Ultimate Guide to Visiting Zakopane Thermal Baths in 2023
Within Eastern Europe, something that few know foreigners know is that there’s a decent amount of thermal baths in Poland. In particular, the Zakopane thermal baths are a crowd-favorite and attract thousands of locals and tourists staying in Krakow.
In this post, I’ll provide you with all the essential details that you need to experience the magic of the Zakopane thermal baths
Table of Contents
- Why Visit Zakopane Thermal Baths?
- Best Thermal Baths in Zakopane (2023)
- How to Reach the Zakopane Thermal Baths
- 3 Best Tours to Zakopane Thermal Baths from Krakow
- What to Bring for Zakopane Thermal Baths
- Other Thermal Baths Near Zakopane
- Where to Stay in Krakow
- Zakopane Thermal Baths: FAQ
- Wrap-Up: Ultimate Guide to Zakopane Thermal Baths (2023)
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Why Visit Zakopane Thermal Baths?
For those who don’t know, Zakopane is nestled in the Tatra Mountains along the southern part of the country. Around this region alone, there are 6 different thermal baths, pools, and parks available to select from.
And whether you are staying in Krakow, passing through, or visiting from another nearby city, the Zakopane thermal baths are 100% worth visiting!
They offer guests the opportunity to indulge in a relaxing spa experience while enjoying the beautiful, natural mountain scenery. Plus, they are much more affordable than many other spas and thermal baths around the world.
Best Thermal Baths in Zakopane (2023)
Of the six different facilities that have thermal baths, the most popular and absolute best one is the Chocholowskie Thermal Baths in Zakopane. It’s located 10.5 miles or 17km from Zakopane in the small town of Chocholow!
Chocholowskie Thermal Baths Zakopane
And while the town itself is very quaint, the Chocholowskie thermal baths make up the largest thermal pool complex in all of Poland. On the premises, you’ll find 30 indoor and outdoor pools and jacuzzis that are nothing short of heaven.
Here are just a few of the numerous additional amenities included at this location!
- Older Children’s Zone with Tube Slide
- Young Children’s Zone with a children’s pool
- An aquarium
- Outdoor playground
- Textile sauna and salt cave
- Gym & Fitness center
- Restaurants
There’s even more than this…so if you’re interested in getting a full breakdown you can check out their official website.
How to Reach the Zakopane Thermal Baths
Hopefully, by now you are convinced that you should most definitely visit these thermal baths. So, let’s discuss the three options you have to get there: By bus, by private transportation, or by tour.
By Bus
Your first option, which is also the cheapest, is to take the bus. Since Chocholow and Zakopane are such small towns, there is no train station or airport. The only form of public transportation available is the bus.
Prices do vary depending on where you’re traveling from but are generally fairly low. For example, if you’re staying in Krakow taking the bus to Zakopane costs ~€7 or $8 USD.
If you decide to use this transportation option, I recommend booking your bus ticket through the platform OMIO. It’s the most intuitive transportation platform out there and I’ve been a satisfied user of it since 2019, so I can definitely vouch for it.
You simply have to input your starting location, the end destination as “Chocholow, Poland,” and your travel dates. Afterward, the various bus routes will appear and you can select which one works best for you.
One thing to note is that you’ll likely notice that all the end addresses are in Zakopane.
This is because Zakopane is the main tourist destination, not the tiny town of Chocholow.
As a result, you’ll likely need to take another 30-minute bus ride that costs a couple of dollars one-way. Simply follow google maps instructions and be aware that most of the bus drivers don’t speak English well, so be patient.
Alternatively, you can try to Uber from Zakopane to the Chocholowskie Thermal Baths.
Just remember that while there is Uber in Poland, your options may be limited within the Tatra Mountains. This could mean longer waiting times or straight up, there are no cars available to take you.
So ultimately, it’s a risk that you’re going to have to assess whether or not you want to take.
By Private Transport
Your second option is to drive yourself there.
