High Tatras guide ![Slovakia](https://www.a-hotel.com/img/hmaps/sk.png)
Tatranská Lomnica – One of the best ski resorts in Slovakia. From there, you can take the cable car to Lomnický Štít, where the museum and the botanical garden of the Tatra National Park are located.
Štrbské Pleso - The highest resort in the High Tatras. It is famous for its beautiful glacial lake. Tourist routes to the ascents to Rysy, Kriváň or Solisko begin here.
Starý Smokovec – The oldest settlement in the High Tatras, mineral water springs here, you can take the cable car to Hrebienok. It serves as a starting point for hikes to the Studené Potok waterfalls.
![High Tatras](https://www.a-hotel.com/gallery/images/451416838730252-sk-tatry.webp)
The High Tatras, often referred to as the "Pearl of Slovakia", are the highest mountain range of the Carpathians and one of the most popular tourist destinations in Central Europe. It lies on the border of Slovakia and Poland.
The highest peak Gerlachovský štít measures 2,654 m above sea level, followed by Lomnický štít (2,634 m above sea level) and other important peaks such as Rysy and Kriváň.
There are many glacial lakes in the mountain range. Among the most famous are Štrbské pleso, Popradské pleso and Zelené pleso.
![Štrbské Pleso](https://www.a-hotel.com/gallery/images/506503355582680-sk-strbske-pleso-2.webp)
The High Tatras offer an extensive network of marked hiking trails, suitable for different levels of experience. Popular routes lead to peaks such as Rysy, Kriváň and Slavkovský štít.
Many climbers also head to this area, who can choose from many routes of varying difficulty.
The High Tatras also attract lovers of skiing and snowboarding. Popular ski resorts include Tatranská Lomnice, Štrbské Pleso and Starý Smokovec.
![Lomnický Štít]( https://www.a-hotel.com/gallery/images/256688934450956-sk-lomnicky-stit.webp)
Spas in Tatranské Teplice offer relaxation and treatment with thermal springs.
The High Tatras belong to the Tatra National Park (TANAP), which protects unique ecosystems and endangered species.
Many species of animals live here, such as chamois, bears, lynxes and eagles.
![Eagle in High Tatras](https://www.a-hotel.com/gallery/images/290894014813076-sk-orel.webp)
The first mentions of the settlement of the High Tatras date back to the Middle Ages. The area became popular with the nobility and later became a tourist destination.
The region is home to many historical monuments and traditional villages that preserve local culture and architecture.
The nearest international airport is in Poprad. You can easily reach the High Tatras by train or car from various parts of Slovakia.
In the summer season, visitors go here primarily for hiking. Temperatures are around 15-20 °C in lower locations, while cooler weather prevails in higher ones.
Winter is ideal for skiing. Temperatures often drop below freezing and snow covers the mountains from December to April.
Tatranská Lomnica
Tatranská Lomnica is located in the eastern part of the High Tatras, near the town of Poprad.
The resort lies at an altitude of approximately 850 meters above sea level, with elevation differences extending to peaks over 2,000 meters.
The biggest attractions certainly include Lomnický štít, the second highest peak of the High Tatras, which is reached by a cable car.
![Lomnický Štít]( https://www.a-hotel.com/gallery/images/874794094791782-sk-lomnicky-stit.webp)
Tatranská Lomnica is one of the best ski resorts in Slovakia with a wide range of pistes and modern cable cars. In winter, there are excellent conditions for winter sports.
Hikers will also enjoy themselves in this area. They can choose from many well-marked routes that lead to beautiful places, such as Skalnaté pleso or Lomnické sedlo.
Transport
Tatranská Lomnica can be easily reached by train, with regular connections from Poprad and other cities. The center can be easily reached by car, with the possibility of parking in several parking lots in the vicinity.
You can also use several cable cars in the area, which facilitate access to higher altitudes and popular tourist routes.
Attractions
Cable car to Lomnický štít - This cable car is one of the main attractions of the region. Visitors can drive up to the top of Lomnické štít and enjoy breathtaking panoramic views.
![Cable car to Lomnický štít](https://www.a-hotel.com/gallery/images/241179559251113-sk-lomnice-lanovka.webp)
TANAP Botanical Garden – On the outskirts of the city there is a botanical garden where you can see the unique Tatra flora.
TANAP Museum - This museum offers interesting exhibits about the nature and conservation of the High Tatras, including the fauna, flora and history of the area.
Accommodations
Tatranská Lomnica offers a wide range of accommodation facilities, from luxury hotels to cozy guesthouses, apartments or mountain huts and villas.
The 5* Hotel Lomnica was built in 1893, making it the oldest and at the same time the best-rated hotel in the city. Located in the city center, you can enjoy mountain views as well as spa and wellness services. You can refresh yourself in the stylish restaurant, wine cellar, cigar bar or on the terrace with a view of Lomnický Štít.
