Tucked away at 1,542 m above sea level in the High Tatras of Slovakia, the Green Lake — known locally as Zelené pleso — is the largest lake in the Kežmarok Valley and one of the most striking natural gems in the entire mountain range. Its vivid emerald colour and dramatic rocky surroundings make it a destination that genuinely lives up to the hype.
Three towering ridges frame the lake on almost every side: Kozí vrch to the north, Jastrabá veža to the west, and Malý Kežmarský štít to the south. The scenery shifts beautifully with the seasons — snow-streaked peaks above fresh green meadows in early summer, fiery dwarf pine hues in autumn, and a hushed, ice-blue stillness in winter. A mountain hut, Chata pri Zelenom Plese, sits right on the north-eastern shore, offering warm shelter and a welcome rest stop for hikers.
How to get thereLocal legend says the lake owes its colour to a carbuncle — a precious ruby — that tumbled from the summit of Jastrabá veža, with the son of Count Tököly leaping in after it. The real explanation is almost as magical: turquoise patches visible on the lake bed mark spots where underground springs push up under pressure, giving the water its extraordinary hue.