Liptovská Mara is the largest reservoir in Slovakia by volume of water, and for Liptov it is what the sea is for other regions. Construction began in 1965 and it was filled in 1975. Whole villages were left under the water, which is why the area around it has places where people tried to save what they could.
Havránok archaeological open-air museum
On the hill above the dam is an open-air museum: a reconstructed hillfort of the Celtic Cotini tribe and the tower of a Gothic church from the flooded village of Liptovská Mara. It has the best view of the whole lake and the surrounding mountains. The entry fee is small; check opening hours in advance.
The wooden church in Svätý Kríž
A Lutheran articular church from 1693, rebuilt in eight months in 1774 by carpenter Jozef Lang. Its cross-shaped floor plan is 43 metres long and it holds almost 6,000 people. It is one of the largest wooden buildings in Central Europe. It originally stood in a village flooded by Liptovská Mara, and before the flooding it was taken apart and moved here. It's usually open mainly at weekends; check visiting times in advance.
Beach and catamaran at Liptovský Trnovec
The main beach is on the north shore at Liptovský Trnovec and has a lifeguard service. The water is 20 to 23 °C in summer, and 24 to 25 °C in the shallow bays. The Mária catamaran (55 seats) also sails from Trnovec; the trip takes about an hour. Other swimming spots are at Bobrovník by the dam and at Liptovská Sielnica.
Cycling around the lake
The big loop around the lake is about 57 km with 900 metres of climbing. The shorter version is around 36 km.
Bešeňová at the end of the lake
At the western end of the lake is the Gino Paradise Bešeňová thermal park, with geothermal water up to 39 °C. It's about 15 minutes from us. For a comparison with other pools, see our article Thermal pools in Liptov.
Sources and fact-checking
We checked these details in October 2026. Please check opening hours, prices and operation with the operator before you go.