The character of the park
The park covers the Central Pieniny over 23.75 km², including the massif of the Three Crowns, Sokolica and the Dunajec Gorge. About 70% of the area is forest, mainly Carpathian beech and fir. More than 1,100 plant species grow here, including the endemic Pieniny columbine (Aquilegia subscaposa), and more than 1,700 species of butterfly and moth — the greatest richness in Poland.
What you will find in the park
- The Three Crowns and Sokolica — the most famous viewpoints
- The Dunajec Gorge — the waterway through the massif
- The mountain hut below the Three Crowns — a PTTK hut
- The Education Centre at Krościenko — the park headquarters, with a nature exhibition
Practical notes
The park is ticketed — a day pass covers all the trails and viewing platforms. You must keep to the waymarked trails; picking plants and camping are forbidden. Because the park is so popular (more than 800,000 visitors a year), at weekends in season it is worth arriving very early.
How to get there and practical info
- Created
- 1932 — one of the oldest national parks in Poland
- Area
- 23.75 km², including strict protection zones
- Headquarters
- Krościenko nad Dunajcem, the Education Centre
- Admission
- A day pass; it covers the Three Crowns, Sokolica and the viewing platforms
- Trails
- Several waymarked trails, including the Main Pieniny Trail
- Time needed
- 1–3 days to see all the main attractions
When to go
Flowers in bloom, fewer visitors, an ideal time for walking.
The height of the season and plenty of visitors — weekdays are best.
Golden beechwoods, the best visibility and smaller crowds.
Limited trails, and some viewing platforms are closed.
Other sights in Pieniny
Straight-line distances from „Pieniny National Park" — calculated from real coordinates. By road it is often further.
Where to stay nearby
Places from our list that have Pieniny National Park within walking distance or a short drive.
