By rail
Košice station, on the main line from Bratislava
Europe · Slovakia
Košice, Slovakia
A Gothic cathedral and a long pedestrian heart in the east
Getting there
By air
Košice (KSC), ~6 km from the centre
Best time to visit
May to September; the city is pleasant in early autumn too
Don't miss
St Elisabeth Cathedral
Hlavná ulica
State Theatre
Jakab Palace
Urban Tower
Spiš Castle
Slovak Technical Museum
Things to do
Walking Hlavná ulica
Climbing the cathedral tower
The singing fountain in the park
A day trip to Spiš Castle
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: Scotch Mist · CC BY-SA 4.0
What to pack
Walking shoes, a light jacket, a day bag for the surrounding hills
A quieter corner
The Jakab Palace and the quiet lanes behind the cathedral where the old city walls survive
Questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Košice?
May to September; the city is pleasant in early autumn too. What to pack: Walking shoes, a light jacket, a day bag for the surrounding hills.
How do I get to Košice?
Fly into Košice (KSC), ~6 km from the centre.
What is there to do in Košice?
Walking Hlavná ulica, climbing the cathedral tower, the singing fountain in the park, a day trip to Spiš Castle. A quieter find: The Jakab Palace and the quiet lanes behind the cathedral where the old city walls survive.
What should I eat in Košice?
Kapustnica, halušky, goulash, Tokaj wines from the nearby vineyards, pastries on the main street.
About Košice
- Inland
Where it is
Košice is the second city of Slovakia, in the east of the country on the Hornád River, close to the borders with Hungary and Ukraine.
History
A royal free town of the Kingdom of Hungary in the medieval period, Košice grew rich on trade routes between Poland and the Balkans and built the largest Gothic cathedral in the region. It was a European Capital of Culture in the early 2010s, which renewed its theatres, galleries and the long pedestrian main street.
People
A university and steel city of Slovaks, Hungarians and Roma whose life centres on the main street's cafés; the Košice Peace Marathon, among the oldest in Europe, is a local institution.
Known for
- St Elisabeth Cathedral
- Hlavná ulica, the main street
- The State Theatre
- A base for Spiš Castle
Did you know?
The city's coat of arms is the oldest known municipal coat of arms in Europe granted by a monarch.
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