Lesser Poland

Lesser Poland

Lesser Poland is a world of high peaks and deep caves where the land rises to touch the clouds in the south. This region is famous for the **Tatra** mountains scenic route which offers some of the most dramatic views in the heart of Europe. You can leave the valleys behind to find crystal lakes like **Morskie Oko** that sit like blue jewels at the foot of grey rock walls. The road takes you through the **Dunajec** River Gorge where high cliffs of white limestone rise hundreds of meters above the water. You can watch the local raftsmen in traditional dress guide their wooden boats through the fast current of the mountain stream. Nearby the salt mines of **Wieliczka** hide a secret city deep underground with churches and statues carved entirely from blocks of salt. As you head north the mountains turn into the rolling hills of the Eagle Nests trail where stone castles sit on top of rocky crags. These forts were built to guard the trade roads and now offer a perfect backdrop for a day of exploring. From the wooden churches of the highlands to the vast pine forests of the **Ojców** park this region is a playground for those who love the wild side of nature.

Lesser Poland highlights

Part of these road trips

Follow the routes that cross this destination

The Scenic Route
The Heritage Drive
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History of Lesser Poland

Lesser Poland is a land of kings who ruled from **Wawel Hill**, a castle built above a real dragon cave. For centuries, the gold and silver of the nation flowed through the mountain passes and into the royal vaults. This history makes the **Tatra mountains scenic route** a journey through a kingdom of rock where peaks reaching **2,499 meters** served as a natural wall. Deep under the soil, miners spent over **700 years** carving a secret city out of solid grey salt in **Wieliczka**. Starting in the **13th century**, they built giant chapels, like the **St. Kinga Chapel**, where even the chandeliers are made of salt crystals. Above them, **King Casimir the Great** built the **Eagle Nest** castles in the **1300s** on white limestone cliffs to watch over trade roads. The highlanders of the south lived a wild life in the shadow of the jagged peaks. In the **19th century**, they perfected the **Zakopane style** of building, creating wooden churches like the one in **Dębno** (built in **1494**) without using a single iron nail. Their bold spirit remains the soul of the region where the mountains meet the mist in a land of myth and salt.
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