Pieskowa Skala Castle and Czestochowa including the 'Black Madonna' Day Tour from Krakow

Krakow, Poland

Follow the Eagles Nest Trail to Czestochowa to see the "Black Madonna", a Gothic painting of Our Lady at the monastery of Jasna Gora. Returning to Krakow you will stop at the Renaissance Castle in Pieskowa Skala which is home to the Museum of the National Wawel Art Collections.

In the city of Czestochowa is Poland's national shrine and the icon which has drawn pilgrims from across the globe for centuries.

The monastery of Jasna Gora is home to the miraculous "Black Madonna", a Gothic painting of Our Lady, which after Rome, Lourdes and Mecca makes Czestochowa one of the most important pilgrimage destinations in the world today. Your visit to the monastery includes the Miraculous Picture Chapel and the Basilica.

Also, you can visit the 600th-Anniversary Museum, the Arsenal and the Treasury on your own, if you wish, while others on the tour have a break for lunch and buying souvenirs.

Your journey back to Krakow takes you along the Eagles Nests Trail, an historic strategic system of watchtowers and castles. Today most of these are in ruins. However, not all of them have been destroyed completely and you will see some that have managed to endure the rigors of time.

On the way back from Czestochowa there will be stop over in Pieskowa Skala to visit a well-preserved Renaissance Castle along the Eagle Nests Trail. High on a cliff over the valley of the Pradnik river, this 14th century fortification was rebuilt in the 16th century as a Renaissance residence. Today it is home to the Museum of the National Wawel Art Collections.

USD $76.36

Traveler Reviews

Review by: gutowiczl	September 2011
go if you are really into visiting pilgrimage sites...the 1;30 CHURCH vit whe the madonna is unveiled is a warm expoerience as everyone there is deeply involved in the experience...drive there not great...

Review by: George X	September 2011
A wonderful day out. At the black Madonna there is so much to see. A placeof prayer for us catholics. Time was short, though our wonderful guide granted us another half an hour on our request. At the Castle we could have saved time to spend at Cztochowa.

Review by: David D	August 2011
This was a fantastic trip.Pieskowa Skala Castle is a definite must for all travellers. It's a beautiful place.Czestochowa is a fantastic spiritual place and the black Madonna worth the trip alone.A nun was our tour guide and she was amazing.The only down side was the maroon coach and the inadequate knee room .

Review by: Bryan T	June 2011
The driver Andrew was very informative. _br/_ You get plenty of time ate the black madonna._br/_ In the castle you get a good insight on the work of arts. Especially if the tourguide i very passionate about the object their.

Review by: Jonathan F	October 2010
Our guide mumbled into his boots a little and it was a bit rainy, but overall was a good trip.

Review by: Anonymous	August 2010
The Pieskowa Skala Castle is extremely interesting, expecially when the tour guide speaks very good English and knowledgeable. Do expect a big crowd at the monastery of Jasna Gora.

Review by: Burt A	August 2010
A lovely trip into the countryside with a well informed and communicative guide. There were only four of us plus the guide and both the tour of Czestochowa and the Castle were wonderful. Our guide was particularly well versed in the museum at the castle. Would definitely recommend this trip to others.

Review by: Craig B, United States of America	July 2010
This was a very good tour. There were 6 people in our group and the driverguide was excellent. I strongly recommend this tour if your are religious or want to see an aspect of Polish Catholicism. However, be warned that it is a two hour drive to Czestochowa and two hours back. In a car, it was a bit cramped. Our guide gave us lots of information about Poland and Polish history on the ride to and from Czestochowa. Czestochowa was very crowded with lots of pilgrims. We spent three hours there. two hours with the guide and one hour on our own The visit to Pieskowa Skala castle was about an hour long.

Review by: Irene S, United States of America	July 2010
Great driverguide and well worth time spent.

Review by: Anonymous, United States of America	May 2010
Excellent.

