Chochołowskie Termy (Chochołów Thermal Baths)

Chochołowskie Termy (roughly "ho-ho-WOV-skyeh TER-mi") in the village of Chochołów is the largest thermal pool complex in Poland's Podhale region, the highland area at the foot of the Tatra Mountains. It offers about 4,500 m² (48,000 sq ft) of warm geothermal water, waterslides, a big sauna area with Tatra views and a dedicated kids' zone. It sits about 20 km (12 miles) from Zakopane, right next to one of the best-preserved wooden villages in the region, which makes it an easy add-on to a mountain trip.

Where it is and why it's worth a visit

Chochołów lies in southern Poland, a few kilometers from the Slovak border and roughly 100 km (60 miles) south of Kraków. Most visitors combine it with a stay in Zakopane, Poland's best-known mountain resort. The baths are a classic plan B for a rainy day in the Tatras and a popular way to warm up after skiing.

The complex opened on June 1, 2016. Polish business press reported an investment of around PLN 120 million, nearly half of it from EU funds. The water comes from the Chochołów PIG-1 borehole, drilled by the Polish Geological Institute around 1990. It rises from more than 3 km (about 2 miles) underground at roughly 80°C (176°F) and is cooled before it reaches the pools, which are kept at about 32–38°C (90–100°F).

Things to do at Chochołowskie Termy

The pool area spans two levels:

• an outdoor thermal pool of 638 m² with a wave machine, water jets, and water volleyball and basketball,
• a lower-level pool of 855 m² with a lazy-river current, a swim-up bar and a climbing net,
• three waterslides totaling 318 m (about 1,040 ft): two raft slides (164 m and 80 m) and a 74 m trapdoor slide,
• indoor massage pools, several hot tubs including a brine one, a lap pool, a salt cave and a textile dry sauna,
• a kids' zone with almost 500 m² of water, water carousels and a play castle with three small slides.

The sandy beach and outdoor splash park open in summer only. A separate therapeutic zone uses sulfide and brine water.

The sauna area

The Saunarium sits on the second floor, with a terrace and saunas facing the Tatras. It includes dry saunas, a steam room, an infrared sauna, a juniper bio sauna and a log "highlander hut" sauna. The giant Sauna Pierońska seats about 300 people and opens Friday to Sunday from 2 pm. Sauna rituals run several times a day between 1 pm and 9 pm. You need a separate sauna ticket or the all-inclusive Open ticket.

Tickets and opening hours (as of October 2026)

• Temporary closure: the baths are closed October 19–30, 2026 for construction and upgrade work (only the normobaric oxygen chamber stays open).
• Pool hours: Sunday–Thursday 9 am–10 pm, Friday–Saturday 9 am–11 pm. Sauna area from 10 am.
• Low-season prices (Sept 1–Dec 24, 2026): Monday–Thursday, a 3-hour adult pool ticket costs PLN 95, unlimited time PLN 125, and an evening ticket (entry after 7 pm) PLN 75. On Fridays, weekends and November 11–12, the same tickets cost PLN 115, PLN 155 and PLN 95. Kids aged 3–16 pay less, and kids under 3 enter free.
• Winter 2026/27: Christmas and winter-break prices had not been published at the time of writing. Check chocholowskietermy.pl before you go.

At the entrance you get a wristwatch-style tag with a spending limit (PLN 500 for ages 16+, PLN 100 for kids) that you use at the bars and settle at the exit, so you can leave your wallet in the locker. The website and price lists are available in English.

How to get there and how long to stay

By car from Kraków, take the main road to Nowy Targ and continue via Czarny Dunajec. Allow at least two hours, more on winter weekends when traffic to the mountains builds up. From Zakopane it is a short drive west. The operator also runs its own transport service, bookable by phone (+48 885 708 002).

Plan half a day: a 3-hour ticket is enough for the pools, but with kids or the saunas most people stay longer. Weekday mornings are the quietest.

Is it worth visiting?

Yes, if you want the biggest choice of pools and saunas in the Zakopane area, or need a family day out that works in any weather. Take a short walk through Chochołów village too: its wooden highlander houses are traditionally scrubbed with soap and water twice a year, and the village is known for the 1846 uprising against Austrian rule.