Image: The village of Sromowce Wyżne with the shrouded Tatras Mountains in the background.
Highlights
– Sromowce Wyżne is a village in South Central Poland that was a great find for us. Virtually unknown but offers a lot in terms of culture, history and outdoor activities.
Time of Visit: July 2025
Duration of Visit: Three Nights
Description
Sromowce Wyżne pronounced (SRo-MOVT-seh VEE-zh-neh) is a village in Southern Poland sandwiched between the more popular tourist towns of Szczawnica (pronounced Sh-cha-Vnee-tsah) and Zakopane. It is basically a hidden gem as it has so much to offer despite its small size.
We cannot think of any other place in our travels where natural beauty, immersive culture, history and a plethora of outdoor activities can be enjoyed within walking distance from one location. It is basically an unadulterated place where the old way of life still exists because it has escaped commercialism unlike Szczownica and Zakopane. This just adds great value to the experience as it is enriched with interactions with the locals.
We were drawn to Sromowce Wyżne because of Pieniny National Park. The park is a small mountain range that has the Trzy Korony which are three triangular limestone peaks that appear to be pushed upwards among surrounding old growth trees to reveal its beauty. The park has a ridge trail that allows hikers to observe this old growth forest that has remained unchanged in hundreds of years.
We planned on hiking the trail to Trzy Korony but occasional afternoon thunderstorms made the trail muddy. This caused us to rethink our activities. Luckily, our non-English speaking host introduced us to Milosz Pierwola, a Polish-American artist and lawyer that came back to his roots after growing up in New York City and opened up Sromo House in Sromowce Wyżne. Milosz enthusiastically gave us an hour long presentation on what we could see and do in and around Sromowce Wyżne. We all got excited once we learned what was beneath the surface beside Pieniny National Park.
We only managed to do a few in the two full days we had exploring. Milosz told us more and some were a blur as he went through his presentation.
We hope that the information in this post will inspire you to make your own plans to visit this hidden gem. The people are warm and welcoming. Just remember to respect the culture and the local’s way of life. As the saying goes, take only photos and leave only your footprints for a memorable experience.
Activities
Below are the activities we were able to do in two full days at Sromowce Wyżne. We also list some of the activities that we can remember from what Milosz told us.
Walk Across The Dam
Reservoirs (Jesioro) Czorsztynskie and Sromowieckie are just West of Sromowce Wyżne. The top of Czorsztynskie’s dam is pedestrian only and provides sightseers a nice view of the lake, the two castles that are right off the banks and the valleys below.
Once you get tired of walking on the dam, there is a restaurant and a number of snack shops near the main road (Zamkowa). Here you can enjoy your favorite food, beverage or ice cream while taking a break.
It takes about 30-40 minutes to walk to the Czorsztynskie dam from Sromowce Wyżne. Most of the walk is flat except the final 300 meters or so to get up to the dam. There are stairs on the side of the dam if you cut across the parking lot after the roundabout.
Bacówka
A bacówka (pronounced “bah-TSOOV-kah”) is a traditional wooden hut in the Polish and Slovakian mountains. Shepherds, known as a “baca,” spend the summer in the bacówka tending their grazing sheep and making dairy products. There are a few bacówka around the area. We visited the bacówka at the East end of Czorsztynskie dam. There we found an elderly lady selling cheese made from sheep milk.
Though the old lady did not speak English, she was willing to engage with us and spoke to our smart phones for the translation. She sold two kinds of cheese. One has more sheep milk compared to the other and commands a higher price at 40 PLN (compared to 25 PLN for the other) for a whole block. The block must have weighed about a pound and a half and takes about a week to make according to the old lady.
Outside the shack are a number of benches placed on the hillside. It is perfect for sitting down to enjoy both the view and cheese we just bought. Make sure you bring something to cut the cheese with and maybe some crackers and wine. It is just a nice place to unwind.
Castles
Now that our tummies had sheep cheese, it was time to see Zamek (castle) Dunajec. The castle is not very big and has 15 rooms that are publicly accessible, including courtyards. Visitors can go on a self guided tour.
We were handed an English version of the self guided tour at the castle entrance. Overall, there were some nice displays that depict the castle’s history including pictures of the rulers. Some have English translations and some do not.
We noticed a tour group accompanied by a guide. The tour was not in English. Probably because the castle does not get a lot of English speaking visitors. Unfortunately, there was no audioguide either. It took us over an hour going through the castle.
Separate from the castle is the Carriage House. It is included with the price of admission to the castle. There are several carriage displays in the Carriage House. Most were built in the early 20th century.
Zamek Czorsztynie is another castle on the opposite bank of the lake. It was not accessible to us as we did not have a vehicle.
Rent A Bicycle
We tried renting a bicycle from the campground just below Jesioro Sromowieckie but they ran out of E-bikes. E-bikes would be more enjoyable to use because of the hilly terrain.
We also saw bicycle rentals down the road just after Castle Dunajec and at Szczawnica. There is also a bike path on the Slovakian side that follows the Dunajec River between Szczawnica and Sromowce Niche. The path is mainly shaded by trees.
Float The Dunajec River
Floating the Dunajec River on traditional rafts piloted by two flisak (pronounced “flee-SAHK”) is a chillax experience. A flisak (pl. flisacy) is a Polish river boatman who traditionally transported goods down the river. Nowadays, they transport tourists.
