Demänovská Cave of Freedom is the most visited cave in Slovakia and the most richly decorated of all the caves in Demänová Valley in the Low Tatras. Step inside and discover a breathtaking underground world of glittering stalactites, mysterious pools and vast cathedral-like chambers.

The cave dazzles with speleothems tinted gold and red by iron and manganese compounds. Glassy hollow straws and thick stalactites hang from the ceilings, robust stalagmites and columns rise from the floors, and curtain-like flowstones drape the walls. Among the highlights are the cave pearls — tiny pea-shaped spheres resting at the bottom of a pool in the Great Dome — and the rare ice-like stalactites in the Jewel Chamber. The cave maintains a constant temperature of 6–7°C all year round, so a warm jacket is a must regardless of the season outside.

• Demänová Valley (car park near the cave entrance) — drive from Liptovský Mikuláš along the Demänová Valley road; the entrance is at 870 m above sea level, about 50 m above the Demänovka river; tourist trail — easy.

• Open to visitors since 1924.
• 1,600 m of the total 8,897 m of passages are accessible to the public.
• Temperature inside: 6–7°C; relative humidity: 95–97%.
• Bring a warm jacket and sturdy, comfortable shoes.

History lovers will appreciate that bones of the cave bear (Ursus spelaeus) were found in the Bear Corridor, while the underground stream is still home to a rare glacial-relict crustacean, Niphargus tatrensis.