High Tatras
The High Tatras (Vysoké Tatry) stretch in the northern part of Slovakia bordering Poland and belong to Carpathian mountain range. The High Tatras are divided into three parts – Western, High and Belianske Tatras. The High Tatras belong to the national park (TANAP) and are also registered in UNESCO because many protected animals and plants are found in High Tatras. The High Tatras consist of peaks, mountain lakes and basins. The most notable peaks are Gerlachovský štít (2,655 m), Lomnický štít (2,633 m), Rysy (2,503 m) and Kriváň (2,494 m).
Štrbské pleso
Štrbské pleso is one of the most famous Tatra tarns that is accessible to the general public. It’s situated at an altitude of 1346 m. and is the second largest tarn on the Slovak side of the High Tatras. It has a surface area of 19,8 ha and the maximum depth is 20 metres (66 ft). With its 640 metres length and 600 metres width it’s iced over 155 days a year on average.
Hotel Patria
Hotel Patria is located as a dominant building near the shore of the high-mountain tarn Štrbské Pleso (1355 metres above sea-level) at the mouth of Mlynická Valley, sensitively incorporated into the High Tatras landscape. It is named after the nearby peak Patria, 2203 metres high.
Getting to Štrbské Pleso
Regularly scheduled flights come to international Poprad (TAT) airport or Kosice (KSC) airport (from Prague, Vienna, London-Luton) or to international airport in Bratislava. For more information about all flights, visit http://www.airport-poprad.sk/, www.airportkosice.sk or http://www.bts.aero.
Train connections from Kosice, Bratislava, and Prague will take you right to Poprad city. The comfortable journey by EC/IC train from Prague takes 7 hours, while from Bratislava it is just under 4 hours. If you travel at night, you can use the couchette or sleeping cars, or take a motorail train. Košice is also linked by rail to Budapest with the journey taking around 3.5 hours. Check out the web site of Slovak Railways https://www.zssk.sk/en/ or www.rj.sk
In Poprad, you can take an electric train directly to Štrbské Pleso.
Most countries in Europe are connected with Slovak destinations by regular service, usually direct. EuroLines http://www.eurolines.sk/ offers connections to 34 countries and to more than 700 destinations all around Europe. Another option is Student Agency http://www.studentagency.sk/ or Eurobus www.eurobus.sk