222 km of marked trails
The region northern Spiš and Pieniny is really made for hiking. 222 km of marked tourist paths from rocky cliffs of Pieniny up to green fields of Ľubovňa highlands and Spišská Magura present an ideal place for easy and little challenging hikes.
Choose from the top 10 tourist trails of northern Spiš and Pieniny
Climb up the most beautiful peak in Pieniny – Tri Koruny (Three Crowns), let the wind blow into your hair on Veterný vrch (Wind peak) above Vyšné Ružbachy or just walk around in the forest park under the Ľubovňa castle in Stará Ľubovňa. You will have a great view on the High Tatras and Pieniny right at your fingertips. All this and even more is offered to hiking fans by the region of northern Spiš and Pieniny.
An easy trail
Hotel Sorea – spring – Vyhliadka [Vista point] (crossroad to NováĽubovňa) – Sedlo pod Vysokou(Saddle beneathVysoká) – Vysoká peak – Hotel Sorea
Location: Spiš-Šariš mountain range
Difficulty: Hotel Sorea Ľubovňa Spa
Náročnosť: easy short trail
Distance: 6,8 km
Time: 2 hrs.
Tour starts nearbyHotel Sorea. We descend down the asphalt road to mineral spring beneath, where we can refresh ourselves with magnesium water positively affecting our heart. From the car park next to a spring, head towards the former spa, artificial pond following the yellow marked trailand continue up to rare tree examples of Eastern white pine (Weymouth pine). Weymouth pine is 350 years old, 25 m height and reaches the perimeter of 590 cm. This precious tree was nominated to the competition entitled “The Tree of the Year 2011” by EKOPOLIS foundation reaching an amazing 6th place. Beside of Weymouth pines, 100-years old white firs grow here as well.
After visiting the old spa area, we can get to Vyhliadka (Vista point – 720 m) following the yellow marked trail. If there is a beautiful clear weather, you can clearly see the panorama of Tatras in a distance. From Vyhliadka (Vista point), you can continue up to NováĽubovňa village following the yellow marked trail. We will continue via the blue educational trail to the Saddle beneath Vysoká. From this point, we further continue up to the peak of Vysoká (842 m) with a beautiful view of the surrounding nature. After reaching the peak, on our way back, we further follow the track to Pension Dinda up to our starting point nearbyHotel Sorea.
Červený Kláštor – Lesnica – Szczawnica – Červený Kláštor
Location: Pieniny
Start and finish: Červený Kláštor
Difficulty: easy half-day tour
Distance: 19,4 km
Time: 5.10 hrs.
Orientation on the track leading through the Dunajec River Gorge via old Pieniny track is trouble-free. Tour starts next to the National Cultural Monument (NCM) of the Monastery of Carthusians in ČervenýKláštor. We follow the red marked trail through a wooden bridge under large linden-trees. On the left side above the Dunajec River, a beautiful view of Tri Koruny (Three Crowns) makes our tour unforgettable. The first attraction of our tour is “Jánošík’s Jump” where the Dunajec River is only 10 m wide. At Huta crossroad, there are some picnic benches and tables available to rest. We continue following the red marked trailalong the Dunajec River. At the curve of the third meander, we can see the 80-meters high rocky towers Sedemmníchov (Seven Monks). The following meander offers the view on the small cliff of Sokolica (747 m) on the Polish side of Pieniny.
At the crossroad of Lesnica Creek, delta we can stop at a short but very beautiful creek gorge. We continue following the red marked trailalong the Dunajec River up to the rafts port and the border crossing Lesnica – Szczawnica. We can enjoy the last few meanders of Dunajec on our lovely walk up to the Polish town of Szczawnica. On our way back, we can pass the already mentioned gorge of Lesnica Creek (protected natural object) and refresh ourselves in a stylish restaurant Pieniny Cottage or follow the same track back to Červený Kláštor.
Recommended dining
Chata Pieniny, KÚPELE ČERVENÝ KLÁŠTOR Smerdžonka.
Recommended accommodation
Chata Pieniny, KÚPELE ČERVENÝ KLÁŠTOR Smerdžonka.
