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What should you see in Sudety?

8 most interesting places
The area of Sudety is not just high mountains with spectacular trails and excellently prepared ski stations. It is also beautifully situated towns with rich history, stylish health spas and majestic castle ruins. Let’s discover the biggest attractions of the Sudety mountains.

1.Śnieżka: at the top of Sudety
Śnieżka is the highest point of the Karkonosze mountains and the entire Sudety Mountains. It reaches the height of 1602 meters above the sea level, towering over the nearby mountain peaks. The name „Śnieżka” generated in the 19th century from the word „śnieżna” (snowy). It is no incident, because snow lies on the mountain tops very long – usually from october all the way to may.

Through the top runs the Road of Friendship Between Poland and the Czech Republic, which is the tourist trail with the length of approx. 30 kilometers (red), leading interchangably through the Polish and Czech side of the border. Ancient historical note confirm, that Śnieżka is enjoying its fame among tourists for more than 500 years.

2.The Bear Cave
The Bear Cave is a nature marvel of the Śnieżnik Massif and the longest cave in Sudety. It has nearly 3 kilometers of rooms and corridors on 3 floors. While exploring the cave, you enter a world of fantastic stalactites, stalagmites, cascades and other infiltrative forms. The most effective part of this trail are the Palace Trail and the Stalactite Corridor with bridges and small lakes.

There vare also remainings of animals that lived in the ice age; this is also where the cave’s name came from – from discovered bones of the cave bear. Tourists are so eager to visit the cave, that in the summer you have to book tickets in advantage

3.Błędne Skały
This is a picturesque rock city in the Stołowe Mountains, strictly protected as a whole by the Karkonosze National Park. The incredible maze of rock blocks, at the height 853 meters above the sea level, creates a several hundred meter long tourist route. We can get there in 2 hours by the incredibly picturesque trails from Kudowa-Zdrój (you can choose between the red and green trail) or from Karłów. The beauty of Błędne Skały was also appreciated by movie producers – this is the place where the scenes for „The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian” and „Two Worlds” were shot.

4.The Książ Castle in Wałbrzych
The Książ Castle is the wonderfully preserved, 12-century stronghold complex, proudly towering over its surroundings. This is one of the largest castles in Europe and the third largest one in Poland. Visitors can see, among others, the interior of the castle, the observation tower, the courtyard, the gardens, a moumental park surrounding the castle and the nearby palm house.

Most recently, visitors also gained the possibility to see the underground, which are associated with many legends. Some people say that somewhere below the castle you can still find the hidden Amber Chamber and Hitler’s secret factories. While visiting the 0.5 kilometer trail tourists can get familiar the mysteries of the underground, the theory of their creation’s purpose and the tragic history oif the prisoners who were digging these tunnels.

5.Złoty Stok – the gold mine
This small town located at the bottom of the Złote Mountains is famous for the oldest gold mine in Poland. Tourists can visit a special underground route. During the sightseeing you can see the „Death Pavement” and the only Polish underground waterfall in the „Czarna Groove” And finally, you will ride the Underground Orange Tram back to the surface. While discovering the former gold mine, you can also learn how to sift the sand in search of gold and how the precious gold bars are melted.

6.Jelenia Góra
Jelenia Góra is the largest town in the Western Sudety Mountains. This is a place wth centuries old traditions andf an incredible view at the Karkonosze Mountains. The atmosphere of this place is created by galleries, shops, cafes, and restaurants at the background of of colorful, charming stonehouses. Among the monuments we must mention the 12th-century church of the Lifting of the Holy Cross, defensive walls with bastions and the Paulinum Mansion (built in the 19th century), which currently functions as a hotel.

7.Kudowa-Zdrój: the health spa town
This chamber health spa town, located at the border of the Stołowe Mountains and Pogórze Orlickie, is famous for medical qualities and picturesque landscapes. The neighborhood of gorgeous mountains as well as many museums and cultural and sport institutions makes this place frequently visited by tourists, especially in the spring and summer.

However, Kudowa-Zdrój is most eagerly visited by bathers, which appreciate the health-sanatory character of this town. Here you can see a renovated health park with a mineral water drinking house and a covered bathing area. A great attraction of Kudowa-Zdrój is also the Skull Chapel – a monumental object with more than 3000 human skulls and bones, most of which belonged to the victims of Silesian wars and diseases from the 13th century

8.Zieleniec: Sudety for the active
This is one of the most popular ski resorts in Sudety and a paradise for fans of winter sports. Thanks to the specific climate (similar to the alpine climate) conditions for skiing are perfect for even 150 days in a year. There are 30 ski lifts and more than 20 kilometers of skiing routes, which have different difficulty levels. That makes the ski routes available for both beginners and expert skiers. Summer attractions include a nature path called „Torfowisko pod Zieleńcem” at the area of a nearby nature reserve. The well-prepared green trail is gentle and easy to pass.

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