On hot days it isn't easy to walk around the city, so now I often run away from Krakow. I don't have to go far, because plenty of beautiful recreational spots are located near the town. I have a few favorite ones - I know they are free from the crowd on weekdays, and I can fully relax there after work.
One of them is the Benedictine Monastery in Tyniec. The abbey is located within the city's administrative boundaries. Still, it is enough to go to the village of Piekary, situated on the other side of the Vistula River, and you will get outside Krakow. That's where I went a few days ago. You can get to Piekary by a suburban bus departing from Krakow's Salwator (15-20 minutes drive), so you don't need a car. From the center of the village, it is enough to walk a few hundred meters to reach the Vistula River, along which there is a picturesque walking path.
There is a ferry crossing for pedestrians and bicycles at weekends. It is worth spending at least one day visiting both banks of the river and the abbey itself, from its walls, there are fantastic views! Today, however, we will stay on one side of the Vistula, but you'll see the beautiful scenery anyway, I promise :)
The abbey was built almost a thousand years ago, but unfortunately, it gradually fell into disrepair due to fires and neglect. Just before 1939, only ruins remained, and the abbey was reconstructed after the war.
Walking along the Vistula, we reach the Piekary Rocks. They are situated above the old riverbed.
This rock was the target of my short afternoon trip out of town. You can climb it either from the side of the Vistula River (steep climb) or safely get it from the village side.
There is a beautiful panorama at the top.
In the south, we can see the Vistula and the oxbow lake, and further on, the small town of Skawina and the chimneys of the combined heat and power plant.
Looking north, we see the Benedictine Abbey, on its left side in the distance - the Camaldolese Monastery, located in the Wolski Forest in Kraków. Piekary Rocks is a perfect place for a romantic picnic!
The walking path continued south to the next rocks, but that day I only had two hours to walk, so I went down and back to the village. On the way, I passed an abandoned nineteenth-century neo-gothic palace; unfortunately, the gate on the side of the road was closed. Probably I could enter the property from a different side - I will check another time :) I don't even dream about going inside the building, but maybe I could see the palace closely.
Sunny greetings from Krakow!
