Pieniny National Park is one of the most beautiful and ecologically precious places in Europe — a verdict delivered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature back in 1960. Despite being one of Poland's smallest national parks, it attracts more visitors per hectare than any other protected area in the country. Dramatic limestone gorges, panoramic viewpoints, a world-famous raft ride and an extraordinary wealth of wildlife all await you here.
The park enchants in every season. Spring brings orchid-studded meadows and snowdrops, summer invites you onto the famous Dunajec River raft route, autumn wraps the rocky ridges in gold and crimson, and winter reveals the raw beauty of the limestone cliffs. The landscape is incredibly varied — sheer rock faces, narrow ravines, open alpine meadows and the winding Dunajec River create a mosaic of habitats that supports over 7,000 animal species and 1,100 species of vascular plants, including two plant endemics found nowhere else on Earth.
How to get thereThe park is home to two plant endemics — Erysimum pieninicum and Taraxacum pieninicum — and its most celebrated animal resident is the Apollo butterfly, one of Europe's most stunning insects. Founded on 1 June 1932, Pieniny National Park holds the title of Poland's oldest national park.