Today we'll get to know the Bratislava of the turbulent 20th century. Including the vast communist-era housing estate of Petržalka, the first prefabricated apartment block in Czechoslovakia, and villas of former communist leaders. We'll also visit the World War II Slavín Memorial, hidden bunkers, the socialist realist Slovak Radio building, and the Most SNP ("Bridge of the Slovak National Uprising"), which honors the 1944 resistance against Nazi forces, and destroyed most of the Jewish district in its construction. Midday, we'll pause to sample local life by grabbing some food and drink at a retro spot in Old Town. Then the afternoon is yours to explore. We'll be happy to share tips and recommendations (such as the Devín Castle, fortified since the Bronze age).

Today we delve deeper into Slovakia's alliance with Nazi Germany at the Holocaust Museum in Sered', on the site of one of Slovakia's three forced labor camps. Afterward, we'll visit the Cold War and Socialism Museum in Alekšince, run by a local NGO and featuring a secret underground shelter. After lunch, we'll drive to Partizánske, a town created by a famous Czech shoemaker who had his shoe factory here. An expert from the local Fabrika umenia ("Art Factory") will show us how this "Ideal Industrial City" was created and point out work by the famous Baťa architect, Vladimír Karfík. Our next stop is the UNESCO World Heritage site of Banská Štiavnica, the oldest mining town in Slovakia. Here we'll learn about the extensive mining complex and socialist-minded communal work project the Railway of the Youth. The evening is yours to wander the picturesque center with cobbled streets, Gothic- and Renaissance-style houses, churches, palaces, and fortifications. We'd be happy to recommend a spot for dinner.

This morning we'll have a short drive to Vyhne and the Steiger Brewery, Slovakia's first brewery founded in 1473 (and making beer ever since)! After we'll investigate the ghost town of Horné Opatovce, removed from the map in 1960 after an aluminum plant poisoned local bees, cattle, trees, and people. We'll also get a look at the Maximilián Hell Planetarium and Observatory in the communist-era town Žiar nad Hronom. Lunch will be in the pretty mining town of Kremnica who hosts the International Show of Polite Humor each August. Later, we'll head to Horná Štubňa, where we'll embark on a 40-minute train ride through the beautifully wooded Carpathian Mountains, getting a taste of Veľká Fatra National Park. We'll hop off in the geographical center of Slovakia and the center of the resistance movement against the Nazis, Banska Bystrica. Spend the afternoon at your leisure, perhaps taking a walking tour of the communist-era landmarks and Museum of Slovak National Uprising.

Another eerie ghost town lined up today! Korytnica, an abandoned spa village, has attracted visitors since the 16th century with its idyllic forest and healing thermal waters. Later, we'll join a local expert in Ružomberok to visit the mausoleum of Andrej Hlinka, a controversial nationalist hero whose remains continue to be missing. This afternoon soak up the breathtaking alpine scenery of Tatra National Park and Štrbské Pleso, favorite amongst hikers and skiers. Our focus? Communist-era hotels. Those that were deserted contrast sharply with those still in operation- any evidence of their communist past erased. Finally, we'll visit Spišská Kapitula, a well-preserved UNESCO World Heritage site set on travertine hills overlooking the famous Spiš Castle. If you still have some energy before bed, we highly recommend a walk to St. Martin's Cathedral and it's ancient fortifications (a remarkable Romanesque monument).

You might recognize the UNESCO-acclaimed Spiš (or Spišský) Castle from DragonHeart (1996) or The Last Legion (2007). Built in the 12th century, it's one of the world's largest castle complexes and offers incredible views. We'll look around, see old torture devices, and hear theories about the fire that destroyed it in the 1700s. The nearby UNESCO Žehra church is next on our list. This 13th-century church boasts an onion dome, unusual for this area, and stunning medieval murals. After lunch in Spišské Podhradie, we'll head to Spišský Hrhov, a village known for its unusually well-integrated Roma population. Across Europe, the Roma have a history of being persecuted and shunned. However, here, the local mayor hired the unemployed Roma to work alongside the remaining Slovak residents on construction projects in an effort to repopulate the village. Today, the quality of life has dramatically improved for many of the Roma people. After visiting with the community, you have the option of immersing yourself in a forest sauna before we return to Spišská Kapitula for dinner. Note: There is also the option to hike and/or relax today.

Bid farewell to the Spiš Region as we drive two hours to the awe-inspiring, 13th-century Orava Castle, which overlooks the Orava River. The stunning exterior set the scene for the 1922 Dracula-inspired silent film, Nosferatu. As the castle grew in power, it also grew in size, including palaces, defensive walls, towers, and underground passages. You'll note Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque architectural elements. We'll stop in Terchová, the birthplace of the legendary Juraj Jánošík, the Slovak Robin Hood and enjoy a traditional lunch. After, we'll take in the fascinating rock formations, waterfalls, and views of Tiesňavy Gorge in Malá Fatra National Park. In the afternoon, we'll return to Bratislava and settle into our last hotel of the trip before our final farewell dinner with our new friends.