Eliaszówka Valley

Eliaszówka Valley (say el-yah-SHOOF-kah) is a wooded limestone valley between the villages of Czerna and Paczółtowice, about 30 km (19 miles) west of Kraków. It combines nature and history: beech forest, a heart-shaped spring beneath a small shrine, the romantic ruins of a 17th-century "Devil's Bridge" and the long wall of a Discalced Carmelite hermitage. It's free, open year-round and an easy half-day trip from Kraków.

Where it is and how to get there

The valley lies in the Kraków Valleys Landscape Park (Dolinki Krakowskie) in the Kraków–Częstochowa Upland. Take a regional train from Kraków to Krzeszowice (the nearest town) and walk or cycle a few kilometers to Czerna, or drive in about 40 minutes and park near the monastery or in designated spots in the village.

Nature reserve

The most valuable part of the valley has been a nature reserve since 1989 (about 110 hectares) and is also a Natura 2000 site. Steep slopes of grey Carboniferous limestone hide a gorge, grottoes and small caves, and the Krzeszówka stream — once called Eliaszówka — runs along the valley floor.

The Spring of Love

The best-known spot is St. Elijah's Spring, enclosed more than a century ago in a stone basin shaped like a heart, with a small stone shrine from 1848 above it. Local legend, quoted on the information board, says that whoever drinks the water and walks around the spring will find true love — hence its nickname, the Spring of Love. The water isn't tested as drinking water, so take the legend lightly.

Devil's Bridge and the hermitage

The Carmelite friars who settled in Czerna in the 17th century named the valley after the prophet Elijah. Between 1671 and 1691 they built a stone bridge across the ravine, about 120 m long and 18 m high, resembling a Roman aqueduct. Locals called it the Devil's Bridge because of the legends surrounding it. Part of an arch collapsed and it has been closed since 1889; its ruins, with a small cascade beneath, are the valley's most photogenic sight. Look out, too, for remains of the hermitage enclosure wall from 1672 (about 4.2 km long) and the Siedlec Gate.

Visiting tips

• Admission: free; open all year.
• Trails: the yellow Jurassic Valleys trail, a red route from Krzeszowice to the monastery, cycling routes and a short educational path.
• Time: 1.5–2 hours for the spring and bridge; half a day with the monastery.
• Families: the main track by the spring is gentle and stroller-friendly according to the regional tourist board; side paths can be steep and slippery after rain.

Stay on marked paths inside the reserve. Spring and autumn are the prettiest seasons; on sunny weekends the spring and monastery get busy, so come early.

Is it worth visiting?

Yes, if you want a quiet nature break from Kraków. Combine the walk with the Carmelite monastery in Czerna, a pilgrimage site with a church, an outdoor Calvary and a small museum.