Turn the wasted travel day into the highlight of your trip with stops at the UNESCO listed Vlkolinec, and Banska Stiavnica on your journey from Krakow to Budapest.
Our guide made our trip incredible. She was flexible, knowledgeable, and super friendly. We saw and experienced beautiful and interesting parts of the world we may have never seen if we decided to simply travel by train or plane. The guide gave us lots of options, and we were able to find the right mix of staying on schedule and seeing the sights.
This tour offers hotel pick-up. You will be picked up from your hotel, apartment, or any other pick-up point accessible by car.
We'll explore the UNESCO-listed village of Vlkolínec, admiring its colorful wooden houses, traditional bell tower, and stunning Carpathian Mountain views.
What we'll do
Discover the traditional charm of Vlkolínec, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the best-preserved folk villages in Slovakia. We’ll stroll through its picturesque streets, lined with colorful wooden houses that showcase authentic Slovak rural architecture. Visit the quaint wooden bell tower and traditional log barns, offering a glimpse into the simple, peaceful life of past centuries.
For nature lovers, the surrounding Carpathian Mountains provide stunning scenic views and peaceful walking paths. Whether immersing yourself in the village’s folk heritage or enjoying the natural beauty, Vlkolínec offers a serene and unique experience.
Additionally, you will have time for a lunch break (not included) near Vlkolínec.
About Vlkolínec
Nestled in the foothills of the Velká Fatra Mountains, Vlkolínec is a living museum of Slovak folk culture. First mentioned in historical records in 1376, the village has remained virtually unchanged, preserving over 40 traditional wooden houses built in the 18th century.
Unlike many historical sites, Vlkolínec is not just an open-air museum—it’s a real village where people still live, maintaining the customs and lifestyle of their ancestors. Its blend of vibrant folk architecture, untouched natural surroundings, and cultural heritage makes Vlkolínec a rare and captivating destination for travelers seeking authentic Slovak history.
We'll explore the fairy-tale town of Banská Štiavnica, a UNESCO site with colorful medieval streets, historic castles, and stunning hillside views.
What we'll do
Step into the fairy-tale town of Banská Štiavnica, a UNESCO World Heritage Site rich in history and charm. We’ll explore the beautifully preserved medieval center, filled with colorful Renaissance and Baroque buildings. Visit the striking Holy Trinity Square, the heart of the town, and admire the historic Old Castle and New Castle (tickets not included).
For those who enjoy nature, a short walk offers breathtaking views of the surrounding Štiavnica Hills, once a center for gold and silver mining. Whether discovering the town’s fascinating history or simply enjoying its enchanting streets, Banská Štiavnica promises a unique and memorable experience.
About Banská Štiavnica
Tucked away in central Slovakia, Banská Štiavnica is one of Europe’s oldest and most significant mining towns. Its prosperity began in the Middle Ages when rich deposits of silver and gold turned it into a thriving economic and cultural hub. The town became a center for mining innovation, even hosting the world’s first technical university focused on mining and forestry in the 18th century.
Surrounded by volcanic hills and dotted with picturesque lakes (known as tajchy), Banská Štiavnica beautifully blends nature with history. Despite the decline of mining, the town remains a hidden gem, drawing visitors with its well-preserved architecture, fascinating past, and romantic atmosphere.
This tour offers hotel drop-off. Please provide your preferred drop-off location when making the booking.
Want to personalize this trip? When booking a private transfer, tell us your itinerary and start time preferences and we'll do everything we can to accomodate your request. Note: open group tours cannot be customized.
We traveled from Krakow to Budapest with Alex from Side Trip, and it was fantastic. She handled snowy roads with total confidence, took us via stunning Slovakia, and kept the vibe lively with her playlist of Slovak tunes. Friendly, professional, and fun — Alex made the long trip a real highlight. Highly recommend!
We also did another transfer with Sidetrip Tours, this time from Krakow to Budapest, and once again the experience exceeded our expectations. As before, everything was perfectly punctual, both at departure and upon arrival. This was a private transfer, and our guide was Csenge, who was absolutely wonderful. Along the way, we made three stops: Oravský Hrad (castle), Vlkolínec (a traditional Slovak village), and Banská Štiavnica (a beautiful historic old town). At the castle, Csenge took us to some amazing photo spots and even took lovely family photos for us, which we truly appreciated. Traveling through Slovakia by land was a completely different experience for us — we got to see everyday life, stunning landscapes, and parts of the country we wouldn’t have experienced otherwise. Csenge was incredibly kind and attentive, sharing many interesting facts about each place we visited. We also stopped to eat at a local restaurant, which added an authentic touch to the journey. We highly recommend Sidetrip Tours — it’s a fantastic way to travel and truly experience the region.
Very knowledgeable and kind. Took our special needs into consideration and made it a great trip.
This tour offers hotel pick-up only for private bookings. For private bookings, you will be picked up from your hotel, apartment, or any other pick-up point accessible by car. Please provide your preferred pick-up location when making the booking.
This tour offers hotel drop-off. Please provide your preferred drop-off location when making the booking.
Yes, this is a one-way tour ending in Budapest. Please note that the tour does not take you back to Kraków.
The planned duration of this tour is 9-10 hours. For the safety of our passengers and drivers, we are unable to accommodate requests to extend this duration.
Hotel pick-up and drop-off are only available when booking this tour as a private tour for a single group. Open group tours have a fixed meeting point and drop-off location.
Yes! We have space for luggage, similar to common airline baggage allowances. There is no extra charge for luggage that meets these criteria:
If you your luggage requires special consideration, please contact us.
Lunch is not included in the tour price but a lunch break is scheduled. Kindly let our tour leader know if you have any special dietary needs that we should take in account.
Yes! With a maximum of 8 people in each group, our guide can make sure that the pace of the tour is suitable for everyone. Just note that the tour does include some walking at the stops.
If you cancel more than 48 hours before the tour, your booking is fully refunded*. If you cancel less than 48 hours before the tour or in the case of a no-show, no refund is issued.
*Please note, that the credit card processing fee (1.5-3%, up to 5.9% if you paid by Paypal) charged by the third-party payment provider will not be refunded.
All reviews below are actual reviews received from past travelers on this Krakow to Budapest One-Way Transfer Tour.
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