Gródek Park, or the Polish Maldives. What is worth seeing here?

• The Gródek Polish Maldives Park can be found in the Silesian Voivodeship, in Jaworzno. This is a small Otter Pond - a flooded quarry
• Picturesque, winding footbridges with gazebos were led here
• You cannot bathe in the pond. You can dive in the Gródek Pond (Excavators), located next to
• Admission to the park is free
• There are two free car parks. Of these, you have to walk 1 km along a beaten path

The Gródek Park in Jaworzno, or Arboretum Park Gródek Jaworzno, located in a former quarry, north of the city center, has recently been making a real sensation among tourists. A few years ago, no one had heard about this place, and today it is hailed as the Polish Maldives or Silesian Croatia (Silesian because it lies today in the Silesian Voivodeship, but in fact these lands are historically Małopolska). 

The charm of this place cannot be denied, but why this phenomenon? We visited the Gródek quarry for the first time in 2018, in March, on my 40th birthday (with Amelia in the belly) and then the place turned out to be very interesting for us and so wild. We were alone and we gladly walked the surrounding paths almost the entire quarry around. In general, it looked very similar to now, only there was no winding footbridge surrounded by water, with gazebos (actually, it was already there, only flooded with water and partly under the ice, there were no gazebos). It is this footbridge that attracts tourists today and adds magic to this place!

Experiences in Gródek Park

• Turquoise Otter Pond

• Spiral footbridge with gazebos at the Otter Pond

• Monument to an otter in a gazebo - a picnic shed with benches by the path to the footbridge

• Pond Gródek (Orka) with diving center Via Sport Diving Marina "Koparki"

• Didactic path around the quarry with information boards

• Viewpoints on the path with wonderful panoramas

Gródek Park - location

The Gródek Park was created north-east of the center of Jaworzno, in the Pieczyska district, at Płetwonorków Street (the car can be left a few hundred meters earlier), in the now closed dolomite quarry, also called Gródek, which today is flooded with water reservoirs. One of them is the Gródek Reservoir (Orka), how could it have been otherwise, used by divers. The Diving Marina "Excavators" diving base was created here because excavators are reportedly sunk here, which makes it one of the most interesting diving sites in Poland. However, we care more about the second reservoir, much smaller, but how romantic. A path with a picnic shed leads to it, under which a monument to an otter sat to the delight of children. There are also benches, you can sit down, relax and enjoy the views around.

Parking and access to Gródek Park

Parking

A few free car parks are waiting a few hundred meters earlier, near the roundabout or near the cemetery
There are burgers waiting in the parking lot near the roundabout, and ice cream behind the roundabout.
It is worth going here outside the weekend and outside the popular hours, then you can enjoy the proximity of nature and a relatively empty footbridge, on Sunday crowds roll through it

Access to footbridges

From the parking lot to the Gródek Park there is an asphalt path through the forest, in the quarry it becomes a compacted path, without asphalt, the trolley on inflated wheels will easily manage, those with small wheels may have some problems. From the parking lot by the roundabout to the footbridge there is a total of just over 1 km of road, a pleasant walk lasting about 15 minutes.

Otter reservoir and bridges - a hit of the Gródek Park

The Otter reservoir, because we are talking about it, is the place where this wooden footbridge was just created. It writhes in the company of two gazebos, surrounded by azure water, against the background of orange, as if burning in the sun, slopes of a quarry. In fact, it resembles foreign pictures seen during a visit to Croatia or in films, because we have not yet visited the Maldives🙂 We have such feelings up close, it is beautiful and magical, it is true that you cannot take a bath, but those who are willing can sit down and wet their feet. The water is pleasantly cold on hot days 🙂 Just a walk in this place adds wings and great impressions. And pro by the wings, do you wonder what it all looks like from above? Fairytale!

For comparison, I will show you what it looked like during our first visit to the Gródek Park in 2018, when the footbridge was under water and ice, and the gazebos were not there yet. It was indeed March, but at first glance you can see how this place has now gained in attractiveness, as evidenced by the crowds of people who want to visit this place.

Didactic path in Gródek Park

Just climb the wooden, steep steps to suddenly find yourself on the slope of a quarry and enjoy fantastic views! The path leads around the quarry, you will see various curiosities, e.g. boards with names and curiosities about the planets of our solar system, but also the nature of this place and others. Be careful not to deviate from the path, especially when you are with children, because in places there are slopes along the banks, but there are wooden piers in dangerous places. I strongly encourage you to walk not only with the footbridge itself, but also in the area. It only takes 1.5-2 hours to get to know the area well. It became so popular in 2020, and now its popularity continues to grow, so when planning a visit, it is better to choose a date that is not crowded, certainly not on Sunday. A lot of enthusiasts and photography enthusiasts, and even professionals, come here for wedding sessions.

Gródek Park - revitalization of Silesia

The Gródek Park in Jaworzno is another great example of the reclamation of post-industrial areas in the Silesian Voivodeship. A place initially plundered by nature, where human mining activities later ended, for years it was little frequented, forgotten, littered and overgrown with weeds. Currently well-maintained and very well developed, it has become another place in Silesia, where it is nice to come and invite tourists from all over Poland. The same happened with Żabie Doły, Bytomka Valley, Sport Dolina in Bytom or the Silesian Museum in Katowice. I'm bursting with pride.

Our video from Gródek Park

I invite you to see our video from this beautiful place 🙂

Practical information

Park Gródek
ul. Płetwonurków, Jaworzno
Open: 24 hours a day all year round
Tickets: free entrance Parking: several free
car parks are waiting a few hundred meters earlier, near the roundabout or near the cemetery
Burger shops are waiting in the parking lot near the roundabout, and ice cream is waiting behind the roundabout.
It is worth going here outside the weekend and outside popular hours, then you can enjoy the proximity of nature and a relatively empty footbridge, on Sunday crowds roll through it.
From the parking lot to the Gródek Park there is an asphalt path through the forest, in the quarry it becomes a compacted path, without asphalt, a cart on inflated wheels will easily manage, those with small wheels may have some problems. From the parking lot by the roundabout to the footbridge there is a total of just over 1 km of road, a pleasant walk lasting about 15 minutes.

What's worth seeing in the area?

You don't have to travel far to find more interesting places. Within a radius of 100 kilometers, there are many attractions waiting for you that will certainly enrich your stay Your trip with additional memories.

• Błędowska Desert, distance: 19.6  km
• Eagle's Nest Trail, distance: 30.3  km
• Krakowskie valleys, distance: 30.8  km
• Black Trout Adit in Tarnowskie Góry, distance: 42.5  km
• Bobolice Castle, distance: 44.8  km
• Kazimierz in Kraków, distance: 48.9  km
• Olsztyn Castle, distance: 58.3  km
• Wieliczka Salt Mine, distance: 59.2  km
• Castle in Żywiec, distance: 60.4  km
• Pławniowice Palace, distance: 62.2  km