Just outside Kraków lies one of the world’s most famous sites—the Wieliczka Salt Mine, with a history dating back to the Middle Ages. In 1978, it was inscribed on the first UNESCO World Heritage List.
Wieliczka
Magnum Sal – Great Salt, as it was once called – offers visitors two routes through the mine: the Tourist Route and the Miners’ Route. The Tourist Route stretches nearly 3 km and includes over 20 chambers carved in salt, located at depths ranging from 64 to 135 meters (including the most beautiful Chapel of St. Kinga). The Miners’ Route begins at the Regis Shaft and lasts about 3 hours. During the tour, the guide assigns various tasks to visitors to help them understand the specifics of a miner’s work. The Wieliczka Salt Mine also operates a health resort that treats upper and lower respiratory conditions using the unique microclimate of the underground salt chambers.
Żupny Castle in Wieliczka
This 13th-century castle complex is an excellent example of medieval and early modern architecture connected to the development of salt mining in Europe. Today, it houses a museum featuring a historical exhibition, a collection of miners’ tools and uniforms, and a set of salt cellars. The castle was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2013.
Bochnia
The second famous salt mine is located in Bochnia, just 27 km from the aforementioned Wieliczka Salt Mine. Founded in 1248, the Bochnia Salt Mine is the oldest salt mine in Poland. For nearly 30 years, it has operated as a tourist attraction within its historic excavations, offering a variety of experiences for visitors.
In 2013, the mine was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, and in 2000, it was declared a Historic Monument. The mine offers routes of varying themes and difficulty levels. Visitors can also stay overnight in the salt chambers and enjoy the healing microclimate.
AUSCHWITZ-BIRKENAU MEMORIAL AND MUSEUM
FORMER GERMAN NAZI CONCENTRATION AND EXTERMINATION CAMP
Auschwitz has become a global symbol of war, terror, genocide, and the Holocaust. The Auschwitz camp was established by the Germans in the occupied town of Oświęcim as a camp for Polish political prisoners, the first of whom were transported from the prison in Tarnów on June 14, 1940. Starting in 1942, KL Auschwitz became the largest of the German Nazi concentration and extermination camps. The Germans murdered at least 1.1 million people here—mainly Jews, but also Poles, Roma, Soviet prisoners of war, and individuals of other nationalities. Since 1947, the grounds of the former German Nazi concentration and extermination camp have been home to the State Museum, a research and educational institution. It collects, studies, preserves, and exhibits documents and post-camp artifacts.
In 1979, the site of the former KL Auschwitz-Birkenau was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The camp’s liberation day—January 27—was declared by the United Nations as the International Holocaust Remembrance Day.
The hometown of Saint John Paul II can be explored by walking the Karol Wojtyła Trail. On the corner of Kościelna Street and the town square stands the late Baroque Basilica of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, built in the 18th century. The church is best known as the site of Karol Wojtyła’s baptism. Pilgrims also come to the basilica to venerate the miraculous image of Our Lady of Perpetual Help and to visit the Chapel of Saint John Paul II, which houses his relics. Meanwhile, many cafés around Wadowice’s town square offer the famous “papal cream cakes.”
Museum: Family Home of the Holy Father John Paul II,
7 Kościelna Street, Wadowice
+48 33 8233565, +48 33 8232662
Online ticket purchase: domjp2.pl
Zakopane is the mountain capital of Poland—a center of active leisure and recreation. Nestled in the shadow of the Tatra Mountains, beneath the majestic Giewont peak crowned with a cross, it welcomes visitors both in summer and winter. From Zakopane, you can take walks through scenic Tatra valleys or embark on mountain hikes to rocky peaks. Winter sports enthusiasts will find dozens of slopes nearby, where even complete beginners can take their first skiing steps under the guidance of experienced instructors.
The villas in the Zakopane Style are true architectural gems. Their form is owed to Stanisław Witkiewicz—painter, writer, and architect—who, fascinated by highlander art, creatively incorporated elements of traditional local construction and ornamentation. The first villa built in the Zakopane Style, Koliba (1892), now houses the Museum of the Zakopane Style. Other beautiful examples of this aesthetic include the villas Pod Jedlami (in Kozińiec), Oksza (25 Zamoyskiego Street), and Witkiewiczówka (6 Droga na Antałówkę).
