Szczawnica

Nowy Targ County · Lesser Poland Voivodeship · Poland
Szczawnica — photo 1 Szczawnica — photo 2 Szczawnica — photo 3 Szczawnica — photo 4 Szczawnica — photo 5 6

Photos: Henryk Bielamowicz, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons); AS Photography from Poland, CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons); AS Photography from Poland, CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons); Jerzy Opioła, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons); Zalasem1, CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons); Jerzy Opioła, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Szczawnica is a resort town in Nowy Targ County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, Poland, located in the valley of the Grajcarek stream between the Pieniny (mainly the Little Pieniny) and the Radziejowa Range (Sącz Beskids). The town stretches at elevations from 430 to 520 m above sea level and lies at the border of two geological regions. Its unique microclimate is shaped by the surrounding mountains and numerous streams flowing into the Grajcarek.

The first historical mention of Szczawnica as a settlement dates back to 1413. By the 16th century, its healing mineral waters were already known. From 1820, Stefan Szalay began developing the spa, and his son Józef Szalay expanded it significantly until 1876. Later, the spa was managed by the Academy of Learning, and in 1909 it was acquired by Count Adam Stadnicki, who modernized the facilities. After World War II, the spa was nationalized, and in 1962 Szczawnica was granted town rights.

Szczawnica is renowned as one of Poland's oldest spa resorts, thanks to its twelve acidic mineral water springs used for treating respiratory, allergic, and musculoskeletal diseases. The town features a Mineral Water Pump Room, sanatoriums, natural medicine centers, and preserved elements of Lemko culture. The picturesque mountain setting and favorable microclimate support health improvement.

Visitors can taste mineral waters at the Szczawnica Spa: pump room, waters, and "Inhalatorium", visit the Józef Szalay Pieniny Museum, enjoy rafting on the Dunajec, see the Zaskalnik Waterfall or the Homole Gorge. Hiking enthusiasts can explore trails such as Przehyba – Szczawnica Zdrój and ascend peaks like Trzy Korony, Palenica, Jarmuta, and Sokolica. Accommodation is available at mountain huts: PTTK Orlica Hut, Pod Durbaszką Hut, Przehyba Hut, and Trzy Korony Hut. In season, the autumn redyk (sheep drive) with oscypek cheese tasting takes place here.

Getting there from Ukraine

Lviv – Szczawnica ≈384 km, ≈5 h 25 min without queues: M-10 → Krakovets – Korczowa → A4 to Brzesko (≈198 km) → DK75 to Nowy Sącz → DW969 via Stary Sącz and Łącko to Krościenko nad Dunajcem → Szczawnica. ≈306 km, ≈4 h from the border.

Sources: Wikipedia, Wikidata, OpenStreetMap, Karpaty.rocks data. More on Wikipedia

Trails nearby

All trails
Przehyba – Szczawnica ZdrójEasyOne-dayMarkedPrzehyba Szczawnica ZdrójElevation profile461–1 153 m10.2 kmascent 64 m≈ 2.5 h walkingunder 1 km from the centrePrzehyba – Szczawnica ZdrójEasyOne-dayMarkedPrzehyba Szczawnica ZdrójElevation profile462–1 151 m9.7 kmascent 45 m≈ 2.5 h walkingunder 1 km from the centreModyń – SzafranówkaHardMulti-dayMarkedModyń SzafranówkaElevation profile353–1 034 m33.9 kmascent 1 312 m≈ 11 h walkingunder 1 km from the centrePTTK Orlica Hut – PrzysłopEasyOne-dayMarkedPTTK Orlica Hut PrzysłopElevation profile429–992 m7.1 kmascent 568 m≈ 3 h walkingunder 1 km from the centreTarnów – Wielki RogaczHardMulti-dayMarkedTarnów Wielki RogaczElevation profile206–1 211 m191.5 kmascent 6 941 m1.3 km from the centreSzczawnica Sewerynówka – Bacówka PTTK pod BereśnikiemEasyOne-dayMarkedSzczawnica Sewerynówka Bacówka PTTK pod BereśnikiemElevation profile566–843 m2.2 kmascent 277 m≈ 1 h walking1.5 km from the centre

