Mountain Springs
Eager to see more of the Slovak countryside, I spent my final day on an excursion to the Tatras, a grand sweep of mountains spanning the center of the country. I hired a driver whose shiny black Mercedes carried me along the highway that traced the banks of the Vah. Picturesque villages begged for a stop, and ancient castles rose dramatically on the hilltops over Trencin, Zilina and other cities. After two hours we arrived at Tatralandia, a water park and holiday village just outside the central Slovak town of Liptovsky Mikulas. Like the Thermia Palace, it was constructed atop thermal springs.
But the comparison ended there. The complex, all of two years old, is based around a casual Slovak pub/restaurant and cluster of bungalows suitable for families or small groups of friends. A crowd of young adults and children were frolicking in the water, wading and splashing in the indoor and outdoor pools. Yes, outdoor pools: Even on a crisp winter's day, the natural thermal water was hot and refreshing. Below was a floor with a steam bath, whirlpools, relaxing rooms with tranquil piped-in music and all manner of saunas, including Finnish and Swedish.
At the Irma spa, adjoining the Thermia Palace Hotel in Piestany, Slovakia, visitors can relax in the thermal pool, which is adorned with stained-glass windows and other ornate fixtures.
(Photo Slovenske Liecebne Kupele; Illustration By Steve Mccracke)
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That night, back at the Thermia, it hit me: My cold was gone and my muscle aches had disappeared. The spa treatments had left me feeling more limber and refreshed than I had in years.
I walked through the halls, admiring the elaborate stained-glass windows, crystal chandeliers and other remnants of an earlier era. The blue light of early evening cast a glow through the drawing room, where a pre-dinner crowd had gathered as a violinist in formal evening dress played old-fashioned airs. The distinctive, rotten-egg scent of sulfur wafted from somewhere deep below, but I didn't mind. I savored the moment, caught in a time warp until darkness fell and the music stopped.
Gary Lee will be online to discuss this story at 2 p.m. Monday during the Travel section'sweekly chat.
Details: Spas in Slovakia
GETTING THERE: The cheapest and easiest way to get from Washington to Slovakia is via Vienna. Austrian Airways has Dulles-Vienna flights for $380 round trip, with restrictions.
From the Vienna airport, buses run every hour or so to Bratislava, the Slovak capital; buses take 1 hour 10 minutes and cost around $14 each way. Trains from Bratislava to Piestany run frequently and cost $9 each way. A taxi from the Vienna airport to Piestany costs around $100 each way.
BRATISLAVA: In Bratislava, a kitschy but fun place to stay is the centrally located Film Hotel (27 Vysoka St., 011-421-2-529- 31600, www.filmhotel.sk). Each of the 13 rooms is dedicated to a different Hollywood film star -- Marilyn Monroe, Brad Pitt and so on. Doubles start at $116; breakfast is $5 extra per person. For other lodging options, check with the Slovak tourism office (see Information below).
The Slovak Pub (Obchodna 62), in the historic center, is one of the best places in town to soak up Slovak culture, indulge in a hearty meal and become part of a spirited, youthful crowd. A copious dinner, including garlic soup, roast pork and a couple rounds of beer, runs around $15 for two.
VISITING A SPA: In Piestany, the country's best-known and most accessible spa resort town, a number of spa hotels offer packages. Rates vary according to the level of hotel, time of year and number of treatments.
A week at the Thermia Palace, including a room, full board, treatments and access to the swimming pool and health club, starts at $607 per person, double or single occupancy. Other options are clustered within easy walking distance on the city's Spa Island. Those looking for a more modern hotel facility should try the Balnea Splendid, near the Thermia. For reservations or more info, contact Slovenske Liecebne Kupele, a Piestany agency, at 011-421-33- 775-2458, www.piestany-spa.com. Panorama Travel (800-204-7130, www.panoramatravel.com), a New York company, also acts as an agent for Piestany spas.
At Tatralandia, the water park near Liptovsky Mikulas in the low Tatra Mountains region, cottages that sleep four start at $65 a night. Access to the water park and spa is around $15 a day per person. Details: 011-421-44-547-7811, www.tatralandia.sk.
For information on dozens of other thermal spas spread across the country, including their specializations, check www.spa-slovakia.com.
INFORMATION:Slovak Tourist Board, 011-421-48-413-6146, www.sacr.sk, or the Culture and Information Center in Bratislava, 011-421-2-5441-5801.
