Less than an hour’s drive from Kraków, you’ll find yourself in a world of green forests, limestone rock formations and unique caves. Ojców National Park is located in the southern part of the Kraków-Częstochowa uplands and extends over the Prądnik and Sąspowska valleys. A visit to Ojców National Park is a must when you’re in Kraków. Not only because you’ll be surrounded by nature, but also because the park is rich in history. You’ll find castles, rock formations and caves, each with its own story. Discover my tips for what to do and see in Ojców National Park Poland in this article.
I have always been charmed by destinations where cities and beautiful nature are close together. A good example of this is the city of Krakow and the Ojców National Park in the Malopolska region of Poland. From the Kazimierz district in Krakow, you can reach this national park by car within an hour.
Unfortunately, the weather during my visit to the Ojców National Park was not that great. Meaning we ended up in the pouring rain several times. I therefore didn’t get to see everything in the park that was on my list. Reason enough to come back. Are you planning to visit the Ojców National Park as well? Then make sure you you include the next places and sights in your Ojców National Park Poland visit.
Ojców National Park is the smallest national park in Poland, covering 21.46 km², which means you can do and see a lot in a short amount of time. The park is best explored by bike, so you can visit several destinations. But you can also go both on short and long walks. In this article, you will discover beautiful places and sights in the Ojców National Park Poland, including tips for good photo spots.
The Ojców National Park in Poland is known for its limestone rock formations and you will encounter several of them during your trip. These are a few of my favorite spots.
One of the most special rock formations in the Ojców National Park Poland is the Hercules club (Maczuga Herkulesa). This freestanding limestone rock formation of about 25 meters high is a special sight and you wonder how this unique shape could have been created. It is the years of erosion that have created the formation. The club-like shape, reminds of Hercules’ club, hence the name. According to legend, the rock was placed there by a devil. It is one of the places in Ojców National Park where you definitely want to stop for a photo.
Another place worth visiting in the Ojców National Park in Poland is the Krakowska Gate, a limestone gate formed by centuries of erosion. The narrow passage used to symbolically mark the entrance to the city of Krakow from Silesia. Our guide explained that a local legend in Poland says that when the pillars touch, the end of time will come. Today you can still walk through the gate and explore the surrounding area.
A place that I unfortunately couldn’t visit up close due to the rain is the Rękawica formation. But the photos speak for themselves if you look it up. Rękawica, which means “glove”, is a rock formation that resembles a giant hand with outstretched fingers. The formation is located near the Łokietek Cave and is one of the most photogenic spots.
Another rock formation is Igla Deotymy, the Deotyma Needle, which is known for its pointed shape and a height of 20 meters. The rock formation is located near Lokietek.
One of the best things to do in Ojców National Park in Poland is to visit Pieskowa Skała, a Renaissance-style castle located on a mountain above the Prądnik Valley. It was built in the 14th century by King Casimir the Great as part of the Eagle’s Nests defense line and was an important residence of Polish kings for many years.
Today, the castle is part of the National Museum and as a visitor you can enjoy art collections from the Wawel Castle in Kraków and learn more about the history of Pieskowa Skała. But the main reason for a visit is its location on a mountain, surrounded by lots of greenery. The Hercules club rock formation is opposite, which completes the picture.
Another castle in the Ojców National Park is the Ojców Castle. This castle was also part of the Eagle’s Nests defence line. Today, only the defensive walls, the residential tower and the entrance gate have been preserved. From a specially constructed terrace you have a view of the surroundings. You can also enter the castle to learn more about the history of the place.
According to reports, more than 1000 caves have been discovered in Ojców National Park. The most famous are the Łokietek Caves, where, according to legend, the Polish king Władysław Łokietek hid from his enemies in the 14th century and the Ciemna Cave (Jaskinia Ciemna), the dark cave. Much archaeological research has been done in this cave, in which traces of human presence have been found, dating back 120000 years. Both caves can be visited with a guide and take you along narrow corridors, special dripstone formations and large chambers where rare bat species live.
