Sport Arena Myślenice

Myślenice is the closest ski resort to Kraków in "real" mountains. Just south of the town, the Beskid Makowski drops in a steep escarpment to the gently rolling foothills, forming a rise more than 300 metres above its surroundings. The deep Raba valley cuts picturesquely through the mountains here, carrying the zakopianka, the main road south to Zakopane. East of the river rises a scenic little range with the peaks of Uklejna and Chełm. It is on the slopes of the latter that the ski resort lies. The resort's beginnings go back to the construction of a 1-seater chairlift from Zarabie to the summit of Chełm (632 m). It was built in 1989, but the planned ski resort was not built at the time. Interestingly, it was then probably the longest chairlift in Poland! The idea of building a proper ski resort was revived at the start of this century. In 2005 a 770-metre Doppelmayr 4-seater chairlift was built, with a wide piste beside it. The piste has a vertical drop of 235 metres and is excellent for fast, dynamic carving. It is without doubt the best piste in the immediate vicinity of Kraków. A button lift and a children's lift were also built. In winter the old chairlift is not used: skiers can drive up and use the car parks at the new chairlift's valley station, and when the car parks fill up, skiers are taken to the slope by minibus. A piste from Chełm down to Zarabie, designed long ago, is still waiting to be built, but there are currently no specific dates (if it is ever built at all). In recent years the resort was briefly closed after a change of ownership, but it has been running regularly since the 2013/14 season. Skiers can count on a ski service and a rental shop and, by the chairlift's top station, on good food in the renovated, atmospheric restaurant just below the summit of Chełm. Night skiing here is a special experience: below you, the villages of the foothills and Myślenice itself sparkle with a thousand lights. It is also worth climbing the viewing tower, which offers a fine view of the surrounding mountains; in good weather you can see as far as the Gorce and the Tatras. Myślenice is a very good choice for skiers from Kraków: it is the quickest good slope to reach, 20 minutes from the city limits on a dual carriageway. Thanks to the north-facing aspect, in favourable conditions you can ski here until the end of March, and we recommend the resort above all to more advanced skiers.