Slovak Paradise (Spišská Nová Ves; Hrabušice; Dedinky), Slovakia: things to do, when to go and how to get there

Get to know the place

A region to enjoy
at your own pace.

Slovak Paradise (Slovenský raj) is a limestone plateau between Spiš and the Gemer region, south of the High Tatras. Streams have cut dozens of narrow gorges into it, with tiered waterfalls, and the Hornád River has carved a canyon of about 16 km. The area was Slovakia’s first protected landscape in 1964 and became a national park in 1988.

What makes the park famous is how the gorges are traversed. In the most visited ones, such as Suchá Belá, the trail runs along the streambed and overcomes level changes with ladders fixed to the rock, chains, pegs and wooden footbridges. For safety, the gorge routes can only be done upstream. In the Hornád canyon, metal walkways run alongside the river near the cliffs.

The park has three entry points. To the north, Spišská Nová Ves, a town with a train station, is a few kilometers from Čingov, from where you can climb to the Tomášovský výhľad viewpoint. To the northwest, the village of Hrabušice and its settlement Podlesok are the base for Suchá Belá and the ruins of Kláštorisko monastery. To the south, Dedinky sits on the shore of Palcmanská Maša lake, close to the Dobšiná Ice Cave, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Gorge trails require sturdy footwear, some physical fitness and free hands for the ladders. After heavy rain, park management and the mountain rescue service may close gorges because of high stream levels.

This destination brings together 3 cities: Spišská Nová Ves, Hrabušice, Dedinky.

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One destination, many paths

The cities on this trip

Start with one city or combine several in your itinerary.

Where Slovak Paradise (Spišská Nová Ves; Hrabušice; Dedinky) is

Boundaries: geoBoundaries (dados do OpenStreetMap, licença ODbL). Adapted by Cidade Turismo.

How to get there: Slovak Paradise (Spišská Nová Ves; Hrabušice; Dedinky)

✈ Letisko Poprad-Tatry (TAT), in Poprad · 28 km to Spišská Nová Ves

Spišská Nová Ves is on the main Bratislava–Košice line and is about 25 km from Poprad and 75 km from Košice. From there, buses and roads lead to Čingov and Hrabušice. Dedinky, to the south, has a train stop on the line coming from Margecany. For air arrival, Poprad-Tatry is the nearest airport.

Suggested arrival point: Spišská Nová Ves

Košice · Slovak Paradise (Spišská Nová Ves; Hrabušice; Dedinky) Suggested arrival point

Spišská Nová Ves

Town of about 35,000 on the northern edge of the Slovak Paradise, with an elongated, tree-lined, lens-shaped square and the Church of the Assumption, whose 87-meter tower is the tallest in the country. A few kilometers away, the tourist hub of Čingov is the starting point for the Tomášovský výhľad viewpoint and the Hornád canyon.

Košice · Slovak Paradise (Spišská Nová Ves; Hrabušice; Dedinky)

Hrabušice

Village on the northwest edge of the Slovak Paradise, home to the tourist settlement of Podlesok, from where the trail into the Suchá Belá gorge departs — the park’s most visited gorge, with ladders and waterfalls. From the same area you can reach the ruins of the Carthusian monastery at Kláštorisko, on the high plateau.

Košice · Slovak Paradise (Spišská Nová Ves; Hrabušice; Dedinky)

Dedinky

Village on the southern edge of Slovak Paradise, on the shore of Palcmanská Maša lake, with green waters and surrounded by limestone cliffs, crossed by a railway line. It is the closest base to the Dobšiná Ice Cave, protected by UNESCO, about 6 km away.

The local experience

Things to do in Slovak Paradise (Spišská Nová Ves; Hrabušice; Dedinky)

Dedinky · Košice · Cave

Dobšiná Ice Cave

One of the largest ice caves in Europe, with about 110,000 cubic meters of ice and layers over 25 meters thick, discovered in 1870. A UNESCO World Heritage Site; the visiting season usually runs from mid‑May to early September.

