Apartmán Samir · Veľká Lomnica
Veľká Lomnica sits exactly between Poprad and Kežmarok, right below Lomnický štít. From the apartment you can reach the cable car, a thermal spa or the historic centre of Kežmarok in about fifteen minutes. Below you will find driving distances we measured ourselves, our favourite hikes and ideas for rainy days.
All distances are by car from the apartment. Times are approximate — in high season allow extra time for parking.
At a glance
| Place | By car | Time |
|---|---|---|
| AquaCity Poprad thermal | 10 km | 13 min |
| Tatranská Lomnica cable car mountains | 10 km | 14 min |
| Kežmarok — historic centre heritage | 10 km | 15 min |
| Thermal Park Vrbov thermal | 11 km | 19 min |
| FunVille Hozelec kids | 14 km | 19 min |
| Starý Smokovec / Hrebienok mountains | 15 km | 19 min |
| CINEMAX, OC MAX Poprad cinema | 16 km | 20 min |
| Jakubkova lúka skiing | 16 km | 21 min |
| Skipark Mlynčeky skiing | 16 km | 23 min |
| Belianska Cave cave | 17 km | 19 min |
| Poprad — town centre | 17 km | 19 min |
| Svit — Boom House kids | 19 km | 21 min |
| Bachledka, Ždiar skiing | 23 km | 28 min |
| Ski Kubašok skiing | 26 km | 34 min |
| Strednica, Ždiar skiing | 29 km | 36 min |
| Lopušná dolina skiing | 31 km | 40 min |
| Spišská Nová Ves Zoo kids | 32 km | 31 min |
| Vyšné Ružbachy thermal | 34 km | 41 min |
| Štrbské Pleso mountains | 36 km | 34 min |
| Popradské pleso — car park mountains | 37 km | 42 min |
| Levočská dolina skiing | 39 km | 37 min |
Hiking
From an easy stroll with a pram to a full-day walk. Times are for an average walker, one way, without breaks.
The finest introduction to the Tatras. A flat path along the lakeshore with views of Vysoká and Solisko — a pram and small children will manage it. You can extend it by taking the chairlift up to Solisko.
Open all year. Parking is paid and fills up before 9 a.m. in summer.
A funicular takes you from Starý Smokovec up to Hrebienok in a few minutes, and from there it is a short walk to the Small, Great and Giant waterfalls. Perfect when you only have half a day or the children are tired.
In winter the Tatra Ice Dome — a cathedral built from ice — stands right by the top station.
The classic we recommend to absolutely everyone. A comfortable forest path along the Tatra Magistrale ends at one of the most photogenic lakes in the mountains, with a chalet and lunch waiting. Return the same way.
If you still have energy, carry on to the Symbolic Cemetery (another 30 minutes).
The big attraction closest to us. A gondola carries you to Skalnaté pleso (1,751 m) and a smaller cabin continues all the way to the summit of Lomnický štít (2,634 m). The view stretches across the whole Spiš region and into Poland.
Tickets to the summit sell out in advance — book a time slot online, as it is usually sold out on the day.
Our own favourite and the closest big hike to the apartment. From Tatranská Kotlina or Biela voda the valley leads to the chalet at Zelené pleso, beneath the wall of Malý Kežmarský štít. Long, but not technically difficult.
Set aside the whole day and bring food and water.
The highest Tatra peak you may climb without a mountain guide. From Starý Smokovec past the Slavkovská viewpoint to the summit at 2,452 m. Hard on the legs, but with no climbing involved.
Start early and watch the forecast — storms often roll in during the afternoon.
By bike
Veľká Lomnica lies directly on the Route Around the Tatras — a Slovak–Polish cycling circuit of more than 250 km. Bringing your bikes really is worth it.
Our favourite family ride. A paved cycle path through Huncovce crosses the river Poprad on two bridges and runs all the way to Kežmarok. Almost no climbing and separated from traffic — fine even with smaller children.
Towards the mountains, with views of the ridge. A popular weekend ride that even less experienced cyclists manage.
There are six waymarked cycle routes in and around Veľká Lomnica. Good for a short afternoon spin when you do not want to plan a whole day.
