Chocholow Thermal Baths: A Review of Termy Chochołowskie
One of the most popular activities for locals in the Zakopane and Tatra mountains is visiting the Chocholow Thermal Baths, locally known as Termy Chochołowskie. If you’re thinking of visiting but unsure what to expect or if it’s worth it, I got you covered! 🤠 In this post, I’ll give you my honest review of Chochołowskie termy based on my experience visiting.
Is Termy Chochołowskie Worth Visiting?
Famous for its healing properties and promise of relaxation, the therapeutic thermal waters have drawn visitors from all around the world. And from my time at the thermal baths, I can easily understand the excitement and popularity! If I had to describe the experience in one sentence, I would say, “It was a perfect and blissful escape to heaven.”
Now, I know that sounds dramatic, but imagine solo traveling for several weeks across Europe. You’re tired. You’ve been sleeping in hostels most of the way. And then, you discover this incredibly rejuvenating experience that won’t break your bank account…I mean there’s not much more I could ask for! So for me, visiting Termy Chochołowskie was worth every cent and easily a highlight of my trip!
That said, I know not 95% of you aren’t going to be in the same situation as me — or at least I hope you’re all in a better financial position than me! To hopefully give you a better idea if this is an experience that you’d enjoy, let’s talk about what Termy Chochołowskie has to offer visitors…because there’s a LOT!
💧 NOTE: Throughout the post, I’ll use the names “Chocholow Thermal Baths”, “Termy Chochołowskie,” and “Chochołowskie Termy” interchangeably. They are all essentially synonymous with each other!
What Does Chochołowskie Termy Have?
Chochołowskie Termy is the largest thermal bath complex in Poland. As such, it has A LOT of facilities and amenities available to its guests. There are a total of 30 outdoor and indoor thermal pools, which range from jacuzzi pools to massive baths that overlook the stunning Tatra Mountains and surrounding forest area. You’ll also discover a massive sauna and salt cave that’s also the largest in the region, as well as a relaxation room attached to a giant terrace.
Alternatively, if you’re looking to workout, they have a regular swimming pool with lanes and a gym and fitness center! And, this is just the tip of it. There’s also:
- A couple of children’s zones with playgrounds
- Several tube slides fit for children and adults
- A couple of restaurants and bars
- An aquarium and artificial beach
- A healing zone equipped with sulfur water and brine iodized water
- Spa zone that offers massages and cosmetic treatments
- And of course, a gift shop for anything you might forget or to memorialize the magical experience
So as you can tell, this is a place that you could comfortably spend an entire day at if you wanted. Whether you’re traveling by yourself, with your partner, or as a family with little ones…there’s literally something for everyone!
How to Get to Chocholow Thermal Baths
Hopefully, you’re convinced that you need to experience this for yourself !😅 But, how do you get to the Chocholow Thermal Baths? Depending on your starting point, there are three options.
By Bus
Since Chocholow is a small town in the mountain region of Poland, there is unfortunately no airport or train station nearby. Therefore, the only way to get there using public transportation is by bus. All you need to do is use Omio to book a bus ticket to Zakopane from wherever you are. I recommend doing this on Omio as it’s the platform I’ve relied on for 5+ years to book my inter-Europe travels.
Once you reach Zakopane, you can follow Google Maps bus instructions to transfer to another bus to get to the Chocholow Thermal Baths. This second bus ride lasts about 30 minutes and will drop you off directly across from the thermal baths. A bus ticket only costs a couple of dollars one-way, so this is a great budget-friendly option!
💧PRO TIP: Make sure you take a picture of the bus schedule so you know when the last bus leaves! This will ensure that you don’t end up stranded — because been there, done that, and I can confirm it’s not fun being stranded!
By Car
The second option is to go by car. If you’re already in Poland with access to a private car, it’s fairly straightforward to reach Chocholow Thermal Baths. Or, if you don’t have access to a personal car but would like to obtain one so you can easily explore other hidden gem areas in Poland, you can easily rent one. I recommend using DiscoverCars as they usually have the best prices and have lots of pick-up locations, including the airport in Krakow.
✅ 🚗 Click to check the availability of rental cars in Krakow
By Tour
Lastly, for anyone traveling from Krakow, you can join a tour that explores both Zakopane and stops at the Chochołow Thermal Baths. This is the option that I went with since it was the easiest and least stressful way of getting there as a female solo traveler. The tour that I highly recommend taking is below.
