Running along the Slovakia-Poland border, the High Tatras Mountains are part of the larger Carpathian Mountain Range that stretches over 930-miles from the Czech Republic to Romania. Both sides of the High Tatras Mountains are protected national parks which share the same name: Tatra National Park Poland – GANP (82 square miles) and Tatra National Park Slovakia – TANAP (286 square miles). UNESCO classifies both parks as a biosphere reserve.
At the foot of Slovakia’s High Tatras Mountains are three popular ski villages: Tatranská Lomnica, Vysoké Tatry, and Štrbské Pleso. These tiny villages are the gateways to the Tatras National Park. We’ll go into what you can do and see in each of these in summer.
As we wanted something a little more authentic than a ski village, we stayed a little further out, at Boutique Hotel Hviezdoslav in the town of Kežmarok. Only a 20-minute drive from Tatranská Lomnica, this historic settlement is worth a visit.
Though there is a train line that runs between these main towns, you’ll find it much easier to get around with a car. For instance, the train takes over an hour from Tatranská Lomnica and Štrbské Pleso, but it takes less than 30-minutes by car.
What a gorgeous place, Nicole. I love that mystical looking mountain shot. Epic. Thanks for the inspired post.
Ryan
Thanks Ryan. Slovakia is stunning, yet terribly underrated as a travel destination. Though one day I’m sure we will be glad we saw it before the word got out. 🙂