Museum of the Zakopane Style – Koliba Villa
18 Kościeliska Street, Zakopane
+48 18 2637065
muzeumtatrzanskie.pl
Krupówki is one of the most famous streets in Poland. This pedestrian promenade is the true heart of Zakopane. It’s lined with souvenir shops, restaurants serving regional delicacies, and stalls selling highlander cheeses, including the best-known smoked oscypek.
The Tatra Museum is located along Krupówki Street. This stone building in the Zakopane Style houses an impressive natural history collection (including around 230 species of mounted animals), an ethnographic exhibition introducing the highlander culture, and a third section dedicated to the history of the Podhale region, Zakopane, and Tatra tourism. Behind the building is the rock garden (alpinarium) of the Institute of Nature Conservation of the Polish Academy of Sciences.
Tatra Museum – Main Building
10 Krupówki Street, Zakopane
+48 18 2015205, +48 18 2012935
muzeumtatrzanskie.pl
The Old Cemetery at Pęksowy Brzyzek (also called the Old Cemetery) is one of Poland’s most renowned cemeteries. It was established on Kościeliska Street in the mid-19th century and named after Jan Pęksa, who donated the land. Many notable figures associated with the mountains, as well as people of culture and the arts, are buried here.
A rafting trip on a traditional wooden raft is an unforgettable journey through the Dunajec Gorge, full of sharp bends and surrounded by towering limestone cliffs. Viewing the majestic Pieniny National Park from the water offers a unique experience with a tradition going back over 200 years! Each wooden raft holds 12 passengers and two experienced raftsmen.
The rafting season runs daily from April 1 to October 31, except for Easter Sunday and Corpus Christi. Tickets are available at the final landing points or online at flisacy.pl/. A great souvenir from the trip is a photo that can be purchased from the raftsman for a small fee.
For those seeking a more active adventure through the Dunajec Gorge, there are various kayaking and rafting route options. The river has a low level of difficulty, making it accessible to everyone.
The mineral waters flowing in the southern part of Małopolska are one of the region’s greatest assets. Mountain health resorts have developed around them, offering not only therapeutic springs but also picturesque locations amidst forests, a mountain climate, and fascinating history and architecture. Guests can enjoy extensive infrastructure: spa houses, mineral water pavilions, and wellness centers.
It’s worth noting that Małopolska—specifically the Podhale region—is also rich in thermal waters. Thanks to vast underground resources extracted from great depths, modern thermal baths have been established in Bukowina Tatrzańska, Zakopane, Białka Tatrzańska, Szaflary, and Chochołów (see p. 52).
Krynica-Zdrój
This town—known as the pearl of Polish health resorts—offers not only the features of a European spa town, such as a promenade, elegant guesthouses, and spa buildings, but above all, mineral water pavilions where visitors can sample the area’s natural treasures. There are 23 mineral springs available, including the most popular “Kryniczanka,” as well as the Słotwinka, Jan, and Zuber sources.
Szczawnica
This well-known spa town is located near the Pieniny National Park. The health resort was established in 1839. It is an absolutely magical place, surrounded by beautiful 19th-century Alpine-style spa buildings.
Białka Tatrzańska
Terma Bania is not only a fun water park but also a full-service SPA center. The indoor and outdoor pools are filled with water drawn from a depth of 2,500 meters (originally 72°C, but cooled for use). Guests can sunbathe outdoors or relax in the indoor wellness area.
Terma Bania, 181 Środkowa Street, Białka Tatrzańska
Bukowina Tatrzańska
Termy BUKOVINA is a large entertainment complex and wellness center. It features a spacious area with mountain views and numerous pools filled with water at temperatures ranging from 28–36°C, drawn from a depth of 2,500 meters. The water is mildly mineralized.
Termy BUKOVINA, 22 Sportowa Street, Bukowina Tatrzańska
Szaflary
Termy Szaflary is an intimate, year-round thermal pool complex. It is supplied with water from wells reaching a depth of 3,000 meters. In the pools, the water temperature ranges from 30–38°C. It is mineralized, which has a beneficial effect on the musculoskeletal system, soothes skin conditions, and calms the nerves.
Termy Szaflary, 20 Osiedle Nowe Street, Szaflary
Termy Gorący Potok is a complex consisting of several thermal pools, purified using UV lamps, which means no chemicals or chemical mixtures are added to the water. Fountains, water jets, hydro-massages, and geysers provide great fun for both children and adults.