Lesnica, school – Saddle beneath Šafranovka – Šafranovka – Szczawnica – Lesnica Creek, delta – Lesnica (Pieniny Cottage)
Location: Pieniny
Start: Lesnica, school Finish: Lesnica, Pieniny Cottage
Finish: Lesnica, Pieniny Cottage
Difficulty: easy almost half-day tour
Distance: 8,7 km
Time: 3 hrs.
We start the tour following the yellow marked trail next to the school in Lesnica village. By an easy ascent with beautiful views on the surrounding nature and a short break, we ascend to the Saddle beneath Šafranovka (border crossing). Turn right from a saddle and follow the bluemarked trailto Šafranovka (742 m). There is a cable car operating from Szczawnica as well as a bobsled for adrenaline lovers. As we reach the top, we can see the picturesque scenery of rockyPieniny as well as Grajciarka Valley and Polish spa town of Szczawnica.
After recharging your energy, we get back from the top following yellow touristic marked trailby a rapid descent to Polish side around Grón-Palenica Cottage. In Szczawnica, at the cable car boarding spot, we turn left and walk along Grajcarek Creek through a beautiful promenade with some resting zones up to its delta with the Dunajec River. At this point, we turn left and join the red marked trailin SzczawnicaNizna and return back to Lesnica following Pieniny promenade. We turn left on a blue touristic marked trailat the delta of Lesnica Creek. Here we can observe and admire a majestic gorge of Lesnica Creek (protected natural object). If we keep on walking, we get toa final destination of our tour – the stylish Goral restaurant Pieniny Cottagewhere you canrefresh yourselves and possibly findthe accommodation there.
Recommended dining
Pieniny Cottage
Recommended accommodation
Pieniny Cottage
Jarabina – Jarabina Gorge –Vabec Saddle – Pasterník – Stará Ľubovňa
Location: Ľubovňa Highlands
Start: Jarabina
Finish: Stará Ľubovňa
Difficulty: easy almost half-day tour
Distance: 12,6 km
Time: 4 hrs.
Tour starts nearby the cross above Jarabina village near the main road from Litmanová. We descend following the bluemarked trailtowards Jarabina Gorge. Jarabina Gorge is created out of 5 cascades of MalýLipník Creek in limestone rocks, it is a few dozen meters long. A short section of the trail passes river-bed, where we have to wade in a rapidly flowing creek up to the upper part of a gorge along the pilgrimage spot with a church in nature. Then continue right towards the slope of Čertováskala (Devil’s Rock) with an amazing view and follow the route up to Vabec Saddle that offers another view on the surrounding nature. From Vabec Saddle, cross the main road following the blue marked trailand enter the forest following the dirt road. There we can see a wonderful nature evoking the beauty of English parks, through which we reach the crossroad Pasterník (570 m).
From this crossroad, follow the red marked trailand climb up to the left and visit the exposition of Ľubovňa Castle, Ľubovňa open-air museum,andthe Medieval war camp. After visiting all historical monuments and attractions, we can get back by the redmarked trailto the crossroad Pasterník, turn left to the downtown of StaráĽubovňa. We can finish our tour with a delicious traditional meal in a famous Salaš u Franka.
Recommended dining
Salaš u Franka, Pension Gurmen Restaurant
Recommended accommodation
Pension Gurmen, Hotel Familia
Moderately difficult route
Spa VyšnéRužbachy– Na Poľane – Pod Grúňom – Veternývrch (Windy peak) – Spa VyšnéRužbachy
Location: Spišská Magura
Start and finish: Spa VyšnéRužbachy
Difficulty: medium hard half-day tour
Distance: 18,4 km
Time: 6 hrs.
We start our tour near the unique travertine lake Kráter (Crater). Here we join the green marked trail, walk down the street up to the crossroad near the church. Following the green marked trail, we turn left and continue to the end of the village where we can find a ski center. We follow the reconstructed road to a forest up to Poľana crossroad, here we turn left to the yellowmarked trailand walk shortly to next crossroad Pod Grúňom.
Here we turn right to the redmarked trailand continue towards Veternývrch (Windy peak). Veternývrch (Windy peak) (1111 m) is the highest peak of the east side of SpišskáMagura and there is a beautiful view on the HighTatras and SpišskáMagura. After a short break, we return back to VyšnéRužbachyfollowing the same route.
