Southern Poland Travel Guide You Won’t Want to Miss
What a pleasant surprise it was to visit Southern Poland! I’ve traveled quite a bit in Europe, and really enjoyed the beauty and balance of this area. If you are looking for a Southern Poland Travel Guide or just want to learn a little more about the area, keep reading my recap and Poland tips below!
Getting to Southern Poland
Airport
Of course getting to Poland varies greatly depending on your country of origin. We traveled from the US, so that means we arrived at Aéroport International Jean-Paul II de Cracovie-Balice, outside of Kraków.
From the airport, we decided to take a taxi, which typically costs between 45-55 zł at the time of writing (12-15 USD), and took around 20 minutes. We prefer a door-to-door option when dealing with jet lag after an overnight flight. Make sure to ask for the cost before getting in the taxi!
Here are some other options to consider when transiting from the airport to the city:
Train – From the airport to Kraków Główny in the city center, it takes around 15-18 minutes and costs 10 zł – 13 zł (2-3 USD). You can purchase tickets from ticket machines at the terminal or from the train conductor.
Bus – From the airport, catch bus 300 during the day, and 902 at night. The journey takes around 30 minutes and costs 4 zł to 35 zł (2-10 USD). You can purchase tickets at ticket machines. Don’t forget to validate your ticket on the bus!
If you are looking for a way to SAVE on flights, look no further than Going! I have personally been a customer since 2018 and even booked a flight to Madrid for $400 round trip!
They offer free memberships for domestic flight deals, and paid for international flights and mistake fares. I promise they will save you money! Click here to sign up.
Train
Kraków Główny is the main train station in Krakow. After arriving at the station, here are your options to get to the main Old Town area.
Walk – The station is just 1.6 km or 1 mile from the center. Look for signs that say Stare Miasto.
Taxi/Uber/Bolt – There is a designated taxi stand you can use, or you can order an Uber or Bolt to pick you up. I like the later as you can enter in your exact address without having to attmept to translate, especially if its more obscure.
Tram/Bus – You can purchase tickets from the KMK machines for either. Make sure to look up routes that are offered and choose one that takes you closest to your preferred destination.
When to Visit Southern Poland
I personally prefer warmer weather, which is why we chose to visit in late May. I really enjoyed this time our year in Poland. Flowers were blooming, the weather was warm but not too hot. I could definitely see it getting a lot hotter in July and August.
My recommendation would be to visit in either May, June, September or October, unless you enjoy colder weather.
Do keep in mind that many accommodations do not offer A/C, and ours did not. We found that it cooled off enough at night that we could have the windows open and it was not a big issue.
Areas in Southern Poland to Visit
Poland is a fairly large country! If you compared it to a US state, it’s close in size to New Mexico, and would be 3/4 as big as Texas.
We chose to visit Krakow and a mountain town called Zakopane. Both were truly lovely, one being a city, and the other focusing on the outdoors.
Here are some great Southern Poland places to visit:
Kraków – The hub of the area, it is one of my favorite European cities. We found it to be exciting, but also laid back, plenty to do, but not completely overrun with people. If you are traversing between Stare Maisto and Kazimierz it’s very easy to walk everywhere. It is relatively affordable compared to the rest of Europe. Highlights included Kazimierz and both Jewish cemeteries, Rynek Underground Museum, Market Square, and Wawel Castle.
Zakopane – We did not realize how popular of a vacation destination Zakopane was for Polish, as well as visitors from Europe. We were the only Americans (that we saw at the time). This town has two main seasons, winter for skiing and summer for hiking/outdoor activities. There is a bustling, albeit a little touristy main area with lots of shopping a restaurants. Just a street or two away and you are back to quiet. Highlights included the Kasprowy Wierch cable car to the top of the mountain (complete with a restaurant with decent food and a beer or hot chocolate), The Tatra Musuem, and just walking or hiking out in nature.
Wrocław – We didn’t make it to this city, but I have heard really great things about it. You can hunt for bronze dwarf statues, visit museums, wander the market square, and more. This is definitely a less traveresed city, maybe even a hidden gem when visiting Poland.
