Kežmarok

Introducing Kežmarok

Snuggled beneath the brooding peaks of the High Tatras, Kežmarok may not seem dramatic, but it’s a truly pleasant place, with numerous architecturally distinct churches, a pocket-sized old town with resident castle… All those ice-cream shops and sidewalk cafés alone make it worth a day trip from the Tatra resort towns, but you might want to use this as a base to explore further north.

Kežmarok was granted free royal town status in 1380 and was the second most important Spiš town after Levoča, from medieval times until the 19th century. Native son Imre Thököly was a contemporary of Ferenc Rákóczi who, like him, revolted against the Hapsburg takeover of Hungary and died in exile in Turkey. Things have slowed since and the relative quiet is part of the attraction.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009