Poprad sits at the foot of the High Tatras, the smallest alpine mountain range in the world, and it is the largest town in the region, with some fifty-seven thousand people. It is a gateway more than a destination, with a long past as a Zipser Saxon trading town, and a historic quarter at Spišská Sobota, a pretty square of burgher houses and a church with a tall wooden altar. The big peaks stand behind the town, jagged and grey, with Gerlachovský štít the highest at about 2,650 metres.
The ride this stop belongs to follows the Freedom Road, the Cesta slobody, which runs along the foot of the mountains and links the resorts of Starý Smokovec, Štrbské Pleso and Tatranská Lomnica. It is a good road, smooth and with long views to the ridge, crossing forest, meadows and small streams, though traffic can be heavy in summer and winter holiday periods. In 2004, a violent windstorm flattened large areas of forest on the southern slopes, and the bare hillsides and young trees are still a visible reminder of it.
Nearby lies the castle of Spiš, Spišský hrad, one of the largest castle complexes in Central Europe, whose ruined walls sit on a hill of travertine above the plain and can be seen from many kilometres away. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site together with the nearby town of Levoča and the church of Žehra. The castle is a fine place to see the countryside from above, and the stone ramparts are a good setting for photographs at sunset.
Poprad has everything a rider needs. There are filling stations along the main road and on the edge of town, supermarkets, a few pleasant cafes in the old quarter, and plenty of guesthouses. Svit and Nová Lesná, nearby, are smaller but also have basic services. Slovak food is filling, with bryndzové halušky, small potato dumplings with sheep cheese and bacon, as the national dish, and a beer afterwards is natural.
Weather in the mountains is changeable, with cold fronts, summer storms and early snow, and mist can hide the peaks for days. Spring and early autumn are good, with fewer people and clearer air. Remember that Slovakia requires an electronic vignette for motorways, but the old roads around the Tatras are free.