Blog: 5 things you should do on your visit to the north of Slovakia

Here is a list of tips by an experienced tour guide - including things you have probably not tried before.

1. Hiking in the Tatra Mountains and in Slovak Paradise

If you love hiking, you should definitely visit the High Tatras. Here, you will have the best summer. The High Tatras (Vysoké Tatry) National Park is located in northern Slovakia.and has great weather in the summer: Not too hot, not too cold.

Explore more than 400 km of walking trails. You can follow them using your map, but you do not need to worry about getting lost. The trails are all fully marked. It is fun to look for the trail markers on the rocks and trees.

You can also use a local mountain guide service to take you hiking. The guides are all very friendly and know many stories, and you can ask them anything you want.

When you are exhausted from your hike, you can take a break at one of the mountain huts (horské chaty) or in a hotel. They offer accommodation and meals provided by sherpas, the locals who carry all the food, drinks and supplies to the huts on their backs and who are also very hospitable.

The national park called Slovak Paradise (Slovenský Raj) is another perfect place for hiking and walking during summer holidays in Slovakia.

Trekking paths will take you to the canyons and gorges, the real paradise. You will reach it by metal ladders and footboards. The mountains are not very high, but they are great for taking summer walks. The top two hikes and tours we recommend are Suchá Belá and Prielom Hornádu.

2. Bearwatching in Western Tatra Mountains

There are more than 150 brown bears living in the Western Tatra Mountains. Watching them has become one of the most popular activities for tourists in Slovakia. Guides for Bearwatching in Slovakia will take you to see them.

The brown bear is the biggest predator and mammal in Slovakia. Even still, you don’t need to be afraid. Due to their strict protection, the population of brown bears has increased to 150 and more. The best chance to see active bears in their territory is during the spring and autumn seasons.

There is also a possibility of seeing them in midsummer, but the chances are slim, as the summer weather is too hot for them.

Let us give you one more recommendation for hiking in the Tatra Mountains in Slovakia: if you do not want to meet a brown bear face-to-face, always hike with someone, hang a bear-bell on your backpack and talk while you are hiking so that the bear can hear you coming.

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Read also: Best hiking trails in Slovakia (Spectacular Slovakia - travel guide) Read more

3. Wooden Rafts on Dunajec River at Červený Kláštor in the Pieniny National Park

Wooden raft tours on Dunajec river in Červený Kláštor in National Park Pieniny are a “must-see” day trip in Slovakia.

Apart from seeing the natural border between Slovakia and Poland, you'll also experience a combination of amazing views, fresh air and Goral culture – all at one place. This location is absolutely perfect for flyfishing holidays in Slovakia.

For hiking in this national park, we definitely recommend visiting the peak called Tri Koruny – Three Crowns. The trekking path is not very long or difficult. You walk up the hill but will be rewarded with the amazing views on the village of Červený Kláštor, river Dunajec and nearby mountains.

4. Dobšinská Ice Cave UNESCO - National Park Slovenský Raj

Have you heard about the Dobšinská Ice Cave, the UNESCO sight in Slovakia? If not, do not wait for others to tell you their stories of it. Go see it yourself. It is a really unique place and the biggest underground ice cave in Eastern Europe. You will be amazed to see the ice in the middle of summer. This happens when Mother Earth lowers the inner temperature to -4C.

In the cave, you will feel as if you are in a frozen kingdom from a fairy tale. The ice is everywhere - an ice floor, ice waterfalls, ice stalagmites and ice pillars. The thickest layer is 26.5 m.

The entrance to the cave was found a long time ago. The cave itself was discovered in 1870. It became accessible in 1871. Today, visitors to the cave will get a guided 30 minutes walk that stretches 520 m.

The best way to get to the cave is along the road 66 from Poprad to Dobšiná. Parking spaces, a refreshment stall and an Infocentre are located down the road.

The ticket office can be found at the entrance to the cave.

If you would like to have a guided tour, contact us here.

5. Spiš Castle - Spišský Hrad UNESCO

You should not miss the Spišský Hrad castle while visiting Slovakia. After all, this cultural monument has been on the UNESCO list since 1993. The Spiš Castle, partially in ruins, is one of the largest castle compounds in Central Europe, with an area of four hectares. After taking a tour of this castle, you should stay a bit longer in the northern region of Slovakia. We strongly recommend the visit of the town of Levoča, which has the tallest Gothic altar in the world.

The castle has a unique position with fantastic views. When the sun is shining, you can see a panorama of the Tatra Mountains from the castle. To get there, take the highway D1 from Poprad (direction to Prešov) and take an exit to Spišské Podhradie.

Erik Ševčík is the director and owner of Adventoura, a provider of tours and adventure experiences in Slovakia.

18. Aug 2017 at 10:00 | Erik Ševčík