A Glimpse of History

Leśnica is a small village with a history dating back to the end of the 13th century. Three centuries later, it came into the possession of monks from the Red Monastery, but for many centuries afterward, it remained almost completely isolated from the outside world. The first connection to civilization was the Pieniny Road, built at the end of the 19th century. Residents of Leśnica had to wait until 1967 for a road from the direction of Wielki Lipnik! However, this centuries-long isolation also had positive aspects, as it helped preserve traditional customs and architecture in Leśnica for a relatively long time. After the end of World War I, a dispute arose between the newly formed Poland and Czechoslovakia over Leśnica. At that time, the village became part of our southern neighbor, but in 1938, Poland again annexed Leśnica to its territory. This situation remained until the outbreak of the next war, after which the border finally took its current form.

What is Worth Seeing?

Leśnica has a good tourist infrastructure (restaurants, guesthouses, a mountain hut, a ski lift), but the biggest attraction is the Leśnica Stream Gorge, in whose valley the village is located. The gorge itself is about 500 meters long and is located directly at the mouth of the stream into the Dunajec River. In 1987, it became a strict nature reserve. It primarily protects the rock flora, including sabine juniper, saxifrage, and fringed pink, as well as relict pines.

Hiking Trails

From Leśnica, you can reach the Polish part of the Pieniny Mountains via two trails: the blue and the yellow. First, however, you should reach their intersection, from where you can turn (coming from Leśnica) to the right and enter the yellow trail, which will lead you through Szafranówka to Szczawnica, or continue straight along the Leśnica Stream until you reach the Pieniny National Park. From there, it’s just a short distance to Sokolica!