An ideal solution for a long weekend, especially for all true lovers of mountain walks, fans of historic architecture and medieval castles, as well as people who appreciate tranquillity, contemplation and contact with wild nature is a trip to Krakow and its surroundings. Two or three days are definitely not enough to get to know all the beauty of this area – trips around Małopolska (the province whose capital is Krakow) can be organized in parts and you can enjoy its extraordinary charm almost all year around. So what is worth sightseeing?
Krakow
Krakow is the former capital of Poland. According to most of the tourist rankings, Krakow is one of the most visited cities by tourists from around the world. However, it is not so unbelievable – the climatic Hejnał Mariacki (bugle call), played every hour from the tower of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church (colloquially from the Mariacka Tower), is to be remembered by more than one tourist, sipping coffee on the Krakow Market Square. Worth seeing is also St. Florian’s Gate, an unusually charming Old Town and the Wawel Royal Castle.
Zakopane
Zakopane is, undoubtedly, the main attraction of Małopolska. Ski jumping lovers can find the place called Wielka Krokiew (well-known ski jumping hill, where international competitions were organized) very fascinating. The most famous street in the city and the promenade are Krupówki. Many tourists often complain about the dizzying prices of all the attractions situated on this street, still, there are many people willing to walk on this legendary thousand-meter-long route. For the fans of hiking, Morskie Oko in Zakopane is a must-see! It is a lake, located in the Valley of Rybi Potok. The 8-kilometre-long trail ends with an amazing and unforgettable view of the panorama of the mountains and extremely picturesque reservoir.
The Witcher’s village
Fans of the computer game ‘The Witcher 3 – Wild Hunt’, will certainly be interested in the village, which became an inspiration for the creators and a real challenge for the graphic designers of this game. Zalipie is situated in the Małopolska Province and is famous for the fact that every house, or rather a cottage located in the village is decorated with unique, floral folk ornaments. It is an extremely characteristic and captivating place that has been added to the list of Małopolska’s most unique attractions.
“Wieliczka” Salt Mine
Everyone is charmed by beautiful and majestic, forged in natural salt, spacious rooms, mysterious underground lakes, as well as artistic, salty sculptures. It is all closed in the area of the old salt mine, over 135 meters below the surface. It should be mentioned that in the recently organized (by the newspaper “Rzeczpospolita”) ranking of the seven wonders of Poland, the ‘Wieliczka’ Salt Mine occupied a high position. You can visit this place and form your own opinion about whether this nomination was right. It is not very uncommon for Polish tourists to forget about this unusual place, while the foreign guests put “salt mines Krakow” very high on their lists of the most attractive places to visit in Małopolska Province.
More information about Krakow and its surroundings can be found on the website – discovercracow.com (the organizer of Krakow Tours).
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