Slovak paradise

Active recreation: weekend
Approximate distance from the border: 500 km
Countries through which the route passes: Slovakia

Table of Contents

Language
Currency and Payments
Preparation
Ukraine-Slovakia Border Crossing
Fuel Prices in Slovakia
Kosice
Near Kosice - Children's Railway, Summer Bobsleigh
Slovak Paradise (Slovenský raj) National Park (Northern Entrance Podlesok)
Slovak Paradise (Slovenský raj) National Park (Entrance Píla)
Slovak Paradise (Slovenský raj) National Park (Southern Entrance Dedinky)
Tomášovský View - Cliff Above the Abyss
Spiš Castle (Spišský hrad)
Dobšinská Ice Cave
Poprad
Morské Oko (Slovakia)

Language

In Slovakia, there are no issues with communication in English, and many people also speak Russian and can communicate in it.

Currency and Payments

Slovakia uses the Euro. It's advisable to have a small amount of cash, as there are places where card payments may not be accepted.

Preparation

In Slovakia, there are toll roads. This route is planned using toll-free roads, so you don't need to purchase a vignette. However, if you decide to change the route, check whether it passes through toll roads.
Information about road tolls can be found in the article about Slovakia on our website: Slovakia - Road tolls, speed limits

We recommend the following steps:

• Find accommodation on Booking or Airbnb
• Book accommodation, print confirmation, save them in a file (PDF)
• Visit the insurance company and get medical insurance policies and a green card for the car
• Head to the border with Slovakia

For verification, here is the list of all documents needed for the trip:

• Passport
• Vaccination certificate (or in the Diia app or printed by a family doctor)
• Driver's license
• Car registration
• COVID-19 medical insurance policy
• Green card (liability insurance for the car owner)
• Printed accommodation booking confirmations

Ukraine-Slovakia Border Crossing

You can cross the border with Slovakia at two checkpoints: "Uzhgorod" (immediately on the outskirts of the city) and "Mali Bereznyi - Ublia" (in the village of Mali Bereznyi, Zakarpattia region).

The "Uzhgorod" checkpoint is larger and more spacious. "Mali Bereznyi" is probably the most picturesque border crossing, located in a mountain gorge, surrounded by forests and clean air. The flow of cars is usually smaller here, but the services may work slower. There are no clear recommendations on which checkpoint to use; check the queues on the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine website:
https://dpsu.gov.ua/ua/map

Fuel Prices in Slovakia

Kosice

A great city to make a stop for an overnight stay or have dinner/lunch/breakfast. The old part of the city is a pleasant place for an evening stroll, where most cafes and restaurants are concentrated.

Near Kosice - Children's Railway, Summer Bobsleigh

Coordinates of the children's railway on Google Maps: https://g.page/detskazeleznica?share
Official website: https://www.detskazeleznica.sk/

Coordinates of the bobsleigh track on Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/jsWS5Aw1mY2HGHaw9
Official website: https://www.bobovka.sk/

The children's railway stretches through a picturesque valley with several locomotives and different carriages. Kids enjoy visiting it. As for the bobsleigh track, detailed information is only available on the official website.

Slovak Paradise (Slovenský raj) National Park (Northern Entrance - Podlesok)

Coordinates of the northern entrance in the village of Podlesok: https://goo.gl/maps/kTFVDyL1LLGtfYRu7
Official website: https://www.slovenskyraj.eu

One of the most popular routes through the Suchá Belá gorge starts from here. While walking the route, we saw people of all ages, including children and older generations. So, if you've been hiking lately, traversing the gorge shouldn't be a problem. The only nuance is that there are ladders going up near the waterfalls—simple ladders, often without handrails and, moreover, without protection against falls, etc. So, if you have a fear of heights or find a ladder of 10-20 meters (higher than the 3rd floor of a building) challenging, it's better to choose another route. The gorge is traversed by a river, and to avoid walking in the water, metal footbridges are embedded in the rocks, used by tourists. You're unlikely to find as many waterfalls and beautiful spots at once elsewhere, so we highly recommend this route.

