The study examines the economic recovery of NUTS2 regions in the Visegrad Group (V4) countries after the Covid-19 pandemic. Using Ferenc Jánossy’s trendline theory, the authors assess recovery by comparing current development levels to pre-crisis trends, not just pre-pandemic levels. The focus is on gross domestic product (GDP) per capita adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP) to gauge recovery duration and influencing factors. It also investigates the changes in peripheral area lags due to the pandemic across these regions. The study finds that numerical values are less relevant due to distortion, but comparisons using consistent methodology reveal regional impacts, opportunities, and effective practices. It highlights significant regional differences: areas with diversified economies and adaptable sectors, like Łódź Voivodeship (Łódzkie) in Poland and the Bratislava Region (Bratislava) in Slovakia, fared better, while tourism and service-dependent regions struggled more. The analysis underscores the importance of sectoral diversity and adaptability in crisis mitigation. Slovakia and Hungary experienced varied impacts due to economic policies and structural characteristics. The Bratislava Region (Bratislava) adapted quickly while Budapest’s dominance grew, increasing rural underdevelopment. Regions reliant on tourism, such as Prague (Praha) and Balaton, saw severe declines, whereas agriculture and industry sectors remained relatively stable. We are also planning the second part of the study, supplemented with 2024 data, using our current experiences.