Active Kraków guide - 7 best outdoor countryside activities to do from Kraków
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| The stunning alpine environment of the Tatra Mountains |
Below are recommendations for visitors who like to be active. Kraków has some real hidden gems, which are very accessible, to satisfy the most energetic tourists.
1. Zakopane and the Tatra Mountains
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| Stunning views from the top of the Zakopane cable car |
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| Krupówki Street Zakopane |
More and more visitors to Kraków are starting to realise that just 2 hours south of the city is a stunning alpine range of mountains. The breath taking environment of the Tatra Mountains is best explored from the mountain town of Zakopane. Even better, it is possible to do this as a day trip from Kraków, and offers activities from skiing, thermal baths and trekking, to simply shopping and absorbing the very different cultural environment
2. Ojców National Park (Ojcowski Park Narodowy)
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| Ojców Castle - Ojców National Park |
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| Ojców village |
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| The Kraków Gate - Ojców National Park |
Only 20km from Kraków, this is Poland's smallest national park and gets its name from the village of Ojców which sits at its centre. Ojców National Park (Ojcowski Park Narodowy in Polish) is much closer to the city for trekking than Zakopane, and fascinating caves, rock pillars, castles and wildlife await within its boundaries.
3. Fabulous cycle route to a Benedictine Monastery from the heart of Kraków
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| Tyniec Monastery by bike |
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| Wawel Castle from the Vistula cycle path |
Fancy getting out of the city and experience the calm peacefulness of the Polish countryside? Looking for a safe cycle route which allows for an extremely pleasant day trip right from the city centre? Look no further than cycling to the dramatic Benedictine Monastery at Tyniec. This is very easy to do, and the route described takes you very quickly into rural surroundings on the west side of the city.
4. Mounds, monastery and vineyard wine tasting trek from the heart of the city
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| Camaldolese Hermit Monastery |
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| Srebrna Góra Vineyard |
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| Piłsudski Mound |
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| Wine tasting is a fine end to the trek! |
This trek can be undertaken right from the centre of Kraków and offers a rewarding jaunt into rural tranquillity, with stunning panoramic views, from the top of a man made mound. Mounds by the way are a curious phenomenon in this part of the world, with Kraków boasting four of them. The target of this particular trek is named the Piłsudski Mound which is situated in the Wolski Forest (Las Wolski). The great thing about a visit to this area is that it can also be combined with exploring the Zoo (if that is your thing), Camaldolese Hermit Monastery and the opportunity to taste and buy some wine at the Srebrna Góra Vineyard.
5. Wild swimming, paddle boarding, canoeing, sailing or pedalo paradise!
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| Zakrzówek swimming pools |
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| Zakrzówek wild swimming |
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| Bagry beach Krakow |
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| Sailing on the Bagry Lake Krakow |
If you fancy more water based activities, especially in the sizzling heat of summer, Kraków has some great offerings for cooling down.
6. Jurassic Park Kraków - climbing, trekking, fishing, caving and cycling
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| Sokolica crag- the El Capitan of Krakow |
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| Dolina Kobylańską - climbers paradise north of Krakow |
Did you know that just north of Kraków is a Jurassic paradise? By Jurassic I don't mean a dinosaur land, but a large area of limestone geological wonders carved into the landscape. It's formal title is the Kraków-Częstochowa Jura Upland.
The Ojców National Park has already been mentioned in this post, but the other easily accessed jura valleys north of the city are a haven for rock climbing, trekking, fishing, caving and cycling.
7. Skiing
Zakopane and the Tatra Mountains have already been mentioned in this post, but it is worth singling out skiing, as it is possible to do it as a day trip from Kraków.
The best skiing is located in and around the mountain town of Zakopane. Use this link to help you use public transport to get there.
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You may also like these pages -
Attractions to amble around in the Old Town
Kazimierz
Podgorze
Liban Quarry
Nowa Huta
Plaszow Concentration Camp
Auschwitz
Salt Mines
Ojcow National Park
Zakopane
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