NOWA SŁUPIA
Read moreThe village's main attraction is the small Museum of Ancient Metallurgy (Muzeum Starożytnego Hutnictwa), which is open Tuesday to Sunday from 9am to 3pm and is rather interesting and informative. Here you can learn about the ancient techniques of iron mining and forging, brought to life during the traditional Dymarki Świętokrzyskie festival held every September. Continuing from Nowa Słupia towards Mount Święty Krzyż, you come to a Benedictine abbey (Opacztwo Benedyktyńskie), located on the plateau atop the mountain, from the early 12th century, perfectly preserved and Gothic in style. Inside, you'll also find a small natural history museum dedicated to the national park. From here, you can follow the red trail down to Swięta Kataryna. Starting from the church in Nowa Słupia and continuing along Świętokrzyska Street you can follow the path of the cross, made of wood and in traditional Polish style, which leads up to the abbey through the beautiful forests of this national park.
Nowa Słupia is 35 km from Kielce, on the E74 towards Lublin. It is linked to Kielce by a bus service. The village is the third and easternmost entrance to the National Park. In Nowa Słupia, you'll find several homestays (under the Agroturystyka label). On the town's website, you'll find some information on points of interest (downloadable in English): www.nowaslupia.pl. Don't hesitate to take a look.