If you ever consider kicking off a family adventure in Europe, Poland is one of the most beautiful destinations that will surprise both you and your kids on your family vacation. It has everything from mountains to historical castles, from museums to waterparks, and so much more. In case you’re about to plan your adventure in Poland, we have some tips for you.
Learn some of the best tips from our favorite family travel bloggers and local travel professionals to make your family getaway in Poland the most magical experience ever. From vibrant Warsaw to magical Krakow, they know the best spots to visit with your little ones.
Travel Tip #1: Magda from Kids in the City
Poland is a perfect weekend getaway for families. A city break in Poland with kids is easy to plan – Polish cities are well-connected through the air, railway, and road (direct air connections from many destinations to Warsaw, Krakow, Gdansk, Wroclaw, Poznan). There are plenty of family-friendly hotels to select from. Feeding kids in Polish cities is easy – you will find lots of variety of restaurants there (from Polish traditional food to vegetarian restaurants and international cuisine).
Visit Warsaw, the Capital of Poland
A weekend in Warsaw with children will give your family a history lesson. The old city of Warsaw was almost 100% destroyed during the Second World War, then rebuilt which was recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. But also a chance to relax in one of the many parks in green Warsaw or stroll along the newly built boulevards along the river. All this in a child-friendly, welcoming atmosphere and infrastructure.
Weekend in the city of Wrocław
What we love about Wrocław is that it offers plenty of tourist attractions for all kinds of weather. When the weather is nice you can have a walk admiring the Gothic architecture, hunt for 300 small bronze figures of dwarfs scattered around the city, or relax in the parks located in the heart of the city. When the weather turns bad, you can visit a science center dedicated to water or the only oceanarium in the world dedicated to Africa’s water wildlife.
Croissants and Zoos in Poznań
It is not often that there are two zoos in a city! Is it not a sufficient reason to visit the city of Poznań with children? And when you are done with exploring the two zoos and the 16th-century architecture of the Old Town, you can take a break at Poznań Croissant Museum where during the show in English you will learn how to bake local delicious pastry called St. Martin’s Croissant.
Travel Tip #2: Athanasios from Tours Poland
Poland is an amazing European destination where you can enjoy a relatively low budget vacation and discover beautiful places at any time of the year. Especially, autumn is called the golden period, as nature gets a beautiful gold color. Let’s see some awesome places someone worth to visit in Poland, with kids.
Energylandia near Krakow
This waterpark is close to the fairy tale city of Krakow and is a place where the whole family can have fun for the whole day. Enjoy your self in the waterpark, the extreme zone, and the family zone and play like a kid. Unfortunately, Energylandia works only until the end of October.
If you happen to be in Krakow, you can also visit the Wieliczka Salt Mine. It might be a little boring until you get down the 400 wooden stairs, but it will definitely award you later on.
Polish Dinosaur Parks
From Krakow, you can also visit the small city of Zator, and discover another beautiful park which is called Zatorland, especially if you like Dinosaurs. Well, if you like dinosaurs, you are definitely going to find a lot of dinosaur parks in Poland. Just make a search and arrange your visit to the closest one.
Magical Winter in Zakopane
Winter moves to Zakopane, around 2 hours drive from Krakow. Zakopane is well known as the winter capital of Poland for a reason. Amazing wooden architecture and tradition will meet with nature and unique tastes, while the mountain people will not miss a chance to make a show. For our little friends, a visit to Snowlandia is a must from Zakopane.
Travel Tip #3: Ewa & Mirko from Wroclaw Guide
The Afrykarium in Wroclaw Zoo
Who doesn‘t like to walk through a giant tank in an oceanarium where sharks and other fish are roaming around above your head? And there is much more than just fish. For example, you will be able to observe a Hippopotamus swimming – thanks to the modern water filtering system – in really clear water, something extraordinary compared to other oceanariums.
The Centennial Hall
An architectural masterpiece and once the largest ferry-concrete building in the whole world is just a 5-minute-walk away from the Afrykarium. But there is much more to it, during summer the multimedia-fountain just behind the building entertains families from all over the world. Every full hour a show with all kinds of music, over 300 fountains, and more than 800 lights make it a unique experience.
By the way, it is also the largest public fountain in Poland. Together with the Pergola, the Park Szczytnicki, and the Japanese Garden just around the corner, it is a natural option for a great family trip to Wroclaw.
The Kolejkowo
Kolejkowo is a huge miniature world of Wroclaw. With 510 meters of railway tracks, it is also the largest public model train in Poland. Watch out for the countless little details, especially during the night when you can even watch the miniature life inside of the apartment blocks… And if you can‘t get enough after your visit, just one door further, the museum of computer games from a past era is located. It’s a highly interactive museum that brings a lot of fun for kids and adults likewise.
