Cycling Holiday In Poland

We begin our exploration by heading straight to Zakopane in the Tatrasains. Zakopane has developed a very distinctive cultural character. The folk culture of the people who live in the Tatras, the Gorale is preserved in their music, their songs and their local costume. The characteristic "Zakopane Style" of timber architecture, which developed around the turn of the twentieth century, is found nowhere else in Europe and has an unforgettable charm. "Oscypek", a delicious smoked ewes milk cheese, is manufactured in this part of the world.

Overnight Standard Hotel

We begin our day by visiting some interesting sites in Zakopane, such as the atmospheric Old Graveyard. We then take the cable car to the top of Gubalowka Mountain and ride down through the long village of Dzianisz as far as Chocholow, a village which is now a living open-air museum of timber architecture. We can take our lunch in the village inn. After lunch and a short climb, we enter the valley of Cichy Potok ("the quiet stream"). Further downhill along the quiet path, through Ciche, Stare Bystre, Ludzmierz (with a famous Marian pilgrimage shrine), we come to the town of Nowy Targ, the main centre for the Gorale region. We have one last short hill to get to our hotel and enjoy a home cooked meal (Approx. 48km cycling, mostly downhill)

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Not far from Nowy Targ, we cycle past the point where the White and Black Dunajec rivers meet. The route then runs for part of the way along a riverside path, to the historic villages of Waksmund and Lopuszna. We head south and follow the course of the Bialka, a third mountain river flowing into the Dunajec. Here we see its small but impressive gorge near Nowa Biala. On the way we can also have a look in the church at Debno, one of the oldest wooden churches in Poland (built around 1500) with an impressive painted interior. We are now in the Spisz region, which has rich history and a remarkable folk culture. Until 1918 this area was part of Hungary, and for many centuries it was home to several ethnic groups: Gorale and Ruthenians lived in the villages, Germans in the towns, and the Hungarian nobility in the castles. Weather permitting we can stop for a well deserved picnic by the resevoir. Following the bank of the reservoir, we reach one of these castles at Niedzica which you have the opportunity to visit before cycling on to our hotel nearby. (Approx. 47km cycling)

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

In the morning we ride to the Spisz village of Kacwin, whose unusual architecture is reminiscent of some Hungarian villages. At about midday we cross the border into Slovakia. First we ride to the village of Cerveny Klastor (Red Monastery), above which rise the three peaks of Trzy Korony (Three Crowns), the highest point in the Pieniny range. Here we can take our lunch and visit the local museum. Next is a real highlight of the tour as we cycle along the "Pieniny Way", a cycle path carved out of the cliff running the whole length of the Dunajec Gorge. Only walkers and cyclists are allowed to use this path. The limestone cliffs and luxuriant greenery along the way are breathtaking and as we cycle we can wave to those on wooden rafts being steered down the river by Gorale. Unlike the rafters we can choose to stop at any time to take photographs. Also very beautiful is the gorge of the Lesnicky Potok, a stream which flows into the Dunajec from the Slovakian side, passing through the sleepy village of Lesnica. Here some might take the opportunity to do a little shopping before we head back into Poland and the small spa town of Szczawnica. In the late afternoon we can ride along the elegant promenade in the valley of the Grajcarek and explore the paths in the lower and upper Kurpark. (Approx. 35-40km cycling)

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

Today we follow what is known as the "green Dunajec Gorge", where the river passes between two ranges of Beskid Mountains, the slopes of which are lined with beech woods. Leaving the main road, we turn across a suspension bridge to the right bank and make our way between the paths among the farms of the village of Tylmanowa. We can catch a glimpse through the open doors of the old barns, granaries and hen houses. One stretch of river at Wietrznice has been artificially prepared for whitewater canoeing. After lunch, we ride through Lacko, known for its Slivovitz, and then alongside more fruit gardens on the valley slopes. At Golkowice we leave the Dunajec and ride uphill to Rytro, an old feudal village at the foot of castle ruins. The night is spent in a small hotel on the shady banks of the Poprad, a tributary of the Dunajec. Tonight for something really special we have a camp fire with grilled trout fresh from the water. (Approx. 55km cycling)

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

After taking a ride around the Rytro area we cycle 10 km through the Poprad Valley to Stary Sacz. This historic little town is one of the most beautiful in Southern Poland and we take some time to breathe the atmosphere of past times and discover the maze of narrow streets by bike. Boarding our bus we head to the neighbouring town of Nowy Sacz, which still has something of the Habsburg Empire about it. The neo-Baroque town hall in the beautiful market square dates from that period, and the streets are lined with well-restored art nouveau houses. From Nowy Sacz we return to Krakow (about 2 hours). (Approx. 20km cycling)

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

Poland's former capital (until 1596) has a very distinctive character and is on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Its historic architecture came through the Second World War unscathed and the city has preserved its rich culture to the present day. It was the residence of Polish kings, and has nearly a hundred churches, as well as Poland's oldest university. Among its most important architectural treasures are St Mary's Church, which contains the world-famous altarpiece carved by Veit Stoss, the medieval buildings of the Jagiellonian University, and Wawel Castle with the Cathedral. Taking a cycle tour of the city we shall visit the "Planty" (the attractive gardens laid out around the Old Town on the site of the medieval city walls), Europe's biggest medieval town square, Kazimierz (the former Jewish quarter) and the promenade along the River Vistula at the foot of Wawel Castle. Not far from the old town centre we can cycle across the Blonie, Krakow's large green open space, to reach the Kosciuszko Mound, which has a fine view over Krakow and its environs. An optional evening of 'Klezmer' music is a fitting way to bring our tour to a close. (Approx. 20km cycling)

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

Included meals: Breakfast