Sledges, cross-country skis and hot chocolate — a winter weekend in the Smokovec villages doesn't have to be all about the ski lifts. Here's a plan that keeps children and adults happy, even if you'd rather not spend the whole day queuing for a cable car.
Saturday morning belongs to Hrebienok: the funicular lifts you up, the children take in the Tatra Ice Dome by Bilíkova chata, and then it's back down — either by funicular again, or by sledge along the toboggan run towards Starý Smokovec. Sledges can be hired right there at Hrebienok.
In the afternoon, swap the sledges for cross-country skis — you'll find groomed cross-country trails at Štrbské Pleso (20 minutes by rail) and around Smokovec. And when the children flag, drop into one of the cafés in Starý Smokovec for a hot chocolate. The kind of reward they'll remember more fondly than the outing itself.
Practical info
Your winter base in Smokovec
Vila Vlasta — 1.2 km from the funicular up to Hrebienok, ski room with a boot dryer, from €95 / night.