Proposed route of the Małopolska section including detours / download GPX file
Current EuroVelo 11/VeloNatura maps in PDF, edition 2024, available for download and printing (A4 format).
- files: 3. Beskid Sądecki / 4. Lake Rożnów and Nowy Sącz / 5. Rożnów Foothills / 6. Tarnów and the surrounding area / 7. North-east Małopolska / 9. Between Ujście Solne and Ujście Jezuickie / 10. Niepołomice Forrest / 11. Kraków / 15. Piwniczna Zdrój - Muszyna
The axis of the first section of this route is the Poprad River. From the Slovak border, the route heads north and Muszyna is the first town on the route to offer catering and accommodation facilities. It is a well-known spa town with a rich offer for active tourists.
It is here that rafting trips down the Poprad River begin, where you can admire the uniquefloral compositions and relax in the picturesque park on Zapopradz. In Muszyna, the route crosses the VeloKrynica route - leading east along the valley of the Kryniczanka and Muszynka through Powroźnik to Krynica-Zdrój. This is another famous spa town in Małopolska, with even more tourist attractions to offer. In the area of the Muszyna commune it is also worthwhile to follow a thematic loop - the Mineral Waters Trail, for which the whole Beskid Sądecki region is famous.
A characteristic feature of this section is its cross-border nature. Between Muszyna and Piwniczna-Zdroj the route crosses the river several times by newly built footbridges (in Milik and Andrzejówka), leading once on the Slovak and once on the Polish side. From Piwniczna-Zdrój the route runs exclusively within the borders of our country. Still heading north, the route passes through some charming towns: Rytro with its castle, Wola Krogulecka with its "snail" and Stary Sącz, boasting a rich history but also a brand new attraction for tourists - the Forest Pier on Miejska Góra. Before leaving Stary Sącz and crossing another footbridge over the Poprad River, it is worth taking a short drive along the VeloDunajec route to the Bobrowisko Nature Enclave. This is a unique place for nature lovers. We return to the Poprad River, pass another characteristic footbridge and leave Beskid Sądecki. We now enter the Sądecka Basin. Nowy Sącz is a large town, but the route leads comfortably along flood embankments. The Market Square with the Town Hall is almost right next to the route, while to reach another unique place - the Galician Town - you have to drive the whole town in an easterly direction.
Further on, the EuroVelo 11/VeloNatura and VeloDunajec routes join up to Ostrow. From the village of Wielogłowy outside Nowy Sącz to the dam in Czchów, the route has not yet been prepared, so we encourage you to use the route proposal in the form of a gpx file.
On the way, you should plan to visit the castle in Tropsztyn and the tower in Czchów. To reach them from the route, you need to cross the Dunajec River by ferry. For those with more time on their hands, on a hot day it will be ideal to relax and have fun at the Croatia bathing area. Canoeing trips down the Dunajec are on offer. In the vicinity of Zakliczyn there are further interesting sights to visit: European Music Centre in Lusławice and the castle ruins in Melsztyn. The section from Zakliczyn to Ostrów is also not yet built and you have to drive on public roads. Here, a visit to one of Małopolska's vineyards can be an interesting diversification of the trip.
In Ostrów, the EuroVelo 11/VeloNatura/VeloDunajec route meets the EuroVelo 4, which runs from the east. At this point, the VeloNatura route turns west and connects with the EuroVelo 4, while the VeloDunajec route continues north.
A little earlier, in Bogumiłowice, there is a station on the Tarnów-Kraków railway line. With train access, you can plan different variants of trips on this route and combine them, for example, with a visit to nearby Tarnów.
The section from Ostrów to Wola Batorska near Niepołomice is described in the EuroVelo 4 tab.
From Wanda Bridge in Krakow, the VeloNatura route runs independently to the north and north-east, leading through a unique district of Krakow - Nowa Huta. Outside Krakow's borders, the route is not yet built and signposted, so those wishing to ride this planned section are referred to the gpx file, which will allow them to conveniently reach the border with the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship.
