Spytkowice

Spytkowice offers several ways to plan your trip: at the Beskid ski area, you can use four slopes of easy and intermediate difficulty. There is also a separate practice slope for young beginners and cross-country ski trails, which are laid out when there is enough natural snow. If you want to plan your stay around activities, you can choose between downhill skiing, cross-country skiing and exploring the town’s history.

Slopes and cross-country skiing at the Beskid ski area

The separate practice slope for young beginners is wide, flat and set apart from the rest of the ski area. An 80-metre-long magic carpet serves this practice area. The four other slopes are classified as easy or intermediate. These details give you specific points of reference for distinguishing between the ski area’s offerings when planning your trip, without treating the different areas as if they were the same.

Cross-country skiing is also an option in Spytkowice: the trails are 2 to 5 kilometres long and are intended for beginners and more experienced skiers. Their route offers views of Babia Góra. The trails are laid out when there is enough natural snow. If you plan to go cross-country skiing, this condition is relevant when choosing your travel dates; it applies specifically to the trails.

Views and local history

From the Karczma widokowa na stoku, you can enjoy views of Babia Góra, Spytkowice, Jordanów and the Tatra Mountains at various times of year. This means that, alongside winter sports, the landscape and distant views are also distinct aspects of a stay. The views mentioned include mountains and towns; they describe what can be seen from this viewpoint.

The memorial sites in Spytkowice commemorate events of September 1939. On Gronik, a memorial stone marks the place where Lieutenant Stefaniszyn lost his life. The route there passes near the cemetery; after the first road junction, it is about 700 metres on foot. This route information can help you include a visit to the memorial stone in your day’s plans.

The parish cemetery contains the grave and tombstone of Lieutenant Tadeusz Stefaniszyn, who fell on 2 September 1939. Another way to explore the history is the battle trail of the 12th Infantry Regiment: it starts at Primary School No. 2 in Spytkowice Dolne and ends at the cemetery in Spytkowice. Its route passes through valleys along the Polish defensive line of September 1939. The memorial stone, grave and trail each have their own connection to local remembrance.

Memorial museum and historic beekeeping

The Izba Pamięci Narodowej, a memorial museum dedicated to local history, is located in Primary School No. 1, opposite the church in Spytkowice. It opened in 1971. The items on display include the Virtuti Militari Cross awarded posthumously to the school’s patron, photographs, his business card and sports medals. For those interested in local history, these objects offer specific insights into the commemoration of the school’s patron.

Behind the municipal office, an open-air museum features historic beekeeping exhibits. Many of the historic beehives there are more than 150 years old. Józef Różański began collecting them in 1975. The collection focuses on beekeeping, while the Izba Pamięci Narodowej presents local history through other objects.

Another cultural destination is Pasieka Pod Lasem, home to the Gallery of Saint Ambrose. Its collection includes more than 100 works of professional, amateur, folk and children’s art. Together with the historic beehives, the gallery offers another perspective on art and beekeeping in Spytkowice.

Religious traditions are also part of the town: every year, on the anniversary of the death of Pope John Paul II, residents of Spytkowice and nearby towns take part in a Way of the Cross. It is ceremonially led by Father Józef Hajnos and the Spytkowice branch of the Związek Podhalan. Depending on whether winter sports, the landscape or local history is your priority, these different themes offer specific starting points for choosing accommodation in Spytkowice.

For the wider travel overview: Rabka-Zdrój.