Lanckorona, or the crown of the area (land - country and krone - crown), a small village located in the Makowski Beskids, had a large group of admirers since the dawn of history. In the 14th century, King Casimir the Great took a liking to it, and he ordered the construction of a castle on the mountain overlooking the surrounding area, the ruins of which can still be seen today. The charms of Lanckorona were also discovered by summer visitors who, in the interwar period, came from nearby Krakow for walks, river baths and classic excursions.

Among them was a colourful bohemian, which made the green undulating village into the artistic capital of Małopolska. Krakow could hide in comparison. These lovely villas tucked away among the trees, this artistic spirit floating in the air, the tilted market square, health treks and top-level social gatherings. Marek Grechuta sang about Lanckorona, Nowosielski painted here, Adam Hanuszkiewicz, Andrzej Wajda, Zofia Kucówna rested, and Agnieszka Błotnicka placed the plot of her novel here.

We came here 20 years ago and you already know that we will stay forever. First, there was an author's gallery at the address 101 a. There were ceramic birds, leaves, bowls, angels, clouds, unicorns and mugs. Then we took a few steps and found our Ark. One of the most beautiful and oldest houses that survived the village fire. We have created a cafe-institution here - Cafe Arka, where you can drink delicious coffee, delicious tea, eat dumplings, and then dance, listen to local bands live and take part in workshops. When the cafe attracted more and more admirers, I took up a new passion. Creating effective accommodation at a low cost. This is how Mała Kuźnia was created, which hides an apartment for 2 people behind thick walls. There are steep stairs made of old metal cabinets and scales brought from Lower Silesia, a mini bathroom separated from the kitchen, an openwork partition from an old door and a lot of art here and there.

Make yourself comfortable in the attic bedroom, have a coffee in the garden or in Cafe Arka, which is just a few steps away from you, cook dinner in the summer kitchen, go for a walk along the Aleja Cichych Szeptów (Alley of Soft Whispers), and admire the Tatra Mountains from Lanckorońska Góra.

Lanckorona is a wonderful small town, let it charm you.

In Lanckorona, an artistic village that has no equal. It wins in our rankings in terms of climate, unique architecture, density of artists per square meter and extremely slow life. Particularly noteworthy are 19th-century houses with passage halls, shingle or thatched roofs, deep arcades without pillars, and entrances to basements covered with trapdoors. Interestingly, one of the old laws stated that the end of the roof also means the end of the farmer's estate, hence the large protrusion of roofs and the high density of buildings.

We invite you to the enchanted garden where our small, old forge stands. This is an apartment for two people, with an area of 25 m2 on the ground floor plus a bedroom in the attic.
My passion is renovating what is old, using things I got or found at flea markets in an unusual way and arranging interiors not lavishly, but artistically and uniquely. My imagination suggests unique solutions, and so in Mała Kuźnia I created stairs from old metal cabinets, and an old scale that I bought in Lower Silesia also contributed to the creation of stairs to the bedroom. Look closely and you will probably notice other patents and designer flavors.
In the interiors you will also find works by me and my dear wife.
Coming to the point, at the bottom you will find:
- a living room with a work space, including a desk, a leather sofa for relaxation, and a heating stool,
- behind the openwork partition wall - necessary kitchen equipment with an induction cooker, fridge and coffee machine,
- a small bathroom with a shower under the stairs.
On the steep side! stairs up:
- a low mezzanine (approx. 165 m at the top) but very cozy with a bed for 2 people, a panoramic window and a beautiful view of the mountains,
- air conditioning, because it gets warm under the roof in the summer.

Don't let the old forge walls fool you. We have underfloor heating and three electric radiators, and the apartment is always heated before guests arrive. You will be warm here.

An iron and ironing board, a hairdryer, a printer and a wireless speaker are also at your disposal.

You can take small dogs with you.

