There are more active things to do in Krakow in winter than the grey sky over Rynek Główny (the Main Market Square) suggests. For groups and families with kids aged 10+, we recommend ice skating, winter walks with a view, the Christmas market and szopki (Krakow nativity scenes) in the festive season, museums with interactive exhibitions and indoor sport such as bumper ball. Frost and slush stop mattering once your day has at least one indoor stop.
We’ve run bubble football games in Krakow for years, and in winter we mostly play indoors. Below are outdoor and indoor ideas plus a sample day plan – for friends, companies and families with teenagers.
Things to do in Krakow in winter: outdoor ideas
Winter Krakow is best explored on the move – then nobody minds the cold, even below zero. Here are a few ideas that need little preparation.
Christmas market on Rynek Główny
In the festive season, Rynek Główny turns into a Christmas market with stalls full of decorations, handicrafts, souvenirs and Polish food and sweets. It draws locals and tourists every year, and the city stresses that it has become part of Krakow’s tradition (Radio Krakow report). If you don’t like crowds, go on a weekday.
Ice skating
Seasonal open-air rinks and indoor ice are a winter-weekend classic. Beginners and returning skaters alike have fun – and a family race round the rink warms you up better than tea from a flask. Check beforehand whether you can hire skates and a helmet.
A winter walk with a view
Bulwary Wiślane (the Vistula boulevards) below Wawel, the Planty park ring around the Old Town and Kopiec Krakusa (Krakus Mound), with its city panorama, look completely different in winter. A walk gets better with a goal: a group photo at every stop, or a mini city game with puzzles set by the parents.
Sledging and skiing outside the city
For real winter fun you’ll need to leave Krakow – ski slopes and sledging hills are in the Beskidy mountains and Podhale, the region below the Tatras. It’s a full-day trip, so plan it for a weekend or ferie zimowe, Poland’s two-week winter school break.
Szopki – a Krakow winter tradition on the UNESCO list
Winter in Krakow also means szopki – colourful, soaring nativity scenes that echo the towers and domes of Krakow’s historic buildings. Krakow szopka-making is on UNESCO’s intangible cultural heritage list, and every year the Museum of Krakow holds a contest for the most beautiful one (Radio Krakow). After the contest, the szopki go on show in Pałac Krzysztofory (Krzysztofory Palace) on Rynek Główny.
For kids aged 10+, it’s great inspiration for their own project. A szopka made from cardboard, coloured paper and foil can be built at home in an afternoon – perfect for a snowy day.
Staying active indoors in frost and slush
When the temperature drops below zero or it’s sleeting, move your activity indoors. These ideas suit adult groups and families with teenagers alike.
Indoor bumper ball game
Bumper ball, or bubble football, is football played in inflatable bubbles that cover players from head to knees. In winter we play indoors – at the Com Com Zone hall (ul. Ptaszyckiego 6, Nowa Huta) and the hall at al. Jana Pawła II 37, or at a venue you choose. There are 10–12 players on the pitch at once; bigger groups are split into teams for a mini tournament.
Children from age 10 and adults can play. If ages in your group vary, tell us when booking – the referee picks games to suit the group and enforces the safety rules. Options include a match, Bubble Sumo, Bubble Bowling, Bulldog, Last Man Standing and rugby, and the package with a hall costs €22 per person; see indoor bubble football in Krakow for details.
Trampoline park and climbing wall
When the kids have energy to burn and it’s grey outside, trampolines and a climbing wall are sure bets. Both suit adults too – especially those wondering if they can still do a forward roll. Before you go, read the venue’s rules and check the age limits.
Swimming pool and water park
Slides and leisure pools are the answer when everyone is fed up with coats and hats. Just dry your hair thoroughly before heading out into the frost.
Museums with interactive exhibitions
At Muzeum Inżynierii i Techniki (the Museum of Engineering and Technology) in Kazimierz, the exhibition Miasto. Technoczułość (“City. Technosensitivity”) combines over 600 historic pieces of technology with interactive experiences (about the exhibition). Aircraft fans will love Muzeum Lotnictwa Polskiego (the Polish Aviation Museum), which runs paraglider flight-simulator workshops for anyone aged 12+ (workshops). For more ideas for freezing and rainy days, see our guide to indoor things to do in Krakow.