Obviously, this is the best option if you already have access to a car, whether it be your own, a family member’s, or a friend’s, and you are familiar with navigating around Poland.
However, if you don’t have access to a car, you can always opt to rent one. The company that I normally use to rent cars while traveling is DiscoverCars.
I’ve always found that they best service and 99% of the time have cars available for pick-up from airports, which just makes life easier when traveling. So if you want to drive yourself to the baths, that’s definitely an option.
Plus, there’s really only one road that travels from Krakow into the Tatra mountains, so navigating isn’t challenging.
✅ 🚗 Click to check the availability of rental cars in Krakow
By Tour
Now, the third and in my opinion the best option is to take a private tour.
Unfortunately, this isn’t always an option if you’re coming from pretty much anywhere that’s outside of Krakow…But, if you are staying in the area, I highly recommend going with this option.
It’s the least stressful experience, especially if you are uncomfortable navigating Poland’s transportation network.
And since I know it can be overwhelming to see hundreds of tour options… here are the 3 tours I highly recommend taking for the best possible hassle-free experience!
So, without further ado…
3 Best Tours to Zakopane Thermal Baths from Krakow (2023)
1. The Zakopane Tour I Took
✅ Check rates & availability for the tour to Zakopane that I thoroughly enjoyed 🌲🧀
⭐️ RATING: 4.9 out of 5 Stars | ⏳ TOUR LENGTH: 11 hours
The From Krakow: Zakopane, Tatra Mountains & Thermal Baths Tour includes:
- Witnessing the beauty of the Tatra Mountains
- Trying two different types of traditional sheep cheese (oscypek)
- Touring the inside of a well-preserved wooden chalet
- Seeing inside of folk sculpture studio
- Wandering around Krupowki Street (main street)
- Riding a funicular car up Gubałówka mountain
- 3-hours at Chocholowskie Thermal Baths
- Round Trip transportation in a comfortable 8-seater van
This is the amazing tour I took and absolutely loved — you can read my complete review here. My English-speaking guide, Jakob, was so kind and flexible. What sets this tour option apart from the 100+ others is that you get to see a bit more of the local culture.
For example, you get to see various intricate wood carvings and walk inside one of the wooden houses that the Chocholow and Zakopane region is so famous for. Thus, if you are interested in visiting the thermal baths and learning lots about the local culture, this is the tour for you!
✅ Check rates & availability for the tour to Zakopane that I thoroughly enjoyed 🌲
2. A Cheaper but Similar Version of the Tour I Took
✅ Check rates & availability for this more affordable tour of Zakopane & the thermal pools
⭐️ RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars | ⏳ TOUR LENGTH: 11 hours
The Zakopane & Thermal Springs Tour includes:
- Visiting the historic wooden village of Chochołów
- Seeing how the local smoked cheese is prepared and tasting some
- Visiting Wielka Krokiew – ski jumping hill used for the World Championships
- Going to the top of Gubałówka mountain
- Strolling along Krupowki Street
- Spending 3-hours at Chocholowskie Thermal Baths
- Round-trip transportation from Krakow
This tour is one of the highest-rated tours and, as mentioned previously, this tour goes to almost all the exact same places that I mentioned before. It’s a little bit cheaper than the tour above during the off-season and about $20 USD cheaper during the summer than the tour I took.
Thus, if you want to visit the popular Chocholowskie thermal baths, still explore a lot of what Zakopane has to offer, and save a few dollars while you’re at it… this is a fantastic tour option!
✅ Check rates & availability for this more affordable tour of Zakopane & the thermal pools
3. Experience the popular Termy BUKOVINA
✅ 💧Check rates & availability for this wildly popular tour to the Bukovina thermal baths
⭐️ RATING: 5 out of 5 – taken by more than 1,300 guests! | ⏳ TOUR LENGTH: 11 hours
The Zakopane Tour with Hot Bath Pools & Hotel Pick Up includes:
- Admiring the scenic views of the Tatra Mountains
- Tasting local cheese & vodka in the mountain village of Kościelisko
- Wandering around Krupowki Street
- Riding the cable car to the top of Gubałówka mountain
- 2.5 hours ticket for Bukovina thermal baths
- Round-trip private transportation + there’s on-board wifi
This is one of the highest-rated as well as most popular Zakopane thermal baths tours.
