{"id":858479,"date":"2024-10-01T09:44:00","date_gmt":"2024-10-01T06:44:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tourism.com.de\/?p=858479"},"modified":"2024-12-24T16:01:10","modified_gmt":"2024-12-24T14:01:10","slug":"5-best-travel-destinations-from-krakow","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tourism.com.de\/en\/5-best-travel-destinations-from-krakow\/","title":{"rendered":"\ud83c\udff0 5 best travel destinations from Krakow"},"content":{"rendered":"

As<\/strong><\/a> I already wrote<\/a><\/strong>,<\/strong> Krakow<\/a> is beautiful at any time of the year. Every winter, as now, for example<\/a>, new Christmas markets<\/a>, exhibitions, and street shows are added. But if this is not your first time in Krakow and you already know the center of the royal city as your own, then it\u2019s worth taking a closer look at the surrounding area.<\/p>\n

There are a dozen interesting places around the city where you can go for a few days: castles, parks, small picturesque towns and villages, spas in the mountains – choose for yourself.<\/p>\n

Tyniec Abbey<\/h2>\n

15 km from the center of Krakow there is an ancient Benedictine abbey from the 11th century. The monastery looks less like a temple and more like a powerful fortress on a rock. Very calm and beautiful place. There is a library there, where the Benedictine Institute of Culture is now open ,<\/a> an ancient well, and the luxurious Church of Saints Peter<\/a> and Paul.<\/p>\n

\"Where<\/a><\/p>\n

You can even get there in warm seasons by water trams or boats from Krakow along the Vistula. Technically still the territory of the city, the village of Tyniec began to be considered Krakow in 1973.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Wieliczka<\/h2>\n

Some consider Wieliczka almost a suburb of Krakow. Although this is a completely independent city, albeit only 10 kilometers away. You can even get there by taxi<\/a> inexpensively. The main attraction of Wieliczka is the famous salt mine, included in the<\/a> UNESCO<\/a> World Heritage List. The length of the tourist route<\/a> is about 4 kilometers, entrance and walk only with a guide. You will be able to see a unique underground church, lakes, salt chandeliers and much more.<\/p>\n

\"Where<\/a><\/p>\n

Ojcow National Park<\/a>\u00a0<\/h2>\n

Ojcowski Park, one of the most beautiful in Poland, is 20 km away. There you will see rocks, caves, castle ruins, a river, and a picturesque tourist walking route. The park has observation decks<\/a> and restaurants. You can also rent a bicycle<\/a> there. It is possible to stay in the park for several days; locals are happy to rent out houses. The most striking<\/a> place in the park is the “Krakow Gate” – these are rocks up to 20 meters high. Previously, the trade route Silesia – Krakow passed through this gate. And where would we be without a legend<\/a>? It is believed that when the rocks close together, the apocalypse will come.<\/p>\n

“The Path of Eagles\u2019 Nests”<\/h2>\n

A system of ancient fortifications consisting of castle-fortresses and creating a popular tourist route. It starts in Krakow itself and often includes a visit to Wawel and another 12-15 medieval castles. The length of the route is more than 160 kilometers. Therefore, it is most convenient to book a one-day excursion.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Where<\/a><\/p>\n

Royal residence in Niepo\u0142omice<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The luxurious castle was built in the 14th century. It was needed not only for protection from enemies, but also as a hunting residence for Casimir the Great. At the end of the 20th century, the castle was seriously reconstructed – now it is a beautiful building with a courtyard in the Baroque style. There is an art gallery inside. You can get there by bus<\/a> in less than an hour. The castle is located 30 kilometers from Krakow.<\/p>\n

