Pieniny Mountains
The Pieniny Mountains are made of sedimentary rocks and are located on the Polish-Slovak border. The most spectacular part of Pieniny is protected in the trans-border Pieninski National Park. The thrilling heights and breathtaking scenery attract thousands of tourist every year. The highlights include the Dunajec River Gorge in Pieniny National Park and the Homole Ravine, as well as a number of popular peaks, such as the Three Crowns, Okrąglica, Sokolica, Czertezik and Castle Mountain, offering the view of the meandering Dunajec, the Slovakian Tatras, Sromowce Niżne, and Red Monastery on the Slovakian border.
The whole region, despite its small size is very rich in geo-botanic respect. Flora is connected with the calcareous ground and unusually steep slopes. Within the small area there are many very diversified habitats. Among these habitats mountain meadows covered with flowers for many centuries used as a grazing land for sheep are very precious.
Pieniny are rich also with cultural attractions such as numerous historical monuments, museums, heritage parks and villages with original architecture.
Pieniny National Park
Pieniny National Park was founded in 1932 and is the oldest national park in Poland. The park covers the most interesting and the most valuable natural part of the Pieniny Mountains. The biggest tourist attraction of the Pieniny National Park is rafting down the Dunajec gorge, but also pedestrians and cyclists will find many very interesting routes here. In total, in this small park there are 34 km of trails with extraordinary natural science values. A characteristic feature of this range is its particularly diversified landscape. During the traditional raft and kayak trips down the Dunajec River, visitors are able to admire the picturesque crags and peaks, steep rocky walls, and several hundred meter high precipices dropping down to the river.
Dunajec River Gorge
Dunajec River Gorge is one of the best-known tourist attractions in the Pieniny Mountains. Wooden raft trips have been organized daily by Pieniny Gorals since the early 19th century — when their customers consisted mostly of guests of nearby Niedzica and Czorsztyn castles. The Dunajec Gorge runs through the Pieniny Mountains in the south of Poland and the north of Slovakia (as Dunajec is the border river between the two countries in the area). The gorge is characterized by some of the most interesting geological and geomorphological structures and area-specific natural ecosystems with little anthropogenic influence. It is featured on UNESCO's Tentative List of World Heritage Sites in Poland.
During the traditional raft and kayak trips down the Dunajec River, visitors are able to admire the picturesque crags and peaks, steep rocky walls, and several hundred meter high precipices dropping down to the river.
Niedzica Castle
This medieval castle stands out thanks to its unique location – on a picturesque and rocky headland upon the Czorsztyn Lagoon. The Niedzica Castle also known as was the Dunajec Castle was built in 1310 by the order of the Hungarian king Charles Robert. Over the years, this building became a mighty defensive object. Today the castle serves as an archaeological museum with suites that can hold up to 35 guests. Niedzica Castle is one of the most beautifully situated castles in Poland
From the castle’s terraces you can admire the views of Pieniny, the Dunajec dam and the nearby Czorsztyn Castle. With a bit of luck (and good visibility) you might even be able to see the peaks of the Tatra Mountains. The Niedzica Castle „played” in several movies and TV shows.
Czorsztynskie Lake
Czorsztynskie Lake – located in southern Poland between Pieniny Mountains and Gorce Mountains – is an artificial water reservoir on the Dunajec River, created by building a water dam in Niedzica town.
From its surface (lake cruises are available – with a boat or a gondola) you can enjoy beautiful views. There is also a free guarded beach (Plaża Pieniny) and a bike trail around the lake.
The highlights of the area – on the shores of the lake there are two castles: Czorsztyn Castle (magnificent ruins of the castle from the fourteenth century) and Niedzica Castle (Zamek Dunajec). Both castles are open to tourists, and small cruise marinas have been built next to them.
Czorsztyn Castle
The ruins of Czorsztyn Castle stands at the top of the hill nearby Dunajec. According to Jan Długosz, in 1246 the owner of the castle was Piotr Wydżga. However that theory was never after confirmed by other historians, so the beginnings of castle functioning are dated on 14th century. Large development of the castle took place during the reign of Casimir III the Great. In years 1629–1643, when Jan Baranowski was a starosta of Czorsztyn, the castle was fundamentally rebuilt. In 1790 the roof of the castle burnt after a thunder clap. In the result castle was quickly broken down and became empty.