Compared to the other two tours, this one goes to the Bukovina thermal baths, which are a little closer to Zakopane and have 13 indoor and outdoor thermal baths.
There are also tons of attractions and water slides, so I would especially recommend this tour for anyone who might be traveling with younger kids!
✅💧Check rates & availability for this highly popular tour to the Bukovina thermal baths
What to Bring for Zakopane Thermal Baths
To ensure that you’re all good to go and have a lovely and rejuvenating time, here is everything I suggest bringing.
- 🌬 Light Jacket: Even if you’re visiting in the summer, the weather is quite unpredictable and may start to rain in a heartbeat. Thus, bring a light jacket… a heavy one if you’re there between October and May.
- 👙 Swimsuit: Definitely a necessity unless you plan on going in your birthday suit — then again, I don’t think they’d let you enter the pool area…🤔
- 🧖♀️ Towel: If you can, bring your own towel to avoid paying added fees. Personally, I just used my small Rainleaf microfiber towel that I always travel with and it was perfect since it doesn’t take up a lot of space and is extremely efficient at drying. Definitely recommend buying one if you don’t already have one!
✅ Check out the travel-friendly microfiber towel I always travel with
- 🩴 Flip Flops: Even if you do a tour that goes around Zakopane, carry a pair of sandals, clogs, or flip-flops. There are signs that say you must wear flip-flops in the locker room/changing area to keep everything clean.
- 🍎 Snacks & Water: Even though food and lots of drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) are available, I would still bring some small snacks. The drive from Krakow is over an hour and you may get hungry.
That said, you can very easily purchase some traditional Polish foods and desserts in the facility as well.
Other Thermal Baths Near Zakopane
As mentioned earlier, there are a total of 6 thermal baths near Zakopane. I have a full breakdown of my experience solely at the Chocholowskie Thermal Baths here if you’re interested.
Otherwise, here’s a quick and general overview of what the other ones have to offer. I’ve listed them in increasing distance from Zakopane to help if transportation is a considering factor.
- Aqua Park Zakopane — This is located in the center of Zakopane and includes 2 outdoor pools with thermal water. There are also regular pools with swimming lanes and several pool areas for kids and even a bowling center.
- Bukovina Thermal Baths — is located 9 miles (15 km) from Zakopane in Bukowina Tatrzanska and offers 13 thermal indoor and outdoor pools with water attractions. Again, there are lots of saunas, slides, and mini-pools for those traveling with kids. The Bukovina Thermal Baths are also connected to Hotel Bukovina, and I would easily rate this as the second-best thermal pool! 😉
- Goracy Potok Water park — is located in Szaflary, which is 10.5 miles (17km) from Zakopane. Some of the things it includes are 21 small outside thermal pools, mud baths, and a playground for children. This is definitely one of the better spots geared towards kid’s entertainment.
- Szaflary Thermal Baths — is also located in Szaflary. It has 4 thermal pools, several saunas, and some smaller pools for children. You’ll also find an Italian restaurant located inside.
- Terma Bania Water Park — is located in the small mountain village of Bialka Tatrzanska, which is 14 miles (22km) from Zakopane. There are 8 indoor and outdoor thermal pools, several saunas, and mini-pools for kids. This particular pool is connected to the luxurious Hotel Bania.
Zakopane Thermal Baths Prices
Zakopane thermal baths prices greatly vary depending on which facility you are planning to visit, whether you are getting the bare minimum, want access to additional facilities, and several other factors.
Thus, for this information, I would recommend just clicking the links above to visit the actual websites. This way you can calculate how much your exact package would cost.
But, to give you a general idea. At the Chocholowskie Thermal Baths, you can pay as little as ~$16 USD for a single adult for 3 hours in just the thermal pool area!
