Dunajec: round trip

After arriving in Krakow, you will check into your centrally located hotel for the first night. Afterwards, you will have time to explore the historic old town and enjoy the city's lively nightlife.

After handing over your bikes, a bus will take you to Podhale, Poland's highest village, Ząb, at around 11 a.m. (travel time approx. 2.5 hours). From there, you will start your first descent via Poronin to Zakopane, enjoying the impressive panorama of the High Tatras.
In Zakopane, the folk culture of the Gorals is still alive today – visible in music, traditional costumes, and the typical wooden architecture in the so-called Zakopane style. During a break, you will have the opportunity to try the regional sheep's cheese “Oscypek” from one of the traditional Goral huts.

Take a mountain railway up to Gubałówka. Then cycle downhill through the long village of Dzianisz to Chochołów, known as a “living open-air museum.” The rugged peaks of the Tatra Mountains provide a charming contrast to the lush green mountain meadows.
From Chochołów, you can use modern bike paths on a former railway line and cycle leisurely through the countryside. Along the way, it's worth taking a break to try the traditional Goral sheep's cheese “Oscypek.” Via Ludzmierz, a well-known Marian pilgrimage site, you finally reach Nowy Targ, where you will spend the night.

First, you cycle directly along the Dunajec to Łopuszna, where there is a historic nobleman's estate. In Nowa Biała, the Białka River impresses with its breakthrough through the limestone rocks. In Dębno, you visit Poland's oldest wooden church from 1500, which is protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
You then reach the Spiš region, characterized by a long history and lively folklore. For centuries, Gorals and Ruthenians lived in the villages here, while German inhabitants shaped the towns and Hungarian nobility shaped the castles. You will drive along the reservoir to Niedzica Castle and spend the night in a nearby hotel. A detour will also take you to Osturňa (Asthorn) in Slovakia, an unspoiled street village with colorful wooden houses.

Today is the highlight of the trip. Along the Dunajec River, which forms the national border here, you cycle to Sromowce and cross the river via a newly built bridge to the Slovakian village of Červený Kláštor. Above the former Carthusian monastery, the “Red Monastery,” rises the impressive Three Crowns mountain range.
You then follow the Pieniny Trail, which is reserved exclusively for pedestrians and cyclists. The path, carved into the rock, accompanies the Dunajec River through its spectacular gorge, where limestone cliffs up to 300 meters high and lush vegetation form a unique backdrop. In Leśnica, you have the opportunity to park your bike and take a two-hour raft trip on the Dunajec. Afterwards, you reach the traditional spa town of Szczawnica on an elegant cycle path. For the particularly active, there is also the option of a detour to the idyllic Dolina Białej Wody valley.

Today's stage leads through the so-called green breakthrough of the Dunajec, where the river winds its way between two mountain ranges of the Beskids. Instead of steep rock faces, gentle slopes covered with beech trees characterize the landscape. As you continue your journey, you will follow winding paths past orchards and lovingly decorated farmhouses in the village of Tylmanowa.
At lunchtime, stop at the inn in Łącko, which is known for its traditional slivovitz. In Gołkowice, you leave the Dunajec and cycle on to Rytro, a former knight's village below the castle ruins. You will spend the night in a hotel on the banks of the Poprad, a tributary of the Dunajec – an ideal place to end your last evening with freshly fried trout.

After breakfast, you will have the opportunity to explore the Poprad Valley – optionally with a short train ride. The route takes you past mineral springs and the outdoor pool of the Piwniczna spa resort. You will then reach Stary Sącz (Old Sandez), one of the most beautiful small towns in southern Poland, whose narrow streets are wonderful to explore by bike.
A newly constructed bike path takes you on to Nowy Sącz (New Sandz), a larger historic town with an attractive market square, Art Nouveau town hall, and lively pedestrian zone with numerous restaurants. After lunch, you will return to Krakow by bus (approx. 2.5 hours). You will spend your last night in Krakow again, where an atmospheric dinner with Klezmer music in the former Jewish quarter of Kazimierz will bring your trip to a close.

Ihre Reise durch Südpolen endet heute nach dem Frühstück im Hotel im Krakau.