Another popular hotel, this time the 4* Grand Hotel Praha, is located a short distance from the city center. The hotel offers a rich history (built in 1905) and excellent cuisine. Here you can use the wellness or outdoor infinity heated pool with a view of the mountains. The ski lift is less than a kilometer from the hotel.
Sportsmen will definitely be attracted to the resort Penzión Teniscentrum, which offers many sports activities. In addition to the indoor hall for tennis or badminton, you can use a field for volleyball or hockey. In winter, you can rent skates and skate on the ice rink. The guesthouse is located a short distance from the ski slope and from the public indoor swimming pool with sauna. In the local restaurant you can enjoy the specialties of local cuisine as well as international dishes.
Among the classic guesthouses, we can name Penzión Paula, which is especially popular in winter, because you can ski from the slope to the door of the guesthouse. The price includes breakfast and you can buy half board. Here you can enjoy the outdoor terrace, fireplace, garden, children's playground, billiards or table tennis. The accommodation also offers rooms for wheelchair users.
If you want to fully enjoy the beauty and tranquility of the High Tatras, check out Chaty Rozprávkovo. 4 cottages surrounded by a national park are located about 3 km from the city center. The largest cabin can accommodate up to 18 people, the smallest has 2 bedrooms. Each cabin has a fully equipped kitchen, fireplace, terrace...
For a complete offer of accommodation in Tatranská Lomnica, we recommend using A-HOTEL.com or Booking.com.
Practical tips
Visitors can enjoy traditional Slovak cuisine as well as international dishes in many restaurants and mountain huts.
![Sweet fruit dumplings](https://www.a-hotel.com/gallery/images/670764733265417-sk-knedliky.webp)
Many hotels offer wellness services, including pools, saunas and massages, ideal for relaxing after a day in the mountains.
Cold winters with sufficient snow cover invite visitors to practice winter sports.
Summer is mild and ideal for hiking and cycling and other outdoor activities. But watch out for the temperatures - it can be colder in higher places.
Strbske Pleso
The highest resort in the High Tatras is famous for its beautiful glacial lake or pond. Štrbské Pleso is located in the southern part of the High Tatras, at an altitude of 1,346 meters.
Glacial lake Štrbské pleso, the second largest on the Slovak side of the High Tatras, is surrounded by dense forests and majestic mountain peaks.
The surrounding mountains and forests provide magnificent views and are an ideal location for photographers and nature lovers.
![Beautiful nature arround Štrbské Pleso](https://www.a-hotel.com/gallery/images/526424788871581-sk-strbske-pleso1.webp)
Many tourist routes start from Štrbské Pleso, including popular routes to peaks such as Rysy, Kriváň and Solisko.
The center offers excellent conditions for winter sports with several slopes and modern cable cars. Lovers of cross-country skiing will also get their money's worth. There are also diving boards near the lake.
In summer, you can rent a boat and ride on the surface of the lake.
Transport
You can easily get to Strbské Pleso by train. Zubačka (cog railway) connects Štrbské Pleso with the village of Štrba, where trains run from several large Slovak cities.
The center can also be reached by car - you can park in the vicinity.
Modern cable cars facilitate access to peaks and ski slopes, for example to Solisko.
![Solisko hill](https://www.a-hotel.com/gallery/images/115337311377604-sk-solisko.webp)
Accommodations
In Štrbské Pleso, you can choose from 75 different accommodation capacities, from hotels to cozy guesthouses, apartments and mountain huts.
The Grand Hotel Kempinski High Tatras certainly belongs to the most luxurious hotels in Štrbské Pleso. In the hotel with a view of the mountain lake, you will find a wellness center with a sauna, a hot tub, a swimming pool and a fitness center. There is also a game room, terrace, garden, children's playground and evening entertainment. In addition to the excellent restaurant, you can also use the wine cellar or bar.
If you prefer to stay in an apartment, check out Aplend Lake Resort. In winter, you can use the ski storage room here and buy ski passes at the 24/7 reception. You can use the parking lot, sauna, jacuzzi or luggage storage in the area.
The beautiful wood-decorated Horská Chata pod Soliskom offers accommodation both in mixed rooms and in private rooms. The cottage is located directly on the slopes, just 50 meters from the cable car station, at an altitude of 1840 meters. From the sunny terrace you can enjoy the view of Štrbské Pleso and the Low Tatras. You can have refreshments in the restaurant or at the bar.
On the outskirts of the village you will find the classic Penzión Pleso. Rooms and apartments have balconies with a view of the High Tatras. The ski area is located less than 2 km from the guesthouse - in the winter season you can use the ski bus for free. For an additional fee, you can enjoy the local wellness with sauna, hot tub and massages.
Cheap accommodation is offered by Turisticka ubytovňa SHB, Štrbské Pleso - Vysoké Tatry. The hostel is located a short distance from the slopes and the lake. You can stay in rooms or apartments. Those staying in the rooms can use the shared kitchen. In the building you will find a ski storage room and a grocery store. Both the bus and the train stop 250 meters from the accommodation.