Peaks nearby

All peaks
PalenicaPeakPalenicaSzczawnicaaltitude 722 munder 1 km from the centre1 trail to the topPalenica is a 722 m summit in the Small Pieniny, rising directly above the spa town of Szczawnica in southern Poland.SzafranówkaPeakSzafranówkaSzczawnicaaltitude 742 m1.4 km from the centre1 trail to the topSzafranówka (Slovak: Šafranovka) is a 742 m summit on the main ridge of the Small Pieniny, with the Polish–Slovak border running over its top.JarmutaPeakJarmutaSzlachtowaaltitude 794 m2.8 km from the centreJarmuta is a 794 m massif in the Small Pieniny in southern Poland, above the spa town of Szczawnica. It stands well apart from its neighbours and has two main summits:...SokolicaPeakSokolicaKrościenko nad Dunajcemaltitude 747 m2.8 km from the centre1 trail to the topSokolica is a 747 m rocky summit in the north-eastern part of the Central Pieniny, in the so-called Pieninki.CzertezikPeakCzertezikKrościenko nad Dunajcemaltitude 772 m3.1 km from the centreCzertezik is a 772 m summit in the Central Pieniny, the second-highest top of the Pieninki ridge and one of the best viewpoints over the middle part of the Pieniny...CzerteżPeakCzerteżKrościenko nad Dunajcemaltitude 774 m3.2 km from the centreCzerteż is a 774 m summit in the Central Pieniny, the highest point of the Pieninki ridge and of the famous Sokola Perć path.

What to visit

All
SzczawnicaHistoric siteSzczawnicaSzczawnicaunder 1 km from the centreSzczawnica is a small spa town in Lesser Poland with a population of about 5,200. It lies in the valley of the Grajcarek stream, on the border between the Pieniny and...Autumn Redyk in Szczawnica: sheep drive, oscypek and shepherdsMarkets & fairsAutumn Redyk in Szczawnica: sheep drive, oscypek and shepherdsSzczawnica1.3 km from the centreRedyk is an old Carpathian shepherding custom: in spring the flocks are driven up to the mountain pastures (hale), and in autumn, after the cheese-making season, they...Zaskalnik FallsWaterfallZaskalnik FallsSzczawnica2.3 km from the centreZaskalnik is a small but very picturesque waterfall on the Sopotnicki stream (Sopotnicki Potok) near the spa town of Szczawnica.Józef Szalay Pieniny MuseumMuseumJózef Szalay Pieniny MuseumSzlachtowa4.1 km from the centreThe Józef Szalay Pieniny Museum (Muzeum Pienińskie im. Józefa Szalaya) is a branch of the Nowy Sącz District Museum (Muzeum Ziemi Sądeckiej).Homole GorgeNatureHomole GorgeJaworki5.9 km from the centreThe Homole Gorge (Wąwóz Homole) is one of the most beautiful rocky gorges in Poland. It lies in the Little Pieniny, in the Lemko village of Jaworki near Szczawnica.Niedzica Castle (Dunajec Castle)CastleNiedzica Castle (Dunajec Castle)Niedzica-Zamek11 km from the centreDunajec Castle in Niedzica is one of the most beautiful castles in Poland. It stands on a rock at 566 m above sea level, about 35 m above the surface of Lake Czorsztyn...