Dining possibilities on a trail
Bielydom (White House), Grand Hotel Strand
Recommended accommodation
Spa VyšnéRužbachy (Grand Hotel Strand, Travertine I.,and II., Swiss houses).
Litmanová – Rozdiel – BialaWoda – Jaworki – Litmanová
Location: Pieniny, Ľubovňa Highlands
Start and finish: Litmanová
Difficulty: medium hard half-day tour
Distance: 18,6 km
Time: 6.30 hrs.
The starting point is in Limtanová village, well-known as a ski center in winter, a summer pilgrimage destination to the place of the Virgin Mary revelationon the mountain Zvir. We turn left at the bus station Litmanová, turning point at the end of a village to a ski center and continue towards the state border following the yellowmarked trailto Rozdiel Saddle.
Rozdiel is the significant geomorphological dividing line between Pieniny and ĽubovňaHighlands. At this crossroad, we walk straight up to the borders of Poland following the yellow marked trailon a wide meadow. The trailcrosses the interesting land of natural reservation BialaWoda (660 m). The narrow passage is created of limestone rocks together with one different Cainozoic volcanic Bazalt rock on your right. In the lower part of the reservation, you need to pay the entrance fee. After a short while following the red marked trail, we get to the village of Jaworki. At the lower end of the village, we turn left on the greenmarked trailand climb up to the narrow passage WavoHomole, similar to Jarabina Gorge. We climb up to Slovak – Polish border Kapralowa Wysoka.
Here, we reach vista point after a short climb, the highest peak of Pieniny – Vysokéskaly (WysokieSkalky/High Rocks, 1050 m). You can experience a breath-taking view from SpišskáMagura in the south, through BelianskéTatras in the west up to Tri Koruny (Three Crowns) in the north. We return back following the same route to the crossroad of Vysoká Saddle and its crossing with a greenmarked trail. Blue marked trailwill take us from the left side of Vysoká peak (1030 m), under the peaks of Watrisko and Vrchriečky up to Rozdiel Saddle (802 m). We descend from Rozdiel Saddle to left following the yellowmarked trailto the village of Litmanová where we can extend our stay in the region in a village pension.
Recommended accommodation
Litmanová Village Pension, Chata Čučoriedka
Ľubovňa Castle – Osly – Hliniská –Marmon Saddle – Podsadek – Stará Ľubovňa
Location: Ľubovňa highlands
Start: Ľubovňa Castle
Finish: StaráĽubovňa (railway station)
Difficulty: medium hard half-day tour
Distance: 11,9 km
Time: 3.15 hrs.
Start the Ľubovňa Tourist Circle next to the markedtrail sign under the majestic Ľubovňa Castle. Enter the forest park through the short section of a red marked trail. From the forest park, we keep on following the redmarked trailup to the crossroad of tourist trails. Turn left and after a short walk, turn right climbing slightly to Osly peak (859 m). You will enjoy the view on Polish Beskid Sadecki and Ľubovňa Highlands. On our way back from Osly peak, we turn left at a crossroad and keep on following the forest road on a redmarked trail. The red marked trailconnects StaráĽubovňa with the bordering valley of Poprad River and is a part of the legendary front trail of couriers. At Hliniská crossroad, leave a redmarked trailand turn right to yellow touristmarked trailvia which we get to Marmon Saddle (750 m).
There is a remarkable stone quarry deepen into the cliff. Red limestone was often used for stone facing, memorials,and decorations. The novel Spišskétajomstvo (Spiš secret) by JozefNižňanský is related to this stone quarry. It is said there was a money forging workshop of Ľubovňa “wolf-men” in a quarry. Nearby Marmon, a Soviet bomber jet crashed during the World War Two. There is the monument of the jet-crash accident. We turn right at the crossroad of Marmon Saddle to the green marked trailand we can get to Podsadok (a municipal part of StaráĽubovňa) following a forest road under Nemeckývrch (German peak, 841 m) and follow the asphalt road to StaráĽubovňa. We can finish our tour with a delicious meal in a famousSalaš u Franka close to a railway station.
