Morskie Oko - Poland's Secret Treasure
- Work To Wonders
- May 2
- 3 min read
Most people go to Poland for the city breaks. Its cities are known for their striking architecture and deep history.
One such city is Krakow, with its charming old town, stunning salt mines at Wieliczka, and somber, compelling Second World War history at Auschwitz (Oświęcim).
Few foreign tourists are aware that, just over two hours south of Krakow by train or bus, there is a delightful ski resort: Zakopane. Outside the ski season, Zakopane is a magnificent base for exploring the Tatras Mountains along the Slovak border.
A further thirty-minute bus ride from Zakopane is little more than a giant car park at Palenica Białczańska. Follow the pathway into the woods, along with mostly Polish tourists, and a two-hour hike begins, along a twisty asphalt path, high into the mountains. Horses and carts often pass in either direction.
The hike may seem endless, especially on hotter days, but soon enough the forest will give up its treasure: Morskie Oko (‘The Eye of the Sea’), a jaw-dropping, crystal-clear lake, surrounded by mountains and a pine forest.
The view is really quite something.
Those who need to replenish their energy will find a few traditional restaurants near the northern shore of the lake.
Those who don't, or who had the foresight to bring their own food and drink, can hike around the circumference of the lake and feast themselves on views of this natural wonder from multiple perspectives.
This may not be one of Europe's best-known attractions, or be one of the easiest to reach, but every step up the mountain pathway is more than repaid in full.
If you can, you really should see Morskie Oko.
How to get there
Due to its popularity for relatively inexpensive city breaks, Krakow Airport is very well connected to many European airports. Downtown Krakow is a short bus ride away. There are both trains and buses to Zakopane, which is an excellent base to explore the Tatras Mountains. Buses leave approximately half-hourly from Zakopane to Palenica Białczańska.
How we did it
Flights: Ryanair from Glasgow
Hotel: We stayed there in 2016, so we have long forgotten which hotels we stayed in. However, there are many hotels catering to most budgets.
Transport: ZTP Krakow from the airport to the city, intercity.pl and several bus operators, including ZTP and FlixBus, provide transportation to Zakopane. From there, Koleje Małopolskie provides the half-hourly bus to Palenica Białczańska.
Tours: There are tours to Morskie Oko, but these are way more expensive than public transport and don't offer any benefit as the two-hour hike is still necessary.
Our top tips
Remember: this is a mountain lake with mountain weather. Wear strong walking shoes and take a jacket, even in summer, in case the weather turns.
There are horses and carts that take people up the mountain to Morskie Oko. However, these are expensive. We also had questions about the welfare of the horses. The pathway is steep: we noticed that the horses’ hooves were slipping on the asphalt. Walking was a lot tougher, but we found it to be a better experience.
Zakopane is a brilliant base to cross over into northern Slovakia. Tours are cheap, and, since both countries are part of the Schengen Zone, crossing from one into the other is straightforward. However, passports are still necessary as Poland often reinstates border crossings to counteract irregular migration.
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