Holiday apartment in Vernár: nature, culture and winter sports

The cadastral area of Vernár is crossed by the boundary between Slovak Paradise National Park and Low Tatras National Park. In the direction of the Low Tatras, an educational trail approximately 13 kilometres long leads through the area. It takes around five hours to walk and has an elevation difference of 1,168 metres.

In the southern cadastral area of Vernár is the Ranč pod Ostrou skalou agrotourism farm, offering accommodation and catering.

Nature and landscape

In the Vernárska tiesňava gorge, species-rich mountain meadows stretch around distinctive rocky cliffs. In the cadastral area of Vernár, the Kopanecké meadows are home to up to 54 species of higher plants within half a square metre. They are maintained once a year using traditional hand mowing and hand raking.

The Vernársky kras karst area features karst phenomena such as springs and caves. Above Vernár there is also a hill at an altitude of 1,013 metres with a limestone massif. Numerous heat- and cold-loving plant species typical of limestone rocks grow there.

Blajzloch, a small reservoir with an island accessible via a small bridge, is located in the vicinity of Vernár. Blajzloch can be reached by car or bicycle via a paved road.

On the hill above Hotel Studničky is the swing at the Vernár viewpoint, with a view of Kráľova hoľa. From Hotel Studničky, the viewpoint can be reached via a recommended walking route of approximately 30 to 40 minutes; the car should be parked at the hotel.

Educational trails and winter sports

The Vernár–Kráľova Hoľa educational trail is a self-guided, linear trail that can be walked in both directions. It can be used in summer and winter. Ten information boards along the route provide information about the region’s natural environment and history. A large part of the trail runs through open mountain pastureland and offers views of the surrounding mountain ranges.

Mountain experiences in Vernár include rides on tricycles. A lift takes riders to the upper end of a 300-metre-long descent with a gentle gradient. People under 15 can ride together with an adult.

The Vernár–Studničky ski resort has easy and intermediate ski slopes at elevations of 800 to 1,000 metres and is located approximately 500 metres from Vernár. Facilities include free parking, a ski school, ski equipment rental, basic ski servicing, storage and a buffet.

Culture and history

The Greek Catholic Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in Vernár is a Neoclassical building. It was built in 1824 and restored in 1899. At the entrance to Vernár from the direction of Poprad is the Tesnina memorial site, a natural formation that was the scene of fighting during the Second World War.

The Partizánsky bunker educational site on Hronkova consists of a restored bunker, a preserved remnant of a fortification from the Second World War and two information boards explaining the construction of partisan bunkers and the course of the Slovak National Uprising in Vernár and the surrounding area.

At the Vernárska tiesňava gorge there is an information board at sites where important military operations took place during the Second World War. The Memorial House in Vernár is a former school building from 1930 that served as a headquarters of the Slovak National Uprising during the Second World War.

The Vernár folklore group presents original songs, dances and customs from Vernár at various events in Slovakia and abroad. The Horehronský viachlasný spev performed by the Vernár folklore ensemble has been included in UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity since 2017.

Folklore and local traditions

At the Vernár Folklore Festival, demonstrations were given of traditional woodworking, as well as the sewing and embroidery of folk costumes by the local craftswoman “Milá dielnička”. Folklore ensembles perform at the festival; folk costumes, bonnets, flowers and hunting trophies are also exhibited.

The festival featured stalls offering refreshments, food, drinks, goulash and local Vernár specialities.

Other places

Other places include Mengusovce, Nová Lesná, Gánovce, Hôrka, Gerlachov, Sunava, Liptovská Teplička and Veľký Slavkov.

To the higher-level travel overview: Poprad District.