Pieniny National Park

Pieniny National Park, established on 1 June 1932, is the oldest national park in Poland. It protects a mere 23.5 km2, but does so spectacularly: the limestone crags of Trzy Korony (982 m), Sokolica with its legendary relict pine clinging to the rock, and the Dunajec river gorge that cuts clean through the mountains. The limestone bedrock makes the Pieniny a hotspot of endemic plants, and in 2024 a fir measuring 55.86 metres was discovered here — the tallest native tree in Poland.

The greatest attraction remains the raft trip through the Dunajec gorge on traditional timber rafts steered by highland floaters — a tradition of some two centuries. The raft drifts about 9 kilometres between limestone walls, and for walkers the Droga Pienińska path along the river is an alternative. The other classic is the ascent of Trzy Korony: the viewing platform on Okrąglica offers one of the most famous panoramas of southern Poland, from the Tatras across the Spiš Pieniny to Lake Czorsztyn.

Its popularity is record-breaking: this is Poland's most visited park per hectare (815 thousand people a year), and the 35 kilometres of trails get crowded at the height of the season.

Practical tips: allow a full day for the raft trip and Trzy Korony; the climb from Krościenko takes about 3 hours there and back. Entry to Trzy Korony and Sokolica is charged (cash desks at the trailheads — current rates on the park's website). For the best light and fewest people come early in the morning and outside July and August, and be ready for stairs on the final stretch to the platform.