The rafts are actually five wooden longboats held together side by side. The raft seats a total of 11 passengers. The ride started at the Pieninski Park Narodowny and finished at Szczawnica or Kroscienko. We rode to Szczawnica and it took about two hours and twenty minutes.
The river is fast moving in some places and tranquil in others. The most turbulent part was a low Class II rapid which our flisacy steered away from.
One flisak is stationed at the front and another at the rear of the boat. The one in front engages the passengers by telling or describing what to see and observe during the float. Our flisak must have been funny because all the Polish passengers were laughing most of the time. Our flisak tried to engage us with the help of a fellow passenger that translated some of what he said. We even played a game guessing which side of the river the hillside downstream would be.
Do not forget to purchase the return mini-bus ride from Szczawnica back to Pieninski Park Narodowny. The last mini-bus leaves at 7PM.
If you prefer to paddle your own raft or canoe, an outfitter at the campground just below Jesioro Sromowieckie can fill that need. You can launch at the campground and get picked up a few kilometers downstream.
Explore Szczawnica
Szczawnica is a popular tourist town. Its “centrum” is about a thirty minute 2.2 km chill and flat walk from where we were dropped off at the river. We only had a couple of hours to explore this tourist town so we did not see much except ride the Palenica ski lift to the top of the mountain and the spa resort place that has a nice Austrian influenced architecture.
There are restaurants and cafes at the top of the Palenica ski lift. It is a nice place to relax and just unwind. Just do not expect to see majestic views here as the mountain is still surrounded by trees with narrow openings here and there. The same goes for hiking the ridges as it just goes through the forest.
Others
Wildflowers
The rolling hills of Sromowce Wyżne have patches of colorful wildflowers. Some even manage to survive in the wheat fields.
Landscape Photography
Milosz offers guided landscape photography around the area.
Exploring Nearby Villages
There are other small villages in South Central Poland that can be explored besides Szczawnica. The photos above show some of them.
How To Get There
We took a regular bus from Zakopane to Nowy Targ then took a minibus to Sromowce Wyżne. The minibus runs frequently during weekdays but has a limited schedule during weekends.
Our journey took just over four hours from Zakopane to Sromowce Wyżne because of road traffic, causing us to miss the minibus at Nowy Targ. It was a Saturday too so we had to wait two hours for the next bus to Sromowce Wyżne.
Flixbus, Maxbus and SwagroPol connect Krakow and Nowy Targ. Flixbus has a limited schedule while Maxbus and SwagroPol have more frequent schedules.
Poland’s public transportation, for the most part, is reliable and extensive. Google Map does a good job of routing between destinations using public transportation. However, Google Maps may not account for traffic delays as it plans the most efficient route with the least wait times. It would be prudent to plan on arriving at Nowy Targ at least 30 minutes prior to the minibus departure to Sromowce Wyżne, especially on weekends. Otherwise, you may have a long wait for the next scheduled departure like we did.
Where To Stay
There are a number of accommodations in Sromowce Wyżne. We picked Orchidea Willa Pieninska. Our room has a balcony facing the rolling hills and Pieniny mountains. The accommodation has a common area where guests can cook their meals and a large dining hall.
Our hosts, Miroslawa and Marek Janczy, are very nice people. Miroslawa even drove us to Milosy’s studio and picked us up when we were done. She even gave us different local cheese to sample. She understood English but could not speak it. Overall they made us feel welcome.
How To Get Around
We managed to do all the activities described above just by walking and public transportation. But you will have more freedom if you have a rental car or rent a bicycle. Note that almost all established parking places charge a fee and riding a bicycle can be challenging because of the hilly terrain.
Expected Expenses
Expenses are in Polish zloty and per person unless otherwise indicated.
Minibus ride from Nowy Targ to Sromowce Wyżne – 20, cash only
Cheese purchased from bacówka – 40 a block, cash only
Castle Dunajec – 25, credit card accepted
Floating the Dunajec (including return bus) – 131, credit card accepted
Palencia ski lift – 37, credit card accepted
Summary
Sromowce Wyżne is a picturesque village in southern Poland’s Pieniny region. It is a charming destination for travelers who enjoy outdoor activities, history, culture and nature. Pieniny National Park is within walking distance from the village. It has hiking trails through old growth forest and to the iconic three peaks called Trzy Korony.
Besides hiking, outdoor activities include biking and rafting the Dunajec River piloted by traditional boatmen called flisacy. Rafting also allows visitors to visit the popular tourist town of Szczawnica. Riding the Palencia ski lift is relaxing and gives visitors a chance to possibly view wildlife.
Castle Dunajec provides a peek into the history of the area and the castle itself.
Visiting a bacówka allows visitors to observe a sheep farmer’s old way of life and tradition. Farmlands also surround the village and the locals are warm and welcoming.
The village itself offers stunning views of rolling hills and the Tatry mountains on a clear day. Plus there are other small villages that can be visited. Being near the Slovak border also makes it easy for visitors to enjoy cross-border excursions.
Beyond its natural beauty, Sromowce Wyżne provides a peaceful and authentic experience of Polish highland culture. The village has a relaxed atmosphere making it ideal for those seeking a quieter getaway. Combined with easy access to cultural and historic landmarks as well as recreational opportunities, Sromowce Wyżne offers a delightful blend of adventure, history, and tranquility.