Presov
region in the northeast of Slovakia
includes the High Tatras Mountain
range with its Gerlach peak at
2655 meters above sea level. High
Tatras is a real magnet for foreign
tourists with its beautiful untouched
nature dissected by thousands of
tourist paths and tracks. On both
sides of the mountain range, one
can ramble through wine-producing
valleys and a scenic countryside
of hilltop castles and traditional
log barns.
The town of High
Tatras is a central part of The
Tatra National Park (Tanap) which covers an area of
74,111 hectares. It is the oldest
and largest national park in the
Slovak Republic. . Hiking and skiing
out of marked trails is permitted
with a certified UIAGM mountain
guide.
The densely forested hills of
the Low Tatras (Nizke Tatry) run
parallel to the High Tatras, sprawling
between the valleys of the Vah
and Hron rivers. They form the
center of an 810 square kilometer
(311 square mile) national park
packed with thick forests, indigenous
wildlife, and hidden caves. From
the top of Dumbier, you can see
Hungary, the edge of Poland and
almost all of Slovakia!
As the most well-known area, the
High Tatras has excellent tourist
infrastructures to welcome sight
seeing visitors and for those who
come to take advantage of its slopes
for skiing in the winter and hiking
in the summer. Spis, the Strazky
Castle, the Cerveny Klastor Monastery,
the wooden churches in Hranicne,
Potoky and the historic center
of Bardejov are the region's top
attractions. Slovakia’s tourism
industry has grown remarkably since
independence. By the late 1990s
the country was receiving more
than 500,000 visitors each year.
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