Szczyrk is one of the most popular modern resorts not only for Polish residents, but also for many foreigners. It is surrounded by the Klimczyńka mountain range to the north, and the Skrzyczny mountain range to the south, which are part of the Silesian Beskids.

Szczyrk is 470 km from Lviv – a little more than Zakopane (420 km). Why is it the most modern? For the new season, it was renovated so that it became the best in Eastern Europe!

Here you have everything you need for a perfect winter vacation: unique nature, developed infrastructure, as well as a wonderful climate.

The main feature of this area is the complete absence of strong winds, so staying at the resort is very comfortable at any time of the year. Moreover, the mineral springs and recreational potential of Szczyrk provide an excellent chance to improve your health and relax from the stresses of everyday life.

What was – what is

Szczyrk is the largest ski resort in Poland with a total length of slopes of 40-80 km. It is located approximately 70 km from Krakow and Katowice in the Beskids. The resort is famous, although it is much less known in our country than Zakopane.

The slopes here are winding and diverse. For skiers and snowboarders. There is the blackest slope here and the longest one right there. There are steep and narrow, wide and gentle slopes, as you wish. 8 kilometers of slopes are illuminated and allow skiing in the dark.

Beskid Sport Arena

Szczyrk today is an example of “what life-giving investments do”. Over 30 million euros were invested in the resort, and the result was the most modern ski center not only in Poland, but also in all of Eastern Europe.

How to get there

The closest airports to the resort are located in Krakow and Katowice, and the nearest railway station is Bielsko-Biała.

By car. It takes about 6 hours to drive, the distance to Szczyrk is 470 km

By bus, 7 hours, 850 UAH.

By plane from Kyiv to Katowice (1700 UAH), and from there by bus (85 km).

By train to Przemyśl, then to Krakow and then by bus (68 km).

Where to stay

There are a lot of hotels in Szczyrk, and vacationers can choose any institution based on their requirements and financial situation.

It should be noted that the quality of rest here is not much worse than in Zakopane or other famous places, but the cost of living here is much lower.

Cost of accommodation

As in any self-respecting resort, Szczyrk has green tourism estates (from €10 per day), ski guesthouses (from €20 per day) and high-end hotels (from €30 to €40). Approximate prices are indicated for 1 person for the period 11-18 December 2017.

Hotel Alpin 3-star hotel

Hotel Alpin is located in the center of Szczyrk, next to the town square and the embankment. It offers rooms with free Wi-Fi, an LCD TV and a refrigerator.

All bright rooms at the Alpin Hotel are decorated in warm colours. The private bathroom is fitted with a shower. Each room has satellite TV and a telephone.

A varied buffet breakfast is served every morning in the classically decorated restaurant, which specialises in Polish cuisine. The bar offers a wide range of beers and drinks.

The Alpin Hotel offers luggage storage and a ski storage room. On-site parking is available at an additional cost. Guests can relax in the sauna and hot tub at an additional cost.

Marysieńka

Located in Szczyrk, 1.2 km from COS Skrzyczne Ski Centre, Marysieńka offers accommodation with free WiFi and free private parking. The guest house is located about 3 km from the Częstochowa Ski Centre, 8 km from the Biały Krzysztof Ski Lift and 12 km from the Klimczok Ski Lift. The guest house has family rooms.

Each room at the guest house is equipped with a private bathroom with a shower.

Popular points of interest near the Marysieńka guest house include the Kaimówka Ski Lift, the Beskidek Ski Lift and the Beskids Ski Lift. The distance to Katowice Airport is 115 km.

Ośrodek Wczasowy Panorama Szczyrk

Ośrodek Wczasowy Panorama Szczyrk is located in Szczyrk, 2.3 km from COS Skrzyczne Ski Centre. It offers rooms with free WiFi and free private parking. The hotel is around 2.3 km from Szczyrk Jaworzyna Ski Lift, 2.6 km from Kaimówka Ski Lift and 3.2 km from Dolyny III Ski Resort. Local points of interest include local attractions.

Hala Skrzyce 2 and Hala Szkrzycze are 4.2 km and 5 km respectively.

Guests at the resort can enjoy a continental or a buffet breakfast.

Guests at Ośrodek Wczasowy Panorama Szczyrk will be able to enjoy activities in and around Szczyrk, like skiing.

Częstochowa Solisko Ski Centre and Częstochowa Centrum are 4 km from the hotel. Hala Skrzyce 1 Ski Lift is 4.2 km away. Katowice Airport is 115 km from Ośrodek Wczasowy Panorama Szczyrk.

Ośrodek Zagroń

Ośrodek Zagroń is located in Szczyrk, 500 metres from the Beskidek Ski Lift. It offers a spa area with a free swimming pool, a sauna and a hot tub, ski storage, a snack bar and free private parking. Free WiFi is available.

Each room is equipped with a TV with cable channels and a private bathroom. Some rooms have a seating area.

The reception is open 24 hours a day. Guests can use the gym, fitness room, infrared, dry and steam saunas, table tennis facilities and a relaxation room free of charge.

Ośrodek Zagroń is located 1.1 km from the Beskid Ski Lift and 1.6 km from the Szkrzyczne Ski Centre. The nearest airport is John Paul II Airport, 68 km from the property.