Termy Gorący Potok, 45 Osiedle Nowe Street, Szaflary
Chochołów
Chochołowskie Termy is one of the largest thermal centers in Podhale and in all of Poland. The complex includes 3 outdoor pools, 18 indoor thermal pools with various attractions, children’s pools with 3 water slides, as well as a SPA & Wellness zone.
Chochołowskie Termy, Chochołów 400, Chochołów
Zakopane
The Polana Szymoszkowa swimming area was opened in the summer of 2007. The water that fills it comes from the Szymoszkowa GT1 geothermal well and has a temperature of about 30°C. According to studies conducted by the Polish Academy of Sciences, the water from the well is classified as thermal and mineralized.
Geothermal swimming area, 2 Polana Szymoszkowa Street, Zakopane
Zalipie is famous for its unique folk art, which decorates the walls of houses, living rooms, stoves, and chairs. These rich and vividly colorful floral compositions have made Zalipie known worldwide.
In villages of the Dąbrowa Powiśle region, the exterior walls of cottages and farm buildings were painted with flowers as early as the late 19th century. Similarly, fences, wells, doghouses, and interiors of cottages—including walls, stoves, doors, and shutters—were decorated. Rooms were adorned with colorful tissue paper flowers, paper cutouts, and straw spiders hanging from the ceiling beams. This decoration tradition began in the late 18th century, when women whitewashed soot-covered walls with lime and beautified them with multicolored floral paintings.
Traditional paintings can also be seen on the fire station, kindergarten, school, and in the church, whose entire interior is covered with floral motifs.
Tarnów is a unique place—ranked by CNN as one of 15 European cities worth visiting. Known as the Pearl of the Renaissance, it is a city of many cultures with wooden architecture of European significance. The second largest city in Małopolska, Tarnów shaped its character through the cultural melting pot created by its inhabitants over the centuries.
“The Pearl of the Renaissance” is how distinguished art experts describe Tarnów and its Old Town. Walking through Tarnów’s streets, you can admire Renaissance townhouses located in the heart of the market square, the 16th-century Mikołajowski House, the Florencki House, and the centrally situated Town Hall with its 30-meter tower and the oldest manually wound clock in Poland. The Old Town—the Renaissance salon of Tarnów—has preserved its original oval shape dating back to its founding in 1330, with a central rectangular market square. The market square is considered by many to be one of the most beautiful in Poland. The city can be admired from the 30-meter-high Town Hall tower, offering a stunning panorama of the surrounding area and the Beskid mountain ranges visible on the horizon.
Wooden structures, inseparably linked with the landscape of Małopolska, make up a large group of the region’s preserved architectural monuments. The vast majority of wooden buildings are part of the Wooden Architecture Trail, which in the Małopolska region spans over 1,500 km and includes 255 sites: 128 churches, 50 Orthodox churches, 29 buildings, 23 complexes, 16 museums, and 9 open-air museums. All have informational plaques providing basic details about the sites. Every summer, some are open to visitors as part of the “Open Wooden Architecture Trail.” Selected sites also host concerts in the series “Music Enchanted in Wood.”
The most beautiful sites on the Trail include:
Energylandia, the undisputed number one amusement park in Poland, is located in Zator (about 50 km from Kraków). The park offers unforgettable experiences for both young and old across 123 attractions spread over 70 hectares. The park is divided into themed zones: Bajkolandia, Family Zone, Extreme Zone, Water Park, Dragon’s Den, and Aqualantis.
The Extreme Zone is designed for the exceptionally brave and thrill-seekers. Here, visitors can enjoy the fastest and largest roller coasters, the massive Aztec Swing pendulum, and the powerful 40-meter arm of the Space Booster, reaching speeds up to 140 km/h. The highlight is Hyperion—the tallest and fastest ride of its kind in Europe—and the Speed Water Coaster, a world record holder among water roller coasters.
The Dragon’s Den transports visitors into the worlds of The Lord of the Rings and The Witcher, featuring a fantasy realm built of wood and stone, with details inspired by medieval architecture. The Water Park and Aqualantis zones are perfect for beautiful, summer weather, offering relaxation and swimming in an exotic setting. Meanwhile, the Family Zone provides a space for fun and play for entire families.
