Day Trips From Krakow

There is plenty to see and do on your Krakow Christmas break.

The Krakow Christmas market itself is enough to keep you busy alongside the stunning beauty of this amazing city.

Some people only like to explore the city but there are many other things to do in and around Krakow.

Auschwitz Birkenau is an experience really not to be missed.

A short driving distance away are the UNESCO listed salt mines of Wieliczka (a perfect “rainy day” activity).

A longer drive away is the very popular mountain resort of Zakopane with it’s wooden chalets, Swiss Alpine vibes and absolutely stunning natural scenery-you can even include a few hours stay at the nearby thermal baths.

Back in Krakow is an opportunity to see how good of a marksman you are at Krakow’s biggest shooting range.

Walk through the historic streets of the Jewish Ghetto in Kazimierz or take a trip in a vintage Communist era car around the streets of the Nowa Huta, a purpose built socialist realism disctrict of Krakow.

Take a look through all the tours below and then book direct with our partners at GetYourGuide.

The weather in Krakow in December is normally cold, often bitterly cold. What better way to embrace a Polish winter then driving to Poland’s winter capital, Zakopane and then spending some relaxing time at the Zakopane thermal baths in Chocholowskie?

The Zakopane thermal baths here are enormous with many different pool areas both indoor and outdoor.

Soaking yourself in a warm pool outside whilst it’s snowing is a memory of your Krakow Christgmas break that is sure to last a lifetime.

Book an organised trip to the Zakopane thermal baths with GetYourGuide. Your itinerary includes pick up from Krakow, a drive to a typical mountain village, cheese tasting (and vokda!), some free time to the mountain resort of Zakopane and then a few hours free time to relax at the Zakopane thermal baths before returning to your Krakow hotel later in the day. 

Some of you may prefer less sombre activities whilst on your Krakow Christmas break and that is understandable but a visit to the Auschwitz and Birkenau concentration camps is an experience which cannot be compared with anything else.

Only an hour’s drive away from Krakow’s city centre the Auschwitz/Birkenau trip includes pick up and drop off from Krakow, skip the queue tickets and a private guide who will be able to explain the significance of some of the things you will see on your tour.

Some might find the idea of doing this kind of trip on a
Christmas break a little too harrowing whilst others want to understand the horrors inflicted by the Nazis by visiting the camps where this all took place. There is no right or wrong decision but we would definitely recommend a trip to these places.

Only a 25 min drive away from Krakow are the Wieliczka Salt Mines.

Well worth seeing any time of the year but makes a perfect excursion in bad weather as the whole tour takes place underground.

Wieliczka Salt Mines is a UNESCO world heritage site and salt has been mined here since the 13th Century.

It’s a magical place to visit far more interesting than the rather boring “mine” name suggests.

Over the years, craftsemen inside the mine have carved incredible statues, figurines, reliefs and even a full size church and alongside one of the underground lakes is a light and sound show.

Your tour includes skip the line tickets, a private guide and transport to and from Krakow.

A great way to spend a few hours. Try your hand at a range of diffferent weapons including Glocks, shotguns and even AK47’s all within a safe and controlled environment with instructors on hand at all times. The instructors that will be with you are all professionally trained and English speaking.

You will spend an hour at the shooting range and there are a variety of different weapon packages you can choose from.

The shooting range is located in the city centre but the price of your ticket includes hotel pick ups and drop offs. An English speaking driver will be with you for the duration of the trip.

At the end of your shooting practise you get to keep your targets which makes a great souvenir from your stay in Krakow and you also get to enjoy a cold beer included in the price.

Krakow used to be home to a vibrant Jewish community which went back centuries and then………the Nazis came.

The Jewish Quarter of Krakow would never be the same again.

This trip takes you on a 2.5 hour walk around the historic and charming district of Kazimierz.

Kazimierz has become a very bohemian and hip place to live and visit.

A local tour guide will lead you through the streets of the Jewish district and bring to life the places and streets you will see.

See the second oldest synagogue in Europe. Visit the old Jewish cemetery and the Holocaust Memorial and visit some of the places made famous by Spielberg’s movie, Schindler’s List. 

Nowa Huta is a district of east Krakow and is now one of the most populated areas of the entire city.

Nowa Huta was one of only two pre-planned socialist realism cities built (the only other one was in Russia) so if you are curious as to what Communist architecture looked like and what it was like to live here then this trip is a great experience.

Your guide will tell you all the history of this architectural time capsule and include details on where Lenin’s statue once stood, where the nuclear bunkers were and how (and why) the city was built.

To add to the communist nostalgia vibe your tour includes the use of a communist era car so buckle up, squeeze in and start driving back through memory lane.