A UNESCO biosphere reserve. Shifting dunes, two coastal lakes, Baltic forest, and hundreds of bird species. The region's flagship attraction.
Słowiński National Park is the best-known reserve on the Polish coast: shifting dunes, two coastal lakes (Gardno and Łebsko) and Baltic forest, added to the UNESCO list of biosphere reserves in 1977. The park is open every day, from an hour before sunrise to an hour after sunset; a standard ticket costs 10 zł, a reduced one 5 zł, and out of season entry is free. Rowy sits on the park's eastern boundary, so you can walk there in about 12 minutes from our properties, without a car.
Opening hours and tickets
The park is open every day, all year round, from an hour before sunrise to an hour after sunset. A standard ticket costs 10 zł, a reduced one 5 zł. Children under 7, holders of the Karta Dużej Rodziny and residents of the five nearby municipalities enter free of charge.
Fees apply seasonally and depend on which part of the park you visit. In the Rowy protection district, the part closest to our properties, tickets are only checked in July and August. In the rest of the park the ticket season runs from 1 May to 30 September. Outside those dates entry is free.
How to get there from Rowy, on foot or by car
Rowy sits right on the park's eastern boundary, and the Rowy protection district, all 1,888 hectares of it, begins a few minutes' walk from our properties, just past the beach west of ul. Bałtycka. You can reach the park boundary itself on foot in about 12 minutes, without a car.
Once you are here, you have two walking entrances: along the shore of Lake Gardno on the black trail, or into the dunes towards Czołpino on the red trail. Places further out call for a car: 15 minutes to Smołdzino, 30 minutes to Czołpino, and about 1.5 hours to the famous Wydma Łącka, because Lake Łebsko forces a detour through Główczyce and Wicko.
The shifting dunes and what is worth seeing
The best known is Wydma Łącka, one of the highest shifting dunes in Europe, moving inland by several metres a year. It lies in the western part of the park, over towards Łeba and Rąbka, so it makes for a full day out. Closer to home, about 30 minutes by car, Wydma Czołpińska and the Czołpino lighthouse await, with a view over the whole dune belt.
From the Rowy side the park shows a quieter face: wild dunes, the shore of Lake Gardno and Baltic pine forest, where quiet and birdsong come more easily than crowds. It is a good base if you want to pair peaceful mornings by the water with day trips deeper into the park. We describe the Rowy beach itself in a separate guide.
The park with a dog
Not everywhere. Dogs are not allowed in areas of strict and active protection, a ban that comes from the nature conservation act and applies across the whole country, with no exceptions. For a walk with your dog, the Rowy beach outside the bathing season and the areas beyond the park boundary are a better fit. With us dogs are welcome in all our properties, so your companion stays with you for the whole visit.
The park with children
From the Rowy side a trip into the park works even with younger children: you walk in, with no long drive, and there is a gentle stretch along Lake Gardno. For a longer outing, to the shifting dunes or the Czołpino lighthouse, it is worth setting aside a whole day and bringing water and sun hats, because there is no shade on the dunes.
When to come
The park is open all year and every season has its own character. Summer brings the most sun and the easiest swimming, but also the most people at the main entrances. In spring and autumn it is quieter, entry is often free, and the lakes Gardno and Łebsko are in the middle of the bird migration season. In winter the dunes and forest have a stark, empty charm, and entry is free.