Review by: Laina M, Israel	November 2009
At the last minute we decided to rather do the trip to the Tatra mountains because it was thought there would not be that much to see on this trip seeing as though the castles were ruins. We were expecting to go by coach but went by car with a wonderful guide who had been a school teacher with a great depth of knowlege and love of Polish history which really enriched this experience. We went to Zagapone and visited villages with 800 year old wooden houses that look brand new, as well as the studio of a famous mountain sculptor and bought some lovely items. Went around a unique cemetary - very unusual headstones maximising use of wood from the area. Visited a large open market and would have gone up in the cable car would have been great as there was snow on the peaks, but it was being repaired. Rounded the trip off with lunch at a Hungarian restaurant with huge open fire place, perfect. I think November is just the right time to visit Krakow and environs when it is not overrun with tourists and one can really absorb all that is there to be found.

Review by: Kathryn C, United States of America	October 2009
I was very lucky in that there were only two of us on the tour! Probably not really good for the company but excellent for me. The Black Madonna was very interesting to see but be prepared for crowds, even in the off season. I was never really able to get up close to get a good full-on picture they were all taken from the side as we walked through the queue. The castle was nice, nothing spectacular. But on the whole it was an enjoyable trip and the guide was very knowledgeable.

Review by: Anonymous, Ireland	October 2009
The Black Madonna was worth visiting and you also get so see the blood stained clothing that Pope John Paul II was wearing the day he got shot in Rome in a glass case beside the Black Madonna. However I felt we didn't have enough time in Czestchowa. We got there at about 11 and had to leave at about 12.15 0r 12.30. While the castle we went to see on the way home was nice i would have much preferred more time in Czestochowa

Review by: airportbabe	October 2009
I was very lucky in that there were only two of us on the tour! Probably not really good for the company but excellent for me. The Black Madonna was very interesting to see but be prepared for crowds, even in the off season. I was never really able to get up close to get a good full-on picture they were all taken from the side as we walked through the queue. The castle was nice, nothing spectacular. But on the whole it was an enjoyable trip and the guide was very knowledgeable.

Review by: Anonymous, United States of America	June 2009
It was a delightful trip, and we had an excellent tour guide.

Review by: Alan K, United States of America	November 2008
If you are Catholic, this is a must. The tour was very interesting. However, we felt rushed to try and attend mass, visit the museums and spend some time in the store. Another half an hour would have been nice.

Review by: Claire S, New Zealand	June 2008
This is an unhurried day away from the city. The Black Madonna has put Czestochowa on the map, which is a blessing for the tourist trade which would have been lost without it! It's a significant icon for Catholics, so it draws Poles as well as tourists. The treasury is worth a look too. I also enjoyed the return journey through the attractive countryside and Pieskowa Skala Castle. The castle also had a museum with good displays of furniture and art, some real treasures.

Review by: Norah D, United Kingdom	May 2008
We got to Czestochowa early and since we were in a mini bus there were no a lot of us, seven in all, and we were very lucky because we went around the altar to see the Black Madonna and there was no queuing. It got very busy later, but we would not have missed it. I was told it was busier because of the Marian month of May. I think people going to Pieskowa Castle should be told about the long climb up to the castle. We had a good guide who was very knowledgeable for both of the trips.

Review by: L W, United States of America	March 2008
I booked this tour solely for the trip to monastery at Czestochowa, and I was not disappointed. In addition to the chapel with the "Black Madonna", there were three very interesting and moving museums. Then on the way back to Krakow, we stopped at an amazingly well preserved castle with an interesting decorative arts museum. What a great day!

Review by: LESLIE W	March 2008
I booked this tour solely for the trip to monastery at Czestochowa, and I was not disappointed. In addition to the chapel with the "Black Madonna", there were three very interesting and moving museums. Then on the way back to Krakow, we stopped at an amazingly well preserved castle with an interesting decorative arts museum. What a great day!

Review by: Edward P, United States of America	November 2007
After Auschwitz, this was a very uplifting experience.

Review by: Edward A. P	November 2007
After Auschwitz, this was a very uplifting experience.

Review by: Anonymous, United States of America	March 2007
Fascinating. Our guide was wonderful and we were able to attend a mass at the church, which was quite moving. The drive was also beautiful.