Prešov · Slovakia

Bardejov (Bardejov; Bardejovské Kúpele)

Gothic town in northeastern Slovakia, World Heritage Site: the town hall square, the Basilica of St. Giles, the Jewish suburb, the spa and the wooden churches of the Carpathians.

The Tatras and Eastern Slovakia

In the photo: Historic ensemble of Bardejov.

Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.

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Get to know the place

A region to enjoy
at your own pace.

Bardejov lies in northeastern Slovakia, near the Polish border, in the historic Šariš region. A royal free town since 1376, it prospered from trade between the Kingdom of Hungary and Poland and has preserved its medieval centre almost intact. In 2000 the historic centre and the Jewish suburb were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The heart of the town is Radničné námestie, a long square lined with burgher houses with Gothic and Renaissance gables, with the old town hall in the middle and the Gothic Basilica of St. Giles on the north side. The centre is enclosed by walls with gates and bastions, among the best-preserved urban fortifications in Central Europe. Outside the walls, the Jewish suburb includes the Old Synagogue, restored, and other community buildings that the Holocaust destroyed.

A few kilometres to the north, the spa of Bardejovské Kúpele has mineral springs, a colonnade, parks and the country’s oldest open-air museum, with wooden houses and churches from the region. To the south, in the village of Hervartov, is the wooden Church of St. Francis of Assisi, dating to around 1500, also inscribed on UNESCO’s list.

Bardejov is a starting point for the Carpathian wooden churches scattered across villages in the northeast, near the Polish and Ukrainian borders.

This destination brings together 2 cities: Bardejov, Bardejovské Kúpele.

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The cities on this trip

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Where Bardejov (Bardejov; Bardejovské Kúpele) is

Boundaries: geoBoundaries (dados do OpenStreetMap, licença ODbL). Adapted by Cidade Turismo.

How to get there: Bardejov (Bardejov; Bardejovské Kúpele)

✈ Letisko Košice (KSC), in Košice · 86 km to Bardejov

Bardejov is connected by regional rail to Prešov, and there are frequent buses from Prešov and Košice. The nearest flights depart from Košice, about 85 km away. By car, Prešov is about 40 km.

Suggested arrival point: Bardejov

Prešov · Bardejov (Bardejov; Bardejovské Kúpele) Suggested arrival point

Bardejov

Town in the Šariš region, in northeastern Slovakia, with one of the best-preserved medieval centres in Central Europe. Radničné námestie features burgher houses with tall gables, the old town hall, now a museum, and the Gothic Basilica of St. Giles. The walls surround the centre, and the Jewish suburb lies just outside them. The spa of Bardejovské Kúpele is to the north, and the wooden church of Hervartov to the south.

Prešov · Bardejov (Bardejov; Bardejovské Kúpele) District of Bardejov

Bardejovské Kúpele

Spa town in a wooded valley about 5 km north of Bardejov, of which it is part. The mineral springs have been used for treatments for centuries, and the spa is associated with Empress Elisabeth, Sissi, who visited it. It has parks, a colonnade and Slovakia’s oldest open-air museum, opened in 1965, with wooden houses and churches from the Šariš region.

The local experience

Things to do in Bardejov (Bardejov; Bardejovské Kúpele)

Bardejov · Prešov · Square

Town Hall Square (Radničné námestie)

Medieval square of Bardejov, long and lined with burgher houses with tall gables, with the old town hall (1505–1509) in the middle and the Basilica of St. Giles on the north side.

Bardejovské Kúpele · Prešov · Open-air museum

Skanzen of Bardejovské Kúpele

A collection of log houses, barns, workshops and wooden churches from Šariš, assembled on a slope behind the colonnade. It is the country’s pioneering skanzen.

Bardejov · Prešov · Church

Basilica of Saint Egidius (Bazilika svätého Egídia)

A three-nave Gothic church on the north side of Bardejov’s square, with eleven late-Gothic altars. It was granted the title of minor basilica in 2001.

Bardejovské Kúpele · Prešov · Park

Colonnade of Bardejovské Kúpele

Spa center, with the colonnade of mineral springs, parks and walks between the woods and the historic treatment buildings.

See 2 more places in Bardejov (Bardejov; Bardejovské Kúpele)

Bardejov · Prešov · Historic district

Jewish Suburbium (Židovské suburbium)

A group of buildings of Bardejov’s former Jewish community, just outside the walls, with the Old Synagogue from the early 19th century, restored, and a Holocaust memorial.

Bardejov · Prešov · Church

Church of Hervartov (Kostol svätého Františka z Assisi)

A small wooden Gothic church in a village south of Bardejov, considered the oldest of its kind in the country, with wall paintings. On the UNESCO list since 2008.

Before you go

Practical information

A little planning leaves more time to enjoy the journey.

When to go

From May to October, when museums follow summer opening hours and the open-air museum is fully open. At the end of August the town usually holds its traditional fair connected to the feast of St. Giles. In December the Christmas market fills the square.

The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.

How many days to stay

Two days: one for the historic centre, the basilica, the town hall and the Jewish suburb; a second day for Bardejovské Kúpele and the Hervartov church.

Which city to stay in

The historic centre of Bardejov has guesthouses and hotels a few steps from the square, a good base for exploring on foot. Bardejovské Kúpele, a few kilometres away, concentrates spa accommodations set in parks, quieter.

Respect the place

Take your trash with you, follow the signs and support local businesses. In natural areas, follow the visiting guidelines.

Get your questions answered

Frequently asked questions about Bardejov (Bardejov; Bardejovské Kúpele)

How many days to stay in Bardejov?

Two days: one for the historic centre and the Jewish suburb, another for the spa of Bardejovské Kúpele and the wooden church of Hervartov.

Why is Bardejov a UNESCO World Heritage Site?

Because of the almost intact medieval centre, with its square, the Gothic basilica and the walls, and the 19th-century Jewish suburb. It was inscribed in 2000.

How to get from Košice to Bardejov?

By direct bus services or by car on the road that passes through Prešov. By train you must change at Prešov to the regional branch line.

Do you need a car in Bardejov?

Not for the centre, which is walkable, nor for Bardejovské Kúpele, which is reachable by town bus. For Hervartov and the other wooden churches, a car is more practical.

What are the Carpathian wooden churches?

Churches built of wood—Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox—found in mountain villages of northern and eastern Slovakia. Eight of them, including the one in Hervartov, have been on UNESCO’s list since 2008.

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Bardejov (Bardejov; Bardejovské Kúpele)

A region to enjoy
at your own pace.

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