High Tatras mountain range between Slovakia and Poland is a scenic outdoor wonderland with ski resorts and high mountains covered by dense forests and excellent network of hiking trails. The Slovakian High Tatras National Park is suitable for both adventure minded outdoor sport enthusiasts and those who want to admire the views and take the most out of comfortable tourist services such as the spas of the area.
When the winter comes, skiing in the High Tatras takes over, and the many ski resorts in the High Tatras area get filled with people enjoying the speed offered by the mountainside and the services of the nearby towns. The largest town in the area and the gateway to the mountains is Poprad with its 55,000 inhabitants. This historically interesting town is also the place to find the best services of the High Tatras area, and a home of many spas in Poprad, of which especially the lovely Aquacity with its thermal pools attracts visitors from all over the world. Additionally, you might want to try shopping in Poprad, or test the lively nightlife of the city. If you want to enjoy easy mountain views, take a cable lift up to Lomnicky Stit (2632 meters), and see the fascinating view opening from the roof of the Tatra Mountains.
Mountain landscapes, spas and outdoor sport facilities - Attractions of the High Tatras
With 11 peaks rising over 2500 meters, the High Tatras are one of the main mountain regions of Central Europe. This popular mountain region in Slovakia is a home of the popular High Tatras National Park, and holder of fascinating coniferous forests, scenic lookout points, spectacular lakes, lovely ski resorts and wild mountain pastures. All these in coordination with the excellent trail network of the area form a wonderland suitable to outdoor sports such as hiking in the High Tatras, mountain climbing, fishing or rafting in the rivers, and biking in the High Tatras, attracting many visitors to the slopes of these North Slovakian mountains during the busy summer season.When the winter comes, skiing in the High Tatras takes over, and the many ski resorts in the High Tatras area get filled with people enjoying the speed offered by the mountainside and the services of the nearby towns. The largest town in the area and the gateway to the mountains is Poprad with its 55,000 inhabitants. This historically interesting town is also the place to find the best services of the High Tatras area, and a home of many spas in Poprad, of which especially the lovely Aquacity with its thermal pools attracts visitors from all over the world. Additionally, you might want to try shopping in Poprad, or test the lively nightlife of the city. If you want to enjoy easy mountain views, take a cable lift up to Lomnicky Stit (2632 meters), and see the fascinating view opening from the roof of the Tatra Mountains.
High Tatras - ideal climate for outdoor activities and reasonable price level
Weather in the High Tatras is changeable not only according to the time of the year, but also due to differences in altitude. Generally, the area has cool winters and warm summers. During the summertime average monthly high temperatures in the lower slopes of the High Tatras stay around 20 degrees Celsius for five months (May-September).
Photo: .ory, used under Creative Commons License (By 2.0)
During the winter the mercury often drops to below zero temperatures, especially if you go up the mountains, where High Tatras ski resorts usually operate from mid-December to early March.
How to get there. For flights and traveling to the High Tatras, there are some alternatives available through Poprad airport, in addition to which you can travel to High Tatras region through Bratislava using the good railway or road network of Slovakia. Moving around in the area is easy as there are trains, cable cars, trams and buses widely available. The easiest way to get up to the Tatra Mountains is from Poprad or Tatranska Strba which both have railway stations with good connections to cog railways or trams leaving for the mountains. Rental cars in the High Tatras are available for touring the region.
Tourist services on the High Tatras will probably not let you down. There are comfortable hotels in Poprad available as well as for other alternatives for accommodation in the High Tatras region. The same is true for food and restaurants in the High Tatras, which provide you with a long row of alternatives. Adding the pleasure of staying in the High Tatras, there are no safety risks around except for maybe the dangers provided by mountainous nature. Keep in mind that the weather changes fast up in the mountains, and always tell the staff where you are going to hike / ski before leaving your lodging. English is understood in the region by tourism personnell and younger locals.
hint See also these nearby destinations: Zakopane (Tatra mountains), Banska Bystrica, Krakow, Tokaj