Slovak Paradise (Slovenský raj) National Park (Entrance - Píla)

Coordinates of the entrance in the village of Píla: https://goo.gl/maps/MKtKz4FU6UyUsduT7
Official website: https://www.slovenskyraj.eu

This is where the Piecky route to one of the highest waterfalls, Veľký Vodopád, starts (https://goo.gl/maps/pMfKEGK9ZfmL7CxC7). Although this route is a bit shorter, it is considered more challenging than Suchá Belá. However, it is very easy to walk from the village of Píla to the large waterfall, almost without gaining height, just constantly crossing the river on stones. It takes about 30 minutes to reach the waterfall. If you climb the ladder along the waterfall, you will see a cascade waterfall that caught our attention and led us to Slovak Paradise.

Slovak Paradise (Slovenský raj) National Park (southern entrance, Dedinky village)

Parking coordinates in Dedinky village: https://goo.gl/maps/4sXxbfwKAMTRsL546
Official website: https://www.slovenskyraj.eu

It's difficult to write about the routes since we haven't had the chance to explore them yet. However, the location with the lake is beautiful. Locals come here to simply spend their weekends, so book accommodation in advance or come with a tent. The lake is formed by a large dam, and on the other side of the village, a railway line runs, creating a picturesque scene when a train travels along the lake. A bit further from the parking area, there is a pizzeria (walk along the lake road) where we enjoyed inexpensive and tasty food.

Tomášovský View — Cliff Overlooking the Gorge with a Good View

Coordinates: https://goo.gl/maps/kSvUi1mi6pkUupiP9

To reach this point, drive to the parking lot https://goo.gl/maps/SJo9TASbQZoMJnnb8 and follow the signs to walk 30-40 minutes to Tomášovský View. The trail goes through meadows, then forests, and cliffs. Along the way, there are stops with beautiful landscapes. The location itself offers stunning views, and if you climb to a higher observation platform, you can see the High Tatras. The route is not difficult, but there is a continuous ascent.

Spiš Castle (Spišský hrad)

Coordinates: https://goo.gl/maps/pSYeyMxKjcVvQ6dt9 Official Castle Website: www.spisskyhrad.sk

Parking on the east side of the castle: https://goo.gl/maps/8ezzrzgtysEbH5PG7 On weekends, there may not be space in the parking lot, so people park on the roadside leading to the parking lot from the main road.

The castle is large, and while the interior might not be as captivating as the exterior, you can explore various rooms, walls, and more. Compared to Ukrainian castles, it is larger than Mukachevo Castle Palanok. Climbing the tower is interesting, and it's worth paying an additional 1 euro. Not everyone on staff speaks English, even the cashier, so be prepared to seek help from a colleague to explain the ticket differences.

Dobšinská Ice Cave (Dobšinská ľadová jaskyňa)

Parking coordinates: https://goo.gl/maps/yixKZGGZPY18u2Nw9 Official Caves Region Website: www.ssj.sk

The Ice Cave. The temperature is constantly below freezing. Be sure to bring warm clothes, a jacket, sweater, considering that you will need to be in temperatures below zero for 40 minutes. The ascent to the cave takes 20-30 minutes. At the entrance to the cave, there is a large building with ticket counters and a waiting area. Below the waiting area, there are free toilets (the ones near the parking lot are paid). Inside the cave, you'll be surrounded by ice and rocks. It's a unique experience. Separate permission is required for photography. We recommend visiting, although the quality of the photos is not very good as we did not have a camera with us.

Poprad

A city in the north of Slovak Paradise, close to the High Tatras. It's a good place to stay overnight. The city has large supermarkets where you can replenish supplies. If you're staying longer than a night, you can visit the water park.

Morske Oko (Slovakia)

On the way home, you can visit the Morske Oko lake (Slovak). Do not confuse it with the Morskie Oko in Poland, near Zakopane.