Editing Lesser Poland (section)

== Tourism and nature ==
[[File:Kościół archiprezbiterialny Wniebowzięcia Najświętszej Marii Panny.jpg|thumb|left|[[Kraków Old Town]], [[UNESCO]] [[World Heritage Site]]]]
The historical capital of Lesser Poland – [[Kraków]] – is regarded as the cultural capital of Poland,<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Lussiana |first=Mary |url=http://www.time.com/time/travel/article/0,31542,2061127,00.html |title=Museum Updates Make Krakow a Cultural Capital |magazine=TIME |date=24 March 2011 |access-date=8 October 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110903051701/http://www.time.com/time/travel/article/0,31542,2061127,00.html |archive-date=3 September 2011}}</ref> while [[Zakopane]] is considered the winter capital of Poland.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.poland.travel/en-gb/cities/zakopane-the-winter-capital-of-poland/|title=Zakopane - the winter capital of Poland|first=Agnieszka|last=Bigaj|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160330220357/http://www.poland.travel/en-gb/cities/zakopane-the-winter-capital-of-poland|archive-date=30 March 2016|access-date=16 January 2019}}</ref> In 1978, [[UNESCO]] placed Kraków's Old Town on the list of [[World Heritage Sites]]. From Sandomierz to Kraków goes the re-established [[Lesser Polish Way]], one of the routes of the medieval [[Way of St. James]]. Every year, hundreds of thousands of tourists come to Lesser Poland, to see its historic cities – Sandomierz, [[Kazimierz Dolny]], [[Zakopane]], [[Biecz]], [[Opatów]], [[Szydłów]], Lublin, and Kraków. Famous [[Jasna Góra Monastery]] in Częstochowa, spiritual capital of the country,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://poland-travel-guide.info/churches-and-monasteries-in-poland/czestochowa.html |title=Czestochowa – Churches and Monasteries in Poland – Poland travel guide |publisher=Poland-travel-guide.info |access-date=8 October 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111012132152/http://poland-travel-guide.info/churches-and-monasteries-in-poland/czestochowa.html |archive-date=12 October 2011}}</ref> attracts hundreds of thousands of pilgrims, as well as [[Auschwitz concentration camp]] (also placed on the UNESCO World Heritage Sites List<ref name="krakow-info.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.krakow-info.com/unesco.htm |title=UNESCO World Heritage Sites |publisher=Krakow Info |access-date=8 October 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111004073013/http://krakow-info.com/unesco.htm |archive-date=4 October 2011}}</ref>). Lesser Poland has many museums, the city of Kraków itself has about sixty of them. Among the most famous are The [[Czartoryski Museum]], The [[Galicia Jewish Museum]], The [[National Museum, Kraków]], [[Polish Aviation Museum]], [[Sukiennice Museum]], and [[Wawel Castle]]. There are museums in other locations of the province, such as [[Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum]], [[Bielsko-Biała Museum]], [[Holy Father John Paul II Family Home in Wadowice]], ''[[Jacek Malczewski]] Museum in Radom'', ''Lublin Museum'', ''Museum of Częstochowa'', ''Museum of Sandomierz Diocese'', ''Museum of Żywiec Brewery'', ''Museum of Zagłębie in Będzin'', [[Przypkowscy Clock Museum]], ''Regional Museum in [[Wiślica]]'', ''Regional Museum in Siedlce'', ''[[Tytus Chałubiński]] Tatra Museum in Zakopane''.

[[File:Lady with an Ermine - Leonardo da Vinci (adjusted levels).jpg|thumb|upright|''[[Lady with an Ermine]]'' by [[Leonardo da Vinci]], [[Czartoryski Museum]], Kraków]]
Among other major places of interest of the province are: [[Baranów Sandomierski Castle]], [[Będzin Castle]], [[Chęciny Castle]], [[Czarnolas, Zwoleń County|Czarnolas in Zwoleń]], [[Dunajec river castles]], [[Kalwaria Zebrzydowska park]] (UNESCO World Heritage Sites List<ref name="krakow-info.com" />), [[Krzyżtopór]], [[Lipnica Murowana]], [[Lublin Castle]], [[Łysa Góra]], [[Maczuga Herkulesa]], [[Majdanek concentration camp]], [[Niedzica Castle]], [[Ogrodzieniec]], [[Pieskowa Skała]], [[Temple of the Sibyl]], [[Trail of the Eagles' Nests]], [[Wieliczka Salt Mine]] (UNESCO World Heritage Sites List<ref name="krakow-info.com" />), [[Wooden Churches of Southern Lesser Poland]] (UNESCO World Heritage Sites List<ref name="krakow-info.com" />). Furthermore, thousands of tourists come to Radom in northern Lesser Poland, to watch the popular, biannual [[Radom Air Show]]. Lesser Poland has a number of [[open-air museum]]s – ''Góra Birów'' in [[Kraków-Częstochowa Upland]], ''Museum of Kielce Village'' in Kielce, ''Museum of Lublin Village'' in Lublin, ''Museum of Folk Culture'' in [[Kolbuszowa]], ''Museum of Radom Village'' in Radom, ''Vistula River Etnographic Park'' in [[Babice, Chrzanów County|Babice]], ''Nowy Sącz Etnographic Park'' in Nowy Sącz, ''Orawa Etnographic Park'' in [[Zubrzyca Górna]], ''Chabówka Rolling-Stock Heritage Park'' in [[Chabówka]]. The [[Małopolska Institute of Culture]], located in Kraków, promotes the activities of regional museums and smaller sites of interest.

Lesser Poland is famous for its underground waters and spas, such as [[Busko-Zdrój]], [[Solec-Zdrój]], [[Nałęczów]], [[Muszyna]], [[Szczawnica]], [[Piwniczna]], [[Wysowa-Zdrój]], [[Rabka-Zdrój|Rabka]], [[Swoszowice, Kraków|Swoszowice]], [[Żegiestów]], [[Krzeszowice]], [[Wieliczka]], and [[Krynica-Zdrój]].<ref>[http://www.igup.pl/obr/mapa.jpg Map of Polish spas] {{dead link|date=June 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> Mountains and resorts of the province make it a major center of Polish tourism – Tatra National Park is visited by around 3 million tourists every year.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tpn.pl/pl/zwiedzaj/narciarstwo/news/117/Turystyka-zimowa-a-przyroda |title=Turystyka zimowa a przyroda – Tatrzański Park Narodowy |publisher=Tpn.pl |access-date=8 October 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928152601/http://www.tpn.pl/pl/zwiedzaj/narciarstwo/news/117/Turystyka-zimowa-a-przyroda |archive-date=28 September 2011}}</ref>

The following [[List of national parks of Poland|National Parks]] are located in Lesser Poland:

{|
|
* [[Tatra National Park, Poland|Tatra National Park]],
* [[Ojców National Park]],
* [[Pieniny National Park (Poland)]],
* [[Babia Góra National Park]],
* [[Gorce National Park]],
|
* [[Magurski National Park]],
* [[Roztocze National Park]],
* [[Świętokrzyski National Park]].
* [[Polesie National Park]]
|}