Travel Tip #4: Wojciech from Poznan Travel
Poznań is a colorful, family-friendly Polish city, one of its oldest and most fun. It holds a number of green, kid-focused spaces and museums that remember about their smallest tourists. Even one of the city’s symbols is lovely, almost cartoon-ish billy goats. There has been a recent increase in attractions directed to children in Poznań. These are some of the attractions that we love:
Billy Goats Clock Mechanism
You’ll find it in the Town Hall Tower. Every day at noon, two adorable mechanical goats butt their heads twelve times to the public’s delight. They show up only once a day, so you don’t want to miss them!
Malta Lake
Well, this one is more of a treasure chest rather than a single attraction! First of all, a little steam train Maltanka takes you by the north, the green shore of the lake to the New Zoo, the second biggest in Poland, where our little ones are able to meet animals from all over the world. Moreover, the Malta Ski complex along with Malta Thermal Baths Aquapark give a pleasure full of relaxation.
Pyrland Rope Park
Located in close proximity to Malta Lake, this rope park pleases even the most demanding adventure hunters (a rout over dozen meters above the ground) as well as newbies (protected and short route for the smallest).
Mosina Trolley Rail
Roughly 20 km from the city, in a lovely town of Mosina surrounded by forest, there is an old track serving the little trolley. That’s an activity for the whole family since to put it in motion it needs the power of… your muscles!
Travel Tip #5: Phil from Expats Poland
Poland is one of the most overlooked countries in Europe for travel. While this sentiment is slowly changing, it’s only really the capital of Warsaw, Krakow and perhaps Trojmiasto that are seen as travel destinations. For more seasoned travelers, getting off the beaten track offers a world that’s so incredible and so rarely seen.
Mazury District
The Mazury district is known as the hot-spot for Poles come summertime. Massive lakes and weekends on boats taking in the sun are the norms. But this pristine part of Poland is even more spectacular during autumn. While the weather is colder and the days are shorter, a weekend escape to a small lodge that overlooks a vast lake is just as good as it is in the summer. Cities in the region like Białystok, Ełk and Olsztyn have history of their own, and for history buffs, Mazury is also home to the Wolf’s Den, Hitler’s base on the eastern front.
Toruń, the Birthplace of Nicholaus Copernicus
One of the true untouched gems of Poland with so much to offer. Toruń is the birthplace of Nicholaus Copernicus, the scientist that discovered that the Earth revolves around the Sun. Monuments to him are abundant in Toruń’s quaint little old town where the house he was born in also doubles as a museum. Speaking of museums, Toruń is also home to the Polish Gingerbread Museum. Yes, gingerbread museum, where you can make your own gingerbread as per the traditional Polish recipe that’s hundreds of years old. The ruins of a Prussian Castle that overlook the river are just a stroll away, too. For those that are interested in modern art, Toruń has a handful of up and coming modern and contemporary art galleries that are putting it on the map.
The ‘other’ Warsaw
A trip to Poland isn’t the same if you don’t visit the capital. However, for your average tourist, Warsaw isn’t overly exciting to visit compared to the pearl of Krakow – unless you dig a little deeper. Due to its young, educated, and relatively well-traveled population, Warsaw’s creating a culture of its own that’s loved by locals (like me) and that many tourists also are starting to notice. The city is home to some of the best craft beer bars in Europe, and the ‘coffee culture’ rivals that of my home city, Melbourne. The uprising museum, the Jewish Ghetto, the Neon Museum, and the ‘Life Under Communism’ museum are all things that can’t be missed when you’re in Warszawa. There’s hardly a weekend that goes by without an art exhibition or some form of the weird (yet exciting) market!
Kazimierz Dolny
Imagine the historical beauty of Warsaw and the cultural significance of Krakow – but in the middle of the forest. That’s Kazimierz Dolny. A former trading hub situated right of the Wisła river, Kazimierz Dolny is abundant in galleries selling everything from stain-glass, sculpture, and fine art. The fact that it’s built at the base of a mountain range explains all the greenery, and that’s what makes it a stunning place to visit. Plus, it’s only a 2-hour drive from Warsaw!
Traveling with your kids elsewhere? These guides might come in handy:
35 Things to do with Kids in London
Slovenia with Kids: The Ultimate Travel Guide By Family Travel Experts
30 Best Things to do with Kids in Prague (Approved by Locals)
Best Things to do with Kids in Rome (Locals Recommend)
Barcelona with Kids: Best Things to Do & Places to Visit