Szczawnica between mountain trails and spa park history

Szczawnica combines mountain trails, winter sports at Palenica and the history of a traditional spa town. Riverside paths along the Dunajec and the grounds in the spa district also shape the ways visitors can spend their holiday. If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Szczawnica, you can first consider whether hiking, activities on the mountain, or parks and mineral springs will shape your stay.

Hiking trails with different route details

From the centre, a blue-marked hiking trail runs via Czeremcha at 1,146 m to the PTTK shelter on Prehyba at 1,138 m. The stated walking time for this route is 3 hours and 30 minutes. Another hike also begins in the centre and runs first along a yellow-marked trail, then a blue-marked one, via Palenica at 722 m and Szafranówka at 742 m to the “Orlica” PTTK shelter at 520 m. The stated walking time is 1 hour and 40 minutes. The two trails lead to different shelters and each has its own elevation details and markings.

A short hiking trail of about 2 km, with steep climbs, leads from Szczawnica to Sokolica. The stated distance and the described terrain are useful points of reference when planning the day; no walking time is given for this route. Those interested in trails towards Slovakia can also take the red-marked Droga Pienińska: it runs from the PPN pavilion via the border crossing, the Leśnicki stream and Červený Klastor. The distance to Červený Klastor is given as 10.5 km. One route description follows Droga Pienińska from the landing stage in Szczawnica via Červený Klastor to Veľký Lipnik.

A rafting trip on the Dunajec is also associated with Szczawnica as a point along the route. The distance is given as about 18 km and the journey takes about 2 hours and 15 minutes. At the Grajcarek, a promenade about 1,800 m long begins at the lower station of the Palenica railway. It leads to a junction with the footpath and cycle path along the Dunajec towards Slovakia.

Palenica: mountain railway and winter sports

The four-seat detachable Palenica chairlift is located in the centre of Szczawnica, near the bus station. It reaches the summit of Palenica in about 3 minutes. At the Palenica ski area, the slopes of Szafranówka have beginner areas with three drag lifts, a snowboard run and a halfpipe. There is also the challenging Palenica I downhill run and the illuminated Palenica II family route. Snowboard competitions are regularly held in the halfpipe. All slopes are covered with artificial snow and groomed by machine.

Spa parks, springs and historic buildings

Górny Park is Szczawnica’s oldest spa park and is located in the central spa district. Its development was initiated by Jan Kutscher in the first half of the 19th century. The park is situated around a small bottling plant for medicinal water; later landowners expanded it. Józef Szalay introduced various plant species and had paths laid out for walking and relaxation. In Dolny Park, located in the centre at the foot of Bryjarka, well-maintained paths and lush vegetation shape the grounds. It was created between 1861 and 1868 in connection with the opening of the spa house on Miedziusiu. The park includes a music pavilion, a pond and a botanical garden. Visitors can taste the water there at the “Wanda” spring.

On Plac Dietla stands the old Dom nad Zdrojami, dating from 1863, with a drinking hall and the “Stefan” and “Józefina” mineral water springs. Also on Plac Dietla, at number 7, is Willa Pałac, a historic residential building. Together with the spa parks, these buildings give the townscape a historic character that contrasts with the active pursuits on the mountain and hiking trails.

When looking for a holiday apartment in Szczawnica, it helps to decide what you want to focus on during your stay: the marked hiking trails, winter sports at Palenica, the spa parks and springs, or experiences on the Dunajec. You can then choose a location that suits your own plans for each day.

More destination pages: Czarna Woda, Zaskale, Trybsz, Niedzica, Tylka, Łopuszna, Lasek and Ponice.

For the overarching travel overview: Nowotarski.