Kazimierz Dolny was a wealthy trading centre in the 16th and 17th centuries and prosperous traders built grand houses around the market square. These well-preserved Renaissance townhouses are some of the best in Poland. The Przybyła Tenements have intricately ornamented attics and geometric decorations on the façades. Whilst the stunning Celej Family Tenement on the town square now houses a collection of painting and artifacts as the Kazimierz Dolny Museum. The rich trading history of the town has also left a series a granary along the Vistula Boulevard, including the Ulanowski Granary which now houses a nature museum.  

If you enjoy exploring religious sites, you won’t want to miss the Church of John the Baptist or the Church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  The Church of John the Baptist is an attractive and imposing Renaissance church that overlooks the market square, providing a sanctuary from the hustle and bustle of the town. It houses one of Poland’s oldest church organs as well as an impressive Baroque interior. The Church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a 16th century church and monastery complex. The Shrine of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary is famous for many miracles. It houses a small museum and a tranquil courtyard garden.  

The hills above Kazimierz Dolny are known as Three Cross Mountain, because of the wooden crosses that adorn the slope there.  Also, on the hillside are the ruins of a castle from the time of Casimir the Great, which hosts music concerts during the summer.  From the castle ruins, walk up the Trzech Krzyzy Mountain to the viewing tower for a spectacular panorama over the whole town – with its characteristic red roofs and whitewashed walls – and the Vistula river.  Don’t miss the old parish church at the foot of the castle, which is known for its extraordinary number of sculpted, carved and painted putti (or cherubs).  

At the end of the ice age, water draining from the Vistula carved an unusual maze of gorges, unlike anything else in Europe. The most popular of these is Korzeniowy Dół (Root Gorge), which is filled with tree roots that wind around like snakes. From here, you can trek to other gorges and make your way to the historic home of Maria and Jerzy Kuncewicz, now a literary museum. 

Whether you’re a meat eater or a vegetarian, you must taste the town’s roosters. Sarzyński Bakery has been baking Kazimierz’s famous bread roosters for half a century. It was thanks to the bakery’s founder Cezary Sarzyński that the delicious roosters became the town’s symbol – and today are sold on every corner.  Why roosters? Legend has it that the devil took a liking to Kazimierz for its delicious poultry, but the last rooster left did not want to be eaten. It hid to allow the Franciscans to sprinkle the devil’s lair with holy water, which chased the devil away. 

Before the World War II, Kazimierz Dolny was home to a bustling Jewish community who made up 50% of the population. The story of their life and death is a poignant and important part of the town’s history. On the slope of Czerniawa Gorge, the old Jewish cemetery was destroyed by the Nazis. It now features a memorial made from pieces of gravestones, with a wide crack symbolizing the tragic fate of the town’s Jewish people. In the town square you’ll find a renovated synagogue. Don’t be discouraged by the unassuming exterior. Inside you’ll find photos of pre-war Jewish life in the town.