This is the smallest national park in Poland! But as the old saying goes, "small is beautiful" - so what will we see in Ojcowski National Park and why is it worth visiting?
Getting there and parking
Ojcowski National Park is located about 15 km from Krakow - such a close distance makes it a popular destination for both Krakow residents and tourists visiting Krakow. The easiest way to get to the park is by car, but... let's not deceive ourselves - there are many interested visitors and the parking area is small... On weekends and during the season, it will be easier for us to park in the nearby town of Czajowice and walk to the park on a wheelchair-accessible trail or in S膮sp贸w and walk through the S膮spowska Valley - a walking route.
How to get from Krakow to Ojc贸w without a car?
There are also suburban lines operated by MPK Krakow that go to Ojc贸w: recreational line LR0 - which goes to the Castle in Ojc贸w, and line 210 - where we get off at Bia艂y Ko艣ci贸艂 or Murownia stop and then we can walk to Ojcowski National Park.
From Krowodrzy-G贸rki to Ojc贸w, there is the red trail of the Eagle Nests - it is better to cover it by bike, and on foot - for example, from the Giebu艂t贸w Morgi MPK stop (line 220) - 7 km.
Medium
Biking from Krakow to Ojcow - red trail
Ojc贸w - Pr膮dnik Valley
Pr膮dnik Valley in Ojc贸w is the main trail of Ojcowski National Park. It leads us through an asphalt road that is comfortable for families with strollers and young cyclists (the road is closed to car traffic, only access to properties is allowed). The valley is surrounded by limestone, steep rocks with interesting shapes - many of them have their own names! This route is perfect for a family bike trip - although it should be taken into account that it can be quite crowded here during the season and on weekends.
Easy
Ojc贸w, Pr膮dnik Valley - Ojcowski National Park
Ojc贸w - viewpoints
The green educational trail branching off from Pr膮dnik Valley allows us to climb the rocks that form the valley.
Difficult
Ojc贸w - Green Educational Trail
Ojc贸w Castle
The castle was built on a limestone rock and looks beautiful from the bottom of the valley. It was one of the defensive strongholds of the "Eagle Nests" - its role was to protect Krakow and merchants traveling along the trade route to Silesia. Unfortunately, only ruins have survived from the defensive stronghold to this day. The main ornament of the castle is primarily the entrance gate surrounded by limestone rocks.
Ojcow Castle
Ojcow Castle - how to get there? The ruins of the castle are located on Castle Hill in Ojcow, at the entrance to Ojcow National Park. ...
Pieskowa Ska艂a Castle
Located near Maczuga Herkulesa, Pieskowa Ska艂a Castle is one of the most famous castles in Poland. It is one of the "Eagle Nests" castles - castles built on the order of King Casimir the Great as part of a defensive chain, serving to protect the borders of the Kingdom of Poland and trade routes.
Pieskowa Skala Castle
Pieskowa Skala Castle - Directions and Parking There are two parking lots near the castle: 1) Paid unguarded parking under ...
Caves in Ojcowski National Park
In the park itself, we have two caves open for visitors - the most famous (and most crowded!) is 艁okietek Cave. The second one is Ciemna Cave. However, we highly recommend visiting Wierzchowska Cave, which is located slightly off the beaten path of Ojcowski National Park - it is much more intimate, and the cave offers the longest tourist route among all caves in Poland.
Wierzchowska Cave
Getting to and Accessing the Cave The cave is located on the route from Krakow to Olkusz. When driving towards Olkusz, in the village of Bi ...
Visit to Amonite
Did you know that while walking among limestone rocks, you are stepping on the bottom of an ancient sea? But where did the sea come from near Krakow? We invite you to a multimedia presentation called "Visit to Amonite".
PS. We have included this place in the article "10 ideas for a day trip near Krakow". Discover the rest of them!
10 ideas for a one-day trip outside Krakow
Looking for an idea for a trip outside the city? Preferably not too far away, so you don't spend a lot of time in the car? Check if you've been here before: ...
Publish Date: 2021-09-17