Micro-expedition to the Beskid Wyspowy and beyond... Medieval monasteries, beer, whale mountains and palms

We invite you to a 3-day micro-expedition to southern Poland (27–29 March 2026). The trip is divided into 3 stages: visiting medieval monasteries near Kraków, hiking in the Beskid Wyspowy, and a fair with a palm procession in Lipnica Murowana.

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PROGRAM:

• DAY 1: 27 MARCH 2026 (FRIDAY) - Meeting 27.03.2026, 05:00 in front of the Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw, at the parking lot opposite the entrance to Kinoteka. Departure around 05:10 towards Kraków. Tour of monasteries: Cistercian Abbey in Mogila (church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Wenceslaus), Benedictine Abbey in Staniątki (the oldest Benedictine convent in Poland) and Cistercian Abbey in Szczyrzyc. Cistercian Brewery in Szczyrzyc – the history of brewing at the monastery (founded in 1824; in 1945–1951 the only active monastic brewery in socialist countries belonging to a Catholic order). Transfer to Mszana Dolna, accommodation in the guesthouse Słoneczny Ośrodek (double rooms with bathrooms), dinner.
• DAY 2: 28 MARCH 2026 (SATURDAY) - Breakfast, continuation of sightseeing depending on weather conditions. Option I (good/very good weather): Hike to Mogielica (1171 m a.s.l.) via Jasień, Polana Wały, Hala Stumorgowa; climb the observation tower; traverse to the Rydz-Śmigły Pass. Walking time approx. 6.5–7 h; distance approx. 15 km; total ascent approx. 680 m; total descent approx. 710 m. Option II (average/poor weather, wet/foggy): Trek to Luboń Wielki (Perć Borkowskiego from Rabka Zaryte, descent via green trail); on the summit of Luboń the prewar tourist shelter; later by bus a stroll through the spa town Rabka-Zdrój, visit to the Władysław Orkan Museum (in the former wooden church) and the Railway Rolling Stock Open-Air Museum in Chabówka. Return to the guesthouse, dinner.
• DAY 3: 29 MARCH 2026 (SUNDAY) - Breakfast, check-out. Lipnica Murowana: market square with arcaded houses (18th–19th c.), participation in the service and procession with Easter palms and a holiday market with regional products (possibility to buy handicrafts and local delicacies). St. Leonard’s Church (inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List) – a valuable, almost unchanged wooden Gothic church. Melsztyn Castle – a partially reconstructed tower with views over the Dunajec valley, the Rożnowskie Foothills and the Beskids. Departure for the return trip; planned arrival in Warsaw around 21:30–22:00.

PRICE: - 1050 PLN/person + costs of entry to visited sites, offerings in temples and fees for local guides (120 PLN/person, payable on the day of departure).

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We warmly invite you!