Exploring the High Tatras region begins in Poprad!
Poprad is not only a key traffic junction on the way to the top experiences in the Tatras, but also a city where it is worth spending a few days!
Poprad – it’s not just Poprad …
Did you know that the city of Poprad consists of up to 6 originally separate settlements?
Spišská Sobota, Veľká, Stráže pod Tatrami, Matejovce pri Poprade, Kvetnica and Poprad – historically independent settlements / towns, which today form one integrated city Poprad. Almost every part of the city has its own Evangelical and Catholic church, square and thanks to that there is an exceptionally high number of sacred buildings and monuments in the city of Poprad.
Well not only that! Every part of the city has a lot to offer for visitors too!
There is fun in the center!
The center of Poprad is home to accommodation facilities, gastronomic establishments, the famous AquaCity Poprad thermal water park, shops, as well as the most famous cultural institutions, such as the newly reconstructed Podtatranské Museum in Poprad or the Tatra Gallery built from the original historic power plant.
Poprad is also often the scene of several important sporting events – examples are the Tatra Rally, the Challenger Tour tennis, the Podtatranský polmaratón or the hockey championships …
A city full of cultural events in winter and summer
The city of Poprad ranks among the TOP destinations in the summer and country seasons thanks to the extremely varied cultural program it offers every year!
During the Advent season, the city of Poprad is gradually transformed into the most beautiful lighted and decorated city in Slovakia. St. Nicholas traditionally lights up Christmas decorations and thousands of people enjoy the traditional Christmas craft fair, Advent concerts and many other interesting events.
As part of the Poprad Cultural Summer on the Square, there is no shortage of resounding names at open-air concerts and performances, which you can enjoy completely free of charge! Festivals such as Viva Italia and Made in Slovakia are regularly held here, and everyone can choose from the offer of sales stands.
Come on one!
For beer lovers, we recommend, for example, a “mini-tour” of well-chosen companies in Poprad, which offer honest craft beer, some even self-produced beer! The Tatras brewery and the Hodovňa, Plzeňka or Dobré časy breweries are located in the city center, so you can easily move between them on foot.
A historical gem
However, if you are looking for a real historical pearl, visit Spišská Sobota! In addition to the beautifully decorated church of St. George (Juraj) can also see a smaller branch of the museum on the square lined with original burgher houses, visit the archive, taste exclusive specialties in exceptional gastronomic establishments, or stay in stylish guesthouses with a touch of ancient history.
Unknown places in Poprad that are worth your visit!
Veľká also offers you a small historical delicacy: Scherfel’s house hides a rare exhibition of Aurel William Scherfel, and it is definitely worth seeing what the ancient pharmacy looked like. A few steps further, you can have a coffee with an unconventional company of beautiful big kittens in the unusual Cat-café. You can even try your hand at a piece of crystal in Veľká! All you have to do is arrange a tour of the Fister Crystal factory, which is now a family business.
Today, Matejovce pri Poprade is largely the center of the manufacturing industry, but even here you can see several ancient monuments – the Church of St. Štefan, or the building of Scholz’s workshop – later a factory and a short distance behind Matejovce towards Veľká Lomnica you will find the unprecedented Museum of Carriages.
In Stráže pod Tatrami, you will be surprised by the inconspicuous distillery Zizak, which, however, exports its fancy luxury spirits to the whole world. In addition to the tasting, you will learn a lot about the production process of quality “brandy” at the accompanying tour.
Prehliadka liehovaru Zizak Poprad-Stráže
Kvetnica will enchant you
Kvetnica is not a typical part of the city, but rather a forest recreational area. Thanks to the city’s initiative, it is becoming more and more attractive for visitors! It offers numerous hiking trails and enchanting forest nooks, as well as beautiful views of the Tatra Mountains.
Spiritually oriented lovers of silence will come to their senses, who can attend the Calvary or visit the exceptional chapel under the Krížová hill. However, cyclists, hardyers, everyone who just wants to relax by the water or families with children will not be disappointed either. They will certainly enjoy the playground near the forest at Malý lom, the hearths of a traditional forest grinder, the menagerie with mouflons and wild boars, or the artistic wood carvings of forest animals that are hiding throughout this locality. Therefore, don’t forget to request a free map with the attractions of Kvetnica at the Information Office in Poprad!
A bike trip without a bike? No problem!
From Poprad, you can go on a trip in any direction or difficulty thanks to the numerous cycle paths and cycle routes, but you can get to know the city itself on two wheels of one of the ecological shared means of transport.
On a shared bicycle, electric bike or e-scooter, you can easily go, for example, to the most beautiful historical part of Poprad – Spišská Sobota, but you can also go to the aforementioned Veľká, Kvetnica or Stráže pod Tatrami … For longer distances you can use bicycle rental services.
Adrenaline and fun
Try to climb the highest artificial climbing wall in Central Europe – Woodrock, or hit all the holes in the indoor minigolf course at the Tatramonti Hotel and you will recognize that in Poprad you can enjoy adrenaline and fun regardless of the weather! Or are you asked to see the city together with the whole panorama of the High Tatras from above? Here you go! There is a tower of the church of St. Egidius and the view from it are really worth it!
Varied program in any weather
We understand that sunny days call for high-altitude hiking, but what if the weather crosses your plans and the rain and storm surprise you during your vacation?
Whether it should be a visit to a museum, gallery, water park, caves, shopping, or indoor sports activities … – just go directly to the Municipal Information Office Poprad (MIK Poprad) and there they will advise you what to do with your free time according to your preferences . And who, you may be interested in the offer of accompanied tours, which you can order here …
In any case, MIK Poprad gathers a lot of information for you on its website www.VisitPoprad.sk, while you can use the application of the same name in your smartphone directly to plan the time spent in Poprad!
Implemented with the financial support of the Ministry of Transport and Construction of the Slovak Republic.
