Kazimierz Dolny

We visited the beautiful city of Kazimierz Dolny. It is located south of Puławy.

In the early afternoon we drove to the town center. There were no free parking spots. The only option to leave the car was to take paid parking located on private properties. Well, that is the charm of a popular tourist town. We stopped at one of the parking lots and went to explore this famous town.

We were surprised that the city is located on the hillside. On one side of the Vistula River, Kazimierz Dolny and its castle ruins sit on the slope; on the other side are the ruins of the castle in Janowiec.

Our walk started from the old market square with a beautiful wooden well. It is a popular place to take pictures after weddings and a place beloved by photographers. Around the market square we could find a lot of historic buildings with shops in front of them. There were mostly some restaurants and gift shops. In one of the restaurants we stopped for lunch. Afterwards we went for a walk up to the hill named Three Crosses, where we were able to enjoy a great view of the city and the river. The path to the top is a steep stone stairway. It was a bit hard for small kids to climb there, but they made it. At the top we found quite an unpleasant surprise - the entrance fee. And here comes the question: what exactly were we paying for? The stairs were not in good condition and the handrails were not fixed. Paying for access to nature is a little extreme. But ok, we coughed up the money and went to enjoy the views.

Fun fact: the three crosses were first put up on the hill in 1708 in memory of the victims of a plague that hit the area. The crosses standing there today date from 1852.

After a short while at the top of the Three Crosses hill we went to see the ruins of the castle and the defensive tower. Kids loved running down the hill. When we reached the tower another surprise - unfortunately the castle complex was already closed to the public. It’s strange, because it was 6 PM. All we could do was look at it from outside.

Next we walked in the direction of the market square and then to the parking lot, pausing with the kids at the playground for a while. During this time, I managed to buy the famous Kazimierz rooster, a bun shaped like a rooster that tastes a bit like challah.

The sun slowly began to set, so we drove to see the charming Korzeniowy Dół gorge. Further in the direction of the Vistula River we drove to the ferry to Janowiec. We were very surprised by Krakowska Street, paved with cobblestones. Some of the stones stuck out with sharp edges, so the car shook terribly as we drove. A street with the same driving conditions would be hard to find anywhere.

The ferry to Janowiec is another popular destination for photographers. On the banks of the Vistula we saw another young couple. Crossing to the other side of the Vistula went smoothly, we drove to Janowiec. However, we didn't have enough time to explore the ruins of the castle. Maybe next time.