3 zoos and farms in Slovakia where you can pet the animals

If you want to pet animals, skip Bratislava Zoo and head for the lesser-known farms. I recommend Biofarma Príroda Salaš in Stupava, ZOO kontakt in Liptovský Mikuláš and the Losia farma animal park near Žarnovica. I choose places where you can see the animals are well looked after.

I wrote this article in 2020. Prices, opening hours and connections may have changed since then, so check them before you travel.

Slovakia does have unusual farms and zoos where you can pet the animals. Few people know about them, though, or where to find them. I’m leaving Bratislava Zoo out of this article for one simple reason: it’s a typical zoo that just about everyone has been to. Besides, you can’t pet the animals there. But Slovakia also has less conventional farms and zoos. In some, the animals live out in the open or in a woodland park; in others, you can even pet and feed them.

Today I’ll introduce three zoos and farms you should definitely visit if you want to pet animals. Chances are you’ve never heard of them. If you’re holidaying in Slovakia in the next few weeks, make a point of visiting at least one of them.

Unusual farms and zoos in Slovakia where animals roam free and you can pet them

Zoos and farms in Slovakia where you can stroke the animals

The most beautiful zoo

Tip from Milan The most beautiful zoo I’ve ever visited on my travels is probably the one in San Diego, California. It’s a full day out. The tickets cost a small fortune, but the animals at San Diego Zoo live in the lap of luxury. My full article on what to see in San Diego covers much more than the zoo.

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Petting zoos in Slovakia where you can stroke and touch the animals

1. Biofarma Príroda Salaš in Stupava
2. ZOO kontakt in Liptovský Mikuláš
3. Zveropark Losia farma near Žarnovica

Biofarma Príroda Salaš in Stupava lets you touch the animals and the ugly sheep

ADMISSION: €0, with free parking in front of the farm.

Biofarma Príroda Salaš in Stupava is just outside the capital, less than half an hour’s drive from Bratislava. Even so, plenty of born-and-bred Bratislavans have never heard of it. I always enjoy popping over, if only for lunch when I fancy some Slovak food. Or I go simply to pet the cows, piglets, goats and sheep that roam free all over the salaš, a traditional Slovak sheep farm.

It’s also a great place to take a visitor from abroad and show them a bit of typical Slovakia. The sheep at the Stupava farm roam freely all year round across the whole 22-hectare salaš, together with the other animals.

The Stupava farm has its own head shepherd (bača), Janko, whose flock numbers about 120 sheep. The twist is that they mostly keep the Lacaune breed, said to be the ugliest breed of sheep. So the sheep at the Stupava salaš probably won’t end up on your Instagram. They are good milkers, though, and friendly by nature. Your children can happily play with them, stroke them and touch them; the sheep are used to it. When you’ve all had your fun, stop at the farm’s own restaurant and order something from the Slovak menu.

ZOO kontakt in Liptovský Mikuláš: pet and touch the animals

ADMISSION: €14 if you buy online (2026, age 3 and over); parking at the water park across the road

Come off the motorway at Liptovský Mikuláš and call in at ZOO kontakt. It’s open daily from 10am to 4pm, Sundays included, and last entry is an hour before closing. You’re free to wander around the zoo and touch and pet the animals. My favourite part was the big meadow in the middle of the grounds. Goats, a camel and sheep wandered about there, and I could feed them, give them a scratch and take photos with them. The animals are completely used to visitors.

There’s also a walk-in aviary at ZOO kontakt, and I’d recommend queuing for it. As with all the enclosures, only a limited number of visitors can go in at a time. On top of that, ZOO kontakt runs its own non-profit association, ZOOKONTAKT Baby Station. Its vets and other specialists care for the animals, especially the young ones. The association’s income goes on medicine, feed, running costs and building a special veterinary clinic for abandoned young animals. Another new attraction in 2020 was a butterfly garden, but it has been closed since September 2025.

Zveropark Losia farma near Žarnovica

ADMISSION: €14 for adults, €10 for children aged 2 to 12 and disability card holders (2026, €1 less if you buy online). The park is closed from November to March. Opening hours change from time to time, so it’s worth checking their website before you go.

I haven’t been to Zveropark Losia farma yet, but I’ve heard a lot about it. Apparently the scenery is straight out of a storybook: you can hear a waterfall, and there’s a lake full of fish and a meadow for picnics. It’s a place where time doesn’t seem to rush by, and where you can even pet some of the animals. There’s a special ‘petting corner’ just for that. The animals include geese, rabbits, cattle, pheasants, mouflon, roe deer, moose, a porcupine, emus, peacocks, skunks, red deer and many more.

A walk around the whole of Zveropark Losia farma takes about an hour and a half if you only want to see the animals. If you’d rather take your time over the whole place and the snack bar, allow about four hours.

Zoos where you can touch and pet the animals

If I dug a little deeper, I’m sure I’d find more zoos like these in Slovakia where you can pet the animals. Personally, I like zoos and farms as long as I know the animals are well looked after, well fed and get enough rest. You can often tell just by looking at them. Enjoy your day out.