Tucked away in a quiet corner of central Europe, the Slovak Republic rarely gets press – good or bad. Aside from its small but lively capital city, Bratislava, most travellers don’t even bother to see what the Slovak Republic has to offer, which includes some of the most stunning mountains, lakes and natural scenery on offer anywhere in Europe. A short train ride from major cities like Prague, Vienna and Budapest, Slovakia makes an easy stop on any itinerary of central Europe. Here are four beautiful towns outside of Bratislava that should not be missed on any trip to the Slovak Republic.

Bardejov

Situated in the north part of Eastern Slovakia, Bardejov is a scenic little haven of historic architectural bliss not far from the Polish border. Bardejov is small, but its town centre is so well-preserved that UNESCO named the entire village a World Heritage site. With such well conserved architecture, it is no surprise that Bardejov’s medieval defense walls are still in tact and available for the keen visitor to see.

Trnava

With heaps of cathedrals and other Baroque buildings, this small town in Western Slovakia has been deemed the “little Rome” of the Slovak Republic. Trnava was the first incorporated city in Slovakia and was home to one of the country’s first universities, dating to the 1600s. Today, the historic architecture, which rests quietly under layers of Communist and modern industrialisation, begs to be discovered – and can be by the savvy observer.

Piešt’any

How about this for a superlative: Piešt’any is the sunniest town in all of Slovakia. To make it one better, it is also a delightful spa destination, with a plethora of places to soak in natural mineral springs. A water town, Piešt’any enjoys the presence of a lake and a river, along which is located “Spa Island” – the premier place in town to go for a soak. It is here that you’ll find the largest concentration of soaking pools, resorts, swimming pools and fountains in the whole city.

Levoča

Located in Eastern Slovakia in the Spiš region, Levoča is another of Slovak Republic’s UNESCO World Heritage towns. Tiny, Levoča’s main draws are its well-preserved Renaissance cathedral, St. James Church, and the massive Spiš Castle, which overlooks Levoča from high atop a nearby hill. The remains of this incredibly huge structure  occupy most of the views from the tiny town centre and are seen on many a postcard from the Slovak Republic. If you want to feel just what Slovakia might’ve been like in the 1200s, Levoča is the place to go.