Heiligkreuz: Nature, Hiking Trails and History

Explore nature and choose your routes thoughtfully

Świętokrzyski National Park protects the highest mountain range in the Świętokrzyskie Mountains and its surroundings. Visitors may enter the park only on marked hiking trails or at sites designated for educational activities. If you plan to hike there, you must take this restriction into account when choosing your route. The “Świętokrzyskie szlaki turystyczne” platform offers a helpful guide: you can search hiking trails there and plan trips using its extensive map feature.

One example of a hiking route is the 20-kilometre red trail from Kielce to Chęciny. It starts at Karczówka Mountain in Kielce and ends at Chęciny Market Square; Jaskinia Raj lies along the route. The cave is characterised by its mineral formations: white, beige, brown and rust-brown hues can be found on the ceiling, floor and walls, as well as on detached rock blocks in its passageways and chambers. Those with a particular interest in geology will also find a scree field at the summit of Łysa Góra. It formed during a glaciation from quartzite sandstones that are around 500 million years old.

From prehistoric mining to the castle

At Krzemionki, a UNESCO World Heritage Site commemorates the prehistoric mining of banded flint. The region was added to the World Heritage List in 2019. The flint mines there were in operation during the Neolithic and Early Bronze Age, from around 3900 to 1600 BC. This long time span makes Krzemionki a destination in its own right for anyone interested in early mining history.

The Royal Castle of Chęciny showcases a different historical period. It was built at the turn of the 13th and 14th centuries on a hill at an elevation of 360 m as a hilltop castle. By contrast, the Ethnographic Park in Tokarnia focuses on rural and small-town buildings. They are presented in natural settlement groupings, including sections of villages as well as a mill, a windmill and a smithy. In Sandomierz, the Underground Tourist Route adds to the cultural offering with a multimedia exhibition about legendary figures from the city. Kurozwęki Palace also has a long history dating back to the 14th century.

A variety of experiences for planning your trip

For nature and wildlife enthusiasts, the bison safari in Kurozwęki offers a special opportunity for observation: a Western-style wagon takes visitors into the enclosure, where qualified guides explain the history of the herd and the habits of the bison. Raft trips are available on the Kamienna River in Bałtów. The Bałtów Complex is located on the Świętokrzyski Archeo-Geological Trail; it also includes a dinosaur park supervised by palaeontological scientists. New discoveries lead to changes to the dinosaur figures or their exhibition locations.

The Leonardo da Vinci Centre offers interactive learning, with stations in the building and garden teaching visitors about the human body. If you want to include cycling in your plans, consider the Czerwona Pętla Rowerowa. The circular route is 60 kilometres long, and the stated duration is six hours. It passes through places including Chęciny Market Square and Podzamcze Chęcińskie, as well as other locations in Chęcinsko-Kielecki Landscape Park.

When choosing a holiday house or apartment, you can first decide which of these themes you want to shape your stay: hiking trails and landscapes, prehistoric history, historic buildings, or interactive and active experiences. Use the destinations you are interested in as a guide for your search, and consider the different offerings as separate ideas for day trips.

Explore other areas

For regional orientation, find other areas here: Buski, Staszów, Włoszczowa, Kielce, Opatów, Ostrowiec, Starachowice, Końskie, Jędrzejów, Kazimierza, Pińczów, Skarżysko, Sandomierz County.

For the broader travel overview: Poland.