10 Best Outdoor Activities in Krakow

Krakow is a must-see destination in Poland where you can enjoy many outdoor experiences. Among the things to see and do in Krakow in open spaces are touring the city by golf cart or bicycle, sailing on the Vistula River, discovering the Jewish quarter on a Segway, climbing the Kościuszko Mound and tasting Polish vodka at the distilleries. In addition, you can visit the zoo, take a guided tour of Wavel Castle or join a ghost tour. I tell you more about each of these plans.

As one of the most important rivers in Krakow, given its location and length, the Vistula River should be your first stop when exploring Krakow in the open air. On this approximately one-hour tour, you will board a boat to take part in a cruise on the Vistula River, where you will see the city from a unique perspective.

You will see the richness of Krakow's landscapes captured through its green areas, monuments and other spaces. You can do this activity almost any time of the year, but if you go to Krakow in summer, you will enjoy the splendor of the spaces with more vivid colors combined with sunlight.

During this sailing experience you will see places like the Bernatka Bridge, which holds dozens of padlocks left by tourists and locals. In addition, you will see the Wawel Castle and its imposing structure, the Manggha museum with its wave-shaped roof and you will see the streets of the Kazimierz district, where scenes from the movie Schindler's List were filmed.

Useful information

• Price: approximately 20€ per person.
• Duration: usually 1 hour.

Summer is one of the best times to travel to Krakow because it allows you to take advantage of the good weather to do outdoor activities such as pedaling through the streets of Krakow to know its corners.

This tour gives you an active and ecological way to get to know the city. You will pass through the most interesting corners and spaces of Krakow, such as the main Market Square, which is the largest medieval square in Europe. In addition, you will visit the Planty Park, a huge park that surrounds the old town, and you will observe the old city walls while enjoying the views of the Vistula River.

And you will do all this in the company of a guide. This will be a great help to learn about the history and culture of Plonia, especially when you visit the Jewish quarter Kazimierz, where hundreds of Jews lived and which was one of the most affected during the Nazi occupation. Also, keep in mind that you can choose to take the tour with a group of maximum 25 people, a smaller group or a private one.

Useful information

• Price: from 30€ per person.
• Duration: about 4 hours.

Another open-air activity you can do when visiting Krakow in August or any sunny day is to tour the Kazimierz Jewish quarter on a Segway. This means of transportation will help you move faster to optimize your time and save energy to continue exploring.

Under the guidance of a professional, you will go through the narrow streets of the area that housed hundreds of Jews and witnessed the Nazi occupation of the city. You will pass by places such as:

• Wolnica Square, where the central market operated for many years. This space is surrounded by samples of medieval architecture, with Gothic, Baroque and Renaissance style buildings.
• The Jewish Cemetery, one of the oldest in Europe. It houses the tombs of important figures of the Jewish community such as Rabbi Moses Isserles and historical monuments.
• The Remuh Synagogue, a well-known place of worship for the Jewish community.

Information of interest

• Price: around 48€ per person.
• Duration: at least 2 hours.

Clear days in Krakow are an excellent opportunity to delight in the panoramic views offered by the Kościuszko Mound. This viewpoint is one of the most popular in the city because of its historical significance, having been erected as a tribute to Tadeusz Kościuszko, one of **Poland'**s heroes.

On the other hand, the design of this artificial hill that reaches over 30 meters allows you to see the city in 360 degrees, offering full and ideal views to take unique pictures of your trip.

Before climbing the viewpoint, you can visit the homonymous museum, where you will learn about the life of this hero of Polish independence. You can reach the top by tourist train or on foot. In any case, you will be delighted with the nature trails full of native vegetation that you will find along the way. At the end of this experience, you will have time to do other activities, such as joining some of the guided tours of Krakow's Jewish quarter.

Useful information

• Price: from 6€ per person.
• Duration: the time of your visit may vary according to whether you visit all the facilities or not. A quick tour can last for 30 minutes and a more detailed tour will take between 1 and 2 hours.

One of the ways you can make the most of your visit to Krakow is to tour the city in a golf cart. For about two hours you can explore several of the most outstanding destinations with a local guide in a comfortable way and in a short time. It is ideal, therefore, if you are going to spend only 1 day in Krakow.

This tour is private, that is, you will be alone with your family and friends in the cart, allowing a more personalized and closer experience. You will learn about the history and culture of Krakow through its spaces such as the Old Town, the Market Square, Wawel Castle, the Jewish quarter Kazimierz and much more.