Dom Pod Beskidkiem

Hotel Dom Pod Beskidkiem is located in Szczyrk, just 50 metres from the Beskidek Ski Lift. Free WiFi is available throughout.

All rooms are decorated with wood and feature a seating area. Towels are provided free of charge. Each room has access to a shared bathroom with a bathtub.

At Dom Pod Beskidkiem you will find a garden, a children’s playground and a terrace. Guests can also make free use of barbecue facilities, a shared lounge with a TV and a fully equipped kitchenette. Free private parking is available on site.

The hotel is 2 km from the Szczyrk Ski Centre. Shops and restaurants can be found 1 km from the centre of Szczyrk.

Trails

The total number of trails is 8, the height difference is 480-870, the number of lifts is 36.

The trails and lifts of Szczyrk can quite compete with the most famous alpine resorts, and everyone, even the most demanding tourist, will find something to their taste here.

There are three ski centers

Szczyrk Mountain Resort

The ski center of the resort is the Szczyrk Mountain Resort. It has a 10-seater gondola lift on Hala Skrzyceńska, capable of taking 3 thousand people up the mountain in an hour. And two new six-seater chairs with heating and wind protection. The lifts send 12 thousand people up the mountain per hour!

The snowmaking system is capable of covering all the slopes of the resort with snow in just five days. The first skiers are promised to be welcomed here no later than the beginning of December.

Beskid Sport Arena

Here, skiers can expect a new six-seater chairlift and the main novelty – a fully illuminated 800-meter black slope on a slope with a maximum slope of 45°. The snowmaking system has also been updated. And there is also a new restaurant here, where the chef is the winner of one of the culinary shows, Marcin Czubak.

Central Sports Center

The third of the ski resorts in Szczyrk is called the Central Sports Center. Its infrastructure is concentrated on Mount Skrzyczne. This year, the lower section has been significantly updated. Now, 4-seater chairlifts transport skiers and snowboarders from Szczyrk to Mount Jaworzyna. The upper part of the route leading from Jaworzyna to Szczyczne was modernized last year.

Local slopes are a real expanse for beginner athletes and families with children, but true professionals will not be bored here either.

The fact is that this resort is used by the Polish Olympic team for winter sports training.

In addition, for true extreme sportsmen and thrill seekers there are 4 ski jumps, and for those who want to diversify their leisure time, comfortable cross-country trails are offered.

Single ski pass

This year, for the first time, a single ski pass will be valid for all three ski complexes Szczyrk. That is, by purchasing it, you will be able to use the services of the Szczyrk Mountain Resort, the Beskid Sport Arena, and the Central Sports Center. A 10-seater gondola, three 6-seater chairlifts, two 7-seaters, as well as seven tow lifts will lift you to more than 40 km of slopes of varying difficulty. Even the most demanding skiers will find a route to their liking and strength.

It is nice that the cost of ski passes will be even lower than at other resorts. In the high season from December 26 to April 3, the price will be 23 euros, and when purchased online at gopass.pl – 18 euros. A six-day ski pass until December 25 costs 95 euros and 90 euros when purchased on the website. From December 26, the price increases to 104 euros. Discounts are available for children and students, and skiers and boarders over 60 years old can ski for free.

Infrastructure and transport

In the central part of the resort between Czarina and Solisko, right next to the starting station of the ski lift, a multifunctional building has been built, which houses an information centre, ticket offices, a shop and equipment rental point, a ski storage room and toilets. Parking for 700 spaces is located nearby.

However, a car is no longer required to be able to ski on the various slopes. From December 1 to the end of March, free buses will run between the parking lot in Skalito and Solisko. During the “hottest” hours – every 15 minutes, and during the quieter hours – every half hour.

Additional entertainment

In their free time from skiing, tourists can enjoy discos, nightclubs, water parks with thermal water, sleigh rides (local sleighs pulled by horses) or horseback riding, and many restaurants, cafes, and bars. The latter, by the way, are famous for their drinks – in particular, the legendary Żywiec beer and vazhonka, which is made according to an old recipe.

Or, if you want, go on an excursion. For example, in Krakow or in the Wieliczka Salt Mines, which are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Sleigh rides

In Szczyrk itself, you can also broaden your horizons and get acquainted with the rich folk culture of the local gurals – their music and dances, embroidery and wooden toys.

The Trail above Żylice is the current symbol of beautiful Szczyrk. The modernized bicycle path, adjacent to the pedestrian path, serves residents and tourists all year round. The starting route is at the city hall and runs along the Żylica River to the square in the center. The main Beskidska Street and the path along the river are connected by a renovated square with a modern fountain. Today it is the center of Szczyrk, and in absentia it is a place for meetings and gatherings of guests and young people.

The Church of Our Lady of Szczyrk is the main religious monument of the city. The church was built in 1912. This is an unusual church: here many parishioners not only find peace of mind, but also recover from illnesses, transfer their hopes to the executors of their most cherished desires.

Another important shrine in the city is the Church of St. James. The building is a monument of wooden architecture and is part of the “Beskid Wooden Architecture” route. The temple was built in the 18th century. Much has been preserved in it unchanged to this day.

When you come to Szczyrk, be sure to visit the Beskid Art Gallery. This large private gallery was opened in 1995. It presents more than 130 works by local artists. The gallery owners also regularly hold concerts, exhibitions and seminars within its walls.