So, from my perspective, this is a really affordable and amazing activity that totally worth investing in!
Where to Stay in Krakow
In case you’re planning your trip to Krakow and looking for places to stay in the area, here are a few recommendations. These are based on where I stayed and my extensive research from when I was booking my accommodations 🙂
Low-Cost Stays
- Ibis Styles Kraków Centrum — super aesthetic and comfy 3-star hotel | ⭐️ 9.2 / 10
- Hotel Estera — 4-star hotel with lovely restaurant & breakfast buffet | ⭐️ 9.2 / 10
Mid-Range Stays
- Hotel Mercure Krakow Stare Miasto — 4-star hotel near train station | ⭐️ 9.1 / 10
- Sky Hotel Kraków — 4-star hotel w/ restaurant & bar | ⭐️ 9.3 / 10
- Hotel Indigo Krakow – Old Town — 4-star IHG hotel w/ sauna | ⭐️ 9.6 / 10
Luxury Stays
- The Bonerowski Palace — 5-star hotel with wet & dry sauna | ⭐️ 9.2 / 10
- Hotel Unicus Palace — 5-star hotel with pool & spa service | ⭐️ 9.3 / 10
💎 PRO TIP: If there’s ever been a time in your life when you wanted to stay in a fancy hotel with all the amazing amenities but it’s just been out of budget… this is the time to splurge just a little!
Eastern Europe is ridiculously cheap compared to places like Paris, Milan, and Stockholm. Take advantage because what would buy you a three-stay hotel in Paris easily gets you a 5-star in Krakow! — just my two cents though 🙂
Zakopane Thermal Baths: FAQ
Honestly, there’s no bad time of the year to visit the Zakopane Thermal Baths since they are located in the cool mountains. Even in the middle of summer, the ambient temperature is around 70°F (21°C), so it’s never really too hot for a relaxing spa day.
In terms of the time of day, the Chochołowska Baths are open from 9 AM until 10 PM most days of the week. 11 PM on Friday and Saturday.
To avoid crowds, I recommend going during the week. My tour group went on a Tuesday around 1 PM and there were some crowds, but it wasn’t overwhelming.
I did notice that there was a massive influx of people around 4:30 PM – 5 PM. They likely had just gotten out of school or work and were understandably here to take advantage of the awesome facility.
Long story short, go during the week, early in the day, and try to leave by 4:00 PM to avoid the crowds!
Yes! Thermal Baths are good for you. In fact, they are even healthy! They are full of micronutrients that encourage our bodies to relax and help strengthen our immune systems. 😅
Just like visiting the beaches in San Diego or in Nice, France, you wear a swimsuit, swim trunks, or bikini in thermal baths. Maybe some floaties if you have little kids.
Yes! You definitely should rinse off after going inside the thermal baths. This is to rinse off any bacteria from your skin and hair. It will also help remove the sulfur smell and generally leave you feeling extra clean!
Wrap-Up: Ultimate Guide to Zakopane Thermal Baths (2023)
In my opinion, Zakopane is one of Europe’s lesser-known hidden gems that’s perfect for those looking to get away from the city and recenter themselves in nature.
And between the sweeping Tatra mountain scenery and the therapeutic waters of the region’s many thermal pools, the small mountain town has quite a bit to offer visitors.
So, if you’re looking for a special way to pamper yourself or spend quality time with your family and friends, then I can’t recommend making a Zakopane and thermal baths trip enough!
But regardless if you do go or don’t go, I hope this post has been insightful and wish you the best of luck on your future travels!
Read More About Europe
- If you’re in Krakow, one place that you won’t want to miss out on seeing and learning about in person is Auschwitz. Here’s what to know about visiting Auschwitz.
- In France and looking to immerse yourself in the local wine culture? Consider visiting Lyon, where you can go wine tasting in the incredible Rhône Valley.
- Want to travel off the beaten path in France? Head to the historic and medieval city of Carcassonne where you’ll see the most impressive fortifications! It’s very accessible from Toulouse!