Spišská Nová Ves · Košice · Church and viewpoint

Church of the Assumption of the Virgin (Spišská Nová Ves)

The 14th-century Gothic church in the middle of Spišská Nová Ves’s square, with a neo-Gothic 87-meter tower—the country’s tallest church tower. The tower has a viewing platform over the town and the High Tatras and is accessed through the information center.

Hrabušice · Košice · Gorge and trail

Suchá Belá Gorge

The most visited gorge of the Slovak Paradise, followed along the streambed with wooden and iron ladders, chains, metal steps and walkways, passing tiered waterfalls. One-way only, ascending.

Hrabušice · Košice · Monastery ruins

Kartusián Monastery Kláštorisko

Clearing on the high plateau of the Slovak Paradise with the ruins of a 14th-century Carthusian monastery, a refuge with a restaurant and the junction of trails coming from the gorges and the Hornád canyon.

See 2 more places in Slovak Paradise (Spišská Nová Ves; Hrabušice; Dedinky)

Dedinky · Košice · Lake

Palcmanská Maša

A reservoir lake in the Hnilec River valley, next to Dedinky, with green‑blue water, surrounded by the Geravy limestone cliffs and crossed by the railway. There is a walking trail around it and swimming in summer, in cold water.

Spišská Nová Ves · Košice · Viewpoint

Tomášovský Viewpoint (Tomášovce)

A rock cliff about 667 meters above the entrance to the Hornád canyon, in the northern Slovak Paradise, with views of the river and the forest. It is reached from Čingov in about an hour.

Before you go

Practical information

A little planning leaves more time to enjoy the journey.

When to go

From June to September, when trails are dry and the Dobšiná Ice Cave is open (it usually opens between May and September). May and October are possible, with fewer people and colder weather. In winter, ice covers ladders and chains, and the gorges are not recommended.

The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.

How many days to stay

Two days: one for the Suchá Belá gorge and Kláštorisko starting from Podlesok; another for Čingov, the Tomášovský výhľad and the Hornád canyon. A third day allows a trip south to the Dobšiná Ice Cave and Dedinky lake.

Which city to stay in

Spišská Nová Ves has more options and a train connection, a few kilometers from Čingov. Podlesok, in Hrabušice, has guesthouses and a campsite at the foot of the most visited gorges. Dedinky, on the shore of Palcmanská Maša lake, serves the Dobšiná Ice Cave and the southern trails. If you are already in the High Tatras you can do a day trip from Poprad.

Respect the place

Take your trash with you, follow the signs and support local businesses. In natural areas, follow the visiting guidelines.

Get your questions answered

Frequently asked questions about Slovak Paradise (Spišská Nová Ves; Hrabušice; Dedinky)

How many days to stay in Slovak Paradise?

Two days allow for one gorge, such as Suchá Belá, and the Hornád canyon with the Tomášovský výhľad. With three days you can include the Dobšiná Ice Cave and Dedinky lake.

Are the trails in Slovak Paradise difficult?

The gorges demand physical fitness and not being afraid of heights, due to ladders and sections with chains. The viewpoints and the route along the Hornád canyon have easier sections.

Do you need a car in Slovak Paradise?

It helps. Spišská Nová Ves and Dedinky have trains, but trailhead access points like Podlesok and Čingov depend on buses with few departures. By car you can combine the three entry points.

Can you visit Slovak Paradise as a day trip from the High Tatras?

Yes. Podlesok is about 20 km from Poprad, and a hike through Suchá Belá and Kláštorisko fits into a full day. The Dobšiná Ice Cave, in the south, is farther and requires another day.

Can you go down the gorges in Slovak Paradise?

No. In gorges with ladders, the route must be done upstream; the return is by forest trails.

Slovak Paradise (Spišská Nová Ves; Hrabušice; Dedinky)

A region to enjoy
at your own pace.

The cities on this trip