Three of the Most Memorable Day Trips from Krakow Poland
I cannot say enough about how much I love the city of Krakow, Poland. However, as much as I really enjoy stuffing myself so full of pierogi that my stomach hurts, and shopping for more Polish pottery than I'll ever know what to do with, I can't deny that are there are so many days trips from Krakow that can satisfy the tastes of any traveler. From a quirky afternoon underground so you can tell your friends back home you toured a salt mine, to probably one of the most important visits anyone can do in Poland: Auschwitz-Birkenau, to a nature escape in the mountains, Krakow is easily accessible to all of it whether by train or bus trip.
Take a Day Trip to a Historic Salt Mine
A salt mine probably isn't your first choice for a day trip. I don't blame you, I didn't even know you could mine for salt (is this common knowledge?) However, I first toured the Wieliczka Salt Mine while in college, and it stuck with me so much over the last ten years, that I had to go back when I returned to Poland for a second time. It may sound like a strange recommendation, but as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the salt mine has been in existence since the 13th century (from a formation originally formed 13.6 million years ago) and is now a top attraction in Poland. And since it’s only a 30 minute drive from the city center, it’s one of the easiest day trips from Krakow to add to your travel itinerary.
Be prepared to head far underground. This is one, legit mine. You'll start the tour by walking down hundreds of wooden stairs to make your way over 200 ft underneath the surface. Once at the bottom, you'll be surrounded by a labyrinth of tunnels, passageways, and shafts that make up the 178 total miles of mining paths where table salt has been collected over hundreds of years. The entire mine is carved out of the salt walls, making them different shades of gray and white, a much different look than a typical goldmine tour. Your guide may even implore you to lick the walls to convince you that yes, it's actually salt (trust me, it is haha). As you walk through, you'll see religious statues and small prayer areas carved from the salt walls used by the miners centuries ago. There are also gorgeous underground lakes and deep caverns to traverse. One of the cavern openings is so tall, that it allowed someone to enter into the Guiness Book of World Records for doing the first bungee-jump underground!
The best part of the salt mine tour is the Chapel of St. Kinga, (the patron saint of the miners who protected them from harm while they worked tirelessly underground). This massive chamber can hold up to 400 people. With elaborate frescos carved from the salt walls and chandeliers made of salt hanging from the ceiling, the Chapel can also be rented out for weddings (although keep in mind there's a 3-year waitlist).
The salt mine is also home to a world-renowned spa and health center deep underground, taking advantage of the health benefits of the salty-air and consistent temperature. Living in Chicago with a large Polish population, there are many smaller salt caves that have been recreated in the city to mimic the positive health effects you can find in the Krakow Salt Mines. Who knew salt was so good for you when you aren’t actually consuming it??
Understand History More Deeply at Auschwitz/Birkenau
Visiting Auschwitz-Birkenau may seem like a somber and emotionally daunting excursion, especially if you're on vacation. However, I wholeheartedly believe that everyone should experience a tour of Auschwitz at least once. Lately, this destination has sadly become a bit of a mockery. People take selfies in front of the Auschwitz gates and prioritize Snapchatting over respect for the location. Please don’t be THAT person. I personally did not feel comfortable having my camera out for too long and preferred to be in the moment instead of behind a camera lens. It's crucial to gain a deeper understanding of history by walking the paths that those who were subjected to this horrific concentration camp walked so many years ago. As we all know, if we don’t learn about history, we are doomed to repeat it, and the atrocities that happened in this specific place are something that should be known by all.
On your tour, you'll start with Auschwitz I, which at the time of World War II, was a labor camp. The buildings have since been modified to hold artifacts and exhibitions. The museum of Auschwitz 1 is home to many displays that put the gravity of the concentration camp into perspective: the pile of 80,000 pairs of shoes and thousands of suitcases left by those who died in the camps and the two tons of hair cut from prisoners' heads before they were sent to the gas chamber. The tour will also take you inside one of those haunting gas chambers, where you'll see nail scratches on the walls from those who were desperately trying to find any way to escape before their gruesome deaths. Today, there are also memorials in the places where firing squads would target their victims, a grim reminder that so much death happened behind every fence of Auschwitz.
The tour then continues on to Auschwitz II or Birkenau, commonly known as the "death camp" of Auschwitz. Birkenau contains all the structures and images that are most familiar to people, whether it be from movies and TV or photos from books. Most of the buildings have been lost due to the Germans trying to burn them during the liberation. However, what is left of Birkenau is still in its original condition. You'll see the tracks where the train cars hauled confused prisoners into the camp. You’ll even walk through the prisoner's living quarters. Inside are rows and rows of wooden bunks and bathrooms which are just holes leading to a ditch below, which had to be cleaned out by hand every day. as you walk through the camp, despite it being a rather open space, the heaviness of history on top of the barbed wire fence really adds a layer of claustrophobia. The fencing also extends every which way around you, far past the camp's boundaries as it also surrounded the fields where many of the prisoners worked.
Head to the Mountains for One of Your Krakow Day Trips
After taking in the heaviness of Auschwitz-Birkenau, I wouldn’t blame you if you have the sudden desire to get off the beaten path to take in fresh air and tackle a rewarding hike. Thankfully, Poland is an amazing place for outdoor-enthusiasts as well, especially when you head south to the more mountainous region on the border of Slovakia. Here you’ll find the small town of Zakopane, complete with quaint wooden buildings, a bustling little Main Street and all the mountain goat cheese you can eat (literally THE BEST). This town is a 2-hour train ride from the heart of Krakow, allowing you to easily spend a day before heading back to the more city.
If you choose to stay in Zakopane for a couple of days, make sure you take the hike to the Morskie Oko lake in the Tatra Mountains National Park. This crystal clear lake is surrounded by sprawling mountains on all sides, and is the best destination you can ask for after a roughly 2 hour hike one way. You can also continue on past Morskie Oko to hike up to the second lake of Czarny Staw. Both offer unparalleled views and will make you fall even more in love with Poland as a country.
