self-catering holidays Poland

Holiday house to rent for self-catering holidays in Rabka Zdroj, 25 miles Zakopane, half hour drive Lake Czorsztyn, 1 hour Cracow. Jacuzzi bath. Log fire.

Lake Czorsztyn lies in between Nowy Targ and Kroscienko, just north of Zakopane in south Poland.

To the south east end of the lake is the Pieninski National Park with beautiful views.

Visitors come to the area to walk, cycle, boat and fish and relax around the lake. There is a partially restored 14th century castle on the lake in Czorsztyn that was built without any nails, and another in better condition called the Niedzica or Dunajec Castle (after the river Dunajec) perched on a hill top near the impressive dam. A visitor centre and cafe welcome the many visitors to the dam and castle. It's an interesting castle to view; hunting trophies and shields adorn the walls. The views from the various rooftops are impressive. I highly recommend it as a subject for photographers.

• Views of the Czorsztynskie area

There are also several restaurants in close proximity. We have enjoyed several good meals at Karczma Hajduk by the castle and lake. Their Shepherd's hotpot, served in a small cauldron on a tripod, unexpectedly made with beef, is delicious.

Autumn is meant to be one of the best times to view the colourful trees and hillside views. When we visited in late October, which was being described as a golden autumn, it was still T-shirt weather of between 16 and 19 degrees during the day.

Take part in white water rafting on the Dunajec river for an exhilerating holiday experience.

More about self-catering in Poland in autumn .....

Related pages: National parks in Malopolska - southern Poland