For a complete offer of accommodation in Štrbské Pleso, we recommend using A-HOTEL.com or Booking.com.
Practical advice
Many restaurants offer both traditional Slovak cuisine and international dishes. Visitors can enjoy local specialties such as bryndza gnocchi or kabustnica.
![Popular Slovak cheese brynza]( https://www.a-hotel.com/gallery/images/884465468385572-sk-bryndza.webp)
Some hotels provide wellness services, including saunas, pools and massages, ideal for relaxing after an active day.
Cold winters offer sufficient snow cover for winter sports. Average temperatures are around -6°C.
Summers are mild and ideal for hiking and other outdoor activities. Temperatures are around 15-20°C, but it tends to be cooler at higher altitudes.
Stary Smokovec
Starý Smokovec belongs to the oldest and most important settlements in the High Tatras. It is famous for its rich history, beautiful architecture and spa services. Several hiking trails also start here.
Starý Smokovec is located in the central part of the High Tatras, at an altitude of approximately 1,010 meters. It is located near the town of Poprad and belongs to the village of Vysoké Tatry.
Starý Smokovec was founded in 1793 as a spa settlement and is the oldest tourist settlement in the High Tatras.
During the 19th and early 20th centuries, the settlement developed rapidly thanks to spa services and tourism. They built many historical buildings here, which still adorn the center of the settlement. For example, the historic Grandhotel, built in 1904, is worth a visit.
Starý Smokovec is the starting point for many hiking trails leading to the higher Tatras. Popular routes include a trip to Hrebienok, from where you can continue to the waterfalls of Studený potok or Téry's cottage.
![Waterfalls in Tatra mountains]( https://www.a-hotel.com/gallery/images/601004292631737-sk-vodopad.webp)
You can reach Hrebienok by cable car from the center of the settlement. It offers an excellent starting point for further hikes. In winter, you can go sledding here.
Not far from the Hrebienok cable car, you can visit the oldest alpine hut in the High Tatras, Rainer's Hut, which today houses the Information Center of the State Forests of TANAP. In 2008, the British Queen Elizabeth II visited her, and she was interested in a project to make the Tatras accessible to wheelchair users.
![Rainer´s hut]( https://www.a-hotel.com/gallery/images/179494257527399-sk-rainerova-utulna.webp)
Starý Smokovec also features a traditional spa center where you can use various spa and wellness procedures. The spa provides respiratory treatment and other health services.
The Tatra Mountain Service is based here.
Transport
You can easily get to Starý Smokovce by train. There are regular connections from Poprad and other cities.
Of course, you can also get here by car.
Poprad Airport is only 12 km away.
The cable car to Hrebienok is a popular means of transport for tourists and skiers.
![Tatra mountains in spring](https://www.a-hotel.com/gallery/images/307209193098372-sk-tatry.webp)
Accommodations
The vast majority of accommodation facilities in Staré Smokovec are apartments, of which there are around 100. This is followed by several hotels, boarding houses and cottages. Those who come for the summer season will certainly appreciate accommodation with a swimming pool.
Classic high-mountain accommodation is offered by BILÍKOVA CHATA - Mountain Hotel, which is located in the most strictly protected zone of the Tatra National Park, just 100 meters from the Hrebienok cable car. You cannot get to the hotel by car, only by cable car. In the hotel you will find a classic restaurant with a terrace with beautiful views.
Grand Hotel Starý Smokovec offers luxurious accommodation in the center of the village. A historic building, modern interiors with an extensive wellness area, a renowned restaurant - what more could you wish for? The Hrebienok cable car station is a 3-minute walk away. In winter, a free ski bus to the Tatranské Lomnice ski resort stops right in front of the hotel.
If you prefer to stay in apartments, you can find Apartmány Tatry in the city center. You can book an apartment with a kitchenette of various sizes, from studios to 2-bedroom apartments for 7 people. All apartments have a balcony with a view of the mountains.
Among the pensions, we can recommend, for example, Pension Tatrasport Zampa, which is located in the center of Starý Smokovce. The guesthouse has a ski storage room and a ski and bike equipment rental. The local restaurant serves an ala carte breakfast. You can enjoy beautiful mountain views from the sun terrace.
![Beautiful views of High Tatras](https://www.a-hotel.com/gallery/images/797402360051027-sk-tatry.webp)
For a complete offer of accommodation in Starý Smokovec, we recommend using A-HOTEL.com or Booking.com.
Practical tips
Mineral water with beneficial effects springs not far from the amphitheater in Dol.
Visitors can taste traditional Slovak cuisine such as dumplings or cabbage.
In the settlement you will find various shops, sports equipment rental and information centers that provide tourists with interesting and important information.
Winters tend to be cold, with sufficient snow cover, ideal for winter sports. Average temperatures drop to -5°C to -10°C.
The pleasant mild summer invites hiking and other outdoor activities. Temperatures are around 15-20°C, but it can be colder at higher altitudes.