Vyšné Ružbachy Spa: Izabela Mountain Pools and Indoor Thermal Pool

Vyšné Ružbachy is one of Slovakia’s oldest spas. It lies on the south-eastern slope of the Spišská Magura at about 617 m, surrounded by coniferous forest that merges into the spa parks. The first bathhouse, with a pool, a kitchen and a social hall, was built here as early as 1595, when the area belonged to the Spiš towns pledged to Poland and the Lubomirski counts served as their starosts. After a period of decline the spa was revived by Baron Emerich von Jóny (from 1825) and later by the Polish Zamoyski family: Andrzej Zamoyski, who bought Ružbachy in 1883, created a small open-air thermal pool in the park, and his son Jan, together with his wife Isabel de Bourbon, enlarged the bathing area and renewed the beach cabins, which are now a listed cultural monument. In 1931 the resort was granted the status of a natural healing spa.

Today the spa is run by Kúpele Ružbachy. Day visitors have two options: the open-air summer “mountain” pool and an indoor thermal pool with saunas that is open all year.

What to see and do

• Izabela summer pools. Four outdoor pools are filled from the Izabela borehole — a natural healing mineral water of the hydrogen-carbonate, calcium-magnesium type, rich in carbon dioxide. It is cool, up to 23 °C, so it refreshes on a hot day rather than warms you up. The largest is a 50 × 16 m swimming pool up to 3.5 m deep with a diving platform; next to it is a 33 × 22 m “island” pool with a mushroom fountain and two children’s pools starting at 0.3 m deep.
• The spruce in the pool. A tall spruce grows on a round green island in the middle of one of the pools — the symbol of the bathing area, visible in almost every photo.
• Aqua Thermal Wellness. A 33 × 12 m indoor thermal pool, 1.2–1.4 m deep, filled from the same spring, plus a steam room, a Finnish sauna and a jacuzzi — a good choice in autumn, in winter or on a rainy day.
• Spa park. Between the pools and the hotels lies a forest park with sculptures from international sculpture symposia, historic “Swiss cottages” and the neo-Baroque White House (Biely dom), a former casino. Nearby is the Kráter travertine pond with carbonated water, a protected natural feature since 1967.

Practical information

Getting there. The spa quarter lies above the village of Vyšné Ružbachy, about 17 km by road from Stará Ľubovňa and about 42 km from Poprad (via Kežmarok and Podolínec); a car is the most convenient option. Parking in the spa area is charged: the first 15 minutes are free, then €2.50 for every hour started or €8 per day.

Hours and prices (as of October 2026). The summer pool is open daily from 10:00 to 18:00, including public holidays, and closes in bad weather; the 2026 season has already ended, and the next season’s dates are announced on the spa website. A day ticket costs €10 for adults, €5 for children from 6, seniors over 65 and disabled visitors, and €4 for spa guests; children under 6 go free. From 15:00 there is a 50% discount. The indoor pool and saunas are open daily from 10:30 to 21:00: a two-hour entry is €11 for adults and €7 for children under 15 and seniors over 60, a family ticket (2+2) is €32; one hour costs €8 or €5. A €10 deposit is charged for the locker key.

Who it suits. The outdoor pools with shallow children’s basins work well for families; the deep swimming pool and the diving platform are for confident swimmers. If you want to warm up in warm water, choose the indoor pool.

Nearby

Half an hour’s drive away are Ľubovňa Castle and the open-air museum below the castle in Stará Ľubovňa. The Pieniny are close too: Červený Kláštor and rafting on the Dunajec.

Official website: ruzbachy.sk

Photos: ruzbachy.sk; Česlav Gajdzica, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons.