a few streets up from Hlavná Ulica.

12. New Orthodox Synagogue

On Puškinova Street, a couple of streets east of the cathedral, is the city’s active synagogue.

Dating to 1927, it’s the largest in Slovakia, with a capacity for 800 worshippers.

The Neoclassical facade has local historical elements like a cornice in a style often seen in Renaissance buildings in Eastern Slovakia.

By the entrance see the plaque in memory of Košice’s 12,000 Jewish citizens sent to the concentration camps in the Second World War.

More than 2,000 were actually held captive inside the synagogue, and some left graffiti in pencil on the walls.

13. Church of the Holy Trinity

For a time in the 16th and 17th centuries Košice was a protestant city.

But following the Thirty Years’ War in the mid-1600s it was in Catholic Habsburg hands.

This Baroque church was part of that Counter-Reformation spirit and was built for the Jesuits by the city as an apology for a massacre of Jesuit priests that took place in Košice during the war.

The magnificent church is richly decorated in the Baroque style and has trompe l’oeil murals, gilded altars in the side chapels and delicate carvings on the pulpit and pews.

14. Singing Fountain and Chimes

The main square (Hlavné Námestie) has a small park encircled by tall fir trees.

At the centre is a fountain with dozens of jets that perform a little show in time to classical and pop music piped through speakers around the square.

It’s a fun diversion for a few minutes while you’re taking a break on the benches or tucking into an ice cream.

The show stops on the hour for the square’s carillon to chime and then resumes.

Drop by at night as the fountain is even prettier in lights.

15. Tabačka Kulturfabrik

It’s worth breaking away from the medieval centre to see another, grittier side to Košice which has a young, arty atmosphere.

This is epitomised by the Tabačka Kulturfabrik, a cultural centre in a repurposed tobacco factory built at the end of the 19th century.

If you’re up for some live music there are bands or DJ sets most nights, and a lively program of temporary art exhibitions and cinema screenings.

The rest of the time you could hang out at the bar/restaurant which has cheap Pilsner Urquell on tap.

15 Best Things to Do in Košice (Slovakia):

• Hlavná Ulica (Main Street)
• St Elisabeth Cathedral
• Urban's Tower
• St Michael Chapel
• Immaculata (Plague Pillar)
• State Theatre
• Mikluš Prison
• Levočský Dom
• Beggar's House
• Old Town Hall
• Košice Gold Treasure
• New Orthodox Synagogue
• Church of the Holy Trinity
• Singing Fountain and Chimes
• Tabačka Kulturfabrik

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Day Trip from Budapest: Košice, Slovakia

If you’re looking for a unique day trip from Budapest , look no further than Kosice, Slovakia! This charming Eastern Slovak city is ideal if you want to roam unknown streets and soak in foreign culture. Košice is the largest city in Eastern Slovakia and was named the 2013 European Capital of Culture . A day trip from Budapest to Kosice is a unique way to spend a day in Central Europe.

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Getting to Košice

There are two daily trains that travel from Budapest to Kosice . One is at 6:00 and the other is at 18:00. The daily trains returning to Budapest are at the same times. You board a bus down the street from Budapest Keleti, which then takes you to Miskolc. At Miskolc, you get on the train to Košice . The entire journey takes about 3.5 hours. Yes, it’s an ambitious day trip from Budapest to Kosice, but didn’t feel at all rushed to me.

The train was comfy enough that I could fall asleep easily (with my travel neck pillow). You could see the subtle changes in the homes and landscape as the train crossed over the Hungarian-Slovak border. In the background was the silhouette of hills and mountains. Further into Slovakia, you could see the snow-capped High Tatras looming in the distance.

Interesting places

Košice state theatre.

Košice’s State Theatre was opened in 1899 in a Neo-Baroque building in the historic city center. The building itself is an important historical monument and landmark for the city of Košice – just look at it, and you can see why.

The interior is elegant and ornate. A Viennese artist, Peregrin von Gastgeb, painted the ceiling with murals of scenes from some of Shakespeare’s best tragedies .

Singing Fountain

Sadly, the singing fountain was not functioning when I visited! I came to Košice in February, and the fountain is not operational in the winter .

When it is playing, the fountain ‘sings’ different songs with a combination of 22 bells. It’s located next to the State Theatre, in a small park.

Slovak Technical Museum

This museum displays exhibitions on subjects such as engineering, physics, industry and technology, energy production, and mining , among many others. They also have a planetarium and exhibitions on astronomy and space research.

