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Warsaw Day Trips
Poland City Guides: Around Warsaw
Trips From Warsaw
If you fancy outside the hum and buzz of Warsaw, Kampinos Forest is an ideal choice for a break. A wild and beautiful primeval forest, it is often called the green lungs of Warsaw and is made up of dense pine and spruce forest as well as sand dunes and marshes.
You can take a walk using one of the numerous hiking trails that criss-cross the forest while looking out for any of the 81 endangered species that inhabit it. A few hundred elks live there, as well as boars, beavers and even a handful of lynxes, though they may be harder to spot. You are more likely to see other animals such as hares, foxes, deer and, occasionally, wild boars. The park is home to some bird life, including black storks, cranes, herons and marsh harriers.
There aren't many shops or kiosks at the entrance points to the park so it is best to bring your own supplies. The forest is 15km away from Warsaw and the easiest way to get there is on the no 726 bus from the capital city.
Konstancin-Jeziorna, a spa town famous for its clean air, is only 20km away from Warsaw. You can easily get there by car heading south from the capital or if you want to take the bus, you need no 700 from Central Warsaw railway station.
A garden town crossed by the picturesque Jeziorka River, Konstancin-Jeziorna's greatest treasure is its microclimate and thermal brine that comes from deep underground, which, when inhaled at the Graduation Tower is believed to help in the treatment of respiratory problems. The fresh clean air comes from the pinewoods surrounding the resort.
Konstancin-Jeziorna has an interesting collection of historic villas and newly built mansions, a shopping centre in a restored 19th century mill, which is worth a visit, and there are numerous paths and routes for walking and cycling.
Wawel Castle, Krakow - historic residence of the Polish monarchy
If you want to go further afield from Warsaw, you can catch a train to Krakow in just two hours and forty minutes on the fastest train services. The former capital of Poland, Krakow was the European City of Culture in 2000 and ranks with Prague and Vienna as one of the architectural gems of central Europe. The Krakow Glowny train station stands on the northern fringes of the Old Town and is within walking distance of central sights and hotels.
You can easily get around central Krakow on foot though there are regular buses and trams which run from 5am to 11pm. The cheapest way to buy tickets is at kiosks and shops displaying the MPK symbol or invest in a Krakow Card.
You could spend a good few days in Krakow without running out of things to do but if you are short of time the most of the popular tourist attractions are in the Old Town which is filled with a mass of flamboyant monuments. You can walk the entire Royal Way, from St. Florian's Gate, down Florianska, across the Rynek Glowny and to the Wawel, a symbolic place of great significance for Polish people.
The Royal Castle and the Cathedral (open Mon-Sat 9am-5pm) are situated on the hill not far from the Vistula River. Polish Royalty and many distinguished Poles are interred in the Cathedral and royal coronations took place there. Wawel gets very busy in the summer so make sure you arrive early to get your tickets.
There are lots of other things to see and do in central Krakow. Listen to the Hejnal Mariacki (Trumpet Signal) while sipping a coffee in the Rynek Glowny, the main square in the Old Town which is ringed by magnificent houses and towering spires. The signal is played live every full hour and is cut suddenly in memory of a trumpeter shot and killed by a Tatar arrow in 1241. You can walk around the Planty, a large park that surrounds the entire Old Town or enjoy its peace and quiet early on a Sunday; go shopping at the open air flea markets at Plac Nowy and Hala Targowa.
Krakow's famous cafe culture must be explored when visiting and popular venues include the Alter Ego Café on Floriańska street (just a few steps from St. Mary's Church on Market Square) which sells delicious Polish food and Polish beer; Cafe Larousse on ul. sw. Tomasza 22 serves very good coffee and has The Great French Encyclopedia on the walls, or you could go to one of the city's first cafés, the Cafe Lody u Jacka i Moniki. They have the best ice cream in the summer, great coffee and offer very good cakes, especially the traditional 'kremowka' - a vanilla flavoured cream cake or a warm apple pie with whipped cream.
A visit to the Auschwitz concentration camp is on the itinerary of most visitors to Krakow
70km west of Krakow and the country's dark history during the Second World War can be explored at a town called Oswiecim, or as it is better known, Auschwitz. The concentration camp was built by the Germans during World War II and became the site of one of the greatest mass murders in the history of humanity.
Auschwitz is free to visit but donations are encouraged and you may consider joining a guided group to get the most from your visit. English-language tours depart roughly once and hour and you can apply at the clearly signed desk.
The easiest way to get to Auschwitz from Krakow is on a guided tour or on a bus, with services running every half an hour.
Krakow Trams
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