Our house in Rybna could be prescribed. Dosage? Whenever you're tired of Krakow and the urge to escape to the countryside is too strong. Taking it? Immediately! 30 minutes from Krakow's city center and you're in a place that's slower than the queue at the public transport point for a city card. We have everything a true SlowHop should have: a haven among the trees where no one will find you, atmospheric and comfortable interiors in a house steeped in history, and a few hedonistic touches for those in need of a special treat. There's a sauna, a large bathtub, a room that becomes a movie theater, and our favorite veranda with plush sofas. Perfect for reading books from our library and sipping wine from one of the two nearby vineyards. Plus, although we don't serve food, we're full of recommendations—both culinary and sightseeing-related. You'd be surprised how many attractions await you within walking distance in this village near Krakow. You can skip the car altogether. However, the right decision would be to get in the car for the first time and come to us for a deep reset from Krakow or Silesia. We guarantee you'll return refreshed, as if you'd just spent a week in Masuria.
We enter the house through a spacious veranda immersed in greenery. If we were to gain speed, we could run straight across the ground floor and emerge on the other side onto a small terrace, as the ground floor is a through-floor. But we're slow-moving and don't rush – upon entering, we find ourselves in a kitchen with a large countertop, dishwasher, refrigerator, espresso machine, oven, and all the other bits and pieces for preparing leisurely meals. To the left is a micro-cloakroom for shoes and coats, as well as the entrance to Grandma's Room (which is closed and not rented). Further to the left is a cozy living room with a fireplace, a large sofa, an armchair, and a dining area, while our Colorful Deer (a vegetarian) keeps a watchful eye on the whole thing from the wall. Between the kitchen and the living room, the so-called Bar invites you to sit: a century-old, ornate table with bar stools, ideal for those not preparing dinner (with coffee or wine), because, as we all know, we relax best by watching others do something. Straight behind the Bar is the bathroom area: on the left, an authentic bathroom with a large bathtub, shower, lounger, and sauna for days when the field gets cooler. On the right, a smaller toilet with a sink and washing machine. Stairs from the kitchen and a door that dates back to the days when only hay was stored there lead upstairs. Today, there are three bedrooms:
– With a Large Window – a lockable room with one double bed and one single bed,
– Above the Veranda – a larger lockable bedroom with two single beds and one sofa that folds out into a double bed, as well as a scenic swing,
– The final bedroom, Airport, is a large, walk-through open space in the middle of the attic, with four single beds, plenty of pillows for lounging, a table, hammocks, and plenty of room for somersaults. This last space can also be transformed into a yoga room or a movie room (a projector on the ceiling, the wall as a screen, and a laptop with an HDMI port would be useful). The beds are lightweight and can be stacked when you want to free up space, or placed side by side to create a large daybed when you want to watch a movie with a group of people. This is what our home looks like :-)
We don't serve food, but we do share recommendations – and not just any recommendations. Our area boasts several very interesting places to enjoy delicious food and refreshing drinks. A 20-minute walk north of Ujutna is Patio: a South African restaurant (yes, it's great!), worth a visit from Friday to Sunday, when they're open. Another 20-minute walk, this time south, through a karst gorge and village, will take you to Va Bene – a restaurant serving Italian cuisine in the heart of Rybna.
In contrast, the interesting places for drinks are spread out east-west: a half-hour trip west along dirt roads will take you to Jura Winery, a stunningly scenic spot where you can buy local wines. Tours with tastings are available on Sundays. If you head east, you'll walk for about half an hour through fields and a wooded gorge, before reaching the second winery, Zagrabie. In the center of the house is a fantastic observation deck, from which hikers can admire the Vistula River Valley, Babia Góra, and the Tatra Mountains. Of course, you can also buy local wines on site, and we also organize tasting events.
And if you've had enough of walking, our kitchen has all the necessary appliances for leisurely cooking and plenty of space for food preparation. In front of the house there's also a barbecue and a homemade rustic banquet table – see for yourself how delicious an evening dinner or breakfast tastes there. Enjoy! :-)
If you want, you'll be bored – we love it at our house that you can be bored with a clear conscience, lounging around, staring at the grass, and lying on a deckchair without a plan or purpose. And if you get tired of this boredom, you can do this:
On foot:
– Walks – we'll be happy to recommend where and how to go to keep things interesting. The area is hilly and crisscrossed by gorges, yet situated quite high, offering numerous viewpoints and sweeping panoramas of the Vistula Valley, Babia Góra, and the Tatra Mountains. Right next to Ujutno runs a section of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route (the Tyniec–Sanka section) and several intersecting hiking and cycling trails. It takes about 25 minutes. Just a short walk from our house, on a hill with a beautiful view towards Babia Góra, is the local mini zoo, which organizes children's events in the summer – and you can come and pet a rabbit, goat, or donkey every day. A similar distance away is the Zimny Dół Reserve, a gorge with bouldering routes, and the Rudno Valley Stream Reserve – perfect for forest walks along the stream.
– Visiting local vineyards and restaurants – check out the 'What I'll Eat' section.
– Sauna and hot tub – can you get bored with a sauna, hot tub, and wine? When it snows, you can take a dry swim in front of the house.
– A library of Nobel Prizes, Nike Prizes, Pulitzers, and other Book Prizes – we've carefully selected the books on our shelves so you'll find titles you've always wanted to read but never had time for. There are also a few classics. Enjoy :-)
– Screenings - in the middle room upstairs, you'll find a projector and a wall that doubles as a screen, so you can have a short movie marathon (a laptop with an HDMI port will be useful).
– Deckchairs and hammocks in the garden and attic - you sit or lie down wherever you like - and that's it.
– Sunsets by the bonfire - priceless.
– Cherry picking in summer - our orchard has a dozen or so old cherry trees, so June is a cherry madness - who will be first, the starlings or you?
By car:
As you can see, staying in Ujutno for a few days means you can skip the car altogether and do something interesting every day. You can also quickly drive to attractions such as:
Mnikowska Valley with a rock painting of the Virgin Mary – 10 min
Kajasówka Reserve, rich in fossils – 10 min
Railway Museum Czernichów Główny Station – 18 min
Kryspinów Reservoir – a swimming area with summer water attractions – 17 min
Medieval Tenczyn Castle and the Agate Museum – 18 min
Atmospheric open-air museum in Wygiełzów – 25 min
Energylandia Amusement Park – 35 min
Krakow's Main Market Square and all the other attractions – 35 min
Hammocks, books, swings, trees, a bonfire, movie night, badminton, and our favorite is dousing ourselves with water from a garden hose on hot days! We also recommend hiking in the gorge in search of ammonites, listening to birds in the morning, and picking strawberries near the secret steps in the garden. We recommend plenty of nature, watching the night sky, and walking barefoot on the grass. And if the kids are hungry for attractions, check out the section: Will I be bored?
We don't have dedicated workspaces, but the house and garden are spacious, and you'll always find a quiet corner to work on: in an armchair with a footstool, on a hanging chair, on the bed, at the bar, or at the comfortable dining table. Two of the upstairs bedrooms have lockable doors, so you can easily participate in an online meeting or work on your ideas there. However, it's best to work on the sofa on the veranda, where the birds are singing and you can rest your eyes on the greenery. And when you get tired, you can stop with your laptop at the bar in the kitchen and have a cup of coffee while leading a meeting. WiFi is available throughout the house, and there's also a projector, but it's better for watching movies than presentations. There are plenty of conveniently placed power outlets, and strategically located between the kitchen and living room is a dedicated phone charging area.
