Lesser Poland

Małopolskie

Capital: Cracow Major cities: Nowy Sacz, Tarnow International airport: KRK - Kraków Balice

Major tourist attractions

Pieniny Mountain Chain

It is a small mountain chain divided by the Dunajec River. The raft trip down the spectacular Dunajec Gorge has become one of Poland’s major tourist highlights.

River Prądnik Valley

Established here the Ojców National Park occupies the most attractive part of the valley with many original lime rock formations and caves. Perched on the hilltop is the Pieskowa Skała castle kept in the Gothic and Renaissance style.

The Tatras

Poland’s highest range of the Carpathians and the only alpine type, with the highest peak of Mt Rysy (2499 m). The Tatra National Park encompasses the most beautiful valleys, lakes, peaks, forests and the high mountain meadows. Mountain goats, marmots and bears can be encountered. Zakopane, Poland’s winter sports capital, nestles at the foot of the Tatras. It is also a good starting point for mountain hikes and a very popular centre of folk arts and crafts.

Nowy Wisnicz

Castle in the palazzo-infortezza style with five defensive towers, arcaded courtyard, richly ornamented chambers.

Debno

Larch-wood church, one of the best-known wooden churches in the country, with splendid polychromy and wood carving inside.

Cracow

Poland’s former capital, for many visitors the most beautiful city in Poland. Its historical centre is composed of the Main Market Square, Cloth Hall and the Gothic St Mary’s Church with altarpiece carved by Wit Stwosz. Not far from the market stands the Collegium Maius, the oldest building of the Jagiellonian University established in 1364. Each Pole loves the Wawel Hill with its Renaissance Royal Castle and Cathedral, where Polish monarchs were crowned and buried. Tadeusz Kościuszko and Józef Piłsudski are only two of many famous Poles who rest in the Cathedral’s crypts. The showpiece of the Cathedral is the Renaissance Sigismund Chapel. In the Sigismund Tower hangs Poland’s largest bell called ‘Zygmunt’. Visitors flock to admire the Royal Castle interiors (Royal Chambers, Crown Treasury, Armoury) decorated with many works of art, including the famous tapestries. Cracow has many old churches, burghers’ houses, museums, and a Jewish district – Kazimierz. Cracow’s historical centre is included on the UNESCO’s World Heritage list.

Krynica-Zdroj

spa with old sanatoriums, pump-rooms and mud-bath centres.

Stary Sacz

Oldest urban centre of the region. The Church and Convent of the Poor Clares erected by the Blessed Kinga (13th c.).

Oswiecim

Site of the former Nazi concentration and death camp from World War II known as Auschwitz-Birkenau. Millions of people from different countries perished in the camp. The site is registered on the UNESCO’s World Heritage list.

Tarnow

Attractive is the old urban layout of the city. Late-Gothic cathedral, Gothic and Renaissance Town Hall, old burghers’ houses.

Kalwaria Zebrzydowska

Its monastery, church and chapels situated along Via Dolorosa are all registered on the UNESCO’s World Heritage list. The famous Passion Plays attract crowds of pilgrims.

Wadowice

Birthplace of Pope John Paul II.

Wieliczka

The salt mine of Wieliczka is one of the greatest tourist attraction in Poland, included on the UNESCO’s World Heritage list. It’s been operated for the last 700 years. Excavating salt, the miners created hundreds of underground caverns, tunnels, shafts and galleries. Very much admired are the chapels, chambers, lakes as well as wooden mining gear and machinery. The beautiful St Kinga’s Chapel is the highlight of the place.

Health Spas

Wysowa

Treatment: respiratory system; mobility and rheumatic disorders; digestive system; urinary system

Krynica-Zdroj

Treatment: circulatory system; digestive system; metabolism; female diseases; urinary system

Muszyna

Treatment: respiratory system; mobility and rheumatic disorders; digestive system; female diseases

Piwniczna-Zdroj

Treatment: respiratory system; digestive system

Rabka-Zdroj

Treatment: circulatory system; respiratory system; metabolism; skin diseases

Szczawnica

Treatment: respiratory system

Wieliczka

Treatment: respiratory system; mobility and rheumatic disorders

National Parks

Babia Góra

The park encompasses Mount Babia Góra (1725 m above sea level), the highest peak of the Western Beskid Range. ...

Gorce

The park comprises the central part of the Gorce Range, with the exception of its highest peak, Turbacz. ...

Ojcow

The park is situated near Krakow and occupies the southern part of the Krakowsko-Czestochowska Plateau and the valleys of the Pradnik and Saspówka rivers. ...

Pieninski

The park encompasses the central portion of the Pieniny Range with its highest Mount Trzy Korony (982 m. ...

Tatra

The park surrounds and protects the whole Tatra Range on the Polish side, the only region of alpine character in Poland, with the highest peak of Mount Rysy (2499 m above sea level). ...