Beskid Mały — literally the 'Small Beskids' — punches well above its weight. This compact mountain range in southern Poland stretches just 35 km, yet rewards hikers with sweeping views, quiet forest trails, and a genuine sense of escape without the crowds of more famous ranges nearby.

Walking here means weaving through beech and spruce forests that open suddenly onto grassy ridges with panoramas stretching to the Tatras, Babia Góra, and the glistening Żywiec Lake. The Soła River cuts dramatically through the range, creating a scenic gorge flanked by two artificial reservoirs — Lake Międzybrodzkie and Lake Czanieckie — that give the landscape an almost Alpine lakeside feel. It is a range you can explore deeply in a single long weekend.

• Czupel (931 m) — the highest peak, offering a sweeping panorama across the Western Beskids
• Łamana Skała (929 m) — rugged rocky summit with dramatic outcrops and fine views
• Leskowiec (918 m) — a beloved hiking destination with a mountain shelter and a hilltop cross visible for miles
• Groń Jana Pawła II (885 m) — a moving hilltop chapel commemorating Karol Wojtyła's hikes through this region

• Best time: May–June and September–October — lush greenery or golden autumn colours, far fewer visitors than midsummer
• Base towns: Andrychów, Wadowice, Bielsko-Biała, Sucha Beskidzka
• Trail difficulty: easy to moderate — well suited to families, beginners, and leisurely walkers
• Getting there: by car from Kraków or Bielsko-Biała (approx. 1 hour); by train to Andrychów or Bielsko-Biała, then local bus

Before he became Pope John Paul II, Karol Wojtyła was a regular hiker in these very mountains — a connection that makes the summit bearing his name one of the most quietly moving spots in the Polish Beskids.