RyterSKI

Thanks to its scenic location at the mouth of the Poprad gorge through the Sądecki Beskids (Beskid Sądecki), Rytro has long been regarded as an attractive tourist village. It used to be known mainly as a summer destination, but since the small Ryterski Raj ski resort was built a little further up the Roztoka valley (familiar from the children's book "Rogaś z Doliny Roztoki"), it is worth coming in winter too. The pistes run down the north-facing slopes of Jastrzębska Góra (675 m), a hill in the Radziejowa range of the Sądecki Beskids. Although the mountain is fairly low, its slopes are steep enough for quite varied runs. The resort has a Doppelmayr 4-seater chairlift serving three pistes. The red piste "two", FIS-homologated and 700 m long, is an excellent run for experienced, dynamic skiers (at the top it even has a short "black" variant, a rarity in the region). Those who find it difficult have an alternative in the gentle blue piste no. 1, 1,200 m long. The blue "three", laid out along the lower section of piste no. 1 and served by a 500-metre button lift, is a great training slope. Near the chairlift's valley station there is a nursery slope and a magic carpet for children and beginners. The clearing, like the other pistes, has snowmaking and is groomed by piste bashers. All the pistes are also floodlit. On site there is a ski rental shop, a ski service and a ski school offering courses at various levels, and in Rogaś's Kindergarten (Rogasiowe Przedszkole) instructors, together with Rogaś the little deer, teach children their first turns and the young skier's code. Right by the children's clearing is the "Oberża pod aniołami" inn, serving home-made mulled wine and local specialities. At the top of Jastrzębska Góra, by the chairlift's top station, skiers can stop at Rogasiowa Chata and admire the panorama of the Sądecki Beskids over a mug of hot tea. If you choose Ryterski Raj for a holiday, it is worth staying in one of the two hotels right by the slope: the three-star Perła Południa and the Spa & Wellness Jantar, Gościniec Ryterski. From the wide choice of accommodation you can also pick a holiday home, private rooms or an agritourism farm. In short, despite its small size this is a very good place to ski, especially for families with children, but, it is worth stressing, more advanced skiers will also find something for themselves. Good infrastructure and small crowds are further strengths, as is the north-facing aspect of the pistes, which keep their firmness all day. The drawbacks are the low altitude and fairly frequent winds, which sometimes stop the chairlift. While in Rytro, don't miss the ruins of the medieval castle above the village, one of the oldest in the region, which guarded the ancient trade route to Hungary. The ruins offer a fine panorama of the Poprad valley and the surrounding peaks. Ryterski Raj is part of the BeskidSki regional ski pass, together with Śnieżnica, Limanowa, Podstolice, Kokuszka, Spytkowice, Azoty (Krynica Słotwiny) and Jaworki.