A package of total reset of everyday stress, a package of leisure spheres full of the majesty of the region is exactly what you need! Start with the entrance gate to the Slovak Paradise and let yourself be enchanted by the beauties and paradise-like peace. You will find yourself at the crossroads of an abundant offer, so choose and enjoy.
1) Taking a lookout even in the Paradise
Tomáš Lookout
When you cross the Gate to Paradise, step right on the path that will abduct you in a pleasant, mild elevation into the purifying oxygen spheres. It will be a kind of a tourist delicacy of the unforgettable oxygenated taste of the Paradise. You see, Tomáš, as an imaginary guide, will lead you gently to the majestic view full of natural scenery, perhaps the most attractive place for both occasional and regular tourists, the Tomáš Lookout. This Paradise gallery exhibits “paintings” that no talent of even the greatest master can surpass. Nobody can compete with nature. We are talking about a fascinating rock block over 200 metres long, which rises above the river Hornád to a height of 146 metres. Bench-like rock blocks form unique terraces, from which you will have a magnificent view of the Slovak Paradise and the High Tatras. The rock gallery itself is overgrown with grass and relict growths of beautifully twisted pine trees. It is no coincidence that the Tomáš Lookout is the most popular lookout point in the entire Slovak Paradise.
Tomáš Lookout on the map.
2) A place to lay your head after miles walked
Shelter Gálová
Don’t leave, stay close to nature, it is not enough to relax in the form of a relaxed walk. Cuddle in the bosom of nature and relax as well-deserved. Tomáš has its partners everywhere in the region; this is what one of them, Miloš, has prepared for you. Gálová Shelter, whose project designer is Ing. Miloš Gál, has a log construction with a triangular gable roof, and the interior is also wooden. It is designed austerely, with bunk “beds” on the concrete floor, in fact plank beds on which 8 to 10 people may sleep. You will need your own sleeping bag and a mat to spend the night. On the right, there is a long wooden table and benches. In the middle, by the back wall, there is a tiled stove. There is also austere kitchen equipment such as a pot and a teapot. In case of bad weather, you may find shelter here, or dry yourself, cook something and spend the night. The shelter will provide overnight stays for tourists throughout the year.
Gálová Shelter on the map.
3) Enjoying a “Finn-way” relax in nature
Sauna in the Sans Souci forest
Paradise is full of true men, here we offer you the spirit of Štefan, not just any of them. But straight from the aristocratic family, Štefan Csáky. His hot love for his wife Julia, for whom he had the entire Paradise complex built, is still boiling here. There were many palaces and buildings in the area. According to historical remembrance, there was a county palace with an abundant library, a palace for guests, a building for officials and servants, a garden house, a hermitage, an archery range, and even a horse-race track. The place behind the village of Iliašovce near the chapel and the newly constructed cycle path is called “Sans Souci”, meaning “without worries”. People come here to seek peace, relaxation, and regain new energy. Today, this space is warmed by the love between Štefan and Júlia transformed into a hot sauna, which has a huge window with a panoramic view of nature, with part of the building being a relaxation room with storage space. We also must mention the wooden tub full of ice water, in which one can cool off after the sauna. The length of stay in the sauna is approximately 3 hours and the price ranges from EUR 25 to 30. The sauna is wood-heated and is a self-service facility. This means one cannot expect any servant in white gloves from the time of the Csáky family. Everyone has to start the fire on their own and then take care of it. Two friends, Erik Alexy and Andrej Alexiev, came up with an idea to create an oasis of relaxation. Architect Radoslav Petrek helped them to materialise their idea. And you should fill it.
More details on forest sauna Sans Souci.
4) Escaping the city bustle
Sawmill in Stratená
You want to stay and escape from the world in this paradise, don’t you? Well, this time Martin will help you with that, and not just any Martin! The most famous Mayor of Spišská and a miner of the 18th century – Martin Paltzman. There are many footprints left from him in the Spiš region, and the beautiful water level in Dedinky got his name so that you could be drifted deliciously again, this time completely to the still halt point. So, pack your swimsuit, pink sunglasses, pack a pink pelican, or if you want to race with it, rent a pedal bike or get a speedboat. Just be careful, it must have an electric drive, and – slide along the water surface of Palcmanská Maša to the bay, a picturesque water area that works in harmony with the surrounding landscape. You will pretty soon lose the sight of Palcmanská Maša, along the waterway to the Sawmill in Stratená. It was created by the swell of the Palcmanská Maša dam completed in 1954. Previously, as the name suggests, there was a sawmill and service facilities for ore processing in Stratená. But they have already disappeared from the face of the earth. During the construction of Palcmanská Maša, they were flooded. However, you will find a beautiful cottage area which belongs to the preserved areas. In addition to the sawmill, there also used to be a bell tower In the past. The water is quite shallow at its shore, but it is no longer that shallow after a few metres. It flows from the Hnilec River and this bay is actually a long arm of Palcmanská Maša. As the water is clean, there are large numbers of crayfish and trout. Soon after leaving Palcmanská Maša, you will see a breeding ground, where fishing it is not recommended. Enjoy the quiet bay or the huge rocky formations and the passage under the railway bridge.
Sawmill in Stratená on the map.
5) Knocking on the new shelter near Kloptáň
New tourist shelter Kloptáň of Hikemates and Košice Region Tourism
The adventure is not over yet, stay, immerse in your dreams to wake up with the feeling that you have gained the strength to return to the world of the life cycle. Just knock, knock and enter the Kloptáň shelter. Behind the door that Patrik, the project co-designer for the establishment of this shelter, will open for you, perfect rest will be granted to you on the top of the Kloptáň hill at an altitude of 1,153 metres above sea level. Take a rest amidst the beauties of the Volovské Vrchy hills and relax in this tourist shelter of unique architecture. This locality plays a significant role in hiking. It is directly related to the SNP (Slovak National Uprising) Heroes’ Route on which the shelter is located, because the route leads from the Dukla Pass to the Devín Castle of a total length of 770 km and is the longest marked tourist route in Slovakia. Make use of this opportunity to spend the night here. The shelter has a capacity of 8 beds and meets the criteria of a modern building. It provides tourists with a comfortable retreat, a dining space and a small oven. The shelter is located between the pillars of the lookout tower on this Kloptáň hill. The lookout tower is built of spruce logs and provides a beautiful view of the surrounding area from its 8 metres high lookout tower. You will enjoy beautiful circular views of the entire Volovské Vrchy mountains, Stolické Vrchy mountains, the Low and the High Tatras or the Čergov mountain range. The lookout tower has two horizontal platforms connected by ladders and a small pyramidal sheet metal roof. In front of the lookout tower, on a small top plateau, there is a fireplace with makeshift benches, a wooden table with benches, a signpost, and a metal box with a top-climbing diary. Your diary should also include a memory of this top destination.
Location of the new tourist shelter on the map.
