Szczawnica Promenade

Roughly 1,800 metres of promenade follow the Grajcarek stream from the lower station of the Palenica chairlift towards the Dunajec valley, and the town council calls it one of the longest promenades in Poland. It is the easiest way to get to know Szczawnica: flat, right above the rushing water, with the slopes of the Pieniny and the Beskid Sądecki on either side and a path at the end that leads on towards Slovakia.

History: a promenade for the spa's 200th anniversary

The present promenade was built as part of a cross-border project worth about PLN 9 million, according to the mayor's bulletin. Completion was celebrated on 2 May 2011, when the mayor, the marshals of the Małopolska region and the heads of Slovak municipalities planted the last trees along the walk. The official opening was planned as part of the celebrations of 200 years of Szczawnica spa. The first stage covered the right bank of the Grajcarek with benches and other street furniture; today the regional tourism portal describes a revitalised promenade on both sides of the stream.

The Grajcarek, a stream named after small change

The stream itself is about 15 km long and ends in Szczawnica, where it flows into the Dunajec. Locals once called it the Szczawnica Stream or the Ruthenian Water, because it rises in former Rusyn villages such as Jaworki and Szlachtowa. The name Grajcarek was coined in the late 19th century by tourists and spa guests, who used to toss small coins called grajcars (Kreuzer) into the water. Within the town the channel is regulated and runs partly in a concrete bed, which is why the promenade can stay so close to the water.

What to see along the way

• The lower station of the Palenica chairlift – the start of the promenade; Palenica rises to 722 m, and you can also walk to the top in under an hour.
• Footbridges over the Grajcarek, including the Lovers' Bridge (Most Zakochanych), where the evening lighting draws couples for a stroll.
• Benches and flower beds that brighten the route from spring onwards.
• The link to the Pieniny Path – a trail along the Dunajec through the gorge towards Červený Kláštor in Slovakia.

A short detour leads to Dietl Square, the heart of the spa, laid out by its founder Józef Szalay. In the pump room of Dom nad Zdrojami you can taste six kinds of Szczawnica mineral water.

Tripto tip

The promenade is flat and paved, so it works for pushchairs, bikes and spa guests who would rather not climb. Walking one way takes about 30 minutes, but allow an hour or two if you add Dietl Square or the chairlift to Palenica. The walk is lit in the evening. With a bike, treat the promenade as a warm-up for the Pieniny Path – the ride along the Dunajec then becomes a half-day trip.