Slovakia gained its independence only 18 years ago though the history of the Slovak nation is very rich. The first Slavs settled here already in the 5th century AD. As regards modern history, after being a part of Austrian-Hungarian Empire, Slovakia together with Czech Republic made one country known as Czechoslovakia which lasted from 1918 till 1993 except the years of the World War II. After the end of the World War II, Czechoslovakia fell under control of the Communistic regime led by the USSR. The year 1989 was the year of great change for Slovak nation from then on Slovakia made huge steps towards the stable democracy – from the year 2004 it is the member of NATO, EU and become a part of the Schengen space.
Slovakia is a peaceful country, with beautiful scenery, inexpensive tourism and hospitable people. The country enjoys moderate weather and prime map location bridging east and west. It’s an interesting and very attractive country for tourists, as it offers many opportunities because of its natural variety – special natural landscapes, medieval castles and towns, folk architecture, spas and ski resorts.
