Szlachtowa
Photos: Jerzy Opioła, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons); Rafał M. Socha (Azymut), CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons); Mach240390, CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons); mik Krakow, CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons); Jerzy Opioła, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons); Qvidemus, CC BY 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Szlachtowa is a village in Poland, located in the administrative district of Gmina Szczawnica, Nowy Targ County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, on the western edge of the Lemko region. The village lies in the picturesque valley of the Sielski Potok and Szlachtowski Potok streams, which flow into the Grajcarek, at the foot of the Pieniny mountains. It is among the westernmost Lemko settlements, historically part of Ruś Szlachtowska.
The history of Szlachtowa dates back at least to the 14th century: in 1391, King Władysław Jagiełło and Queen Jadwiga granted these lands to the Bishop of Kraków. The village was part of the so-called Muszyna Key, and its population traditionally practiced Greek Catholicism. Over the centuries, it belonged to the Ostrogski, Lubomirski, Sanguszko, and Stadnicki families. Until 1945, there was a Greek Catholic parish here, and most of the Ukrainian population was deported after World War II.
Szlachtowa is known for its natural beauty, surrounded by the Pieniny mountains, and its rich historical heritage. The village preserves the Greek Catholic Church of the Protection of the Mother of God (1909), now a Catholic church. Nearby are unique natural and cultural sites, including the Pieniny Museum named after Józef Szalay in Szczawnica.
For visitors, Szlachtowa is an excellent base for hiking: the "Leśnickie Saddle – Szlachtowa" trail starts here, and popular routes such as "Krościenko nad Dunajcem – Burzana" and "Sromowce Niżne – Kosarzyska" pass nearby. Mountain lovers can climb peaks like Trzy Korony, Wysoki Wierch, Szafranówka, Palenica, Jarmuta, and Sokolica. Notable sights include the Homole Gorge, Zaskalnik Waterfall, and the Great Waterfall in Obidza. For accommodation, there are huts such as Schronisko PTTK Orlica, Schronisko pod Durbaszką, Schronisko na Przehybie, and Schronisko Trzy Korony. The nearby Szczawnica spa offers a mineral water pump room and "Inhalatorium".
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
EasyOne-dayMarkedLesnické Saddle SzlachtowaElevation profile519–898 m6.8 kmascent 224 m≈ 2 h walkingunder 1 km from the centre
EasyOne-dayMarkedJaworki Korbalowa Pass/Stráňanské SaddleElevation profile559–961 m4.2 kmascent 393 m≈ 2 h walking1.8 km from the centre
EasyOne-dayMarkedPrzehyba Szczawnica ZdrójElevation profile461–1 153 m10.2 kmascent 64 m≈ 2.5 h walking1.8 km from the centre
HardMulti-dayMarkedTarnów Wielki RogaczElevation profile206–1 211 m191.5 kmascent 6 941 m1.9 km from the centre
ModerateTwo-dayMarkedPiwniczna-Zdrój JaworkiElevation profile370–997 m17.5 kmascent 627 m≈ 5.5 h walking2.1 km from the centre
EasyOne-dayMarkedJaworki Rozdziela PassElevation profile569–849 m4.4 kmascent 280 m≈ 1.5 h walking2.1 km from the centrePeaks nearby
All peaks
PeakJarmutaSzlachtowaaltitude 794 m1.5 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:...
PeakWysoki WierchSzlachtowaaltitude 898 m2.5 km from the centreWysoki Wierch (Slovak Šľachovky or Šlachtovský vrch) is an 898 m dome-shaped summit in the Small Pieniny, right on the Polish–Slovak border.
PeakDurbaszkaJaworkialtitude 934 m3.1 km from the centreDurbaszka is an inconspicuous 934 m summit on the main ridge of the Small Pieniny (Małe Pieniny), in the eastern part of the Pieniny.
PeakPalenicaSzczawnicaaltitude 722 m3.6 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.
PeakSzafranówkaSzczawnicaaltitude 742 m3.6 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.
PeakWysokie Skałki (Wysoka)Jaworkialtitude 1 050 m4.3 km from the centre1 trail to the topWysokie Skałki, also called Wysoka (Slovak: Vysoké Skalky), is a 1,050 m summit on the main ridge of the Small Pieniny and the highest point of the entire Pieniny and...What to visit
All
MuseumJózef Szalay Pieniny MuseumSzlachtowaunder 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).
NatureHomole GorgeJaworki2.1 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.
WaterfallZaskalnik FallsSzczawnica3 km from the centreZaskalnik is a small but very picturesque waterfall on the Sopotnicki stream (Sopotnicki Potok) near the spa town of Szczawnica.
Water parks & thermal poolsSzczawnica spa: pump room, waters and the InhalatoriumSzczawnica3.2 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,...
WaterfallWodospad Wielki in ObidzaObidza9.2 km from the centreWodospad Wielki ("Great Waterfall") is a natural cascade 5 m high on the Majdan stream, also called Majdański Potok, in the village of Obidza in the Łącko commune of...
CastleNiedzica Castle (Dunajec Castle)Niedzica-Zamek15 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
Markets & fairsAutumn Redyk in Szczawnica: sheep drive, oscypek and shepherdsSzczawnica5 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...
Cheese dairies & pasturesMajerz Meadow Shepherd's Hut, Pieniny National Park: oscypek and żętycaKrośnica14 km from the centreMajerz meadow (hala) sits on a 689 m hill between Czorsztyn-Nadzamcze and the village of Hałuszowa, above Lake Czorsztyn.
Markets & fairsFruit Harvest Festival in Łącko: village stands, fruit and folkloreŁącko18 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...Spas and thermal pools nearby
Water parks & thermal poolsSzczawnica spa: pump room, waters and the InhalatoriumSzczawnica3.2 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,...
Water parks & thermal poolsŻegiestów-Zdrój spa: the Anna pump room and the Spa HouseŻegiestów21 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.Huts, shelters and springs nearby
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.
