Water parks and pools

Water parks and pools in Lesser Poland: over 20 places, from thermal pools in Podhale to the Water Park in Kraków and municipal swimming pools.

A collection for families, couples and anyone looking for a day under a roof or a soak after a hike in the mountains. It covers thermal baths with water from deep boreholes, indoor pools with slides and seasonal bathing areas, so it is easy to choose a place by time, weather and distance.

Which water park or pool to choose in Lesser Poland

For a full-day trip with thermal pools, go to Podhale, where most of the complexes are and the water comes from natural springs. For a short stay in Kraków choose the Kraków Water Park or a pool in your district. In smaller towns municipal pools are a cheaper and closer version of the same thing, and in summer seasonal bathing areas are added.

The spread of venues is uneven. Kraków has three places, Szaflary, Zakopane and Trzebinia have two each, and the other towns one each. So it is worth first deciding which way you are travelling, and only then choosing a specific place. All venues in this collection are intended for families, and most have indoor pools, so a visit does not depend on the weather. The exceptions are the seasonal bathing areas described below.

Where to find thermal baths in Podhale and below the Tatras

Podhale is the centre of thermal pools. In Chochołów you will find Chochołowskie Termy, which according to the venue's own website is the largest set of thermal pools in Podhale, with 52 pools over about 4500 square metres. In Szaflary you can choose between Termy Gorący Potok, with 21 outdoor pools and natural sulphur water, and Termy Szaflary, with four thermal basins, a sauna zone and a spa area.

In Białka Tatrzańska there is Terma Bania, with about 2400 square metres of water in three zones and slides over 300 metres long in total. In Bukowina Tatrzańska is Terma Bukovina, where the water comes from a borehole reaching 2400 metres below Wysoki Wierch. In Zakopane you can choose Termy Zakopiańskie with a salt cave and bowling alley or Antałówka Termy & Med on Wierchowa Street, combined with a hotel and a rehabilitation centre. North of the Tatras are Termy Gorce in Poręba Wielka, at the foot of the Gorce.

Where to swim in Kraków and its immediate surroundings

The largest indoor water park in the region is the Kraków Water Park in Mistrzejowice, at Dobrego Pasterza 126, about 2.5 km north of the Main Square. It has pools, slides, a sauna zone and a fitness area, so it works well on rainy days. In the summer months Stacja Parkowa operates next to it, a beach with deckchairs, a water playground and rest zones.

Closer to the centre is Przystań na Eisenberga at Filipa Eisenberga 4 in Grzegórzki, with a pool, sauna zone and gym, and outside Kraków Basenova in Giebułtów with a pool measuring 16 by 7 metres, a jacuzzi and saunas. In Wieliczka there is Solne Miasto with a full-size pool, in Skawina Basen Camena, and in Libiąż Libiąż Water Park, which combines pools with a sauna zone, a graduation tower and a climbing wall.

Which municipal pools are in smaller towns

The towns of the region have indoor pools that serve both for learning to swim and for family recreation. In Nowy Sącz it is the MOSiR Indoor Swimming Pool at Nadbrzeżna 34, described as a mini water park. In Nowy Targ stands the Municipal Swimming Pool at plac Evry 4 with six basins, a tube slide and a salt cave. In Myślenice is Aquarius at Ogrodowa 19, in Gorlice the FALA swimming pool with a slide about 90 metres long, and in Sucha Beskidzka the Indoor Swimming Pool at Zielona 1.

They are supplemented by Aqua Planet in Trzebinia with a sports pool and a recreation pool, Aqua Centrum Chełmiec near Nowy Sącz and two spa-town venues: Baseny Na Radwanowie in Piwniczna-Zdrój and the Zapopradzie Recreation and Sports Centre in Muszyna. Zapopradzie is interesting because it lies in a former spa district of the town, so after a swim you can walk around the area.

What about bathing areas and seasonal parks in summer

Some venues only work in season and are not covered. These include the Bayer Park chain with inflatable obstacle courses on the water and a lifeguard, with locations in Kryspinów, Budzyń, Jurków and Trzebinia. In Tarnów there is the Summer Water Park in Tarnów-Mościce, run by the city sports centre.

Such places work on hot days but not in the rain. If you are interested in permanent bathing spots and a view of the water, look at the collection of lakes in Lesser Poland. For days without water, choose attractions for rain or places for children.

How to combine a pool with sightseeing

The best arrangement is one where the water closes the day. After a mountain trip, for example a walk up Biały Valley or along the trails around Białka Tatrzańska, thermal baths are a natural finale. If you visit museums in Kraków in the morning, an afternoon at the Water Park lets you rest without changing city. In Wieliczka the pool at Solne Miasto fits well with a day of sightseeing in town.

How to choose a pool with children

For younger children look for paddling pools and recreation pools about a metre deep: such pools exist in Gorlice, Nowy Sącz, Myślenice and Libiąż. For older children slides matter, which Terma Bania, the Kraków Water Park, the pool in Nowy Targ and FALA in Gorlice all have. For the whole family the thermal baths are a good choice, as adults can rest in warm water, and in some, such as Terma Bania, children have a separate play zone.

Before you go, check whether the venue has a children's zone, whether it requires a swimming cap and whether there are technical breaks. This information changes often and is usually given on the venue's website. When you combine water with sightseeing, arrange your day on the attractions map so that the pools fall in the afternoon, when the children are already tired.

Frequently asked questions

Which thermal baths in Podhale are the largest?

According to the venue's website, the largest set of thermal pools in Podhale is Chochołowskie Termy with 52 pools. Large complexes also operate in Białka Tatrzańska, Bukowina Tatrzańska and Szaflary.

Where is a water park in Kraków?

The Kraków Water Park is in Mistrzejowice, at Dobrego Pasterza 126, about 2.5 km north of the Main Square. It is an indoor water park with pools, slides and a sauna zone.

Where to swim on a rainy day?

Choose an indoor venue: the Kraków Water Park, the thermal baths in Podhale or a municipal swimming pool. Do not pick seasonal bathing areas such as Bayer Park for the rain.

Are there pools with slides in Lesser Poland outside the big cities?

Yes. Slides can be found at, among others, the pool in Nowy Targ, FALA in Gorlice and the Indoor Swimming Pool in Sucha Beskidzka.

Are the pools good for children?

Yes, all venues in the collection are intended for families. Younger children will find paddling pools and recreation pools, and older ones slides.