Trips - Around the Tatras

This is a full day trip. It goes through the most popular Tatra health-resorts on Slovakia and the most picturesque spots around the mountains.

By car we go to Łysa Polana border cross between Poland and Slovakia. The village Łysa Polana on Slovakian side has only few buildings. Later we take the so-called “Freedom Road”, that takes us up to Szczyrbskie Lake town just right next to the lake with the same name.

When driving on the road number 67 we notice impressive steep slopes of Bielskie Tatras with the most impressive Murań mountain. After only a few turns we reach the Ździarska Pass between the Bielkie Tatras and Magura Spiska range. Not far from there you can stop at a parking area with amazing panoramic view on the mountains: the main Tatras ridge, on west Nowy Wierch and Hawrań, Pałczliwa Skała, and Bujaczy Wierch on east .

The road keeps on going to Ździar. It’s one of the biggest towns under the Tatras founded between 16th and 17th century by mainly Polish settlers. Driving on we reach Kotlina valley between slopes of Palenica Lędacka and Bujaczny Wierch with Tokarnia.

We reach the road fork where we turn right on the road 537> In a few minutes we should get to the centre of Kotlina Tatrzańska health-resort. This town was founded for tourists coming to visit the Bielska Cave after it was discovered in 1881. We continue driving towards Tatrzańska Łomnica, the biggest town in the Slokavkian Tatras’ foothill. Centre of skiing, tourism and culture located under Łomnica massive (2632 m)We leave Tatrzańska Łomnica towards Szczyrbskie Pleso Lake. You pass a a small healty-resort Tatrzańska Leśna and we reach Smokowiec.

Smokowiec is a famous health-resort with over 200 years tradition. It’s centre is called Stary Smokowiec. Crossing the town you can see the oldest historic building of it- 150 years old Willa Flora, where nowadays an art gallery is located. And on the right side of the road Art Nouveau Grand Hotel from 1904.

You route goes now through Tatrzańska Polanka, where the trail to Gerlach (the highest pick of the Tatras) starts. From the nearby parking lot beautiful view on Gelach and Kończysta can be found. Afret few more km you reach Szczyrbskie Lake with the lake being the highlight of this place. It’s the fifth biggest lake in the mountains.

Soon you will leave the Slovakian Tatras National Park and reach Liptow region. The Lower Tatras (Tatry Niźnie) will appear on the horizon with its skiing slopes. We pass Przybylina village (from 13th century). From the road 2 churches can be easily seen: one neo-roman Evangelic from 1901 and the second neo-baroque Catholic dated on 1910.

Driving on we reach Liptowski Hradku, where we turn on the road no. 18 towards Liptowski Mikulasz. The town located in the centre of Kotlina Liptowska, on the foothill of East and Low Tatras. Thefirst settlers there appeared already around 4 thousand years ago. In 1713 the local bandit- Juraj Janosik was tried in local court and sentenced to death by hanging on a hook placed between his ribbons. Hisotry of famous Janosik can be found in his museum located there. The biggest monument of the town is gothic Catholic church of St. Nicolas dated on 1280.

We leave liptowski Mikulasz by road no. 584. On the way you pass through Liptowskie Maciejowice village. And after this the road starts to go uphill up to Kwaczańska Pass. Here, at the altitude of 1110 m parking lot is located. It’s worth to stop there for a short moment for the panoramic view of Liptów and Liptowska Mara. On west you will see the Choczańskie Mountains range.

As you continue driving along West Tatras we pass Huciańska Pass and enter Orawa region. Now through plain terrain you reach Zuberec village located close to Rochacze. And there on Srestowa Clearing you will find interesting open-air museum of Orawa village.

Driving on along Zimna Woda Orawska steam you reach the suburbs of Podbiel town. You pass Biała Skała on your left and the small town with the same name, where, according to legends used to stand Templar castle in the Middle Ages. In Zimna Woda you turn on the road no. 59 towards Twardoszyn and Trstena. In Trstena you turn on road no. 520 towards Sucha Hora border crossing. On your left you should see well the picks of Slovakian Tatras and on your left Beskidy range with Babia Góra dominating the massive. After crossing the border you enter historic Chochołów village in Podhale.

Loop distance: around 210 km

Main attractions:

• Beautiful mountain views
• The oldest Tatra health-resorts
• Stary Smokowiec
• Szczyrbskie Lake
• Historical building
• Open-air museums