6 best day trips from Kraków

Day trips compared

The day trips

65 km · About 1.5 hours by bus or car

1.Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial

The former German Nazi concentration and extermination camps of Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau are preserved as a memorial and museum. Allow at least 3.5 hours for both sites, linked by a free shuttle. Entry is by timed pass booked in advance on the memorial's official website, and guided visits are recommended.

Getting there

Bus from the main bus station, train to Oświęcim, or a guided tour

Best for

Culture

15 km · About 25 minutes by train

2.Wieliczka Salt Mine

A UNESCO-listed mine worked for over 700 years, with chambers, underground lakes and chapels carved entirely from rock salt, including the vast St. Kinga's Chapel with its salt chandeliers. Guided tours begin with a long descent on wooden stairs and return to the surface by lift.

Getting there

Agglomeration train from Kraków Główny to Wieliczka Rynek-Kopalnia

Best for

Families, First-timers, Culture

110 km · About 2–2.5 hours by bus or train

3.Zakopane and the Tatras

Poland's mountain resort below the Tatras has wooden villas in the Zakopane style, the busy Krupówki street, a funicular up Gubałówka hill and a cable car to Kasprowy Wierch. In summer, hiking trails lead to lakes such as Morskie Oko.

Getting there

Bus or train from Kraków

Best for

Families, Couples, Quiet stays

25 km · About 40 minutes by car or bus

4.Ojców National Park

Poland's smallest national park protects a limestone valley of rock pillars, caves and castle ruins, including the Renaissance Pieskowa Skała castle and the Hercules' Club rock formation. Easy walking trails suit families.

Getting there

Car or regional bus

Best for

Families, Quiet stays

12 km · About 30–40 minutes by bus, or an hour by bike

5.Tyniec Abbey

A Benedictine abbey founded in the 11th century on a limestone cliff above the Vistula, still home to monks who run a small museum and shop. The riverside cycle route from the city makes the journey part of the trip.

Getting there

City bus, bike along the Vistula, or a river cruise in summer

Best for

Quiet stays, Culture, Couples

50 km · About 1–1.5 hours by bus or train

6.Wadowice

The birthplace of Pope John Paul II has his family home turned into a modern museum on the main square, beside the basilica where he was baptised. Finish with the kremówka cream cake he made famous.

Getting there

Bus or train from Kraków

Best for

Culture

Day-trip tips

• Leave early: most trips are more relaxed with a morning departure and a return before dinner.
• MPK buses use the same tickets as trams and serve the suburbs and the airport, with night buses after trams stop.
• Fast agglomeration trains link Kraków Główny with the airport and with Wieliczka, and intercity trains run to Warsaw in about 2.5 hours.
• For trips over about 150 km, an overnight stay or an organised tour saves a lot of travelling.

Questions travellers ask