Alan. Actually the river raft excursion is in Szczwnica and is a good 2.5 hour drive and the trip is 3 hours in duration. Actually worth it though. I also would suggest if you're in Szczawnica to hike the Homole .. an easy hike even for the non - hiker.  Once you get to the top, you are almost in Slovakia. Krakow also has a  river ride on one of of two boats moored beside Wawel.,, on is a little over an hour and the other a dinner /dance  trip. So much to see , so little time, Pat ----- Original Message ----- From: "Kania Alan" <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Monday, January 31, 2011 6:40:19 AM Subject: [POLAND] Krakow There is a river raft excursion near Krakow that was very enjoyable and a visit to Zakopane is a chance to visit local artisans.   I travel a lot, and I've always found it valuable to buy a couple of travel books on the areas before you leave on your visit. That way you'll have the benefit of insights from a professional travel writer. Also, when you get to your hotel (or dining at restaurants), don't hesitate to ask "the locals" where they would recommend visiting. Polish natives (as with any country) will always be eager to show off the best their countries have to offer. What to see in three days depends on your interests.  If museums and art galleries are your interest -- there are plenty to choose from. If nature is your interest, there are plenty of sites (and even a national park nearby) to explore. If culture is your interest, the availability of concerts will depend on the time of year to visit.  If you visit the central square in Krakow during the day, make sure you return at night -- the atmosphere is so different and beautiful. After visiting Krakow, I told our Polish friends that when I die, I want to wake up in Krakow.   I was disappointed that we weren't able to visit the nearby salt mine because of local flooding at the time. From what I understand, it's a very incredible site to visit. Investing in a Krakow guide book before you leave on your trip is worth while.  Fair warning -- three days isn't enough time to really take in southern Poland. Alan Kania ********************************* Need to contact the list manager?  Write to Marie at [email protected] ---------------------------------- Discussion of Polish food, culture, and customs are welcome on the list as long as the discussion stays pertinent to the topic of this list: researching our Polish roots. ---------------------------------- Browse the list's archives here: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index?list=poland-roots Search the list's archives here: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/search?aop=1 ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message