Introduction

The beautiful medieval city of Krakow and the Pieniny and Tatras mountains to its south, provide the perfect backdrop for this short escape which aims to make the most of the cold, crisp Polish winter. Focusing on the outdoors we spend an exhilarating two days on winter rambles or snow-shoeing, take a sleigh ride and have the option to ski or take a snowmobile. A scenic drive takes us back to the architectural delights and charming cafes of Krakow.

Tour information

Mountains and Gorges
From Krakow we drive straight to our hotel, in the delightful spa town of Szczawnica nestling in the picturesque Pieniny mountains. We've two full days to enjoy the crisp fresh air here, taking a scenic drive over the border to the Slovakian village of Cerveny Klastor and the start of our walk along the “Pieniny Way” which weaves alongside the river in the stunning Dunajec Gorge. The craggy and forested limestone cliffs are a haven for many species of birds. We don snow-shoes for the more remote trails, an easily- mastered way to make light work in the thicker snows. For those who wish, there are some popular (and very good value) ski slopes to the south of the town or chance to try snowmobiling from nearby Jaworky. An evening sleigh ride provides the perfect ending to an active day.

Zakopane and Krakow
In Zakopane there's time to ascend the funicular to Mt. Gubalowka for spectacular Tatras views, admire the folksy architecture of the wooden buildings or shop for locally produced smoked cheese. We plan to stop off in the wooden village of Chocholow as we wend our way back to Krakow, Poland's most celebrated city, where we stay near the famous market square. There's just enough time to visit Wawel Castle and explore the architectural delights of the historic town before our short trip concludes.