Winter bubble football indoors
We play indoors, so frost and slush don’t matter. We’ll bring balls for kids aged 10+ and adults – and we reply within 24 hours.
Check availabilityPrefer to call? +48 509 196 229 – Sylwester. We reply within 24 hours.
Krakow in winter with kids 10+ and teenagers
A 10-year-old and a 15-year-old live in different worlds, but they share one thing: stuck at home in winter, they get bored fast. The rule “one active and one calm thing a day” works well – the day has a rhythm, and by evening everyone is pleasantly tired.
- Sport with friends their age – bubble football with classmates or teammates, trampolines, a climbing wall. Competing with friends is the most fun.
- A museum with a mission – instead of “sightseeing”, give your child a task: find the oldest exhibit or photograph the strangest machine in the technology museum.
- Their own project – a szopka, a model or a short phone video about Krakow in winter.
- A day in the mountains – sledging or first skiing lessons.
Remember that bumper ball is for children aged 10 and over, and the standard balls (1.5 m) are for players from about 150 cm tall – for younger siblings, a pool or trampolines are better. For two weeks off school, see our separate guide to the 2027 winter school break in Krakow – with a weekly plan and activities for kids 10+.
Winter activities for groups – friends, companies, teams
For a group of friends, a winter day in Krakow can start with bubble football and end with dinner in a warm restaurant. We help organise the rest of the day: a restaurant table, a club booth and transport from your hotel and back. Always plan the game before the party – bubble football is played sober.
December is also the time of Mikołajki (St Nicholas Day, 6 December) and Wigilia firmowa – the office Christmas party held before Christmas Eve. Before sitting down to dinner, the team can play a bubble football tournament – see our article on company Christmas and Mikołajki parties with a game before dinner. We issue VAT invoices to companies and institutions.
A sample winter day in Krakow
Here are two versions – for a family and for a group of adults. Mix and shorten them as you like.
| Time of day | Family with kids 10+ | Group of adults |
|---|---|---|
| Morning | Museum of Engineering and Technology | walk along Bulwary Wiślane to Wawel |
| Midday | lunch in the centre | lunch – we can book a table for you |
| Afternoon | indoor bumper ball game | indoor bumper ball game |
| Evening | ice rink or Christmas market (in the festive season) | dinner and a club booth |
How to prepare for bubble football in winter
In winter it’s easy to overdress, but you won’t need jumpers or jackets on the pitch. A few rules that have worked for us for years:
- PE kit: shorts or a tracksuit, a T-shirt and trainers. Save the warm clothes for the journey.
- Separate shoes for the hall: leave snowy winter boots at the entrance and play in dry trainers.
- Water: after a few minutes of running in a bubble, everyone wants a drink. The VIP package includes a bottle of water for each player.
- Briefing: an inflated ball weighs about 10 kg and goes on like a rucksack, with adjustable straps and two hand grips. Before the game, we show you how to put it on safely.
- Time: 1 hour of balls and venue as standard (about 45 minutes of actual play), extendable by 30 minutes.
Book a winter game
Tell us how many people want to play and how old they are – we’ll suggest a hall and games to suit your group.
Send an enquiryPrefer to call? +48 509 196 229 – Sylwester. We reply within 24 hours.
Frequently asked questions
What can you do in Krakow in winter with kids?
Combine exercise with something calm: an ice rink or trampolines in the morning, a museum with an interactive exhibition or workshop in the afternoon. For a group of kids aged 10+, indoor bubble football works brilliantly too.
Can you play bubble football in winter?
Yes – in winter we play in sports halls, so temperature and snow don’t matter. We work with venues all over Krakow and can find and book a hall for you.
What age can children play bubble football?
From age 10. Besides the 1.5 m balls, we have two bigger 1.7 m ones for players from about 180 cm tall, and the maximum player weight is 100 kg.
How much does indoor bubble football cost?
The package with a hall is €22 per person, and the VIP package with a game host and referee, photos, water and a warm-up is €28 per person. We can also price any event individually, e.g. for a large company group.