The Small Forge is prepared so that the two of you are self-sufficient here. The kitchen is unique because it is made of stone. The old walls of the former forge are now stars and make an impression. Openwork partitions made of old doors also add to the atmosphere. It is equipped with everything you need to prepare meals, there is a small fridge, automatic coffee machine, induction hob, kettle, pans and pots. Scrambled eggs, simple pasta, soup - you will surely be able to cook something up. Stew, wellington or meringue can be a problem due to the small surface area and the lack of an odor-absorbing hood.

In the spring and summer season, we install an additional field kitchen with a two-burner gas stove and a grill in the garden.

If you do not like cooking, we invite you to our Arka Cafe, 20 meters from the Forge. Come for breakfasts with delicious coffee, for afternoon tea with home-made cake and for dinner for soup and pampered dumplings stuffed with various types of stuffing. Also try the beer from Szczyrzycki Browar Cystersów.

For bread, go to Piekarnia Siwek. Delicious bread, bread with a crispy crust, unique Lanckorona buns, pretzels and well-stuffed donuts.

Lanckorona is a great example of the fact that the passing time sometimes avoids cities and towns. It is so small that you do not need to create extensive sightseeing plans, prepare addresses worth seeing, but it has so much charm and points that are worth checking in that it is enough for a few days of walking. The whole town looks a bit like a live open-air museum. Here is an old whitewashed cottage, there are ruins of a 14th century castle, a villa around the corner, where Józef Piłsudski, Józef Beck, Ignacy Mościcki, and later Karol Wojtyła stayed.

Take your first steps to the Museum Chamber, at the very market square. The exhibition itself is modest, but interesting, and it authentically presents the history of Lanckorona, archaeological excavations from the castle area, items evoking the everyday life of the inhabitants and, most importantly, a model of the market square before the fire in the 19th century. It is here in the Chamber that you will meet true enthusiasts who know all the Lanckorona secrets, stories, courtyards and all the surrounding cats. They will be happy to show you paths to interesting places. It is also worth taking advantage of the tours organized by guides, such as "Everyday life of old Lanckoronians", "Secrets of the former Lanckorona buildings".

With or without a guide, it is worth climbing Lanckorońska Mountain (550 m above sea level) towering over the city. On its top, there are the ruins of a 14th-century castle, one of many built at the behest of Casimir the Great. On its slopes, there are two viewpoints, from which, when the visibility is good, looking south, you can even see the panorama of the Tatra Mountains, Diablak, or Babia Góra, and when looking north, you can see the Kościuszko Mound in Kraków. The alleys and paths around the Lanckorońska Mountain are 10 km long, lead through various terrain and have charming names dating back to the 1920s, such as Aleja Zakochanych or Aleja Silent Whispers.

It is more than certain that you will find a village square with wooden buildings. Unique and the only one of its kind in Poland. Here you will discover angels, beautiful ceramics, cafes and be amazed that people can live so peacefully, in such a timelessness.

A few steps from the market square, in our Arka Cafe you can not only drink delicious coffee with cinnamon and ginger or good loose tea. Throughout the year, we organize vernissages, concerts, wine tastings, dancing parties, and in January, the annual "Interpersonal Christmas carols" takes place. On the way, from the café, you will find our original Artistic Ceramics Gallery. This is where you can buy decorative and functional works of mine, my wife and our friends - sculptors, painters and ceramists.

Hence, the smell of warm bread will lead you to the Siwek bakery with over 100 years of tradition. Buy some bread and necessarily a Lanckorona bun.

Lanckorona is already old, but it does not rest on its laurels. For several years, events have been organized here: Easter Market, Midsummer Fair and the most interesting Angel Festival in the Town - an event that has been taking place in the village for 10 years.

Mała Kuźnia is a two-bed apartment, only for adults, so this time the little ones stay at home.

In the house you will find a large desk overlooking the garden and a comfortable sofa for long conversations. It's quiet and very private here. Come for an independent work or take your other half for a joint workation. After work, plan a walk around the picturesque area and coffee in our Ark.