As you walk through the streets, you will see how the medieval, Renaissance, Romanesque and Baroque styles are present in the various buildings. You will also learn about the history of the Jewish community and the case of salvation that Schindler's Factory represented. You will also be enchanted by the Jagiellonian University, which stands out for its architecture and antiquity, dating back to 1364.

Information of interest

• Price: a group of four persons will have to pay approximately 192 euros.
• Duration: about two hours.

In case you are visiting Krakow with children and need to add outdoor activities to your itinerary, an unmissable option is to visit the Krakow Zoo and its surroundings. This is a convenient activity that can include private transfer from your hotel to the zoo and skip-the-line entry.

When you purchase tickets to the Krakow Zoo you will be able to observe some 1400 animals from all over the world at your own pace. You will get up close and personal with some 250 species, including tigers, lions, giraffes, bears, elephants and many others.

In addition, you will learn about the importance of wildlife preservation and the breeding and conservation programs that take place at the Krakow Zoo. Take advantage of the advantage of no fixed hours to explore the space (beyond operating hours) and have fun with your family and friends.

Useful information

• Price: the experience with transfer has an average value of 83€ per person.
• Duration: in general, completing the visit at a moderate pace will take approximately three hours.

If you want to combine nature appreciation with outdoor hiking, then another outdoor activity to consider is exploring the Ojców National Park from Krakow. This excursion takes you to one of the hidden treasures around the city to discover its attractions, with a comfortable and exclusive transfer.

After the organizers pick you up at the hotel, you will enter the Eagle's Nest route and get to know a number of natural wonders of the Krakow region. You will see caves, forests, grottoes and trails on an open-air walk on the Kraków-Częstochow Plateau.

Be amazed by the Pieskowa Skała Castle with its Renaissance architecture; by rock formations such as the Hercules' mallet or the glove-shaped stone; as well as by the Wierzchowska Górna and Lokietka caves. In addition, you can go hiking, cycling and kayaking (if you go in summer). If these types of activities interest you, then I invite you to get to know other adventure and nature options in Krakow.

Information of interest

• Price: about 250€ per person (only the excursion and without additional experiences).
• Duration: about 4 hours.

An outdoor activity, but this time under the moonlight, that you can also take is a ghost tour of Krakow. This city has witnessed a series of events full of terror that have left their silent and invisible traces in every space. So, you can immerse yourself in this adventure for the brave through the different streets of the old town, with the help of a local guide.

This tour is one of the best ghost tours in Krakow, as it includes a suspenseful walk through the Royal Wawel Castle, where it is believed that the specters of the ancient kings wander during the night darkness. You will also see St. Florian's Gate, the 1300s tower that witnessed countless battles and, consequently, deaths. It is said that the souls of fallen soldiers haunt it.

You will also pass through the main square, where hundreds of executions took place. In turn, under its ground are catacombs where some lost spirits and ghosts live. In fact, many believe that every time you ring the bell of Segismundo to mark the hours, some evil spirits are also chased away.

Information of interest

• Price: from 20€ per person.
• Duration: about two and a half hours.

The waters of Krakow, specifically those of the Vistula River, welcome during the end of the day tourists looking to have fun in a different way: a boat party. This activity is a kind of night cruise where you will be able to breathe fresh air while delighting your eyes with the landscapes offered by the city during sunset and night.

You will depart on the boat together with a local guide. You will have access to an open bar, so you can enjoy your favorite beverages during the tour. While you contemplate the beauty of the city at night, you can dance and listen to music for fun. In addition, you will witness a magic show while sailing.

During this experience, a professional photographer will take pictures to capture the most exciting and fun moments with your family and friends. Also, to complement the tour, you will go into the old city area to visit three nightclubs (entrance is included). For the level of fun it provides, this activity could well be mentioned among the best boat tours in Krakow.

Interesting information

• Price: from 53€ per person.
• Duration: the cruise lasts about 2 hours.

A visit to the extensive trails of Krakow's largest wooded park - the Wolski Forest - is a must among the outdoor activities. With its more than 400 hectares of land, this natural lung extends over the western part of the city, covering the districts of Bielany and Wola Justowska.

In addition to housing the Krakow Zoo, this area is home to a number of hiking and cycling trails Thus, you can walk or cycle along some of them, according to your interests. In total, it is possible to find about 8 routes totaling approximately 35 km, so there is plenty of room to escape the hustle and bustle and get some exercise, if you wish.

The forest also has some viewpoints, such as the one at the Piłsudski mound, from where you can get unique views of the Tatra Mountains (on clear days), the historic city center, the Vistula River, etc. To combine with this tour, you could book a tour of Wawel Castle, a place of interest that you will also spot from the top of the mound.

Useful information

• Price: free of charge.
• Duration: about two and a half hours.