2012.08.12 Kazimierz Dolny i okolice

Kazimierz Dolny and its surroundings have several tourist attractions worth seeing. Kazimierz Dolny itself is very picturesque and does not require any major advertising. I would like to suggest exploring the surroundings because they are worth visiting. From the town center, we first head northeast along the Vistula promenade, and after reaching Bochotnica, we continue eastward. The area here is slightly undulating with one longer climb and descent, just before Nałęczów. In the spa itself, I recommend the health park with a water pump house, the sanatorium building, and the Małachowskis' palace with the museum of Bolesław Prus. To avoid returning by the same busy road, I suggest a partial return on the red cycling trail. We find the trail on H. Wierciński Street, on the outskirts of Nałęczów. In Wąwolnica, we cross the Kazimierz Dolny Nałęczów road, and after the village, behind the cemetery, we turn right towards Kazimierz Dolny. After the village of Rzeczyca Kolonia, we turn right onto DK 824 and after a few hundred meters to the left. After the village of Wylęgi, on the right side, we find one of the bigger attractions of this area, which is the Korzeniowy Dół gorge. There are many loess gorges in this area, but this is the most beautiful. Upon entering Kazimierz, we turn left and after a few hundred meters, we come across on the left side of the road the Wailing Wall, which is the former Jewish cemetery. We continue, after a large hotel, turn right and go straight to the end of the street. Next, on a forest road, until we reach a high escarpment by the bank of the Vistula. The view from here is breathtaking. On the right side, the Vistula winds, in front of us, the roofs of a small village, further on a hill a beautiful windmill (no wind turbine there), to the right behind the Vistula, in the distance, also on the escarpment, above the village, one can see the bright walls of the castle in Janowiec. To reach it, one must head along the Vistula towards Kazimierz Dolny, then after going down the road to the promenade, one should turn left towards the ferry crossing. On the other side of the Vistula, after driving one kilometer, we arrive at Janowiec. It is a charming large village over which the partially ruined walls of the Janowiec castle loom. The way to the castle leads up a steep, cobbled road, difficult to ride a bike on. In addition to the mentioned castle, with a splendid view of the Vistula valley, in the lands adjacent to the castle, there is a historic manor with farm buildings. After a break, we continue on and head towards the second ferry crossing in the area. Along the way, you can turn right on a field road to see the wonderful panorama of Kazimierz Dolny, seen from the other side of the Vistula. As a final note, a little curiosity, a large part of the remaining road to the ferry consists of an avenue of walnut trees that stretches probably over two kilometers. The second ferry is considerably smaller than the previous one and is called Serokomla, which was the name of the village of Janowiec until 1537. On the eastern bank of the Vistula, we again reach Bochotnica and then Kazimierz Dolny, where we conclude our excursion.