It was the second day of our trip and we already had covered quite a distance from Warsaw which is in the Mazovian region to Malopolska or the Lesser Poland region into the city of Krynica Zdroj which is approximately 400 kilometres south of Warsaw and 140 kilometres south east from Krakow- the Cultural Capital. After one of the longest days of the tour, we arrived at the four star Hotel Spa Dr Irena Eris located at Krynica Zdroj which is a place to spend atleast a couple of nights. Krynica-Zdroj is a region comprising of 13000 inhabitants and is one of the biggest spa towns in Poland besides being a winter sports centre as well. In fact the region is known as the Pearl of the Polish Spas and the town has also hosted the World Ice Hockey Championship way back in 1931. For over a decade, the mountain range of Jaworzyna Krynicka has become a major attraction especially after the gondola lift was installed here in 1997 which takes you on top of the mountain to give you a very picturesque view of Krynica. Equipped with modern skiing facilities, the mountains are a perfect setting for cross country skiing in winters and mountain biking as well as hiking during summers. As we were extremely hungry and we had arrived at the hotel almost nearing midnight, we headed straight for the restaurant known as “Sixth Sense” for a late night buffet comprising of a wide range of salads, soup along with a variety of vegetarian and non-vegetarian cuisine with some fine dessert to end a very long day. The Sixth Sense restaurant serves a wide range of Greek, Italian, Hungarian and Old Polish cuisine especially on the weekends and the sumptuous food indeed was a great way to end our day! We were looking forward to the morning to explore more of this beautiful region.

After breakfast and a quick site inspection, we headed for the Jaworzyna Krynicka ski station which was in close proximity to our hotel to take the gondola lift up the mountain. During our site inspection of the hotel property, we got to know a few interesting facts not only about the property but also of the region. Krynica Zdroj has over 200 years of tradition and is one of the premier spa areas due to its favourable bioclimate, natural landscape, richness of highly mineralized water as well as centuries old tradition of offering healing solutions to health problems. Traditionally, Polish health spas date back to the 13th Century and the spas are not only for those with health problems but also for those seeking peace and relaxation and the tranquility that one gets to experience in this very picturesque region of natural beauty.

Krynica Zdroj is an ideal location for health resorts as it is famous for its medical mineral water springs. The vicinity offers picturesque landscapes of the Beskid Sadecki Range. In winter, it is a haven for ski lovers as there is snow all around and ski tracks with different severities for amateur skiers. The Hotel Spa run by Dr Irena Eris is one of the premier properties of the region and belongs to the International Spa Association. Besides wellness programmes ranging from a weekend to a week long programme, the Spa Hotel also offers yoga programmes, slimming programmes and programmes for “mums-to-be” as well as “just married” programmes for honeymooners at great value starting as low as EUR 1250 per couple (which is a mere 625 Euros per person) and you get a great deal comprising of 5 nights accommodation on a full board basis with complimentary glass of wine during dinners, spa and beauty treatments, massages, unlimited access to all amenities at the hotel, cable car ride on top of the mountain range and transfer from the railway station to the Hotel as well

Besides the “Sixth Sense” restaurant, the property has the Lachowka Chalet where you can enjoy a barbecue along with traditional music from the Polish mountains. Then there is the Lamus Club which provides a relaxing evening with live music on Saturday evenings and you can enjoy some fine cuisine with vintage alcohol and elaborate cocktails till the wee hours of midnight. “By the fireplace” pub is the ideal place to relax after a work out or a trek or hike in summer or after skiing in the mountains during winter.

The hotel also houses a 3 storey Dr Irena Eris Skin Care Institute comprising of 19 treatment rooms including beauty parlours, massage rooms with a complete menu of massages, a dermatologist surgery and a solarium as well. The Spa Hotel is truly the ideal place to pamper yourself in luxury without paying an exorbitant price which you would pay for similar category of luxury resorts in Western Europe. It was very difficult for us to leave this lovely resort as we were all keen on experiencing a spa treatment however there was lots in store for us on day 3 of Pulsating Poland. We checked out after a healthy breakfast to take the cable car up the Jaworzyna Krynicka Station which is located at an altitude of 1114 metres.

As it was end of summer, we had some excellent weather with ambient temperatures ranging around 15°C with lots of greenery around. The best way to go up and get a scenic view is by the cable car, although active holidaymakers can follow a bike trail criss crossing the mountain range or do a hike which will take you up in a couple of hours. Once you are on top of Jaworzyna Krynicka range, you can enjoy some warm beer with honey at the bar on top of the mountain and along with it have some fine polish pastries without feeling guilty, especially if you are burning a few calories after a hike or trek along the mountain range. Interestingly, at the gondola station as well as on top of the range there were statues of various species of dinosaurs, probably indicating that the place was waiting to be discovered from the times of the Jurassic period.

The view from up above is stunning and on a clear day you can get a panoramic view of the Beskidy, Pieniny as well as the Tatra Mountains. After spending 20 odd minutes clicking pictures, we took the cable car back down to head to our next destination- Hotel Klimek which is in another picturesque region of the Beskid Sadecki Range known as Muszyna Zlockie. As we were driving from Krynica to Muszyna, the drive was very scenic as Krynica is located in the south-eastern part of the Beskid Sadecki range and is surrounded by forested mountains in a protected zone which is at an altitude ranging between 550 and 725 metres. The region is surrounded by the remains of the former Carpathian Primeval Forest.

(To be continued)

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