✅ Check rates & availability for this lovely tour of Zakopane & the thermal pools
⭐️ RATING: 5 out of 5 stars — 180+ 5-star reviews! | ⏳ TOUR LENGTH: 11 hours
The Zakopane & Thermal Springs Tour includes:
- Round-trip transportation from Krakow
- Exploring the quaint wooden village of Chochołów
- Observing local smoked cheese being prepared and tasting it
- Seeing Wielka Krokiew – the World Championships ski jumping hill
- Visiting Gubałówka mountain
- Walking around Zakopane’s main street, Krupowki Street
- Visiting Muzeum Oscypka in Zakopane
- 3-hours at Termy Chochołowskie
This tour is one of the highest-rated Zakopane tours that also visits the Chochołów thermal baths. And while it’s not the exact tour I took, it is very similar and more affordable! So, if you’re looking to experience both the local culture of Zakopane and spend time at Chochołowskie termy, this is a great option.
“Really good trip highly recommend. Joanna the tour guide was absolutely brilliant. Knowledgeable, provided clear details and what to expect. From the beautiful villages to the snow covered mountains, finishing with the thermal spa. Highly recommend.“
Katherine d. (see more reviews)
✅ Check rates & availability for this affordable tour of Zakopane & the thermal pools
Chocholowska Baths Tickets
If you decide to go without a tour, you’ll have to purchase tickets purchased online or in person. There are tons of ticket packages that include access to different parts of the facilities. But, in case you’re wondering what the most basic package is, it costs ~$17 USD (75 pln or zł) and allows you 3 hours in the main thermal pools. You can find the up-to-date details about the tickets on their official website.
💧 PRO TIP: If you’re flexible on time and visiting independently, visit after 7 PM (19:00) to save a couple of dollars.
What to Expect at Termy Chochołowskie
Alright — it’s time for a breakdown of my experience! Since I took a tour, I’ll skip over everything related to Zakopane and jump to the part where we visited Termy Chochołowskie. However, if you’re interested in the full tour experience, you can read an in-depth review of the exact tour I took.
Arrival at Termy Chochołowskie
To begin, my tour group arrived at Termy Chochołowskie around 1 PM, which was earlier than originally planned. This was because it had been pouring earlier and it was pretty cold, so we spent less time visiting the other attractions.
As soon as we popped out of the van, I got a good look at the building, and I thought it was gorgeous! The entrance is made of beautiful wood and looked so warm, cozy, and inviting — I couldn’t wait to go inside. When you walk in, there’s a bunch of seating and a gift shop to the left. So, if you forget anything or want to grab a souvenir, you can do so. But, like all souvenir shops, the prices aren’t budget traveler-friendly.
From the entrance, you’ll walk down a staircase on the left to check in for the thermal pools. After you show them your pre-purchased ticket / buy your ticket, they’ll give you a wristband. It looks like a watch with no watch face, and you’ll wear the device for the entire duration of your stay. The watch will begin clocking how much time you have once you walk through the turnstiles, but it doesn’t tell you the time remaining since there’s no display or screen.
The Locker Room
After check-in, you’ll enter the free locker room, which has thousands of color-coded lockers. You’ll find your locker in the section that shares the same color as your watch. Within the section, there’s a machine that you can tap your watch against, and a number will pop up on the screen. This is the number of your locker, and again, you’ll tap your watch against your designated locker to open it.
The lockers are pretty big and have a little shelf, so you can comfortably fit a good amount of stuff inside! And unlike other lockers for places I’ve been to, you can open/lock them as much as you want. They are yours until you check out. Oh, and to change, the locker room has private changing rooms. You’ll even find free hair dryers to use after your swim.
When you’re ready to head to the thermal pools, you’ll follow signs to gender-separated shower rooms. They ask you to shower before entering the pools to rinse off all the germs on you from the outside world. No one wants a bunch of mud in the pools!
Enjoying the Thermal Pools
After rinsing off, you’ll walk upstairs to the main level with all the general thermal pools. As soon as you enter, there are some cubbies where you can store your flip-flops/sandals, towel, phone, and any other necessities. On this floor, you’ll find large pools, small jacuzzis, shallow children’s pools, a couple of playgrounds for kids, and a regular swimming pool with lanes. This makes the area great for families.
Aside from looking at the space available, you can determine which thermal pool to go inside by looking at the info stands. They will tell you the temperature and the minerals inside the geothermal waters. Temperatures range from 89 – 99°F (32 – 37°C).
The spot I ended up camping at most of the time was the massive outdoor thermal pool. There were lots of water jets, a couple of benches to sit on in the water, and some basketball hoops. But for me, the highlight was enjoying the fresh air while taking in the beautiful views of the surrounding scenery! It was everything I had hoped for and just felt so good to relax after the stress of solo traveling.
💧 PRO TIP: This area gets both loud and crowded! For a more private experience, I recommend purchasing a ticket with access to only another part of the facilities, such as a Saunarium-only admission ticket.
