Discover Zawada
Accommodation in Zawada
Zawada lies in the southern part of the Wyżyna Olkuska (Olkusz Upland), within the Dolinki Krakowskie Landscape Park. Three different routes give the village a distinctive character: a hiking trail through the Racławka Valley, a cycling route and a horse-riding trail. You can get to know Zawada from different perspectives—on foot, by bike or on horseback.
Routes through and from Zawada
The green hiking trail through the Racławka Valley passes through Zawada on the section from Racławice to Zimnodół. The red Eagle’s Nests cycling route also runs through the village. The Transjurajski Szlak Konny PTTK horse-riding trail leads from Zawada via Zederman and Przeginia towards the ruins of Rabsztyn Castle, dating from the 14th century. The routes differ in how they are travelled and in their points of reference: the Racławka Valley is named for the hiking trail, the Eagle’s Nests route for the cycling route, and the direction of Rabsztyn for the horse-riding trail. If you are looking for a holiday apartment, you can consider which of these travel connections you would like to shape your stay.
Landscape features in the surrounding area
Between Gorenice and Zawada are traces of mining, including a sinkhole that formed before the First World War. Near Zawada there is also a group of five trees designated as natural monuments. Located about 200 metres from the junction towards Gorenice, the group includes lime trees, a beech and a horse chestnut. Another notable spot lies between Zawada and the eastern settlement of Podlesie: a hill there rises with a limestone rock outcrop, offering a wide view of the Ojców Plateau. The surroundings therefore offer a variety of points of interest—from traces of mining and protected trees to a rock outcrop with views of the plateau.
Chapel, house and local tradition
Zawada is home to the imposing Chapel of Matki Boskiej Różańcowej. There is also an old wooden house in the village, numbered 40. A commemorative plaque, donated by the residents of Zawada, remembers Polish non-commissioned officer Winkler, who fell in action during the September Campaign of 1939. These memorials offer different points of interest: the plaque commemorates a named fallen soldier, while the chapel and wooden house provide further tangible features of the village.
Another historical account is explicitly a local legend: the part of Zawada called Karczmiskiem is associated with a former inn where travellers stopped or stayed on the historic route from Silesia to Kraków via Sławków and Olkusz. The story adds an image of travellers on this route to the village’s history while retaining its character as a legend.
If you would like to include Zawada’s routes and local points of interest in your travel plans when looking for a holiday apartment, you can choose a focus for your stay that suits the village. The routes offer different possibilities, from the valley section and the cycling route to the horse-riding trail towards Rabsztyn.
Discover more places
More places to consider when planning your trip: Jeżówka, Zabagnie, Olkusz, Golczowice, Małyszyce, Wolbrom, Dłużec and Osiek.
Return to the main travel guide: Olkusz.