Kraków, Poland
Top Areas to stay in Kraków, Poland
Stare Miastro – If you want to be in the middle of it all, staying in Old Town might be for you. Everything will be just steps away and easy to get to. This area is definitely the busiest and can be a bit louder. I recommended finding accommodations down a side street for a more calm and quite experience.
Kazimierz – This is the Jewish Quarter of Kraków, which is essential to visit when in the city. It tends to be a bit quieter and there a more up and coming restaurants. We stayed in this area and really enjoyed the slower pace and vibe, with old town just a 5-10 minute walk away.
Top Things To Do in Kraków, Poland
Krakow has a lot of interesting things to see and do. You’ll definitely want to save some of these ideas for your Southern Poland Travel.
Market Square (Rynek Główny) – An obvious stop in any European city, the main square. Filled with beautiful buildings, shops, an underground museum and lots of pigeons – this square offers a lot to do. The underground musuem was a highlight, and offers a glimpse into past centuries where they sold goods in this same area. Ruins of stalls past are featured buried beneath what is now today’s square.
Wawel Castle – Another European must-do, this castle is more like a large complex. We liked the option to buy entrance to only the sections that interest you most. We chose the Armory (I should say our 7 year old chose it), and it was a great place to wander and see all centuries of weapons and suits or armor.
Barbikan & Park Ring – Where old fortress walls stood, there is now a park that encircles all of old town. It is such a lovely shaded area to stroll or sit on a bench for some rest after walking all day. At the north end of Old Town, there is an old Barbican that is neat to see.
Old & New Jewish Cemeteries – Poland has a long Jewish history, that includes a dark time when it comes to the Holocaust. The old Jewish cemetery dates back to as far as 500 AD, there is an entrance fee, but we were luckily enough to be able to see the whole things from our AirBnb window! The New Jewish cemetary has a very dark history, as it is where many were taken for their last moments. Extremely large, it’s a place to stroll, pay respects and reflect.
Pinball Museum – An off the beaten path suggestion, this Pinball arcade allows a one time entry fee with all you can play pinball for an hour. This was a nice stop and activity that didn’t involve history or excessive walking.
Where & What to Eat in Kraków
Polish food is honestly delicious. I’ve been to several countries in what might be considered Eastern Europe and this was my favorite. Pierogies – need I say more?!
What To Eat in Southern Poland
Polish food is a hearty cuisine, but I found it to also be fresh and delicious. Here are some Polish foods you need to try when you visit the country:
Pierogies – these dumpling-like and are typically either filled with meat or potato, and sometimes even fruits. You can get them boiled or crispy, and they are often served with sour cream. Honestly delightful.
Bigos – A stew that consists of meat and slighty sour cabbage may not sound great at first, but I found it to be really delicious.
Placki Ziemniaczane – Potato pancakes, you’ll find these served a long side of foods, or even as a part of a main dish with stewed meat over top. I had the later and it was amazing.
Golabki – The Polish version of cabbage rolls, I enjoyed these. Cabbage leaves stuffed with meat, typically pork and stewed for hours. You’ll also find cabbage rolls in Hungary and Romania.
Zupa Grzybowa – A surprise favorite, this is a lightly creamy mushroom soup with small noodles in it. My son loved it so much I had to find a recipe to attempt it at home!
Zapiekanka – An open faced french bread street food topped with cheese and a variety of other items. A must try, especially after a beer or night out. Similar to the US french bread pizza, but with much more unique toppings!
Paczki – Amazing fresh made donuts thaty typically have a filling. We tried the apple filled version and it was a hit with that whole family. Definitely a must try, and there are grab and go store fronts all over the city selling them.
There is so much more to try, this is just a sample of our favorite items!
Where to Eat in Kraków
There are a lot of options for where to eat in Kraków, Poland. Below are the places we ended up trying, a whether or not we would go back!
Kuchnia u Doroty – A family favorite for us! They offer a wide variety of Polish foods and all of it was fresh and delicious. Make a reservation for this restaurant as it books up quickly!
