Poprad is the gateway city to the High Tatras — the smallest alpine mountain range in Europe and Slovakia's most dramatic landscape. The city itself sits on a plain at about 670 metres, with the jagged Tatra peaks rising sharply to the north. The Tatra Electric Railway connects Poprad directly to the Tatra resorts of Štrbské Pleso and Starý Smokovec in under an hour.
The most rewarding part of town is Spišská Sobota, a beautifully preserved medieval suburb with a main square lined by Renaissance and Baroque houses and a fine Gothic church. It feels like a different world from the Soviet-era blocks that dominate modern Poprad.
In winter the city fills with skiers heading for the Tatra slopes. In summer the same mountains offer excellent hiking, with well-marked trails to alpine lakes and ridgeline routes with views into Poland. AquaCity Poprad, the geothermal water park on the edge of town, is a reliable fallback on a rainy day — outdoor thermal pools with the Tatras rising above them. The Spiš region to the east — including the spectacular ruined Spiš Castle, a UNESCO site — makes for an easy day trip.