Pieniny — limestone crags above the Dunajec gorge and wooden raftsmen's rafts.
A band of limestone crags between the Sądecki Beskids and Spisz — the Three Crowns above the bends of the Dunajec, a raft trip through the Dunajec Gorge, the ruins of Czorsztyn castle and the Gothic castle of Niedzica above Lake Czorsztyn, the spa town of Szczawnica and the rocky Homole Gorge in the Lesser Pieniny.
What to know before you go
The Pieniny are a limestone range on the Polish-Slovak border, between the Sądecki Beskids to the west and the Low Beskids to the east. Small in area though it is (about 40 km² on the Polish side), the range stands out for its distinctive limestone crags, the deeply cut gorge of the Dunajec and its rich flora — including the endemic Pieniny columbine.
The heart of the region is Pieniny National Park, created in 1932 as one of the oldest national parks in Poland. It protects 23.75 km² of the most valuable parts of the Central Pieniny, including the massif of the Three Crowns (982 m a.s.l.) with a viewing platform on the Okrąglica summit, and Sokolica (747 m) with its famous pine growing out of the rock.
The best-known attraction of the Pieniny is the raft trip through the Dunajec Gorge — about 18 km of water from Sromowce Niżne (Kąty) to Szczawnica or Krościenko, on wooden rafts steered by raftsmen in highland dress. The tradition goes back to the 19th century, and today several hundred thousand visitors take the trip each season, from April to October.
The Pieniny are also a cultural landscape: the ruins of Czorsztyn castle and the Gothic-Renaissance Niedzica castle stand on opposite shores of Lake Czorsztyn — a reservoir created on the Dunajec in 1997. The spa town of Szczawnica at the foot of the range has been working since 1839, and the Homole Gorge in the Lesser Pieniny near Jaworki is one of the finest rock gorges in the Polish mountains. The bases for exploring are Szczawnica, Krościenko nad Dunajcem and Sromowce Niżne.
Places you should not miss
The most important sights of the region, each with its own guide — how to get there, when to go, practical info.
The Three Crowns
The most famous summit of the Pieniny (982 m a.s.l.) with a viewing platform on Okrąglica above a bend of the Dunajec — the emblem of the region.
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The raft trip through the Dunajec Gorge
A two-hour trip on wooden rafts through the Dunajec Gorge — from Kąty in Sromowce Niżne to Szczawnica or Krościenko.
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Sokolica
The second emblem of the Pieniny (747 m), with a lone pine growing out of the rock and a panorama of the Dunajec gorge — reached from Krościenko.
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Czorsztyn Castle
The ruins of a medieval royal castle of the 13th century, today rising picturesquely above Lake Czorsztyn.
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Niedzica Castle (Dunajec)
A Gothic-Renaissance castle of the 14th century, the best preserved in southern Poland, above Lake Czorsztyn.
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Szczawnica — the spa town
A historic spa town working since 1839 — the Upper and Lower Parks, the Plac Dietla promenade and the chairlift up Palenica.
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The Homole Gorge at Jaworki
A rock gorge in the Lesser Pieniny near Jaworki — vertical walls 120 m high, one of the finest in the Polish mountains.
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Pieniny National Park
One of the oldest national parks in Poland (1932), 23.75 km² — headquarters at Krościenko, the Three Crowns, Sokolica and the Dunajec gorge.
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Gorce National Park
Carpathian old-growth forest, pasture meadows facing the Tatras and Pieniny, a fire salamander on the logo — the quietest national park in the Polish Carpathians.
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List or submit a property →Pieniny in every season
The Homole Gorge comes back to life, the raft trips start (from April) and the crags turn green. A quiet time before the season.
The height of the season — queues for the rafts, busy paths on the Three Crowns, the chairlift up Palenica. Mornings or evenings are best.
Golden beechwoods in the national park, low water in the Dunajec and long views from the ridge. The finest season for photographs.
The raft trips are suspended, and Szczawnica has its ski season (the Palenica station). Quiet and atmospheric on the trails.
How to get there and what to know
- Getting there
- On national road 47 to Nowy Targ, then the DW969 to Krościenko and Szczawnica; about 110 km from Kraków
- Trails
- The Main Pieniny Trail, the Falcon's Path in the Lesser Pieniny, and cycle routes around Lake Czorsztyn
- The Dunajec raft trip
- The season runs April–October; it starts at Sromowce Niżne–Kąty and finishes at Szczawnica or Krościenko, taking 2–2.5 hours
- Pieniny National Park
- Ticketed; the day pass also covers the Three Crowns and Sokolica
- A base for trips
- Szczawnica (the spa town), Krościenko nad Dunajcem (the park headquarters), Sromowce Niżne (the start of the raft trip)
- The character of the region
- Limestone crags, the Dunajec gorge, wooden rafts and the Polish-Slovak borderland
How far to the sights
Approximate straight-line distances from the centre of Pieniny — calculated from real coordinates. By road it is often further.
- Pieniny National Park
- ~0 m from the centre Pieniny (as the crow flies)
- The Three Crowns
- ~909 m from the centre Pieniny (as the crow flies)
- Sokolica
- ~1,1 km from the centre Pieniny (as the crow flies)
- Szczawnica — the spa town
- ~5,0 km from the centre Pieniny (as the crow flies)
- The raft trip through the Dunajec Gorge
- ~5,2 km from the centre Pieniny (as the crow flies)
- The Homole Gorge at Jaworki
- ~6,2 km from the centre Pieniny (as the crow flies)
- Niedzica Castle (Dunajec)
- ~6,5 km from the centre Pieniny (as the crow flies)
- Czorsztyn Castle
- ~8,2 km from the centre Pieniny (as the crow flies)
- Gorce National Park
- ~24 km from the centre Pieniny (as the crow flies)
Where Pieniny is
Frequently asked questions — Pieniny
What is worth seeing in Pieniny?
Where can you find a place to stay in Pieniny?
How much does a place to stay in Pieniny cost?
Do you run a property in Pieniny?
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