Kosice, Slovakia Part One: Pastel-Coloured Baroque and Renaissance Architecture

My original Slovakia plan was to visit the capital first, Bratislava together with the capital of Austria, Vienna which is not too far away. Unfortunately, this is still in my long list of travel plans and I am really hoping to do this trip very soon.

It is not that easy for a travel addict like me to be working fulltime, I mean seriously, it is pure torture! Such as right now, I am very desperate to travel back to Asia as planned (China - Philippines - Vietnam) but because of work I must, and have no choice, but to postpone the trip.

*HUGE SIGH OF IMPATIENCE*

I know, very first world problems. But honestly? I am annoyed. I am at the point of tearing my hairs apart. I so badly want to travel to Asia! Er I mean, go (to my second) home, albeit temporarily for a short time. I so wish I am retired for good right now.

Anyway, just like with reality, things roll out differently with my travel escapades in real life, and in lieu of visiting first Bratislava, I ended up clocking in instead at the second largest city of the country, Kosice located near the Hungarian border in the east.

I had the opportunity of visiting this pretty city 2 years ago in 2014 when I flew in to Debrecen in eastern Hungary from Rotterdam, road tripping 3 countries – visiting eastern cities and towns in Hungary, going further east and over the border to Oradea in Romania and north to Kosice in Slovakia. Yup, I road tripped this with a rental car on my own.

Check here my route to Slovakia and my tales about crossing Romanian immigration and surviving suicidal Hungarian drivers: Romanian Immigration, Suicidal Hungarian Drivers and Slovakia

My visit to Kosice was only a day trip and my first impression of the city was like – Wow, this is a pretty old city I didn’t really expect to see in the eastern part of Slovakia! The beautiful and very calm to the eyes pastel-coloured Baroque and Renaissance buildings in the old town were stunning and they reminded me of Prague which I have visited many moons ago.

I also noticed that there were many churches in the city and they were, well surprisingly quite full. Religion seem to be business as usual here compared to the west. So you will see pictures of the churches in this part one entry, as well in part two.

Lunch was a very local experience where I had the chance to taste the Slovak national dish – Bryndzove Halusky at Med Malina. I quite liked it. It is a hearty and fulfilling down-to-earth dish. I highly recommend this to everyone visiting Slovakia.

I hope you enjoy the beautiful pastel-coloured architecture pictures of the old city centre of Kosice.

Stay tuned for PART TWO!

For the curious ones:

Slovakia is a landlocked country surrounded by Austria, Czechia, Poland, Ukraine and Hungary. Kosice is located in the eastern part of the country near the border to Hungary and Ukraine. 

This is just one of the MANY churches in the city centre.

Old trams still running in the city.

Yours truly with the St. Elisabeth Cathedral behind me.

Pastel-coloured Baroque and Renaissance buildings in the centre.

The main street in the city centre is pedestrianised.

This is one of the 3 churches I managed to go inside. There were more! Like every 200-300 metres there is a big church.

This church has a stunning bronze altar decorated with saints.

One of the very few non-pastel but brightly coloured buildings in the old town centre.

How can you not love this city? She is very charming!

The mother of all churches in Kosice: St. Elisabeth Cathedral

A beautiful fountain in the city.

Another one of the pretty pastel-coloured buildings in the centre.

There is also a spring flowing in the middle of the city centre which is really nice.

I believe this is the National Theatre.

Travel Period: May 2014
Destination: Kosice (Kosice), Slovakia

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