Piešťany, one of several spa towns in Slovakia, is unique in several aspects. Mike Valek from Cardiff has lived there for four years. He joins Peter Dlhopolec to disclose what life in Piešťany is all about.

Jedáleň is a Slovak self-service canteen that was popularised under socialism. Years after the revolution, it was rediscovered as a hotspot for affordable, hearty meals.

What kind of vibe does a jedáleň exude? What meals can you get there? And why do you need to come in before midday?

Listen to this podcast and fall in love with the jedáleň.

Guest: James Thomson

Presenter: Peter Dlhopolec

Photo: Bushra Ahmed Charif

This week’s Spectacular Slovakia episode will be about visits to the best art galleries in Bratislava. Is your favourite on the list?

Presenter: Peter Dlhopolec

“It’s lovely to live on a raft. We had the sky, up there, all speckled with stars, and we used to lay on our backs and look up at them,” reads the 1885 book by American novelist Mark Twain, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

A young boy, Huck, and a black slave, Jim, spend most of the novel on a raft travelling down the Mississippi River, the second largest river in the USA.

Tourists can go on a similar adventure on the Dunajec River in northeast Slovakia, which serves as a borderline between Poland and Slovakia.

Join Anna and Peter on their raft journey down the Dunajec.

Press play and discover out more about Bratislava, and most importantly, about Vilnius. Which capital is going to win the battle?

Lithuanian student Ugnė Mažonaitė and American Anna Fay, who have experienced both of the capitals, talk about what these cities have in common and where they differ. What is Plus Plus Plus and why is it worth a visit in Vilnius? Why should you try kibinai, saltibarsciai and cepelinai? In which capital can people enjoy more parks? And where can you stumble upon an independent republic within the city?

Listen to Spectacular Slovakia's Episode 42 to learn more.

Presenter: Peter Dlhopolec

Slovakia's biggest music festival, POHODA, is drawing near. Have you wondered why the festival starts on Thursday? How many types of toilets there are on site? Is the festival green? And how can #spolunapohodu help you get to the festival? Its international PR manager Suzanne Verschueren from Belgium popped by our studio to tell us more about what to expect from this year's edition at Trenčín airport.

Presenter: Peter Dlhopolec

Photo: Michal Augustini/Pohoda

As the reformation movement expanded across Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries, the Catholic Habsburg empire, which included Slovakia, began to oppress Protestants. Although reluctantly, Emperor Leopold I eventually allowed them to build their churches under strict conditions scribbled in Article 25 and 26. There are nearly 40 wooden churches in Slovakia today, but only four are truly articular and Lutheran. Sunday church service, weddings and baptisms are still held in them. Listen to Peter and Anna's stories from their visits to the churches, which Protestant Scandinavians are believed to have helped build.

Many people like to give back to their community, but few are as dedicated as American Jennifer Sturgeon, a full-time volunteer who has lived in Bratislava for two years now. Whether it’s organising a charity Christmas bazaar or smiling at strangers on the street, Jennifer does what she can to make Bratislava a better place, one act of kindness at a time. She has plenty of tips on how locals and foreigners can volunteer their time in Slovakia, including a creative and generous way to dispose of free hotel toiletries.

Presenter: Anna Fay

With cliffs towering above and water raging below, a visit to Slovenský raj (Slovak Paradise) is not for the faint-hearted (or clumsy). But Briton Jacqui Fay, who worked as a diplomat in Bratislava for three years, insists it is well-worth a visit. This national park in eastern Slovakia, famous for its adventurous paths through waterfalls, gorges and ravines, is not just for fearless rock climbers.

Presenter: Anna Fay

Briton Jacqui Fay worked as diplomat in Bratislava from 1995-1998 and has returned several times since to visit her daughter, Anna. Jacqui has many fond memories of life in Slovakia, including pancake races in Hviezdoslavovo námestie and broomball, a strange take on hockey involving witches brooms and tennis balls, in Železná studienka. Slovakia has experienced many monumental changes since Jacqui lived here, but one thing that remains the same is the warmth and generosity of the Slovak people, she insists. Listen to this former diplomat and her daughter discuss Bratislava then and now.

Presenter: Annay Fay