Małopolska – SITE Poland

About the region

The Małopolskie Voivodeship, with its capital in Krakow, is located in southern Poland and borders Slovakia to the South, and on the Polish side with three voivodeships: Śląskie, Świętokrzyskie and Podkarpackie, it is one of the most attractive regions of our country for tourists (in terms of culture and nature).

Kraków, Wieliczka and Zakopane

These are places in the region most often chosen by tourists and organizers of congresses, conferences and incentive trips. It is worth noting that Małopolska has many other interesting places to offer that are definitely worth exploring. Ojców National Park, Tarnów, Zalipie or Beskid Niski can be an interesting complement to the program of stay in the region.

Meetings industry and business tourism

Business tourism and the meetings industry have permanently entered the priority development sectors in the region.

Małopolska, next to Mazovia, boasts the largest number of organized scientific, medical and business events, both on a national and international scale. This is due to the landscape conditions, the wealth of monuments and attractions.

It should not be forgotten that Krakow, next to Warsaw, remains the most important academic and research center, which attracts Polish and foreign investors. There are several important economic zones in the vicinity of Krakow, and the city is at the forefront of locations chosen by companies for outsourcing, especially those from the IT sector.

Hotels

The main hotel base of the region, especially the one with conference facilities, is concentrated in Krakow and Zakopane. In the last two decades, many great facilities have been built in smaller locations.

Krynica Zdrój, Szczawnica and numerous towns in the vicinity of Krakow are important points on the hotel map of the voivodeship.

It is worth to mention the following venues:

Krynica Zdrój

Hotel Czarny Potok Resort SPA & Conference 4****

Szczawnica

Hotel Modrzewie Park 5*****

Hotel Szczawnica Park Resort & Spa 4****

Brzesko

Pałac Goetz – a palace historically associated with the nearby Okocim brewery.

Dobczyce

Dwór Sieraków – excels in organizing meetings around wine.

Gródek upon Dunajcem – Lake Rożnowskie

Lemon Resort SPA

Zator

Western Camp Resort

Wysowa Beskid Niski

Uzdrowisko Wysowa S.A

Białka Tatrzańska

Hotel Bania Thermal & Ski 4****

Skomielnia Czarna

Hotel Olivia Medical Spa 4****

Conference and business venues

Małopolska gives an opportunity in finding unlimited unusual conference spaces:

picturesquely situated castles
charming manors
monasteries
mines
vineyards
post-industrial facilities

Outside of Krakow, we can find:

professional congress and exhibition facilities, eg: Szczawnica Congress Center
the futuristic Alvernia Planet facility – the largest film studio in Poland and one of the most modern in Europe. The facility is located by the A4 motorway, only 30 km from Kraków and 10 km from the Balice Airport.

In Kraków, substantive support is provided by the Kraków Convention Bureau while in the Małopolska Region Regional Tourist Organization.

Local cuisine and restaurants

The cuisine of Małopolska is extremely diverse and very well known in the country for its regional product. Krakow is famous for obwarzanek, Ojców with trout, and Zator for carp. Highlanders produce delicious sheep’s cheese, such as żentyca, bryndza, bundz and characteristic smoked oscypek, and in traditional inns they serve kwaśnica, ribs and mutton. In the eastern part of Małopolska, in the Low Beskids, we will meet with Lemko cuisine. In autumn, it is worth going to this area to collect red pine mushrooms, which are said to be the most numerous in Poland.

Let’s not forget about the beverages, there are the famous Okocim breweries in Brzesko, high-grade slivovice is produced in Łąck, and hectares of vineyards of the Małopolska Wine Route stretch around Tarnów.

The most interesting attractions

Wieliczka and Bochnia Royal Salt Mine

The oldest Polish enterprise, over 700 years old, is a real underground city carved out of salt rocks, with glistening sculptures, chapels and corridors. The historic Salt Mine in Wieliczka was entered on the UNESCO list in 1978 as one of the first 12 sites in the world. In 2013, the entry was extended to the Historic Salt Mine in Bochnia. The visitors can expect exciting sightseeing routes lasting several hours, an underground train ride or – the only one in the world – underground boat crossing through a chamber flooded with brine.

The Wooden Architecture Trail

It has 255 sites. It is filled with picturesque churches, beautiful Orthodox churches, old Polish manors, wooden villas and open-air museums, which belong to the most valuable monuments of folk material culture. Eight temples are on the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage list. These include: four churches: in Binarowa, Dębno Podhalański, Lipnica Murowana and Sękowa, and four churches: in Powroźnik, Owczary, Kwiatoń and Brunary Wyżne.

John Paul II Trail

The Karol Wojtyła Trail in Wadowice. There are, among others multimedia Museum Family Home of John Paul II with the reconstructed Wojtyła apartment, Basilica of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary – place of baptism, First Holy Communion and the confirmation of the later pope.

Tatra Mountains and Zakopane

Zakopane welcomes everyone, both those who want to take a walk on Krupówki Street and relax in luxurious hotels, as well as skiers and hikers.

Ojców National Park

Ojców National Park is located 16 km north of Krakow. It hides many attractions, such as caves, rock outliers, including the famous Mace of Hercules. An ideal place for hiking and rock climbing.

Zalipie

Zalipie is the most colorful village in Poland, where you can learn about the traditions of Małopolska folklore, see beautifully painted huts and try your hand at decorating during local handicraft workshops.

Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum

Memorial place. The museum was established in 1947 by the efforts of former prisoners of Auschwitz in order to preserve “forever” the remains of the former German Nazi concentration and extermination camp Auschwitz-Birkenau.

The ideas for incentives in Małopolska

Culinary

Making dumplings, picking red pine mushrooms, wine tasting and knowledge courses, participation in the grape harvest, a trip to the Ojcow National Park’s trout, cooking lessons and courses.

Rafting down the Dunajec Gorge

Rafting on rafts made of wooden logs guarantees not only adrenaline jumps, but also admiring the views of the famous Pieniny peaks – Trzy Korony and Sokolica

Energylandia

The largest amusement park in Poland in Zator with an extreme zone, adventures and a water park. The greatest excitement will be provided by driving hard on the Hyperion, the highest, 77-meter long and the fastest – accelerating up to 142 kmph-mega Coaster in Europe.

Cycling along the Trail of the Eagles’ Nests

The trail of castles of the Jura Krakowsko-Częstochowska. In addition to the Krakow Wawel, which initiates this route, the following castles deserve attention: Rabsztyn, Pieskowa Skała, Korzkiew and Ojców.