All of these excursions can be booked through the Cracovia Reisen travel agency.
Visit to the Auschwitz Memorial – Full-day excursion
Theme: Second World War and the Holocaust
The guided visit to the Auschwitz Memorial is divided into two powerful sections:
- Auschwitz I, the main camp, with a comprehensive historical exhibition about the camp
- Auschwitz II-Birkenau, with former prisoner barracks and the ruins of the gas chambers and crematoria
The two sites are approximately 4 kilometres apart.
Duration: approximately 7 hours, including travel from and back to Krakow, the guided visit and a lunch break. We also offer a more extensive study visit lasting around 9 hours.
Distance from Krakow: 65 kilometres, with a journey time of approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes.
The standard guided visit lasts approximately 3.5 hours, while the extended study visit lasts around 6 hours. Early reservation is essential.
Visit to the Wieliczka Salt Mine – Half-day excursion
Theme: History of technology and industrial heritage
Duration: approximately 4.5 hours, including transfers from and back to Krakow and a guided visit to the mine.
Our assessment: The Wieliczka Salt Mine is one of the region’s outstanding attractions and is impressive for its underground artworks and engineering. When time is limited, however, priorities should be considered carefully, particularly if essential programme elements would have to be removed.
Our tip: Plan the visit for the afternoon where possible, when there are generally fewer visitors.
Distance from the city centre: approximately 12 kilometres, with a journey time of around 30 minutes. Allow for possible traffic congestion.
Advance reservation is required.
Coach excursion to Pieniny National Park with Dunajec rafting – Full-day excursion
Theme: Nature and landscape
Duration: approximately 8 hours, including transfers, rafting and a lunch break.
No advance reservation required.
Tip 1: The Dunajec Gorge offers a breathtaking natural experience. The rafting trip is safe and relaxing, but is best enjoyed in good weather. Rain can make the journey uncomfortable because passengers cannot stand during the two-hour trip and may quickly become cold.
Tip 2: On the way to the landing stage at Sromowce Wyżne, it is worth stopping in the village of Dębno Podhalańskie. It contains a unique 15th-century wooden church inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, a fascinating example of traditional timber architecture.
Tip 3: After the rafting trip, there is sufficient time for a hike through Pieniny National Park, for example along the blue trail from Szczawnica to the summit of Sokolica (747 m), with magnificent views. The walk takes approximately 2.5 hours. Alternatively, explore the charming spa town of Szczawnica, where the rafting route ends.
Distance: around 120 kilometres from Krakow to the landing stage, with a journey time of approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes.
Coach excursion to Zakopane in the High Tatras
Theme: Nature, landscape and folk culture
Duration: approximately 10 to 11 hours, including the return journey.
The programme includes a funicular ride up Gubałówka for a breathtaking panorama of the High Tatras, a guided tour of Zakopane including a typical wooden villa in the Zakopane Style, an excursion to the traditional mountain village of Chochołów, and a regional dinner in an authentic highlander restaurant.
Tip 1: Zakopane is a rewarding destination but should not be visited at weekends or on public holidays because traffic congestion and waiting times can be considerable. Check your travel dates in advance to ensure a more relaxed visit.
Tip 2: Central Zakopane is architecturally inconsistent and often crowded. It offers visitors from western countries interesting insights into an Eastern European resort town, but those seeking peace and quiet should avoid busy Krupówki Street and explore the surrounding attractions instead.
Tip 3: Chochołów, around 20 kilometres west of Zakopane, is a genuine treasure. The completely preserved village, with traditional wooden houses and shingle roofs, is not an open-air museum but a living community where visitors can experience everyday regional life.
Our recommendation: For a one-day excursion, we generally recommend the Dunajec rafting trip rather than Zakopane for logistical reasons and overall experience.
Distance from Krakow to Zakopane: 110 kilometres, with a journey time of approximately 2 hours under normal traffic conditions.
