In 2013 Kosice, as the first city in Slovakia, held the title of European Capital of Culture. And it was a well deserved award.

The second biggest Slovak city, located in the eastern part of the country, has been always living in the shadow of bigger and supposedly cooler places: Prague, Brno (in the times of Czechoslovakia) or Bratislava.

But when in 2013 all the lights were pointed at Kosice it turned out the city has so much to offer and can be actually one of the most interesting, even if not well known, places in Central Europe. The number of cultural projects and activities was overwhelming and now, a few years later, Kosice still makes a perfect travel destination for all culture lovers!

I was really surprised how many great spots are in the city, during my 4 days there I couldn’t be bored and I still feel I didn’t experience all I wanted to! A few trips to Kosice later I still leave the city with a list of places I need to visit next time I’m around.

So if you go to Slovakia and its second-biggest city (totally recommended!) here’s a list of places and activities you cannot miss in order to get the most of the culture in Kosice!

Kosice street art

Kosice has the best street art scene in Slovakia and one of the best in (Central) Europe! Before going there I knew nothing about it and I was overwhelmed with Kosice street art!

Thanks to the local organization – Street Art Communication – walls of Kosice are covered in some really amazing murals created by world-famous artists. The biggest number of works were created in 2013, during the European Capital of Culture events, but Kosice has been being turned into a big street art gallery since 2008 and the plans for the future look bright too!

Kosice Kunsthalle

A former indoor swimming pool now serves as the center for contemporary art that hosts exhibitions from all over the world.

This architectural masterpiece, built in the 1960s, wasn’t in use for a long time – River Hornad that was redirected from the center still managed to destroy the structure. For years the swimming pool was neglected, decaying quietly few steps away from the beautiful Old Town.

But together with ECoC 2013 new funds for culture have arrived and it was decided to give a second life to the building and to turn it into a culture center. The project was really successful as now it is a regional (or even Slovak) hub of art.

This is the main venue for exhibitions, workshops or concerts that take place in amazing yet quirky scenery. And outside there’s still a (working) swimming pool!

Kasarne/Kulturpark

Another place that was revitalized for ECoC 2013 and was actually the biggest project made for this event. A complex of old military barracks from 19th/20th century was transformed into another cultural center.

Every building got a name after the aviation alphabet (so Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, etc) and they are home to some interesting institutions, such as Steel Park, literature center or fashion lab.

The whole place is supposed to be interactive, creative and serve to everyone therefore there’s a wide range of activity available. And everything is surrounded by a nice, green scenery!

Old wooden houses on top of the block of flats

Unfortunately, the wooden houses are gone now but I will still leave this part here, to commemorate this great and unique project.

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This is definitely among the quirkiest piece of art I’ve ever seen and the one I loved big time! The typical old Slovak wooden houses were moved to the top of the concrete block of flats, so typical for this part of the world.

The artist behind that idea, Tomas Dziadon, wanted to put years of history on people’s shoulders, literally, and he did it in the most creative way.

But as it happens with the art it’s often misunderstood and out of 5 chosen locations, he didn’t get single permission for his project. Eventually, he put an ad in the newspaper and the location found him!

It’s a random block of flats, one of many like this in Central and Eastern Europe yet its inhabitants were brave enough to deal with art. There was a lot of criticism towards Dziadon and his work but the wooden houses became a kind of a symbol and can be seen even from far areas of Kosice.

Kosice cafe culture

One of my favorite things in Central Europe is its cafe culture and Kosice is no exception here, even if it’s not in the typical grand style like for example in Vienna or Prague.

There’re so many nice cafes in Kosice, I could easily spend a week there, just hanging out in them and enjoying the vibe and relaxing atmosphere.

Some of the best cafes can be found along Hlavna street and on Hrnciarska Street, probably the most beautiful lane in Kosice. This narrow street with colorful houses is where best craftsman stores and cool cafes, like Rozpravka, can be found!

But my favorite cafes in Kosice included Pogo, Salka Kavy and Nico.

Restaurants in Kosice

Kosice has also a pretty good culinary scene with numerous restaurants serving delicious food. They’re busy till late hours, sometimes you have to wait a little bit to be served but it’s definitely worth waiting!

My absolute favorite was Primi but I also enjoyed Villa Regia, Le Colonial, Camelot and Med Malina.

Tabacka in Kosice

Probably my favorite place in Kosice. A former tobacco factory turned into the alternative culture center, with street art of the walls, a cool pub and interesting events every day.

There’re concerts, theatre plays, workshops, movie screenings, discussions – basically everything you would expect in a place like this.

The coolest kids of Kosice hang out in Tabacka and I can’t blame them as this spot is pretty awesome, I’d probably be there most of my time too! Every city should have its own Tabacka!

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I really love how cities in Central Europe are changing, how cool and hip they become and how they’re ruled by the art (either street art, contemporary art or some other original works). And Kosice is a perfect example of how culture and its institutions are for people, easily reachable and offering something for each taste.

That’s why I’m a big supporter of the European Capital of Culture as it brings a lot of ideas and investments in this so well needed field and gives a big positive change to cities and its people.

And even now, a few years after this prestigious title, culture in Kosice is doing really well and as a result, makes this Slovak place one of the most interesting city break destinations in Europe!

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I visited Kosice around 10 times and wrote many articles about the city. You might want to check them out:

• 30 Great Things to do in Kosice, Slovakia
• Kosice travel tips – all you need to know about visiting Kosice
• Amazing Kosice, Slovakia in pictures
• Kosice street art – an urban gallery in Slovakia
• Best Cafes in Kosice, Slovakia
• 21 Most Instagrammable Places in Kosice, Slovakia

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Disclaimer: I visited Kosice in partnership with Visit Kosice however all the opinions are 100% mine, as always.