Krościenko nad Dunajcem

Krościenko nad Dunajcem is a mountain village, a tourist centre, which is located in the southern part of Lesser Poland Voivodeship. Geographically the settlement is located in the river valleys of the Dunajec and Krosnica at the mountain ranges of Pieniny, Gorcy and Sondecki Beskydy. Krościenko nad Dunajcem is one of the oldest settlements of the southern Poland. In 1348 according to the decree by Casimir III the Great, it gained municipal rights but in 1932 they were lost due to the decrease of the population.

Krościenko nad Dunajcem has become a popular tourist centre owing to its geographical location, as far as numerous tourist routes to the mountain chains of Pieniny, Gorcy and Sondecki Beskydy start from here. The village is also known as one of the important centres of rafting development, as here is one of the final stops for rafting on Dunajec. Nearby the locality there are sources of carbonated alkaline mineral waters 'Stefan', 'Mikhalina' and 'Mariya'.

Not far from Krościenko nad Dunajcem there is a nature reserve of Pieniny National Park. It occupies the central part of the so-called Pieniny zone from the height of 425 m up to the peak of Pieniny- Three Crowns mountain, it stands 982 m above the sea level. The area of Pieniny National Park is 2421 hectares, 1763 hectares of which are occupied by forests. In 1932 the park obtained the status of natural reserve. The following geomorphological sites belong to the protected areas: Three Crowns Massif, Czorsztyn Pieniny, Pieninky, river canyons of Dunajec and Zelyone Skalki. Out of all national natural reserves - Pieniny National Park is the most frequently visited by tourists. There are about 35 km of tourist routes of various difficulty. Along the territory of Pieniny National Park and nearby Krościenko nad Dunajcem the most popular tourist routes are the following:

• Pshehyba - Dzvonuvka - Krościenko nad Dunajcem - Lubań - Pshelench Knurovska - Turbach (red marking)
• Krościenko nad Dunajcem - Pshelench Shopka (marking changes from yellow into blue) -  Three Crowns - РТТК mountain hostel "Three Crowns" - Sromovce Nizhne (yellow and blue marking)
• Krościenko nad Dunajcem - (marking changes from green into blue) - Sokolyna Perc mountain (green and blue marking)

In Krościenko nad Dunajcem a ski lift 'Na Staikovei' functions for those, who enjoy alpine skiing.