Day Trips to Wadowice from Krakow

Wadowice is a city located in the Lesser region of Poland just 52 km southwest of Krakow. Known worldwide for its medieval monuments, wooden churches and mountain scenery, a visit to Wadowice is one of the best things to do in Krakow if you are interested in seeing other parts of Poland.

Here are the Wadowice tour options available in the city of Krakow, the attractions you can't miss and why it's worth a visit.

Wadowice is a small town famous for being the birthplace of Pope John Paul II. It is one of the most requested visits by pilgrims visiting Poland and also by curious tourists who wish to learn about the history and religious tradition of the Central European areas.

As a result, it has become one of the best tours and excursions from Krakow. Its main attractions are located very close to each other and a tour of a few hours is usually enough to see everything important.

Keep in mind that the tour itinerary may vary depending on the company you hire for the experience.

Still, some of the highlights you might expect to see are Pope John Paul's family home, which functions as a museum and can be toured by visitors, the city's main square named John Paul II Square in honor of the pope, the Minor Basilica, the Shrine of Divine Mercy and the Kalwaria Zebrzydowska Shrine.

Most of the organizing companies offer the traveler direct hotel pick-up. Tours are organized in small groups of travelers and leave Krakow early in the morning to make the most of the day's excursion.

Useful information

• Price: This type of experience is available from €80 per traveler.
• Duration of the tour: This is the shortest tour compared to other alternatives, so you should reserve half a day or 6 hours to complete this experience.
• Recommended if... You are taking a short 3-day trip to Krakow or less and want to take advantage of some of the most notable sights. This tour can be done in half a day and easily combined with other experiences.

Another interesting tour alternative that you can take from the city of Krakow is a day trip through Wadowice and Czestochowa.

As you will see it is a very special tour with a deep spiritual meaning, designed for those travelers who profess interest in the Catholic religion.

Although both cities are located in different directions if you depart from Krakow, it is evident the great importance they have for the religion and history of the Catholic faith in Europe.

On the one hand Wadowice is famous for being the birthplace of Pope John Paul II, while Czestochowa is considered the religious capital of Poland.

These tours depart from the city early in the morning, which is why most companies in Poland offer the traveler direct pick-up from their hotel in the center of Krakow.

If you dare to do it, you will be able to visit the towns mentioned to visit important places such as the house of Pope John Paul II, the miraculous Black Madonna and many other sites of interest.

Finally you will find that, due to its popularity, the tour is conducted with guides in several languages, including Spanish, English, Italian and French.

Useful information

• Price: The price varies slightly depending on the number of travelers; large group tours are available from €90 and smaller groups from €140.
• Duration of tour: Due to the itinerary, this tour takes about 10 to 12 hours to complete, so you should reserve at least 1 full day for the experience.
• Recommended if... You want to make the most of your time in Krakow and want to get to know the surroundings.

Visiting Wadowice and Kalwaria from Krakow is another interesting alternative excursion to do during your visit to the city.

The tour is known by local companies as "The Pope John Paul II Route", as it includes two places in Poland that marked the life and youth of the important religious leader.

On the one hand, you will have the opportunity to visit Wadowice, the city southwest of Krakow known for being the birthplace of the pope.

Then you will visit Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, one of the most interesting areas of Central Europe, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999.

This city is known for being the place where John Paul II was religiously formed and is only a 20-minute drive from Wadowice.

Although the specific details of the tour itinerary may vary slightly depending on the company you hire for the experience, you will find companies in Krakow that offer both group and private tours, with private tours being more expensive than traditional tours.

Tours leave the city fairly early in the morning in order to make the most of the time. Finally, most companies offer this tour in English, but you may be able to find companies that offer the experience in several languages.

Useful information

• Price: The cheapest tour option is around 70€ per traveler. This is done in groups of approximately 20 travelers or more. The private tour can cost up to 330€ for two travelers in a private vehicle.
• Duration of the tour: It may vary slightly depending on the company you hire for the experience, but you should book between 5 or 7 hours approximately.
• Recommended if... Your main interest in touring this area of Poland is not only for the religious background but also for the life and history of Pope John Paul II. You will find this tour entirely focused on his life in Poland very interesting.

This tour combines the Wadowice experiences available from Krakow into one tour. Thus, you will be able to visit three of the places around Krakow with the greatest weight for the history of Catholicism in Central Europe: Wadowice, Kalwaria and Łagiewniki.

Wadowice is known for being the birthplace of Pope John Paul II; while Kalwaria was his place of formation. Finally, in the district of Łagiewniki you will have the opportunity to get acquainted with the Shrine of Divine Mercy visited every year by millions of pilgrims from different parts of the world.

Łagiewniki is located northeast of Wadowice at a distance of about 45 km approximately.

The specific details of the experience may vary depending on the company you hire for the tour. However, all of them start the adventure early in the morning to make the most of the tour time.

Some complementary aspects that are often not included in the price are the accompaniment of a guide at historical sites, food or tips.

Useful information

• Price: From 100€ for group tours.
• Duration of the excursion: Depending on the company you hire you should reserve between 08 and 10 hours for the experience.
• Recommended if... You have taken the most popular sightseeing tours in Krakow, including a visit to the Wieliczka Salt Mines or a tour to Auschwitz from Krakow.

Wadowice and the surrounding area is known all over the world for offering the traveler an impressive cultural environment of great spiritual significance.

Since the beginning of the 17th century a number of symbolic places of worship related to the Passion of Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary have been arranged in the area. These sites have remained virtually unchanged over time and today constitute an important pilgrimage site for devotees of Catholicism.

Finally, Wadowice, despite its small size, is famous as the birthplace of Pope John Paul II. Visitors visit the area seeking to explore their own faith and to learn about the life of the supreme pontiff during his early years.

If you want to undertake this type of experience there are a few tips to keep in mind before your trip. Consider them as a complement to other important Krakow travel tips and get ready to have the most amazing vacation.

Wear comfortable walking shoes

Although you will realize that Wadowice and the surrounding places are actually small towns, once you get there you will have to walk quite a bit from one point to another.

My recommendation is to wear the most comfortable shoes possible so that you can move around all day without experiencing sore feet. In the same sense, carry water with you, so that you are hydrated at all times.

Whenever you can, make your reservation in advance.

When organizing your vacation in Krakow you can make reservations for most excursions online. This is an invaluable resource if you like to have your itinerary fully organized and also if you decide to visit Poland during peak tourist seasons such as the summer months in Krakow.

Enjoy the local food

Whether you have the opportunity to visit Wadowice or explore other nearby towns, I highly recommend trying the local food. This whole area of Poland is known for its attachment to ancient customs and its desire to maintain Polish culture through cuisine.

However, if you don't have the opportunity or desire to try traditional recipes on your Wadowice tour, an excellent alternative is to explore the best restaurants in Krakow for delicious dishes.

Visiting Wadowice from Krakow on a guided tour is the smartest decision and recommended in different scenarios: firstly if it is your first time visiting Poland and you do not have much experience moving around the place.

Secondly, consider an organized tour if you are not fluent in languages such as Polish or English beyond simple basic expressions...

These languages are the ones used to communicate with the locals, but in tour operating companies you will find trained staff fluent in other languages including Spanish, French, German and Italian.

Finally, the organized excursion is the perfect alternative for all those who want to simplify the planning of their vacation to the maximum.

By hiring a company, essential aspects such as transportation to and from Wadowice, the route to follow and the itinerary are completely organized, so your only concern is to show up at your destination on the agreed date and time.