06 May 2024
Us: active mother 70/daughter 40 interested in history, culture and outdoor activities.
Pros:
- Joanna was enthusiastic and organised and gave clear instructions, but was borderline patronising - we didn’t need a 20 min brief on how to use a water park. I suspect however that this is learnt behaviour from previous hapless tourists…
- The water activities park was entertaining in parts
- The natural scenery was beautiful
- This would possibly be an enjoyable tour for children/families.
Cons:
- the tour involved 4 hours of unguided driving, scenic but boring. Joanna joined us in the wooden village (Chocholow) Some companies do provide tour guides the whole way.
- the wooden village was ok with some explanation of highlander history and culture, couldn’t go inside without additional charges.
- cheese tasting at wooden hut at side of road, interesting, one piece of halloumi-esque cheese but very much part of the tourist conveyor belt.
- Zakopane. Well. It clearly is a beautiful natural area but the tour described ‘ticket to top of mountain by funicular railway’. We did take a funicular, but it was a 3-4 min journey to the top of a small hill that looked at the mountains. The view was great but was surrounded by a touristy hellhole with overpriced kiosks and food and con artists that even our tour guide told us to avoid. There were plenty of additional activities for children (at extra charge) but of no interest to 40/70 yr olds. We left as soon as we could in the hope the town was better. It wasn’t. More naff touristy kiosks and nothing to fill 2.5 hours with, except a long (overpriced for Poland) lunch.
- The ‘thermal baths’ are a water park. It is a good water park but it’s important to realise it’s not a relaxing adult spa. There was a separate area for adults but you couldn’t spend 2.5 hours there. The tour guide was very enthusiastic about a swim up bar and daiquiris outdoors. This is ok if it’s your thing, but the DJ and crowds alongside it really weren’t for us. The water slides were good fun, and really the main reason we gave a 2nd star. Bring your own towel and water shoes/flip flops.
- Our driver drove dangerously throughout - speeding regularly, tailgating, hooting, stopped speeding only when he used one of his 2 phones (WhatsApp and phone calls), which he did not use hands free. At one point his driving made me yell out loud as I thought he was about to run over a pedestrian. We had other tours in Krakow where the driving was nothing like this.
- We did not receive any brochure or written material at any point (this was advertised)
- The ‘hotel’ pick up was further away than anticipated on a random street corner. Google Maps was essential!