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Zakopane is a popular vacation destination in the south of Poland. It’s surrounded by the Tatra mountains and quite beautiful. However, if you are spending a week there, I recommend exploring the Slovakian side of the Tatra mountains as well in the form of day trips. One of my favorite ones is a day trip from Zakopane to Demanovska cave and Tatralandia.
This combination of only two things to do and see includes a nice exploration of the Low Tatras, as well as relaxation in thermal waters with an amazing view of the High Tatras.
Demänovská Cave of Liberty

Demanovska cave is located in the Low Tatra mountains, Slovakia. It takes around two hours to drive 90 kilometers from Zakopane to the cave.
It’s not just one big cave – there are many caves chained in the longest cave system in Slovakia. There are impressive stalactites and stalagmites, and the water is running through the caves slowly building up these magical formations.
Here you can check the opening hours and admission fees. There are several paid parking options near the cave, but in the last 400 meters, you’ll have to go on foot. There is a path with 67 meters elevation so don’t hurry or you’ll be out of breath.
One tour lasts around an hour and can be paid in cash only. There will be some steep and slippery stairs to climb. The temperature in the caves and halls ranges between 6,1 and 7°C, so bring a jacket with you.
One thing to keep in mind is that there is an extra fee for taking photos. It seems a bit strange in the age of Instagram, but the guides actually warned people who tried to take photos without paying.
Another thing is the language of the tour. You can’t explore the caves on your own, there will always be a guided tour that you must join. The tours are generally in Slovakian or Polish, and the tour guide didn’t even attempt to explain anything in English. So if you don’t understand any of the tour languages, just go with the tour which starts earlier.
There are several caves in the Tatra mountains, which might be similar to this one. I recommend visiting Demanovska, as it is the biggest of them all. And if you have visited this or Belianska cave, I wouldn’t recommend visiting any other caves, unless you are really interested in the rock formations and geology. These caves look quite similar to each other to a non-trained eye, so, in my opinion, it’s enough to visit just one.
Tatralandia
Just 15 kilometer ride away from the Demanovska caves there is a large aquapark Tatralandia.
It’s quite spacious and offers a wide range of pools, slides, and other attractions. My favorite was Delphin. It starts at a height of 17.16 meters and up to 4 people can ride in the same raft. As exciting as the slide is, the view of the High Tatra mountains in the background is breathtaking as well.
For adventure lovers, there’s also an option to try our surf wawes, which is something unusual for a place without an actual sea. The instructors are helpful and funny, so I recommend this attraction if you have ever been interested in surfing.
Here you can check out the price list. When I visited I took an Aqua ticket at the cash desk which was 26 Eur for the whole day.
Other day trips from Zakopane
These are some other things I recommend seeing and doing during a vacation near Zakopane: