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Touch real history

Wawel, the Cloth Hall, Jewish Kazimierz, the charms of old Podgórze, the socialist realism of Nowa Huta – join us on a journey through Kraków’s most beautiful heritage.

The treasure trove of culture

Masterpieces of Polish and European culture, and the art of the Far East; prehistorical dungeons and views into the future – Kraków’s museums know no bounds.

Green leisure

How about unwinding for a while? Kraków’s ancient mounds, the Planty garden ring, Błonia Common, Skałki Twardowskiego Rocks, the Botanical Garden, and Lasek Wolski Forest are perfect spots to relax in.

Tourist guide

See the famous heritage sites, marvel at the most cherished treasures and discover Kraków’s most interesting nooks and crannies. See what attractions are waiting for you – fall in love in our city!

The Main Market Square, the Cloth Hall, Wawel, Kazimierz – Kraków’s most famous heritage at your fingertips! See how beautiful our city is.

Catch a concert, a film, or a play – Kraków is a city of culture, a city where something is always on.

Take a walk along the Vistula, relax in a park, climb the Krakus mound – see Kraków the green way…

Down in the dungeons and up a tower, art both ancient and contemporary, from prehistory to the latest trends – visit Kraków's museums!

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There is a country… historical walk for family.

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Green Kraków by bike for children

Animal counting rhyme, or a family urban game, thick as thieves with physics, or a walk for fans of science, discovery and experiments, practical information.

Hungry? Need accommodation? Looking for a post office or pharmacy? Do you know how to get around Kraków by bus and tram? Our practical information will help you during your visit.

Recommended events

Concert, film, or play? Kraków boasts a plethora of cultural events – see what we have selected for you.

25th Kraków Opera Summer Festival

Friday, May 10, 2024 - Saturday, July 13, 2024

We will keep our fingers crossed with Tobiasz Helgoland and Ms. Troodwood for the quick marriage of their children ( Lottery for Husbands, or Fiancé No. 69 ). We will stand among the crowd cheering the toreadors, and when the squares in Seville are all empty, we will bid farewell to the...

Krakow Photomonth 2024

Thursday, June 27, 2024 - Sunday, July 21, 2024

We know the date and program of this year’s Krakow Photomonth festival!v For the first time in the biennial formula, for the first time in June! Here is the first announcement of this year’s edition Krakow Photomonth Festival! SAVE THE DATE: 27–30/06/2024 From this...

29th Summer Jazz Festival Kraków

Saturday, June 29, 2024 - Sunday, September 1, 2024

Concert schedule Main concerts | 20.00 29.06 – Kraków Philharmonic Hall - Brad Mehldau 11.07 – Radio Kraków – James Carter 12.07 – Manggha Museum - Christian Sands Trio 15.07 – Manggha Museum - José James ...

Promenade Concerts 2024: Dance Parties at the Gazebo

Friday, July 12, 2024, 7:00 PM-9:00 PM

Did you know that the Planty Park has been known for its music for nearly 200 years? Back in the day, following the Austrian fashion, Cracovians happily went to the numerous concerts, balls, masquerades and open-air events. Let's follow in their footsteps on summer Friday evenings - all thanks to...

Royal Opera Festival 2024

Saturday, July 13, 2024, 6:00 PM

There is one man, who has been reigning supreme on the European stages for 200 years. His name? Gioacchino Rossini. The festival, which focuses on the works of the master of belcanto, showcases his operas - both the lesser-known ones and the most famous works. This time, we are going to see two...

Philharmonic Music Summer 2024

During the summer, the musicians of the Kraków Philharmonic are not going to stay on Zwierzyniecka Street - they are going outside. Maybe they drew inspiration from Vienna, which had music played in court and municipal parks since the second half of the 18th century? This year's July...

Procession of St. Stanislaus

The first pilgrimage from Wawel Cathedral to the church in Skałka was held on 8 May 1254. Ever since, the procession has been held on the first Sunday after 8 May . Saint Stanislaus, patron...

Stay up to scratch! Check the latest news from Kraków.