Ojców National Park is known for its large population of bats. It is even the symbol of the park and can be seen in the logo. Of the 25 species of bats that live in Poland, 17 can be found in Ojców National Park in Poland. The best chance of seeing bats is of course in one of the caves.
In the village of Ojców there is a special wooden chapel that was built on concrete poles above a stream. This is the Chapel of St. Joseph the Worker, which was created during the Russian rule, when churches on state land were forbidden. By literally building the chapel on the water, the local population still found a way to continue practicing their faith. Its location, at the foot of a high rock face, makes it a nice place for photos.
I also found the wooden 19th century villas in the village of Ojców lovely to observe. The villas were built at the time when Ojców was a spa town.
If you visit Ojców National Park, make sure to plan a lunch at Pstrąg Ojcowski. This place is a reason in itself to travel to the park. Pstrąg Ojcowski is idyllically situated on a lake with cozy wooden picnic tables. Here you can enjoy smoked locally farmed trout, served with bread and delicious small side dishes. It is a perfect stop to recharge after all the natural beauty. And perhaps one of the best lunches you will have in this part of Poland.
Looking for a nice trail in Ojców National Park? Here are some tips for routes. The hiking trails are well marked and vary in difficulty. Do you want more information and routes for hiking in Ojców National Park Poland? Then take a look at this map. You can also visit the Ojców National Park Visitors Center. They have useful maps and additional information.
One of the interesting viewpoints can be found above the Ciemna Cave. A short walk via the green path, past the Ciemna Cave, leads you to the top of Trench Mountain. Another viewpoint is the Jonaszówka (Gruby Janek), with a view over the valley and the village of Ojców.
A 10 km long loop trail starts at the parking lot on Złota Góra and first takes you via a green trail through a quiet forest area. After about 15 minutes you reach the yellow trail along the Sąspowska Valley, where you walk a cave part along a river and get to know rock formations. At Jonaszówka, a rock with a viewpoint, you enter the Prądnik Valley. From here you walk via the valley (the yellow trail) or Trench Mountain (the green trail) towards Ojców Castle, before returning to the starting point. This trail takes 4 to 5 hours depending on your pace and gives a good impression of the Ojców National Park in Poland.
The Sąspowska Valley is a quiet valley right next to the more famous Prądnik Valley in Ojców National Park Poland. A yellow hiking trail takes you along the Sąspówka River, through a landscape of beech forests and rocks. You can reach the valley from Jonaszówka or via a walk from the car park at Złota Góra.
The town of Ojców is less than a 45-minute drive from Kraków. It is easy to rent a car and drive there yourself. Just keep in mind that you will have to park your car on the edge of the park. More information about parking can be found here. You can also choose to book a tour and visit the Ojcow National Park and the castles with a guide. You will be picked up from your hotel and brought back at the end of the day. You can book a tour here .
Another option is to spend more time in Ojców National Park Poland and stay overnight on the edge of the park. The villages of Ojcow and Czajowice offer several simple overnight accommodation options. But the advantage is that you can walk or cycle straight into the national park from your hotel.
Ojców National Park in Poland can be visited all year round, but the best time to visit is in spring and autumn. Although there is always a chance of rain. I visited Ojców National Park at the end of May and it was still cold and rainy. You never know, but it is important to check the weather forecast and adjust your program and pack accordingly.
Krakow is the capital of the Malopolska region, Little Poland, and undoubtedly the most famous city in the country. With its medieval squares, beautiful streets and impressive history, it is a destination that you want to wander through endlessly. You will discover churches, hidden courtyards, special museums and vibrant neighborhoods. In the next article you will find my tips and discover what to do and see in Krakow.
The Ojców National Park is part of Malopolska, or Lesser Poland, one of the most diverse regions of the country. You will find the perfect combination of history, culture and nature. Curious? In the next travel guide you will find my tips for what to do in Malopolska Poland with the most beautiful places, and things to do.
Did you enjoy reading this article about Ojców National Park and do you want to read more about Poland? Make sure to have a look at the website of Malopolska and get inspired by more destinations in Poland in the next articles:
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