Nowy Kraftowy – A great laid-back spot for pizza & burgers. This is actually a craft beer location as well. The food was great here.
Jewish Square (Plac Nowy) – This is the best place to try Zapiekanka, with several stalls selling it.
The Leaky Cauldron – I would call this place touristy, with Harry Potter decor and drinks that have dried ice to create smoke. Since we had a child with us, it was a fun stop for a break and a drink. I would not recommend the food here.
Zakopane, Poland
Zakopane was an easy 3 hour train ride from Krakow, and is a very inviting and lovely skiing or summer hiking spot.
What You Need to Know about Zakopane in Southern Poland
Zakopane is well known and visited by the Polish and by other Europeans. The main shopping street can get quite busy and I have seen some negative comments about visiting because of this.
I would not call it a hidden gem mountain town, but I still think it’s worth a visit as you can arrive by train and don’t necessarily need a car, and just a street or two off the main area it is quiet and full of nature.
Another plus of if being a little more developed is that there are more things to do in the area besides just nature activities.
It may just be me, but I love to research and plan for my upcoming travel (might be a little too obsessed). TripAdvisor has been a go-to for me to search for reviews on experiences, hotels, things to do, and more! You might even see a few reviews floating around on there that I have submitted myself. 🙂
Click to check out all of the great information TripAdvisor has to offer!
Where to Stay In Zakopane
There are a lot of options for accommodations in Zakopane! My top recommendation would be to pull up Google Maps and click to filter by hotels. There are so many villas to choose from in the area. I would narrow down the options by your needs in an accommodation, proximity to what you want to do there and reviews.
We chose to stay within walking distance of the main area, but far enough away to have a peaceful and quiet stay. We also really wanted a view of the mountains and were not disappointed.
SERCE TATR Residence Zakopane – This is where we chose to stay and it was a great choice! A small accommodation with just 12 rooms, we chose a small suite that had a bedroom, loft, small kitchenette and a balcony with a mountain view. Breakfast was included and is served buffet style every morning. My son especially loved the selection of cookies that rotated and was available all day.
Top Things To Do in Summer in Zakopane
This are offers a lot of options for things to do. We were able to fill 3 full days, and could have stayed for longer. Here are some top Zakopane, Poland things to do:
Gubałówka – ride a funicular up to the top of this ridge to find tons of souvenir stall shopping, an alpine coaster, cows in meadows and food options. Highly recommend bringing cash for the vendors as card is not accepted. Pro Tip – Buy your ticket for the funicular at a machine after walking under the tunnel from Krupowki street to skip the line at the ticket office.
Kasprowy Wierch Mountain Top and Cable Car – The highlight of our trip to Zakopane. The views from both the cable car and the top are amazing. There is a cafeteria style cafe at the top and they food was pretty good. My husband and son walked up higher to the peak of the mountain as well. Pro Tips: Bring a jacket! It was very cold at the top even in late May. The walk to the ticket office to get on the gondola through a park was very long. I recommend taking a taxi from the center and having them drop you off within the park area below.
Krupowki Street – Touristy, but still fun to walk around and grab some food. Definitely do your research before selecting a place to eat, and for dinner reservations are recommended. My son loved all the swinging chairs with fuzzy blankets as a place to rest with a snack and a drink.
The Tatra Museum – A great place to learn about the history of this particular area, customs, and early settlers. Some of the exhibits are interactive, and there were 3 floors of history to explore. There was a special exhibit at the time showcasing Polish garments which was especially neat.
Did I miss any important Southern Poland locations or tips? Let me know in the comments!
I know there is more to Southern Poland than just these places, and I would go back to visit again in a heartbeat! I hope you plan a trip to explore Southern Poland on your next European adventure.
Disclosure: This page may contain affiliate links, meaning I receive a small commission if you decide to make a purchase through these links, at no additional cost to you. I really, really appreciate your support and could not continue this blog without you!
You May Also Like
Red River, the Best Kept Secret of New Mexico! [Updated 2025]
Top Dripping Springs Breweries You Need to Visit – from a Local [Updated 2025]
