Sitting at the foot of the Beskid Sadecki Mountains, Zlockie is a cosy mountain resort that although lacking some of the features of trendier Krynica or nearby Muszyna, still makes an excellent destination for those who value the peace that mountains and countryside can bring. Zlockie is also a health resort with several thermal water springs.
Zlockie is beautifully set just under the slopes of Mt Jaworzyna Krynicka. It forms a perfect starting point for excursions around the Beskid Sadecki and Beskid Niski Mountains. There are trails leading to the tops of Mt Jaworzyna Krynicka and Lackowa, the highest summit of the Beskid Niski. One of the most popular trails in the neighbourhood is known as Wincenty Pol’s Trail, but there are many other attractions such as the funicular railway to the top of Mt Jaworzyna in Krynica, raft trips down the Dunajec River and horseback riding.
In former times, Zlockie was inhabited by a Lemko community. Now, only a few traces of their culture can be seen in the village, a great exception is the wooden Orthodox Church from the late 19th century plus a small timber granary. The church of St Dmitry is not particularly impressive from the outside, but its interior hides a magnificent iconostasis, the most imposing in the region.
Located on the southern border of Poland, Zlockie is surrounded by low but picturesque mountain ranges such as the Beskid Sadecki and Beskid Niski. These are great opportunities for you to come and relax in a new environment unspoilt by crowds. The village is located in the valley of the Zlocki brook, and there is also another brook nearby known as Szczawnik.
The village was founded around 1580 and in those times it was a region where gold was smelted, and even the etymology of the name “Zlockie” is associated with gold (Polish “zloto”). For long centuries, the village was inhabited by the Lemko, an ethnographic group related to the Ukrainians. After World War II, the Communist authorities of Poland launched a repatriation action where Lemkos together with Ukrainians were moved to Soviet Ukraine and other regions of Poland as revenge against a Ukrainian resistance movement.