Lúčky and Kalameny: a waterfall and warm water below Choč

The Lúčky waterfall

Lúčky is a spa village below Choč, and it has a waterfall right in the middle of the village, which is a rarity in Slovakia. It is a 12-metre cascade that falls from the edge of a travertine terrace into small pools. Travertine is a rock laid down here over centuries by mineral water, and the waterfall spreads over it in a wide curtain.

Parking right by the waterfall is paid; there are free spaces a little further into the village. It's only a few steps from the car park to the waterfall.

The Kalameny hot-spring pond

About a kilometre beyond the village of Kalameny, in the Kalamenská valley by the road to Liptov Castle, there is a natural thermal pond. The water is around 33 °C all year and comes from a borehole about 500 metres deep, drilled in 2000. The pond is roughly 10 × 20 metres.

• Bathing is free. You pay for parking: €5 for an hour or the whole day, in cash, by QR code or by card. There are about 100 spaces.
• There are no changing rooms, turnstiles or attractions. Bring a bathrobe or blanket, flip-flops and warm clothes for the way back.
• It is quietest in the morning and on weekdays. Weekends, holidays and summer get busy.
• The village cleans the pond before and after the season, when it may be closed for a short time.

Liptov Castle above Kalameny

Above the pond stand the remains of Liptov Castle (Liptovský hrad). It was first mentioned in writing in 1262. Little of the walls remains, but the view from the hill is worth the climb. An educational trail leads up from Kalameny.

How to plan the half day

1. The Lúčky waterfall in the morning, while it's quiet.
2. A walk around the spa village or up to Liptov Castle.
3. A soak in the Kalameny pond.
4. Lunch at the farmstead, then the sauna or pool in the yard in the afternoon.

If you have more energy, combine Lúčky with a hike up Veľký Choč. The red trail to the summit starts right in Lúčky.