Rusinowa Meadow is one of the most scenic areas in the Tatra Mountains and doesn't require long hiking or much climbing. The route also passes the famous Wiktorówki sanctuary where you can get hot tea. We can highly recommend this hiking route, with the start and entrance to the Tatra National Park not far from Zakopane. Pack a picnic basket and enjoy the views!
How to get there
To get here you can take a mini bus towards Morskie Oko and ask the driver to stop for Polana Rusinowa. The Rusinowa meadow is situated in the Flipka valley and can be reached within an hours walk from the entrance of the national park. On the way you can visit the very popular Catholic Shrine of Matka Boża Jaworzyńska, "Mother of God, Queen of the Tatras". Legend has it that in 1861 a sheppard girl lost her herd, after which by miracle "The Lady" appeared to her and showed her where to find her sheep. Word about the unusual event spread quickly and people started gathering in the area where she had the sighting to ask for grace. In 1958 the Dominican Friars was given charge of the chapel. To this day everybody is welcomed here by the Friars and people can rest after their hiking journeys, have tea with the friars or pray in the chapel. On Christmas eve it is still tradition for people to hike here and have midnight mass in the chapel. It's a beautiful little church and well worth the visit!
From the church it takes another 20 min to reach the meadow. Here is the perfect place to have lunch and enjoy the magnificent views of the Tatras. We absolutely love it here. Further hiking routes from here leads to Gęsia Szyja, Morskie Oko, the Five lake valley or back towards the Gasienicowa valley.
Useful Information
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If you are walking this route in the winter make sure to have waterproof boots as there is usually a lot of snow.
- Go early and take another route from the valley back to Zakopane.
- There will be many busses that leads there and back to Zakopane as it is on route to Morskie Oko.
- Remmeber you will pay a small fee to enter the Tatra National Park.