Day Trips to Tatra Mountains and Thermal Waters from Krakow

If you are still wondering what things you can see and do in Krakow here I have the answer. Krakow, that small city in Poland, is relatively close to the Tatra Mountains. For locals and tourists alike, traveling there is synonymous with physical and spiritual relaxation.

In addition to eating, sightseeing and playing, in the mountains you can enjoy relaxing hot springs baths. I invite you to travel on an all-inclusive excursion and forget about the problems in the mountains, so that it's just you in connection with nature while you get to know the heart of Europe.

If you are going to Krakow I suggest you not to miss the opportunity to visit Zakopane. This city is known as the winter capital of Poland, and is located at the foot of the Tatra Mountains.

On a day trip you can appreciate its beauty and learn about the area from a professional guide. The experience has a duration of about 8 hours and an average cost of 80 €.

In this tour you do not have to worry about taking public transport as the transfer from the hotel where you are staying in Krakow is included. The vehicle is private, mountain-weather conditioned and equipped to carry small groups of people.

After pick-up at your hotel, the vehicle will take you to your first stop at Wielka Krokiew, where you will see the Ski Jumping Hill, Zakopane's ski jumping area.

You will also drive along the main street, Krupówki Street, to see the quaint stores and restaurants in the area. Without a doubt these excursions are some of the best things to do around Krakow

As you walk around the area, your guide will tell you interesting facts about Zakopane and its mountains. From this street you can admire the Tatra Mountains. If you wish, you can take a funicular to Gubałówka Hill.

From there you will have a better view of the mountains. However, this trip is not included in the tour and costs an average of 5 €.

Details of interest

• Price: 80 € more or less.
• Duration: about 8 hours.
• Means of transport: private vehicle.
• Advantages of this option: the vehicle is air-conditioned for mountain temperatures and picks you up at your hotel.
• Disadvantages of this option: it only allows you to make a tour to observe the area, it does not include other activities in the Tatra Mountains.

If you want to take a dip in the hot springs hidden in the Tatra Mountains, this tour is for you. Embark on a journey of approximately 12 hours from Krakow to these famous mountains.

The trip has an average price of 80 € and includes transfer and a tour with stops at hot springs.

After the private vehicle picks you up at your hotel, you will be on your way to the Bukowina Tatrzańska spa. This site is located about 16 kilometers from Zakopane.

When you arrive, take advantage of the time and relax here for at least 2 hours. This area is one of the most renowned for relaxation and rest in the entire Tatra Mountains.

Afterwards you will head in the same vehicle to Zakopane to continue enjoying the excursion. Once there you can take the funicular to the Gubalowka mountain and stroll along Krupówki street, the main street of this area in Zakopane.

There you will find restaurants with typical food and you can taste the smoked cheese and vodka of the region. If you are interested in local food, I invite you to discover which are the best restaurants in Krakow, but you can also taste that food in Zakopane.

At each stop and activity you will have a few hours to enjoy each experience, combined between rest and movement. You will not get lost at any time because the vehicle keeps its WiFi activated so that your smartphone always has a signal.

Take the opportunity to take a few pictures and post them in real time on your social networks. The idea of this tour is to combine relaxation with sightseeing and shopping.

Details of interest

• Price: 80 € approximately.
• Duration: about 12 hours.
• Means of transportation: private vehicle.
• Advantages of this option: this excursion includes several activities that although they take more time, it is worth it for the price of the whole tour package.
• Disadvantages of this option: you must dedicate a full day to this excursion because it lasts about 12 hours.

If you want to get in touch with the nature of the Tatra Mountains, you should embark on this tour. You will travel in an air-conditioned bus to the Pienins National Park to be impressed by a whole tour full of fun activities. The trip has an average duration of 12 hours and costs approximately 150 €.

As you travel on the bus, you will pass through the Polish countryside on your way to the Bachlekda Valley in Slovakia. The first stop on the tour is the Bachlekda Treetop Trail. This famous tourist trail is located 24 meters above the ground, would you dare to cross it, I advise you not to look down!

At the end of the trail you will find an observation tower over 30 meters high. From there you will be able to contemplate the magnitude of the Pieniny National Park forests. I recommend that you include this excursion among the things to do in summer in Krakow, as the weather is warmer and you will enjoy the tour more.

Then your tour guide will take you to the Belianske Tatras, a mountain range of the Eastern Tatras located in the central-northern part of Slovakia. These mountains in turn are part of the Tatra National Park, which is also present in Slovakia.

In this area you will learn about the fauna and flora, you can buy lunch in a restaurant on Krupówki Street. Finally, end the day as it should be by taking a bath in the hot springs of Chochołow Thermal Spa.

Details of interest

• Price: 150 € more or less.
• Duration: about 12 hours.
• Means of transport: private, air-conditioned bus.
• Advantages of this option: includes a variety of activities to make the most of a whole day in the mountains.
• Disadvantages of this option: does not include lunch or any kind of snack for the road. This must be at your own expense.

If you love discovering small villages then I recommend you to take one of the best excursions from Krakow. On this day trip you can travel to the Tatra National Park and get to know the villages and valleys that are located in its surroundings. The trip can take about 5 hours and has an average cost of 70 €.

During the excursion you will pass through the valley of the Five Lakes to the Morskie Oko Lake. All along the way you will be dazzled by the breathtaking views of this majestic site.

The route to Morskie Oko Lake takes about 2 hours. It is a quiet trail that you can walk along with your guide.

Afterwards you can enjoy about 5 hours of free time in the Tatra National Park. This excursion is one of the things you can do with children in Krakow. I advise you to prepare some fun games or bring a ball for them to play with.