From Kežmarok the route continues through Spišská Belá to Tatranská Kotlina — that is, all the way to the Belianska Cave. New sections are still being added, so check a current map before a longer ride.
Winter
From Veľká Lomnica you can set off in the morning to practically any resort in the region and be back in the hot tub on the terrace by evening.
The nearest large resort and the only one with skiing above 2,000 m. Wide pistes below Skalnaté pleso, a long black run from the lake and the longest season in the Tatras.
Shorter, gentle slopes above Starý Smokovec. Good for families and beginners, reached by the funicular.
A small resort above Nová Lesná. No queues, friendly prices, ideal for a child's first days on skis.
Solisko and the cross-country trails of a former World Cup venue. Covered by the same TMR ski pass as Tatranská Lomnica and Smokovec.
A family resort in the Spišská Magura with the well-known Treetop Walk — which is open in summer too.
Skipark Mlynčeky (16 km), Strednica Ždiar (29 km), Ski Kubašok (26 km), Lopušná dolina (31 km) and Levočská dolina (39 km). Cheaper, calmer and without waiting — the best choice during school holidays and weekends.
The nearest large water park. Outdoor and indoor pools, slides, a wellness area and saunas. The outdoor pools stay open even in freezing weather.
A regional classic — several pools of warm mineral water, much loved in winter for the steam rising off the surface. Simpler and cheaper than AquaCity.
A smaller, quieter spa with a natural thermal lake. A good choice for a day away from the crowds.
Rainy days
Mountain weather changes fast. These are the places where rain will not stop you.
A large indoor playground with climbing frames, a trampoline, a ball pit and a corner for the smallest ones. Open daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., with a restaurant on site — the children wear themselves out while you have a coffee or lunch.
An indoor family centre with play areas for toddlers and older children, plus a room for birthday parties.
A smaller indoor playroom right in the mountains, for children roughly aged 1 to 12. Handy when the rain drives you down from the peaks.
A multiplex inside the shopping centre — a film, shopping and lunch under one roof. A safe bet for a whole wet afternoon.
A show cave with stalactites in Tatranská Kotlina. It stays around 6 °C inside, so bring a jacket even in August.
In the rain these are, paradoxically, the best idea — the thermal water keeps you warm and the outdoor pools are emptier than on a sunny day.
A small but genuinely lovely zoo that children get round in two hours — and parents like it because you can see all of it without exhausting anyone. Save it for a fine day, though — it is entirely outdoors and there is little to enjoy in the rain.
Where to eat
Places we go to ourselves and happily send our guests to. In season, and especially at weekends, it is worth booking a table ahead.
The square in Spišská Sobota is worth a walk even without a meal — it is one of the loveliest in the Spiš region.
Without a car
The apartment has its own railway stop within easy reach. You can get into the mountains without a car, without hunting for a parking space and without driving on snowy roads.
It is roughly one kilometre from the apartment. Follow Golfová street to the end of the cul-de-sac and continue past the barrier of Hotel International — a publicly accessible path through the grounds of the Black Stork golf course. We have walked the route ourselves; it takes a comfortable quarter of an hour.
From the Veľká Lomnica-Golf stop it is a single stop up the line. At Tatranská Lomnica you change onto the TEŽ narrow-gauge railway, or step straight onto the cable car to Skalnaté pleso.
The other way, via Studený Potok, where the branch meets main line 185. Change there and you are in the historic centre of Kežmarok.
Poprad-Tatry is the region's main interchange — long-distance trains, line 185 and the narrow-gauge TEŽ to Starý Smokovec and Štrbské Pleso all meet there.
The TEŽ and the ordinary trains are two different railways. The narrow-gauge TEŽ runs only within the Tatras — Poprad-Tatry, Starý Smokovec, Štrbské Pleso and Tatranská Lomnica. Your stop, Veľká Lomnica-Golf, lies on standard-gauge line 185, which connects you to the TEŽ at Tatranská Lomnica or in Poprad. Current timetables are at cp.sk or in the ZSSK app.
An apartment for four with a terrace, a hot tub and free parking — ten minutes from the cable car.
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