\"Where<\/a><\/p>\n

Zakopane\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The mountain resort of Zakopane can be reached in a little more than two hours, having driven 110 kilometers. For lovers of active winter recreation, this is the best choice; there are 10 ski resorts at your disposal. But even if skiing and snowboarding are not your thing, there are plenty of things to do in Zakopane. You can rent a cozy wooden villa for yourself or a group, relax quietly by the fireplace with a mug of mulled wine<\/a>, plunge into an open-air jacuzzi and admire the mountains. There are many hiking routes in the Tatras; they are popular in any weather.<\/p>\n

Tatra National Park<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n

A biosphere reserve uniting two countries: Poland and Slovakia. The Tatras are the highest<\/a> point of the Carpathians, so the views there are truly stunning. Tatra Park has many mountain lakes, caves, streams, waterfalls, mountain meadows, surrounded by a gorgeous forest and the mountains themselves. This is where the famous Morskoe Oko lake is located. In the national park you can see bears, wolves, falcons and other predators. Also, if you're lucky, you can see rare animals, for example, the Alpine marmot.<\/p>\n

Niedzica Castle<\/h2>\n

The castle is located on the shore of Lake Czorsztyn near the Polish-Slovak border. It is believed that the castle was built in the 14th century. The lands of Slovakia belonged to Hungary for a long time. And Niedzica Castle was the center of Polish-Hungarian relations. In this territory, serfdom lasted the longest in Europe, right up to 1931. Today you can even spend the night in the castle; part of the structure has been given over to a hotel, but most of it has remained untouched. There are regular excursions<\/a> there.<\/p>\n

\"Where<\/a><\/p>\n

Katowice<\/strong><\/h2>\n

A cute city 70 kilometers from Krakow: a paradise for lovers of shopping<\/a> and museums. It is famous for its wonderful New Year's fairs and elegant squares. It is especially beautiful there in winter. The most convenient way to get to Katowice is by bus. You will spend a little more than an hour on the road, although in snowy winters it will be longer.<\/p>\n

Zalipye village<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The unique village, the only one of its kind in Poland, is located approximately 68 kilometers from Krakow. All buildings<\/a> are decorated with bright floral patterns, not only outside, but also inside the houses. The tradition appeared at the end of the 19th century, when women began to whitewash the walls of huts without a chimney to get rid of soot. The dark spots were still noticeable, so the residents began to paint patterns on the dark areas. Over time, almost all the walls of existing houses were painted with ornaments, turning Zalipye into a truly fabulous place. Every year the locals hold a competition for the best painted house. It\u2019s more convenient to get there by car; if you don\u2019t have one, then by train or bus with transfers.<\/p>\n

Auschwitz<\/strong><\/h2>\n

An hour's drive from Krakow is one of the most terrible monuments of World War II – the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp. According to various estimates, about 4 million people died in the concentration camp. Impressionable people may feel uneasy there – everything in the museum is as realistic as possible. You can walk around the camp, visit its barracks, gas chambers and crematoria. It is better to go there with a tour. Please note that opening hours vary depending on the month.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Where<\/a><\/p>\n

Krakow itself is the city where you won\u2019t get bored even after a week. But getting out somewhere else is always a great idea. The surrounding area of \u200b\u200bthe city is no less interesting than the former capital of Poland. You have dozens of options. So if you are choosing where to go for a big weekend or a mini-vacation, Krakow and its surrounding areas will definitely not disappoint.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Planning a trip to Krakow? Discover the 5 best short trip destinations from Poland’s cultural capital. From the Wieliczka Salt Mines to the mountain scenery of Zakopane, ideas for an unforgettable weekend around Krakow.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":834952,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_wp_rev_ctl_limit":""},"categories":[3316,2069,1179,2519,2509],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-858479","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-polen-en","category-europa-en","category-miscellaneous","category-reisetipps-en","category-reisen-en"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tourism.com.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/858479","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tourism.com.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tourism.com.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tourism.com.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tourism.com.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=858479"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/tourism.com.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/858479\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tourism.com.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/834952"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tourism.com.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=858479"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tourism.com.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=858479"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tourism.com.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=858479"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}