Craft nearby

All craft places
Szczawnica spa: pump room, waters and the InhalatoriumWater parks & thermal poolsSzczawnica spa: pump room, waters and the InhalatoriumSzczawnicaunder 1 km from the centreThe Szczawnica spa (Uzdrowisko Szczawnica) is all about water and air: in the valley of the Grajcarek stream, between the Pieniny and the Beskid Sądecki at 430–500 m,...Majerz Meadow Shepherd's Hut, Pieniny National Park: oscypek and żętycaCheese dairies & pasturesMajerz Meadow Shepherd's Hut, Pieniny National Park: oscypek and żętycaKrośnica10 km from the centreMajerz meadow (hala) sits on a 689 m hill between Czorsztyn-Nadzamcze and the village of Hałuszowa, above Lake Czorsztyn.Fruit Harvest Festival in Łącko: village stands, fruit and folkloreMarkets & fairsFruit Harvest Festival in Łącko: village stands, fruit and folkloreŁącko16 km from the centreŁącko, in the Dunajec valley between Stary Sącz and the Pieniny, is one of Poland's best-known fruit-growing areas: the slopes around are covered with apple, pear and...Personall Kraft Brewpub, Stary SączCraft beer & breweriesPersonall Kraft Brewpub, Stary SączStary Sącz20 km from the centrePersonall Kraft is a family-run brewpub in Stary Sącz where the beer is brewed right in the dining hall: the big brewing vessels are visible from the tables.Żegiestów-Zdrój spa: the Anna pump room and the Spa HouseWater parks & thermal poolsŻegiestów-Zdrój spa: the Anna pump room and the Spa HouseŻegiestów25 km from the centreŻegiestów-Zdrój is a small spa in the narrow Poprad valley in the Beskid Sądecki, a kilometre and a half from the village of Żegiestów and a few kilometres from Muszyna.Terma BaniaWater parks & thermal poolsTerma BaniaBiałka Tatrzańska28 km from the centreTerma Bania is a large thermal water park in the village of Białka Tatrzańska, at the foot of the Kotelnica ski slope.

Spas and thermal pools nearby

Szczawnica spa: pump room, waters and the InhalatoriumWater parks & thermal poolsSzczawnica spa: pump room, waters and the InhalatoriumSzczawnicaunder 1 km from the centreThe Szczawnica spa (Uzdrowisko Szczawnica) is all about water and air: in the valley of the Grajcarek stream, between the Pieniny and the Beskid Sądecki at 430–500 m,...Żegiestów-Zdrój spa: the Anna pump room and the Spa HouseWater parks & thermal poolsŻegiestów-Zdrój spa: the Anna pump room and the Spa HouseŻegiestów25 km from the centreŻegiestów-Zdrój is a small spa in the narrow Poprad valley in the Beskid Sądecki, a kilometre and a half from the village of Żegiestów and a few kilometres from Muszyna.Terma BaniaWater parks & thermal poolsTerma BaniaBiałka Tatrzańska28 km from the centreTerma Bania is a large thermal water park in the village of Białka Tatrzańska, at the foot of the Kotelnica ski slope.

Huts, shelters and springs nearby

457 mMountain shelterOrlica HutPieniny · PolandStandingOn a trailSleeps up to 44Staffed
Trzy Korony Hut470 mMountain shelterTrzy Korony HutPieniny · PolandStandingOn a trailSleeps up to 50Meals served
834 mMountain shelterSchronisko pod DurbaszkąPieniny · PolandStandingOn a trailStaffed
Przehyba Hut1 138 mMountain shelterPrzehyba HutSądecki Beskids · PolandStandingOn a trailSleeps up to 50Meals served
460 mDrinking waterSzymon TapPieniny · PolandNot verifiedOn a trail
497 mWellWanda Spring, 497 mPieniny · PolandNot verified230 m from a trail

All springs of the CarpathiansAll Carpathian huts

Getting there from Ukraine

Border crossings

  • Krakovets – Korczowa — road, 24/7
  • Shehyni – Medyka — road, 24/7 Pedestrian crossing is not confirmed by the Ukrainian border service — check dpsu.gov.ua before the trip.
  • Smilnytsia – Krościenko — road, 24/7
  • Hrushiv – Budomierz — road, 24/7
  • Mostyska – Przemyśl (rail) — rail, 24/7

By car

Lviv – Szczawnica ≈384 km, ≈5 h 25 min without queues: M-10 → Krakovets – Korczowa → A4 to Brzesko (≈198 km) → DK75 to Nowy Sącz → DW969 via Stary Sącz and Łącko to Krościenko nad Dunajcem → Szczawnica. ≈306 km, ≈4 h from the border.

Checked 23.10.2026; border crossing hours and timetables change — check before you travel.

What's nearby