Towns and places

a) dôležité miesta v mojom živote (rodisko, miesto štúdií, miesto trávenia víkendov a
prázdnin)

There are a lot of places in our life which have not only practical but also symbolic meaning to us. To
such places belong our birthplace, home, places where we study and spend our youth as well as the
places where we like to spend our free time during weekends or holidays.

Our birthplace is the place where we formed our first memories, where we experienced our first
emotions, successes and failures and where we also gained our social skills. It is the place where we
said our first words and made our first steps and also the place which we associate with our first
memories of our parents, grandparents and siblings. That´s why this place has a symbolic meaning to
us and it is the place which will always be very close to our heart even if we live many miles away
later in our life.

Our home is the place where we feel safe and it is a symbol of our private life. Our home is much
broader term than just the building of our house or flat but it is the place where we can always return
when we need help because through this place we are connected with our parents and closest relatives
who care about us. The symbolic meaning of our home is also expressed in the English proverb:
“North, South, East or West – the home is the best” and in the saying “My house – my castle”.

The place where we study and spend our time as students of secondary schools, colleges or
universities is not only the place where we gained knowledge and education which will influence our
professional career and social status in the future but it is also the place where we met our first friends
and in many cases also our first love and where we entered into romantic relationships which will also
stay in our memories for the rest of our life.

When it comes to spending our weekends, people usually do not enjoy spending their time only at
home, but they like to go somewhere else for a change. They might visit their relatives or friends, go
to a cottage or just hang out with their friends in cafes, pubs or clubs. Again, these places have their
special atmosphere mainly thanks to the people we meet there, the fun we have with them and the
experiences which make us feel much better than we would feel if we had to be alone and socially
isolated.

Many young people look forward to their summer holiday each year. It is the time when they can
leave their homes for a few days or weeks and they can explore and get to know new places and meet
new people. People who live and work in big cities usually like to go to the mountains or they prefer
spending their holidays on beautiful beaches at the seaside where they can arrange their programme in
a way that is completely different from the daily routine they have during the year. They want to relax
and refresh their minds. Favourite holiday destinations might range from beaches, summer camps or
camping sites, big cities in foreign countries full of social and cultural life, small villages where we
can enjoy the peace and quiet of the countryside, to old historical monuments or castles.

b) sprevádzanie turistov (privítanie, základné informácie o pobyte)

When tourists go on holiday, they can choose from a variety of places offering accommodation. The
choice depends on their financial situation and the amount of money they can afford to spend on
holiday as well as on their programme and personal preferences. They can stay in luxurious hotels
with spectacular views of the seaside, snow-capped mountains or big cities, wellness centres, spas or
in cheaper youth hostels, cottages or camping sites. When we want to stay in a hotel, we usually make
a reservation and book the rooms in advance in order to avoid possible inconveniences when we
arrive. If tourists want to enjoy their comfort without thinking about where to have a meal, they can
have their breakfast, lunch and dinner (full-board) in the facilities situated in their hotels.

Top tourist destinations include such different places as Spain, Thailand, Malta, Greece, Canary
Islands, Egypt, Italy, Florida or California in the USA, Seychelleslocated in the Indian Ocean, and
countless others. Some of them have become famous for their historical monuments, high levels of
services and rich cultural or social life, others for their spectacular nature, and exotic tourist
attractions.

c) turisticky zaujímavé miesta (hrady, zámky, kúpele, jaskyne) a mestá

In our country, places worth visiting include The High and Low Tatras, Slovak Paradise, the capital
city Bratislava, and places included in the UNESCO list of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage
such as Bardejov, Vlkolínec, Levoča, historic town of BanskáŠtiavnica or the ruins of Spiš Castle in
Eastern Slovakia which is one of the largest castle sites in Central Europe.

Holidaymakers like to visit all kinds of different places – those who are interested in the arts and
cultural life might be attracted mainly to galleries, museums, old castles or castle ruins, historical
cathedrals, churches and historical monuments; others might prefer places with rich social life, such as
theatres, cinemas, clubs, restaurants, summer festivals, camping sitesor amusing parks, spa resorts or
wellness centres while those people who are fascinated by nature would probably prefer to go hiking
and see beautiful mountains, tarns, caves, waterfalls or lakes. Tourists centres and travel agencies help
holidaymakers to arrange their programs in such a way that they could include as many landmarks and
attractive places in their itineraries as possible.

d) miesto vhodné na oddych a miesto na spoločenské vyžitie

Different people can be attracted to different places and their choice depends on what they are looking
for when they decide to spend their time there. While some places are more suitable for people who
are looking for peace and quiet or relaxation, other places are popular mainly for ideal opportunities
for social life and entertainment. Needless to say, big cities offer more opportunities for social life than
peaceful villages – we can choose from a wide variety of clubs, bars, cinema halls, social and cultural
events. On the other hand, if you want to relax without being disturbed by other people, you can spend
your free time in a remote cottage situated far away from civilisation.

Our ideas about the place of our dreams would probably be different when we think about an ideal
place for living or an ideal place for spending our holiday.

For many people, an ideal place for living might be a big city full of hectic life, modern buildings,
high standard of services, modern shopping facilities, a wide variety of job opportunities as well as
educational institutions or places suitable for cultural and social life. However, living in big cities has
also its drawbacks such as air-pollution, high levels of noise and stress, traffic jams, high prices or
higher crime rate. That´s why many people tend to opt for living either in suburban areas in the
outskirts of big cities or in smaller towns or villages situated near a big city because it enables them to
benefit from the advantages of big cities and at the same time to avoid the disadvantages or
inconveniences of city life.
As an ideal place for spending their holiday, many people choose luxurious hotels near the beach at
the seaside – preferably in a country which offers the right combination of exotic atmosphere, high
level of services, recreational facilities as well as sightseeing tours and sport activities.

e) miesto mojich snov