Kazimierz Dolny is a small town on the Vistula River, about two hours south of Warsaw. It has been a favourite weekend escape for artists and Warsaw residents for over a century — the combination of Renaissance architecture, riverside setting, and wooded hills makes it one of the most picturesque towns in Poland.
The Market Square is lined with ornate merchant houses from the 16th and 17th centuries, when Kazimierz was a prosperous grain-trading town. The ruins of a 14th-century castle sit on the hill above, offering wide views over the Vistula valley. In summer the town fills with painters, gallery-goers, and hikers exploring the loess gorges in the surrounding hills.