Košice (pronounced Ko-shi-tse) is the second largest city in Slovakia, with a population of almost 240,000 (in 2021). It was the European Capital of Culture in 2013. Despite its relative remoteness, you may likely find Košice a hidden, unknown and approachable gem when seeking for a lesson in less known European history, lively arts scene or for a less spiritual entertainment thanks to its vibrant party scene.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons contributors.
Košice has had a colourful history with its ever changing medieval and modern rulers of Hungarians, these days hardly imaginable Turks for a while, Czechs and nowadays Slovaks. Serving its part as a centre of what may best be described as a frontier of Slovak hill country, Hungarian lowlands and Ukrainian/Russian/Soviet East, it has become a predominantly Slovak city in what was then Czechoslovakia after its emergence in chaos of reconciliations after the First World War.
Košice has a small and compact city centre, and is mostly navigable by foot. If you are staying in the suburbs, the tram system is cheap and efficient. With good bus and tram connections around the whole city, transport is very easy to handle. You can get practically anywhere by public transport and all the main sights of the city are within walking distance. Public transport is operated by DPMK. English information on their website is limited, the route planner is more informative. Services usually run from 5:00 in the morning to 23:00 in the evening, with a few bus services running during the night. Tickets for public transport can be bought in various ways.
Most of Košice's attractions are along the main pedestrianized street, known as Hlavná ulica (Main Street), Námestie Maratónu mieru (Peace Marathon Square, the north end of Hlavna), and Námestie osloboditeľov (Square of the liberators, at the southern end of Hlavna) at various parts. With its unique atmosphere Hlavná ulica creates the heart of the town. In the past, it used to be a medieval square and the whole town started to grow from this point. Now this place is flat, however in the past it used to be hilly and even a stream flew there. The "Čermeľský potok" (The Tshermel stream) used to create an island on the main street, where the Saint Elizabeth cathedral is located now.
1 Walking the historic centre. The best thing to do on a short trip or shortly after arriving is to walk the compact and lovely historic centre. (updated Jul 2021) 2 Children's Heritage Railway (Detska historicka zeleznica), ☏ +421 905 496 426, kezeleznica@gmail.com. 3-km-long railway line in the forest. Three locomotives, Katka-named vapor locomotive, Danka and Janka diesel locomotives operating from the end of the suburbs to the recreational area of Alpinka. children: one way €3/roundtrip €4, adults: one way €5/roundtrip €6. (updated Jul 2021) 3 Zoo, ☏ +421 55 796 8011, zoo@zookosice.sk. Daily 08:00-19:00. One of the largest zoos in Europe by its area.
Hlavna and adjacent streets has the greatest concentration of restaurants. In outer districts you will find popular pizza places. Prices usually are a bit higher downtown. On Sunday restaurants often open only for dinner. There's just one completely vegetarian restaurant (Ajvega) but most restaurants have one or several vegetarian dishes on the menu. 1 Panda, Fejova 13. open from 09:00 to 19:00, closed on Sunday. Asian bistro, good and cheap food, average price for lunch is €3.50. Ask for opekane rezance, Asian style noodles for €1.50. (updated Jan 2023) 2 Pizzeria Zvon, Zvonárska 133/4, ☏ +421 55 622 56 89. Lovely pizza restaurant, with great food, was about €5.20 for a large pizza.
Košice is faithful to its east Slovakian tradition in providing great and cheap parties for both locals and travellers while competing with many of Europe's much bigger and more often visited cities in what travel books usually call 'liveliness'. Season may vary with summer months unexpectedly providing a bit of a lull in usual Friday/Saturday silliness but city's center compact and concentrated bar scene provides many hidden gems disregard of day of week or month of the year. There many ice cream shops, many open during the summer but some around the year, functioning as pastry shops in the winter.
While Košice is a generally safe city, it’s advisable to avoid certain areas late at night, such as parks and the vicinity of the train station. As with any urban area, exercise caution in places where there might be a concentration of homeless individuals. If you need assistance, you can always call 112 for emergency medical, police, or fire department services. One area that may not be ideal for tourists is Luník IX, which faces significant socio-economic challenges, including poverty and limited infrastructure.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
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In Jul, Kosice typically sees ~26°C daytime highs and 12 rainy days.
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