Nietoperzowa Cave

Nietoperzowa Cave (pronounced "nyeh-toh-peh-ZHOH-vah," Polish for "Bat Cave") in Jerzmanowice is one of the best-known show caves of the Polish Jura, the limestone upland just northwest of Kraków. A guided walk takes you through spacious, lit chambers high above the Będkowska Valley. Beyond the chilly underground scenery, the cave matters to archaeologists worldwide: Ice Age hunters camped here, and a whole Early Upper Paleolithic culture is named after the village.

Where it is

The cave sits in the upper Będkowska Valley inside the Kraków Valleys Landscape Park (Park Krajobrazowy Dolinki Krakowskie). Its entrance lies at about 438 m (1,437 ft) above sea level, roughly 40 m above the valley floor. The operator cites a 2022 survey putting the total length of the cave system at about 1,121 m; older literature gives around 1,048 m. The site is privately owned.

From Kraków's Old Town it is about 25 km (15 miles) by road along national route 94 toward Olkusz, typically a 30–40 minute drive depending on traffic. Kraków John Paul II Airport (Balice) is the closest airport.

Why it is famous

In the 19th century the cave floor deposits were dug out as fertilizer, on an industrial scale between 1872 and 1879. The diggings destroyed much of the original layering but turned up some 4,000 cave bear canines. Archaeologists followed, culminating in systematic excavations by Waldemar Chmielewski in 1956–1963. They found a hunting camp around 38,000 years old and distinctive leaf-shaped flint points. Archaeologists now call this toolmaking tradition the Jerzmanowician, a key piece in the debate over the arrival of modern humans in Central Europe.

What you will see

• A tourist route of about 300 m (1,000 ft), guided only, lasting 30–40 minutes.
• The largest public chamber, about 35 × 18 m with a 10 m ceiling, where scenes for the Polish epic film "With Fire and Sword" were shot.
• Flowstone, stalagmites and a "frozen waterfall" formation, plus traces of the old fertilizer digging.

The cave stays at about 7–8°C (45–46°F) year-round, so bring a warm layer and sturdy shoes; floors can be damp. English-language tours are not advertised on the website, so ask when you buy tickets.

Tickets and opening hours

As of October 2026, according to the operator's website:

• Season: April 9 am–4 pm; May–September 9 am–5:30 pm; October to November 11, 9 am–4 pm. The cave is closed in winter.
• Tickets: adult 25 PLN, reduced 17 PLN; cash or card.
• Parking: 5 PLN per day.
• Address: ul. Nietoperzowa 88, 32-048 Jerzmanowice; phone +48 725 401 110.

The website does not specify who qualifies for reduced tickets or whether dogs are allowed, so call ahead if that matters.

How to get there

By car, follow route 94 to Jerzmanowice; there is a paid lot by the cave. By public transport, take a regional bus from Kraków to the Czajowice stop and walk about 10 minutes along route 94 (check the current line and timetable with Kraków's transit authority, ZTP).

Is it worth visiting?

Yes, if you are combining it with the countryside: the Będkowska Valley below offers easy walks past limestone crags, the 4-meter Szum waterfall and the Brandysówka mountain hostel. Ojców National Park and Pieskowa Skała Castle are a short drive away, making a full day trip from Kraków.