When you travel back to Krakow, your driver and guide will pass through Chochołów. This is a small medieval village in the area that is still inhabited. You can explore it for an hour to take some photos and continue on your way back to Krakow.

Details of interest

• Price: about 70 €.
• Duration: about 5 hours.
• Means of transport: bus.
• Advantages of this option: it is a short tour that allows you to enjoy the rest of the day in Krakow.
• Disadvantages of this option: you do not get to explore the whole area because its activities are very punctual and simple.

If you want to have a high-altitude experience, I recommend choosing an excursion that includes a cable car ride. Travel by private transport from Krakow to Zakopane on a 5-hour trip for the price of approximately 70 € so you can spend a totally different day in the Tatra Mountains.

The first stop will be the cable car ride to the Kasprowy Wierch peak, the highest and most central point of the Tatra Mountains. From there you can admire the beauty of the mountains and the nearby villages. At this point you can walk for at least an hour before heading back.

After descending by cable car you will visit Krupówki Street. There you will have at least 2 hours to explore, eat and drink whatever you wish. The last stop will be the relaxing thermal baths nearby.

Afterwards, transportation will take you to your hotel in Krakow. As this is a short excursion you can include it in your list of things to do in Krakow in 2 days.

Details of interest

• Price: about 70 €.
• Duration: about 5 hours.
• Means of transport: bus.
• Advantages of this option: it includes two of the main attractions of the Tatra Mountains and is a fun experience that consumes only 5 hours of your day.
• Disadvantages of this option: you may be left wanting to explore more of the area. Also, it does not include lunch or snacks.

One of the things to do in Krakow during the winter is a trip to the Tatra Mountains for skiing. This fun excursion for the whole family also includes a visit to the thermal pools located at the foot of the slope.

The excursion begins when the bus driver picks you and the rest of the group up and takes you to the ski center in Zakopane. This person will give you a ski pass and a ticket that allows you to enter the hot springs. This whole experience usually lasts approximately 12 hours with an average cost of 85€.

Both novices and experts can find an ideal slope for everyone. In any case I advise you to read a ski guide for beginners before you go.

In addition, it is not necessary to bring your own equipment, since near the slopes you can rent everything you need to practice this sport. At the end of the activity, you can go to relax in the hot springs.

The thermal pool center has jacuzzis, saunas, artificial waves, indoor and outdoor pools. After relaxing in the place of your choice, you can have lunch and a hot drink in the cafes, restaurants or taverns in the area. At the end of your time, the driver will take you back to your hotel.

Details of interest

• Price: 85 € more or less.
• Duration: about 12 hours.
• Means of transportation: bus.
• Advantages of this option: includes a fun activity for the whole family, perfect if you are traveling in winter. It also includes snacks and bottles of water.
• Disadvantages of this option: not recommended for people who have back problems, heart disease or people who do not have at least an average level of fitness.

Do you want to have a truly relaxing experience? Then I recommend you not to miss an excursion to the hot springs in the Tatra Mountain s and specifically to the Chochołów spa. You will find one of the most beautiful thermal baths in the world.

On this excursion your guide will take you to the Chochołów spa, which I am sure you will enjoy because of its size and space. For that you will have to travel for at least two hours in the private transportation offered by the company you hire. Remember that although they are hot springs, the outside temperature can be very cold in winter.

In this site you will find indoor and outdoor pools whose water is between 30 °C and 38 °C. You can choose to immerse yourself in these waters or take a steam bath, enter the sauna or enjoy a hydromassage. Enjoy 8 to 11 hours in this spa before returning to your hotel in Krakow.

Details of interest

• Price: more or less 40 €.
• Duration: about 8 to 11 hours.
• Means of transport: bus.
• Advantages of this option: you can spend a whole day relaxing and carefree in the thermal baths.
• Disadvantages of this option: it only focuses on the Chochołów hot springs and not on the other attractions that this area has to offer.

As you may have already noticed, the Tatra Mountains are an ideal place to go on vacation, especially if you go in winter. If you go during that time of the year, be sure to take clothes that will keep you warm. Remember that many of the attractions require a lot of walking.

In this sense, it is best to wear good comfortable shoes. This way, you will be able to walk around at your leisure. If you want to practice a snow sport, it is best to bring your gloves and some personal items. Some places offer the necessary equipment to practice the sport, but it is better to go prepared.

If you are going to spend the day in the hot springs, I recommend you to bring bathing clothes. Also bring some towels to dry off when you finish your bath. I advise you to bring a large towel to dry yourself, this way you can use it to keep warm when you get out of the water, as the cold can affect you a bit.

Finally, be very punctual when the bus or private vehicle picks you up at the hotel. If you do not like to stick to a specific schedule, I advise you to rent a car in Krakow. A day's rental can cost around 20 €. However, it would be up to you to look for places to park.

Traveling to the Tatra Mountains on your own involves a lot of planning and investment. One of the options you have at hand is to rent a car or order a cab on an app. If it is high season, it may be difficult to get a cab unless you hire one in advance.

Also, when you get to the mountains you should use Google Maps or a physical map to guide you on where to go. This can be complicated if you do not have internet signal, which in some areas can fail. Moreover, it can be complicated if you do not know Polish. Also, all the activities you do must be paid for separately. This can generate more expenses.

On the other hand, when you go on an organized tour everything is included in one price. Usually you also pay for your transportation from the hotel where you stay in Krakow.

It is worth mentioning that the excursions are organized according to the season of the year. In case you wish to travel on your own, you should research the best time to travel to Krakow.