Myślenice: Hiking, the Raba Riverbank and Heritage

Choose hikes by distance and time

Three described hikes offer specific differences to help with planning. The red trail from Myślenice via Działek, Kudłacze and Łysina to Jaworzyce is 15.5 kilometres long and takes six hours. The yellow trail leads via Dalin and Pisania to Sułkowice: this 13.5-kilometre route is listed as taking three hours and 45 minutes. The distances and durations let you compare the time required directly, without implying anything about difficulty.

Another red route runs from Myślenice via Sularzówka, Trzebuńska Góra, Babica, Bieńkowska Góra and Końcówka to Palcza. It is 20.5 kilometres long; the stated duration is five hours and 45 minutes one way. Compared with the other two hikes, it is particularly important here that the time given is explicitly for one direction. When planning a hiking day, take these different time estimates into account when choosing a route and check the current conditions relevant to your hike in advance.

The Małopolska Pope’s Trail also offers another hiking option in Myślenice County. It runs there along the Sułkowice–Myślenice section and along the county boundary via Luboń Wielki and Szczebel. The routes described therefore differ not only in length, but also in the places and waypoints they connect.

Medieval urban layout and sanctuary

Myślenice’s historic urban layout is considered a good example of a medieval town plan. Surviving traces of a settlement that existed before the town was founded are part of this history; the ensemble is recognised regionally and nationally as a valuable monument. It offers a different way to discover the place than the hiking trails: here, the focus is on the town’s development.

The church of the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Myślenice was built in the mid-15th century. An early Baroque chapel was added between 1642 and 1646. The sanctuary also houses a miraculous image painted in Italy in the 16th century, which became the destination of numerous pilgrimages. The main feast is held on 8 September. From May to October, night-time Fatima devotions with vigils are held on the 13th day of each month. If you would like to plan your trip around one of these dates, check the latest information in advance.

Raba riverbank, views and nature

In the Zarabie district, the Raba riverbank area was redeveloped into a well-equipped recreational park with numerous walking and cycling paths. The paths give your stay a different focus from the longer hikes: you can plan your activities around the riverbank and the paths through the park. A circular route around Myślenice starts in Zarabie and leads to a viewing tower on the summit, a private astronomical observatory and the upper station of the ski lift, which has a restaurant currently in operation.

Another destination is the Zamczysko nad Rabą nature reserve at the foot of the slopes of Chełm. The area can be reached along Zamkowa Street; access takes about 10 to 15 minutes. The ruins of a medieval castle are also located there. These details can be considered a separate itinerary item alongside the hiking trails described, without equating it with any particular route.

More places to discover in Myślenice County

The wider Myślenice County also has destinations with a range of themes. Two routes of the Wooden Architecture Trail pass through the county: Route III includes St. Wojciech’s Church in Krzeczów, which dates from the late 16th or early 17th century. Route IV leads to the open-air museum in Dobczyce. These add further examples of architecture and history in the wider travel area to the medieval traces in Myślenice.

Another regional discovery combines landscape and agriculture: a section of the Małopolska Fruit Trail passes through the fruit-growing community of Raciechowice and points to farms where visitors can taste and buy apples. Fruit growing in Raciechowice began in the 19th century; at first, the fruit was sold in the surrounding towns. For your holiday planning, this offers a distinct theme alongside hiking and heritage.

Discover more destinations: Glichów, Myslenice, Pcim, Trzemesnia, Gruszów, Sułkowice, Krzyszkowice, Głogoczów, Harbutowice, Stróza, Krzywaczka, Skomielna Czarna, Dobczyce, Wiśniowa, Osieczany, Siepraw, Sieraków, Krzczonów, Jawornik, Lubień, Wierzbanowa, Borzęta.

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