Spiš castle & Levoča UNESCO 1 day private tour

Spiš castle & Levoča UNESCO tour, explore the history of Slovakia

Do you want to take a private tour to UNESCO sites Spiš Castle and town of Levoča?
You will learn all about the great historical sites that we have in our Spiš Region.

The biggest castle, the highest wooden gothic altar in the world, old frescoes and much more…

We start our day trip at Spiš Castle – one of the biggest European castles with the area of (41 426 m²).

Brief history of the Spiš Castle

It was included on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1993 (together with the adjacent locations of Spišská Kapitula, Spišské Podhradie and Žehra).

Spiš Castle was built in the 12th century on the site of a previous castle. It was a political, administrative, economic and cultural centre of Szepes (Spiš) County of the Kingdom of Hungary.

Before 1464, it was owned by the kings of Hungary, afterwards (to 1528) by the Zápolya family, theThurzó family (1531–1635), the Csáky family (1638–1945), аnd (since 1945) by the state of Slovakia. Originally a Romanesque stone castle with fortifications, a two-story Romanesque palace and a three nave Romanesque-Gothic basilica were constructed by the the end of the second half of the 13th century.

The second extramural settlement was built in the 14th century and thus the castle area was doubled. The castle was completely rebuilt in the 15th century; the castle walls were heightened and the third extramural settlement was constructed.

A late Gothic chapel was built around 1470. The Zápolya clan contributed to the late Gothic transformations, which remade the upper castle into a comfortable family residence, typical late Renaissance residence of the 16th and 17th century.

The last owners of the Spiš Castle, the Csáky family, abandoned the castle in the 18th century because they considered it to be too uncomfortable to live in. They moved nearby to the newly built village castles/palaces in Hodkovce near Žehra and Spišský Hrhov.

In 1780, the castle burned down, and has been deserted ever since.

The castle was partly reconstructed in the second half of the 20th century. An extensive archaeological research was carried out on the site. The reconstructed sections house displays of the Spiš Museum.

The second place to visit is the town of Levoča.

The main entrance to the old town is via the monumental Košice Gate (15th century) behind which the ornate baroque Church of the Holy Spirit and the New Minorite Monastery are located.(c. 1750).

The town square (Námestie Majstra Pavla – the Master Paul’s Square) boasts three major monuments:

  • the quaint Old Town Hall (15th-17th century) in which a museum is situated
  • the domed Evangelical Lutheran Church (1837)
  • the 14th century Roman Catholic Church of St. James (in Slovak: Chrám svätého Jakuba, in English often mistakenly referred to as St. Jacob’s). It houses a magnificently carved and painted wooden Gothic altar, the largest in Europe, (18.62 m (61.09 ft) high), created by Master Paul around 1520.

The square is very well preserved (despite one or two modern incursions) and contains a number of striking buildings which were the townhouses of the local nobility in the late Middle Ages. 

The iron “Cage of Shame”, dating back to the 17th century, used for public punishment of miscreants is also situated here.

A plaque on one of the houses commemorates the printing and publication of the most famous work of Comenius, the Orbis Pictus. Historical Museum and a museum dedicated to the work of Master Paul can be also found here in the square.

Did you like the itinerary? Join us now, if you are bigger group, we will be happy to set better pricing for you!!

From 110€ per person
icons

Level

1

Season

icons icons icons icons
icons

Minimum age

2 years

icons

Type

Sightseeing
icons

Duration

8 hours

icons

Availability

Year-round

March
<
2024
>
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat

What's included

Included

icons Driver-guide
icons Parking fee
icons Tickets to sites

What to bring

icons Leisure clothes
icons Camera
icons Great mood:)

Itinerary

1
9 AM – 10 AM: Pick up and transfer

Our driver guide will pick you up from your hotel and drive you to Spišský hrad – Spiš Castle

  • Take camera with you
  • Leisure shoes are fine for today
2
10 AM – 11.30 AM: Walk up and visit the castle

Expect sixty minutes guided walk around the castle, if you are brave enough-climb up on the tower at the end!.

3
11.30 AM – 1 PM: Back to the car + Lunch

There is a number of good restaurants nearby. Our guide will recommend the best ones.

4
1 PM – 1.30 PM: Transfer to Levoča

Short transfer to the town of Levoča.

5
1.30 PM – 3.30 PM: Levoča guided tour

Guided tour around the square, followed by a visit to the Basilika of St. James where you will see the highest wooden gothic altar in the world.

6
3.30 PM – 5 PM: Coffee and cake followed by a transfer back
Do not miss out on the local cake shop in Levoča, after nice refreshment we will take you back to your hotel.