Recommended dining
Salaš u Franka, Pension Gurmen Restaurant
Recommended accommodation
Pension Gurmen, Hotel Familia
Lesnica (Municipal Office) – Pod Plašnou – Plašná – Cerla – Targov – Lesnica (PieninyCottage)
Location: Pieniny
Start: Lesnica (Municipal Office)
Finish: Lesnica, PieninyCottage
Difficulty: medium hard half-day tour
Distance: 11 km
Time: 4 hrs.
The tour in the Pieniny National Park offers great views and unbelievable sceneries. Our trail starts in the center of Lesnica village next to Pension U Gorala. From there, we continue on a dirt road following a blue marked trail. In about 5 minutes, we reach the crossroad and turn left to the greenmarked trailand continue to climb slightly to the crossroad of Pod Plašnou (840 m). Steep slopes of limestone cliffs covered with trees hide the caves of Kozia, Zbojnícka, Jazvečia,andAksamitka. From Pod Plašnou Saddle, we turn right to red marked trailaround Plašná peak and descend to Vápenník (720 m), or Biela skala (White rock).
There is a resting place with a bench, as well as the spring path under Vápenník on the left side. The steep downward descending road leads us to Cerla Saddle. We turn right from Cerla Saddle (610 m) and follow a blue marked trailto the next spot – Targov crossroad (665 m). A few meters under Targov crossroad, there is a beautiful view on the independent unique rock and Lesnica Creek Gorge. We keep on following a blue marked trailup to the crossroad near Pension U Gorala, turn left at this place and follow blue marked traildownward the village to the magnificent Lesnica Creek Gorge. We can finish our tour with a traditional Goral meal and drinks in Pieniny Cottage.
Recommended dining
Pieniny Cottage, SPA ČERVENÝ KLÁŠTOR Smerdžonka.
Recommended accommodation
Pieniny Cottage, SPA ČERVENÝ KLÁŠTOR Smerdžonka.
Difficult trail
Červený Kláštor – SromowceNizne – Przelec Sopka – Tri Koruny (Three Crowns)– Zamkowa Gora – Sokolica – Lesnica Creek, delta – ČervenýKláštor
Location: Pieniny
Start and finish: Červený Kláštor
Difficulty: medium hard full-day tour
Distance: 21,5 km
Time: 8 hrs.
Almost the whole tour crosses the Pieniny National Park. You need to pay the entrance fee of 5 zloty (around 1,25€) if you want to get to the top of Tri koruny (Three Crowns) and Sokolica. Tour starts near the National Cultural Landmark (NCL) of the Monastery of Carthusians in ČervenýKláštor. Follow the sidewalk upward the Dunajec River to the south, cross the footbridge to Polish side to the village of SromowceNizne and turn right to the yellowmarked trail. We pass the entrance pavilion of the Pieniny National Park and PTTK cottage. Walk through the forest by steeper parts up to PrzelezcSzopka Saddle with a wooden fence and benches.
Turn right to a blue marked trailand ascend up to Tri Koruny (Three Crowns). There is an iron-staircase you can climb up to the observation deck of Tri Koruny (Three Crowns – 982 m), the highest and the most beautiful peak of CzorsztynPieniny. You will definitely enjoy the magnificent view on Tatras, SpišskáMagura, BeskidSadecki, Gorce and ČervenýKláštor with the Dunajec River Gorge below you. After a short break, we turn right and keep on following the blue marked trailthrough KoszarzyskaPoľana and up to ZamkowaGóra peak (799 m) on right to the ruins of Pieniny Castle. After the ruins sightseeing, follow the blue marked trailthrough the forest up to BajkowGron and Czertezik (772 m). Climb up to a rocky lookout and continue to Sokolica peak (747 m) with a man-made lookout and rare relict pine trees. Descend from Sokolica following a blue sign up to the DunajecRiver wherehelpful rafters will sail you across the river for only 50 cents. Once on a Slovak side, follow a red marked trailupwards the DunajecRiver through the most attractive gorge in Slovakia up to ČervenýKláštor.
Recommended dining
Pieniny Cottage, SPA ČERVENÝ KLÁŠTOR Smerdžonka.
Recommended accommodation
Pieniny Cottage, SPA ČERVENÝ KLÁŠTOR Smerdžonka.
