8 days in Slovakia with children (8 and 5 years old) at the end of August.
This time we have visited 3 regions in Slovakia – Lower Tatras Mountains, High Tatras and the Slovakian Paradise. All these places are indeed paradise for trips with children and alpine nature lovers. All the advantages are in one package – clean country, amazing views, relatively low prices for Western Europe, no tourists, very nice people and English speakers, lots of attractions for children and nature lovers in a 1.5 hours’ drive maximum from the accommodation. Welcome to Northern Slovakia!
Note: What is marked as an optional we did not have time to see.
Brief route:
Here you can see all the waypoints on the Google Maps and also use Google navigation to the place:
You can also download KML file and open it in other offline application for navigation and editing:
Day 1:
Flight to Budapest and rent a car in the airport
Town Banska Bystrica
Another town Banska Stiavnica (optional)
Our Log house Chata Malina in the Low Tatra Mountains
Day 2:
Jasna Nature Reserve in the Low Tatra Mountains:
A short route around Lake Vrbicke Pleso
Cable cars to Mount Chopok
Restaurant at the top, observation point and a 30 minute walk
Stalactites Cave Demenovska Jaskyna Slobody (optional)
FUN PARK Ziarce at Pavucina Lehota
Day 3:
High Tatras Mountains:
A cable car to Hrebienok from the town of Stary Smokovec and a path to the waterfall
Skalnate Lake Pleso (optional)
Cable car for the highest peak Stit Lomnicky (this option is more expensive 35 Euro and must be booked in advance)
Roller coaster for children Tatranska Lomnica (optional)
The town of Strbske Pleso, a walk around the lake and Koliba Patria restaurant with a grate lake view.
Boating or Rafting in Pienny. Hour – two hours and cycling back with stops at the castle (option for another day in the High Tatras)
Day 4:
The nature path behind the DIERY Hotel in the Low Tatras (option).
A water park and thermal baths Besenova – it is more suitable for small children.
Restaurant Restauracia Kolchury near the water park.
Water park with thermal pools and facilities TATRALANDIA – option. More suitable for teenagers.
HURICANE FACTORY TUBE – Wind tunnel for skydiving simulation (optional).
Day 5:
The Tarzania rope park near our house is more suitable for the little ones.
A Bike Park and other attractions just near our house.
Restaurant and farmhouse Koliba u dobreho pastiera.
Castle ORAVSKY HRAD (optional)
Day 6:
On the way to the track in the PROSIECKA DILINA valley, we stopped in the Upside-down house and then we took a 3.5-hour walk to the waterfall and back.
You can extend the route to the village KVACANY. There is brewery BRONTVAI.
Visit the UNESCO village VLKOLINEC (option).
Ski town DONOVALY, the town has a lot of attractions:
ROVNA HOLA mountain cable car and hiking on top (optional)
ROPE CENTER with the longest route in Slovakia (optional)
TOBOGGAN RUN – Bob sledding (optional)
HABAKUKY – A fairy tale village for children. Must!
Bicycle rental at DEMI SPORT (optional).
Traditional wooden restaurant GORAL KOLIBA.
Day 7:
In the nature reserve of the Slovakian paradise there are many routes of different difficulty levels. We were with small children so we made short and simple routes.
Dobsinska Ladova Ice Cave (optional but very recommended).
Short track near the Stratensky kanon stream (optional).
Lake Dedinky.
Route to the Tomasovsky Vyhlad cliff.
Restaurant Koliba Zerucha in the town of Strba on the way back.
The longest and most difficult ladders route Sucha Bela for the whole day.
Day 8:
A steam train from the station CIERNY BALOG. Order a reservation by email in advance for a train of 12:00, which is a real 100-year train.
After 20 minutes’ ride to Vydrovo Station and there is a nice open museum in the woods by the river. After an hour and a half take a train back.
A playground near the Partizan Hotel and a hotel restaurant with a beautiful view.
Drive to the hidden KRPACOVO lake and a bonfire by the lake.
In the town of BREZNO there is a rustic restaurant which is recommended by many people ZBOJSKA SALAS (optional).
At night a 4-hour drive to Budapest airport.
Photos and description:
Day 1:
Budapest airport
Rent a car and drive to the border with Slovakia. On the border, do not forget to buy a travel permit to the autostradas in Slovakia (it costs about 10 Euros).
Stop in the nice town of Banska Bystrica. We parked near the main square with the local “Pisa Tower”. We walked around the Old Town and a visited weapons exhibition from World War II in front of the SNP Museum.
We drove directly to our guesthouse Chata Malina in the Low Tatra Mountains.
Day 2:
On our first morning in Slovakia we woke up in a beautiful cottage in a magical forest with a playground and a trampoline for children in the yard.
We drove to the Jasna nature reserve in the lower Tatra Mountains. We parked the car in a free parking in front of Grand Hotel Jasna and immediately from the parking begins a short track around the lake Vrbicke Pleso quiet and amazing in its beauty.
A 2-minute walk from the parking to the cable cars that go up to Chopok Mountain. Up to the top you have to change three cable cars. At the intermediate station there is a small trampoline park where children can jump a little and parents can rest and enjoy the beautiful view and beer. At the top there is a good restaurant, observation point and a 30 minute walk.
Day 3:
High Tatras Mountains.
A cable car to Hrebienok.
Strbske Pleso lake
Day 5:
The Tarzania rope park
A Bike Park and other attractions just near our house.
Restaurant and farmhouse Koliba u dobreho pastiera
Just be aware of brown bears
Day 6:
Upside-down house
3.5-hour walk in the PROSIECKA DILINA valley
HABAKUKY – A fairy tale village
Day 7:
Stratensky kanon stream
Lake Dedinky
Route to the Tomasovsky Vyhlad cliff
Day 8:
A steam train from the station CIERNY BALOG
The open museum at Vydrovo Station
Hotel Partizan
A bonfire by the lake KRPACOVO