Plague Column

This monument commemorates the end of the plague epidemic that overtook Košice from 1709-1710 . The column was completed in 1723, partially destroyed during WWII, and has been continuously renovated ever since.

I cannot express how excited I was to try traditional Slovak food! I did some research before my visit and found this place, Med Malina. The restaurant is small, serving Slovak-Polish cuisine . They focus on slow food, local products, and ancestral recipes .

I was not disappointed. I had potato dumplings with sauerkraut and roasted bacon, which was to-die-for. And it was so cheap! 6,50€ for the food and a local beer for 1,60€.

If you look at the picture below, you’ll see how empty the restaurant was. That was when I’d initially sat down. By the time I’d gotten my food, the restaurant was bustling. F ive of the tables were solo females (myself included). I couldn’t get over it! Plus, it was Valentine’s Day. Maybe I’d stumbled on some Slovak tradition?

Eastern Slovak Museum

The Eastern Slovak Museum is in the historic city center (as are all of the sites listed in this article) of Košice. The museum houses a number of permanent exhibits. It also maintains a great deal of exhibition spaces for transient exhibits related to history, archaeology, fine arts, historical photography, biology and nature, and other related topics.

Much of the museum is dedicated to the back-and-forth nature of the territory and the identity politics prevalent in the region. From the establishment of the first Czechoslovak Republic, heavy Hungarian and Ottoman influence, to the independence of Slovakia, visitors can retrace the oftentimes turbulent history of the region. If you only visit one museum on your day trip from Budapest to Kosice, let this be it!

Košice Golden Treasure

Found in the same building as the Eastern Slovak Museum, the Golden Treasure of Košice is the main tourist attraction in the city .  Discovered in 1935 during routine construction, the collection is the largest (and richest) finding of golden coins in the country.  It is one of the most significant on a European and global scale.

The collection consists of 2920 gold coins, ducats, three gold medals, and a Renaissance gold chain. It was found, intact, in a copper-plated box adorned with etched animal motifs. The collection was hidden sometime after 1679, likely from Imrich Thököly, who occupied Košice in 1682 as part of the anti-Habsburg uprisings.

St. Elisabeth’s Cathedral

Halmi Place

Halmi Place is a great little café in a historic old building with vintage décor. They are self-labeled ‘multi-genre’ – they host events, concerts, and even have shared workspaces available . All of this in addition to the café, serving up vegetarian and vegan food sourced from Slovak producers.

Jakab’s Palace

This neo-Gothic palace on the corner of Mlynska Street and Štefanikova Street was the residence of a famous builder. Peter Jakab, who built the State Theatre and the Eastern Slovak Museum, lived in the palace until 1908.

Košice Back to Budapest

Initially, I had booked an Airbnb in Košice but wound up returning to Budapest that same evening. It didn’t feel overly rushed or too tiring, and I was glad to not have to get up so early to catch the morning train again.

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Kosice: Tokaj Wine Tour

Embark on a fasc inating journey from Kosice to the renowned Tokaj wine region in Hungary, famous for its rich wine traditions that have been cultivated for centuries. Our private tour will take you to the charming town of Tokaj, where the world-famous sweet wines of Tokaj have been produced since the 15th century.

As we explore the picturesque town of Tokaj, you’ll have the opportunity to discover its captivating corners and admire the beautiful architecture that reflects its rich history. One of the highlights of the tour is the visit to the gem of the region—the wine cellars. These impressive cellars, mostly carved by hand into volcanic rocks, form a vast underground system. The unique environment of these cellars contributes to the distinct flavor and character of the Tokaj wines.

During the tour, you will have the pleasure of participating in a Tokaj wine tasting experience. Sample a selection of exquisite wines and indulge in the rich flavors and aromas that have made Tokaj wines renowned worldwide. As you savor each sip, you’ll understand why Tokaj is often referred to as the “wine of kings” or the “king of wines.”

Our private tours are led by knowledgeable English-speaking guides who will provide you with insights into the history, traditions, and winemaking techniques of the Tokaj wine region. We prioritize your comfort and convenience, offering hotel pick-up at your chosen time to ensure a seamless and enjoyable experience.

The duration of the tour is approximately 6 hours, allowing you ample time to immerse yourself in the beauty and wine culture of Tokaj. Whether you are a wine connoisseur or simply a lover of unique experiences, this tour promises to be a memorable journey into the world of Tokaj wines.

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