Zakopane, Tatra Mountains and Bania Thermal Pools Day Trip from Krakow
Krakow, Poland
Rating: 
Trip Type: Day Trips
Duration: 11 hours
Discover the scenery and thermal waters of Zakopane in Poland’s Tatra Mountains on this day trip from Krakow. Travel by minivan to this charming mountain resort and admire its ‘Zakopane Style’ wooden buildings, a style that echoes Tyrolean architecture. Ride the funicular on Mt Gubałówka, see the highlights of Zakopane, and enjoy ample free time. Finish with a 3.5-hour visit to the Bania Thermal Pools, where you can relax in geothermal and hydrotherapy pools, saunas, steam rooms and more.
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Discover the scenery and thermal waters of Zakopane in Poland’s Tatra Mountains on this day trip from Krakow. Travel by minivan to this charming mountain resort and admire its ‘Zakopane Style’ wooden buildings, a style that echoes Tyrolean architecture. Ride the funicular on Mt Gubałówka, see the highlights of Zakopane, and enjoy ample free time. Finish with a 3.5-hour visit to the Bania Thermal Pools, where you can relax in geothermal and hydrotherapy pools, saunas, steam rooms and more.
Start your tour with a pickup from your central Krakow hotel. Then, travel by minivan or car through pretty countryside to Zakopane — the historical capital of Poland's Tatra Mountains and its highest city. Spread beneath the Tatras, this old-world highland resort is a hub for skiers in winter and hikers in summer.
During your roughly 2-hour journey, hear about Zakopane’s history and Zakopane Style wooden architecture — a fusion of Tyrolean chalet and art nouveau developed by architect and artist Stanislaw Witkiewicz. As you near Zakopane, soak up the beautiful mountain setting and see some of the area’s fairytale-like chalets built in the Zakopane Style.
Drive up 3,700-foot (1,126-meter) Mt Gubałówka near the town, and absorb the views from the summit before riding the funicular back down and heading into Zakopane itself.
Stroll down pedestrianised Krupówki street to admire its quaint wooden shops, and enjoy free time to browse for souvenirs and have lunch (own expense).
Next, visit Pęksowy Brzyzek Cemetery, where many famous Poles are buried and the graves are marked with decorative wood gravestones. Then, after admiring Jaszczurówka Chapel, see the Wielka Krokiew, Poland’s highest ski jump and a stage for international ski jumping events.
Lastly, drive to the Bania Thermal Pools, a modern thermal pools and spa complex. Enter with your 3.5-hour ticket and use the facilities as you wish, enjoying the indoor and outdoor pools with their water slides, the geothermal and hydrotherapy pools, and the enticing array of saunas, steam rooms and spa therapies. Alternatively, simply relax in a poolside lounger and at Bania’s restaurants and bars.
Lastly, return to Krakow, where a hotel drop-off ends your tour.
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