Delicious Food Options
Speaking of drinks and food options, I checked out the food scene after chilling for about 3 hours and was not disappointed. The floor above the main general pool area has restaurants, a dessert bar, and a buffet-type counter. They serve everything from traditional Polish food to pizza and burgers! And if you’re wondering how to pay for the drinks and food…everything is done through your wristband. You tap your wristband like you would your contactless credit card.
Overall, everything was delicious. The portion sizes were much larger than I anticipated, and it was all affordable. But again, everything is significantly cheaper compared to Paris, Lyon, Stockholm, Milan, or any other place in Western Europe or Northern Europe. 😅
Oh! And, if you’re of age, I know you can be served drinks at a bar while in the pool area. Other guests in my tour group camped there for a while. 😉 Or, if you purchased a ticket to another part of the facilities, they also have a separate bar/menu you can order from.
💧 NOTE: You can only purchase food from within the facilities. If you exit through the check-in area prematurely, you’ll not be re-admitted without buying another ticket.
Leaving Termy Chochołowskie
When you’re ready to leave, you’ll rinse off again in the shower room. I believe shampoo is provided, but I don’t remember exactly. Then, when you’re done changing and have grabbed all your stuff out of your locker, you’ll head to the check-in counter again. There, you’ll turn in your wristband, they’ll scan it, and you’ll use cash or a card to settle your balance. Once that’s done, you’re free to go!
Would I Do Anything Differently?
Before we move on to the next section, I want to mention that if I could do the experience again, I would get a ticket to somewhere less noisy and more private. Although I was happy as a clam in the giant outside thermal pool, I think the experience would’ve been even better if I had explored some of the other parts of the facility. For example, I wish I checked out the Sauna room and maybe tried the barrels that had brine. In short, if you can afford it, I’d recommend exploring more of the facility because this can be an extremely luxurious experience for less than $30.
Where to Stay in Zakopane
In case you are interested in hiking around the Tatra Mountains or exploring the Zakopane area independently, here are a few housing options to check out!
Low-Cost Stays
- Villa Nova Zakopane — 3-star bed and breakfast | ⭐️ 9.4 / 10
- Benita rooms — 3-star hotel | ⭐️ 9.6 / 10
Mid-Range Stays
- Green Deer Premium — Beautiful Apartment Rooms! | ⭐️ 10 /10
- Willa Szymaszkowa — Gorgeous Bed & Breakfast | ⭐️ 9.5 / 10
- Rezydencja Zakopiańska — 4-star hotel | ⭐️ 9.5 / 10
Luxury Stays
- Hotel Aquarion Family & Friends — 4-star hotel | ⭐️ 9.4 / 10
- Nosalowy Park Hotel & SPA — 5-star hotel | ⭐️ 9.4 / 10
Or, You can move around on the map to see up-to-date prices, ratings, and the distance of the accommodation from the Chocholow thermal baths! 😅
Termy Chochołowskie: FAQ
Chocholowskie Termy is open every day from 9 AM – 10 PM, every day except Friday and Saturday when they close at 11 PM. I recommend double-checking their website to see if there are any special events you might be interested in and to check if they’re closed for scheduled maintenance on the facilities.
You are not required to book in advance to visit Chocholowski Termy. But, most of the add-on facilities must be booked/reserved in advance.
Chochołowskie Termy is a place where you can easily spend an entire day completely relaxing, especially if you have access to their premium services. But, if you’re unsure whether to splurge on them or not, I’d recommend purchasing the lowest time package and adding more time if needed. This way you don’t waste your money on a long-stay ticket but also have the option to add more if you think it would be worth it.
The essentials I recommend bringing are swimwear, flip-flops or sandals, a towel, a bag for wet clothes, snacks if you don’t want to purchase food there, and a jacket because it gets cold in the Tatra Mountains.
Yes — there are five other thermal baths in the Zakopane Region. The second most popular one is the Bukovina Thermal Baths. And if you’re interested in reading more about them, check out my other post about Zakopane and jump to the section that says, “Other Thermal Baths Near Zakopane” from the table of contents.
Wrap-Up: A Review of Termy Chochołowskie
Ultimately, I had one of the most amazing experiences of my trip at Chochołowskie Termy. Not only was it spectacularly beautiful with the surrounding mountain views but also the thermal pools were incredibly relaxing and rejuvenating. It was just what I needed after being on the go for so many weeks.
The facilities are well-maintained and everything is quite organized. Yes, it was crowded in some areas, but that’s to be expected with a base-level ticket at a place as popular as the Chocholow thermal baths. So, if you’re debating going, this is your sign to go for it! It was an experience well worth the time, energy, and money.
✅ Check rates & availability for this lovely tour of Zakopane & the thermal pools
Read More About Poland
- 🕊️ 🇵🇱 Auschwitz, Poland: If you’re in Krakow, here’s everything to know about visiting the infamous Auschwitz concentration camp.