Spa Vyšné Ružbachy – Na Poľane – Stráňany Saddle – Vysoké skalky – Spa Vyšné Ružbachy
Location: Spišská Magura, Pieniny
Start and finish: Spa Vyšné Ružbachy
Difficulty: hard full-day tour
Distance: 26,8 km
Time: 9 hrs.
We start the tour near the unique travertine lake Crater. Here we join a green marked trail, go down along the street up to the crossroad near the church. Turn left on a green marked trail and keep on walking to the end of a village to a ski center. Follow the road heading to the forest up to the crossroad Na Poľane where we turn right and follow the green marked trail towards the Stráňany Saddle. After you cross the main road, you are entering the protected zone of the Pieniny National Park, follow a green marked trail.
We cross the meadow and enter the forest. We continuously cross the meadows and forests several times up to the Saddle beneath Vysokéskalky (High Rocks) on the Slovak-Polish borders. We turn right here and keep on walking on a green marked trail to KapralowaWysoka. After a short ascend we reach the observation peak and the highest peak of Pieniny – Vysokéskalky (WysokieSkalky / High Rocks – 1050 m) with a breath-taking view on SpišskáMagura in the south, BelianskéTatras in the west and Tri Koruny (Three Crowns) in the north. We return back using the same trail to the crossroad of the Saddle beneath VysokéSkalky (High Rocks) and descend back following a green marked trailto the Stráňany Saddle and the village of Vyšné Ružbachy.
Recommended dining
Biely dom (White House), Grand Hotel Strand
Recommended accommodation
Spa Vyšné Ružbachy (Grand Hotel Strand, Travertine I.,and II., Swiss houses).
More informations
Number of tourist marked trail |
Start |
Finish |
Distance (km) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0904a | Nižné Ružbachy | Stará Ľubovňa | 16,8 |
| 0904b | Stará Ľubovňa | Sulínka, min.prameň | 17 |
| 0905a | Podolínec | Veľký Lipník | 18,5 |
| 0905b | Veľký Lipník | Ústie Lesnického potoka | 16,5+1,5 / Szczawnica, PL/ |
| 2805 | Mníšek n. Popradom,št. hranica | Sulínka, min.prameň | 10,9 |
| 2806 | Stará Ľubovňa | Jarabina | 12,6 |
| 2807a | Vyšné Ružbachy,kúpele | Magurské sedlo | 14,6 |
| 2808 | Ústie Lesnického potoka | Červený Kláštor, prístav | 8,2+0,5 /Sromowce Nižne, PL/ |
| 2810 | Forbasy | Lúka pod Špicou | 6,9 |
| 2813 | Čirč, rázc. | Borysów, št.hranica | 12,2+2,6 / Muszyna, PL/ |
| 2846a | Čirč, št.hranica | Sedlo pod Dlhou | 4,6 |
| 5705 | Stará Ľubovňa | Orlovská Magura | 14,8 |
| 5713 | Veterný vrch | Pod Zbojníckym stolom | 3,1 |
| 5716 | Vyšné Ružbachy, kúpele | Sedlo pod Vys. skalkami, št. hranica | 15,2+3 /Jaworki, PL/ |
| 5881 | Osly | Mníšek nad Popradom, Kače | 11,2 |
| 5882 | Lesnica, cintorín | Haligovce | 5,3 |
| 8594 | Lesnica, škola | Sedlo pod Šafranovkou, št.hranica | 1,6 |
| 8595 | Lesnické sedlo | Šľachovky, št.hranica | 2,3+4 /Szlachtowa,PL/ |
| 8598 | Litmanová | Sedlo Rozdiel, št. hranica | 2,7+5,5 /Jaworki,PL/ |
| 8709 | Ľubovnianske kúpele | Uboč | 6,7 |
| 8710 | Vyšné Ružbachy, kúpele | Sovia poľana | 4,1 |
| 8782 | Orlov | Kurčínska Magura | 7,5 |
| 8789 | Huta, rázc. | Targov | 2,0 |
| 8790 | Forbasy | Lúka pod Špicou | 3,6 |
| 8791 | Osly | Sedlo Vabec | 3,7 |
| 8792 | Hliniská | Sedlo Marmon | 3,5 |
| 8805 | Veterný vrch | Na Poľane | 2,9 |