Dunajec Castle in Niedzica

Very close - Dunajec Castle stands about half a kilometre from the resort, at ul. Cisowa 5 in Niedzica, meaning a walk of a dozen or so minutes along the path beside Lake Czorsztyn, with no need for a car.

The castle was built by Spiš magnates of the Berzeviczy family in the first half of the 14th century - the first documentary mentions date from 1325-1330. The stone stronghold was expanded by, among others, Wilhelm Drugeth, a dignitary at the court of Charles Robert, and it guarded the northern border of the Kingdom of Hungary and the trade route linking Hungary with Poland.

Unlike nearby Czorsztyn, which remains a permanent ruin, the castle in Niedzica has survived in near-complete form. In the 16th century the Horváth family gave the Gothic fortress a Renaissance, residential character, and after the Second World War the property came under state care - since 1950 the Association of Art Historians has run a museum there.

According to the legend, unconfirmed by scholars, the Berzeviczy family, who took refuge at the castle, were related - through Princess Umina and her husband, a relative of Tupac Amaru - to the Inca dynasty. Part of the story is an event from 31 July 1946, when Andrzej Benesz supposedly retrieved a sealed tube containing a kipu, an Inca knotted-cord script, from beneath the castle gate threshold, allegedly pointing to the treasure's hiding place. The object went missing, and the matter remains an unsolved mystery.

Yes, the castle has repeatedly served as a film location. Scenes were shot here for "Zemsta" (Revenge) in 1955, based on the Fredro play, and in the modern Netflix series "The Witcher," the castle played the seat of King Foltest.

The castle stands on a limestone crag at an altitude of about 566 metres above sea level, towering over the surface of Lake Czorsztyn. From its walls and towers there is one of the most recognisable Pieniny views - the water, the crest of the dam, and the ruins of Czorsztyn Castle on the opposite shore.

Ticket prices and opening hours depend on the season and can change, so it is best to check them before your visit directly on the official website of the Niedzica Castle Museum. The castle operates as a museum, so visits follow standard opening hours for visitors.

The lake is an artificial reservoir created by the construction of a dam on the Dunajec - work ran from 1975 to 1997, when the dam was officially opened. It was this project that transformed the landscape around the castle, creating the vast expanse of water above which the medieval stronghold now picturesquely stands.

The castle itself - its courtyards, Gothic and Renaissance interiors and museum exhibits - can be toured at a relaxed pace, and since it is literally a few minutes' walk from the resort, it is easy to combine the visit with a short walk along the shore of Lake Czorsztyn and a look at the Czorsztyn castle ruins across the water.

The castle sits right above Lake Czorsztyn and near the Niedzica dam crest, so in a single afternoon you can tour the stronghold, walk along the lakeshore, and take in the ruins of Czorsztyn Castle on the opposite side of the water. Questions about the current walking route or other nearby attractions are best directed straight to the Mergen Bike & Ski Resort staff by phone or email.