Spiš and Slovenský raj — the castle, Levoča and the gorges

The fastest route from Prague runs along the D1 to Brno and Olomouc, then past Ostrava to the border at Český Těšín and on along the Slovak motorway through Žilina and Poprad. It is a full day behind the wheel, so do not plan anything else for the first day. Settle into a campsite below Slovenský raj or below the Tatras in the afternoon and leave the evening for a first look around.

The castle complex above Spišské Podhradie spreads across a limestone hill and ranks among the largest in Central Europe. You walk up to the gates and there is no shade on the hill, so set off in the morning and take water and hats with you. The upper castle is closed for reconstruction, so check in advance how much of the site the tour covers. The afternoon belongs to Spišská Kapitula, a fortified ecclesiastical town with the Cathedral of St Martin, which is listed by UNESCO together with the castle and the Church of the Holy Spirit in Žehra.

The historic centre of Levoča lies entirely inside the walls and Majstra Pavla Square is made for a slow walk. The Basilica of St James holds the main altar carved by Majster Pavol between 1508 and 1517, over eighteen metres high and considered the tallest late Gothic altarpiece in the world. The church can only be entered during tour times, so allow for that when you plan the morning. The rest of the afternoon goes to the historic town hall, the cage of shame on the square and the lanes around it.

The most visited gorge in Slovenský raj starts at Podlesok and climbs past waterfalls on ladders, footholds and chains; the passage takes roughly two hours and leads strictly upwards, with the descent following a marked path outside the gorge. It asks for stamina rather than technique, but with small children, or without any appetite for climbing on iron, choose Tomášovský výhľad instead. That is a rocky spur above the Hornád valley, reached by an ordinary footpath with no fixed ropes, and the view is every bit as generous as from the gorge. Take shoes with a firm sole into the gorge and leave dry clothes in the vehicle — it is cold and wet between the walls even in August.

The Chodník Horskej služby leads through the Hornád canyon: wooden walkways and footholds right above the water, a tight canyon floor and walls up to a hundred and fifty metres high. You can shorten the route by climbing to Kláštorisko, the ruin of a Carthusian monastery in the middle of the forest with a chalet and refreshments. Which gorges and sections are open at any given time is announced by the national park administration — individual routes close for maintenance of the fixed aids and after heavy rain.

From the car park below the cave the path climbs steeply through the forest and it is a proper haul, so allow yourself some extra time. Inside it stays below freezing even in summer, so a jacket, a hat and shoes that do not slip are no exaggeration; the circuit past the frozen falls and ice columns takes about half an hour. The cave only operates in the summer season, roughly from mid May to mid September, Mondays are closed and entry times are fixed. On the way back you can stop at the Palcmanská Maša reservoir in Dedinky; access to the water is free, but you swim at your own risk and the water stays cold even in summer.

The return follows the same route through Poprad, Žilina and the Ostrava region and it is a long stage for a single day. Set off early in the morning, share the driving and plan one longer break around the halfway point. Empty and refill the tanks at the campsite before you leave, so that you do not have to stop anywhere along the way.