Charming Zalipie – The Prettiest Village in Poland
Only 2 hours away from Krakow and far away from the city lifestyle, you’ll find the prettiest village in Poland, Zalipie.
Poland is a fantastic destination and apart from Malbork Castle, The High Tatra mountains and beaches in Sopot it has many incredible cities to visit. But leaving the cities and travelling across the small country roads on our trip in Poland was one of our greatest joys.
Charming Zalipie – The Prettiest Village in Poland
Only 2 hours away from Krakow and far away from the city lifestyle, you’ll find the prettiest village in Poland, Zalipie.
Poland is a fantastic destination and apart from Malbork Castle, The High Tatra mountains and beaches in Sopot it has many incredible cities to visit. But leaving the cities and travelling across the small country roads on our trip in Poland was one of our greatest joys.
Hi, we’re Rach & Marty!
We’ve visited every country in the world and want to help you get the most out of your travels!
We may earn affiliate commissions from websites we link to, at no cost to you. Click here for details.
Our Polish friends told us about Zalipie and we knew we had to see it. It’s an easy two-hour drive from Krakow.
The closest town is Tarnów, about 35kms away.
Table of Contents
Why is Zalipie so special?
Zalipie is a small village where a unique tradition lives on. Back in the 19th century, the women of Zalipie village decided to cover the dirty walls blackened from soot.
The smoke from the chimneys would turn the interior of the house dark and dirty after some time.
The women painted the walls with colourful paint made with powdered dye and milk and then decorated these walls with flowers.
These bright floral patterns were painted everywhere. On the walls inside and outside, on the furniture, on the ceiling and very quickly everyone in the village was participating. The world got out and in 1948 the first competition for the best-painted cottage was held here in Zalipie.
It is truly one of the most picturesque and photogenic places in Europe to see.
What to see in Zalipie?
Once you arrive, I recommend heading straight to the Felicja Curyłowa Farmstead Museum. It was named after the most celebrated artist, Felicja Curyłowa.
This small ethnographic museum runs a guided tour that will grant you access to three houses that are now part of the museum (Chata Biedniacka’ cottage with its thatched roof, and Stefania Łączyńska house and Felicja Curyłowa house).
The tour begins at every hour and it is only in Polish, but you might have a few tourists in the group that can translate some information into English.
Either way, seeing the houses inside was definitely a highlight! Flowers are painted everywhere and they are all unique.
While you wait for the tour to start you might enjoy the small garden and take photos of the houses.
Once your tour is finished, explore the village. You can simply drive slowly around and pull over when you need or you might walk.
Most of the houses with paintings are on the same street as the Painter’s House mentioned below.
Don’t miss the Painters House or Dom Malarek. This is a painted house (the back half of it has been destroyed though) and is one of the most picturesque places in Zalipie.
Before you set off from Krakow, I recommend bringing some food as there is virtually nothing in the village. Also, GPS or navigation might be needed to get here and then get out.
Get Connected with eSIM
Get connected easily on your travels—buy an eSIM! An eSIM works like an app: buy it, download it, and get connected in minutes! It’s easy, affordable, and convenient. Keep your original phone number, too!
Click below and view which eSIM data plan you need for your next adventure. Use our referral code: RACHEL5045, to get $3 off your first purchase!
You can visit anytime, although spring and summer might be the best time.
Also every spring, right after Corpus Christi in June, many women from Zalipie and surrounding villages create new art and enter their houses and farms into the contest.
Apparently, everyone wins a prize!
Getting To Zalipie from Krakow:
Zalipie is about 100km northwest of Kraków, the journey to Zalipie from Kraków takes about 1hr 45mins by car, and the fastest route is via Tarnów.
In the planning stages for your trip to Poland, don’t miss our post about our 8 Favourite Cities to visit in Poland. We cover some essential information about top places to see and some tips on where to eat the best Polish food too.
🐶 Become a House Sitter: Join Trusted Housesitters and enjoy FREE accommodation worldwide. Use our invite to receive 25% off your new membership.
💰 Send Money Anywhere:WISE & Revolut are the best online accounts that let you send money, get paid, and spend money internationally. Both are so easy to use and way cheaper than any bank transfer.
📶 Stay Connected: Airalo eSIM allows you to get connected the moment you land at your destination, and you can avoid those expensive data roaming charges. We LOVE this product! Use promo code NOMAD15 for 15% off ALL eSIMs (new Airalo users only) OR use NOMAD10 for 10% off ALL eSIMs (for existing Airalo users)