Szczawa: Marked Trails, Waterfall and Culture
Accommodation in Szczawa
Marked hiking trails, the natural Spad Waterfall and a wooden church in the centre offer very different starting points for a stay in Szczawa. A more than 200-year-old ash tree and the Polanki Ski Centre are also distinctive local attractions. You can choose the focus of your trip according to whether you are mainly looking for trails, nature, culture or a winter experience.
Hiking trails to a monument, church and museum
The red-marked trail from Kamienica to Szczawa passes the primary school in Szczawa and crosses the Kamienica River. It then continues along the blue-marked Szczawa–Mogielica trail to the monument to the 1st Podhale Rifle Regiment of the Home Army. This route combines a walk through the village and a river crossing with a historically significant destination.
A second route description follows the black-marked section of the “Żołnierze 1 Pułku Strzelców Podhalańskich AK w dolinie Kamienicy” trail to the church and museum of the 1st Podhale Rifle Regiment of the Home Army in Szczawa. The destinations are clearly distinct: here, the church and museum are the focus, while the other route leads to the monument. Check local trail conditions before setting out.
Waterfall and ancient natural monument
The natural Spad Waterfall is in the Koszarki part of Szczawa, where the Kamienica Gorczańska meets provincial road 968. It is no more than 2.2 metres high. Spad is therefore a clearly located natural feature, with a specific setting between the river and the road.
Another natural landmark offers a distinct point of interest: Szczawa is home to an ash tree more than 200 years old, designated a natural monument. The waterfall is defined by the flowing water and its location; the ash tree stands out for its age and protected status. Both reveal different aspects of the local natural environment.
The village centre and cultural heritage
A wooden church stands in the centre of Szczawa. Built in 1958–1959, it serves as the parish church. Its construction dates it to the mid-20th century; the timber building is a distinctive point of reference for anyone who wants to explore the village’s architecture as well as its landscapes and trails.
The distinct ethnographic group of the Górale Biali, to which the residents of Szczawa belong, is another part of the village’s cultural identity. Together with the church, this offers a different way to experience the area than the hiking destinations or waterfall: here, building history and ethnographic identity take centre stage, rather than trail markers.
Winter activities and mineral water
The Narciarskie Centrum “Polanki” is located above the centre of Szczawa, on the slopes of Wielki Wierch. It adds a winter focus to the area’s hiking attractions. If you are planning your trip around it, check the current local conditions before making arrangements.
There is also a mineral water drinking hall in the centre, another distinctive local feature alongside the wooden church and the marked-trail destinations.
Choose a holiday apartment to match your trip
When looking for a holiday apartment in Szczawa, it helps to decide what you want to focus on first: the marked trails and their different destinations, natural landmarks, cultural heritage or Polanki’s winter activities. If you plan to hike, allow for local trail conditions; if winter sports are your priority, check current local conditions before your trip.
Discover more destinations: Pogorzany, Poręba Wielka, Nowe Rybie, Lubomierz, Kamionka Mała, Kobyłczyna, Mszana Górna, Rupniów.
View the broader travel guide: Limanowa.