Fascination, Fear, Gratitude. Memories of Czesław Miłosz

2 July 2024

Fascination, Fear, Gratitude Andrzej Franaszek Fascination, fear, gratitude… Those are just some of the feelings I have when I think about Czesław Miłosz, but they are the ones that...

Birthday. Memories of Czesław Miłosz

30 June 2024

Birthday  Teresa Walas Whenever Czesław Miłosz happened to be in Kraków in June, we celebrated his birthday. That particular year, 1994, he was supposed to be in Sejny, so we...

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The 15 best things to do in Kraków

Nov 21, 2023 • 9 min read

Here are the top things to do on a trip to Kraków martin-dim / Getty Images

Crowned with an impressive royal castle and dotted with church spires and world-class museums, Kraków combines the historic with the cosmopolitan.

The streets of former Jewish quarter Kazimierz and nearby Auschwitz are sobering reminders of 20th-century tragedy, while the crowds thronging Kraków’s main square and the restaurants lining photogenic Old Town lanes buzz with 21st-century joie de vivre. Alongside heavy-hitting attractions exist simpler local pleasures: strolling alongside the Vistula River; dining on hearty home-style cooking in a retro bar mleczny (cafeteria); catching a local band at a legendary dive bar; enjoying a coffee in hipster enclave Tytano; gawping at the art nouveau architecture.

Here are the best things to do in Kraków.

1. Wawel Royal Castle and Wawel Cathedral

Overlooking Old Town from its Wawel Hill perch, what was once the seat of Polish royalty for centuries is the city’s most impressive sight, not to mention the symbol of Poland and a source of local pride. Red-roofed, turreted and ringed by a red-brick wall, this 16th-century Renaissance palace is merely the latest incarnation: royal residences on this very spot have come and gone (burned down, extended, vandalized by Swedish and Prussian armies…) since the 11th-century.

Highlights include the 16th-century tapestries and carved wooden heads in the grand state rooms, the royal private apartments that give you an intimate glimpse into the monarchs’ private lives, the crown jewels in the treasury, and the Szczerbiec (jagged sword) that’s played an essential role in Polish coronations from 1320 onwards – find it inside the vaulted Gothic armory.

Give yourself plenty of time to visit the adjoining Wawel Cathedral , where many of Poland’s kings and queens are seeing out eternity in elaborate tombs, alongside the bones allegedly belonging to the legendary Wawel dragon. The grounds are free to visit, but it’s a really good idea to book tickets for exhibits you want to see at least two weeks ahead due to their enormous popularity.

2. Główny Rynek (Main Market Square)

Surrounded by restaurants and overlooked by handsome centuries-old buildings, Główny Rynek (Main Market Square) is the focal point of Old Town, as well as Europe’s largest medieval town square. After you’re done browsing the wares inside the market building, go back to the Middle Ages by descending to the medieval-meets-the-21st-century museum beneath the square.

Clever multimedia displays, holograms and animated puppets show you medieval market stalls and teach you about vampire prevention burials. Buy your timed ticket online in advance. Free entry on Tuesdays; closed second Monday of each month.

3. Auschwitz-Birkenau

You don’t know what will touch you particularly deeply until you get there. For some, it’s the "Death Block" with its torture cells and its crematorium. For others, it’s the gas chambers and the endless rows of crematoria chimneys at Birkenau , where most of the mass killings occurred. For others still, it’s the mountains of eyeglasses and prosthetic limbs, the mass of human hair collected from victims to be used in textile production, and piles of battered suitcases with home addresses written on them by those for whom this Nazi extermination camp became their final destination.

In any case, Auschwitz is unlikely to leave you unmoved. More than a million Jews, as well as numerous Poles and Roma, were systematically killed here between 1940 and 1945, and the death camps have been preserved as a brutal, essential history lesson.

Auschwitz is reachable by bus, train and organized day tour from Kraków. While solo travelers can visit the site without a guide, it’s well worth joining a tour to get the most out of it, from the screening of the graphic 1945 documentary film by the Soviet liberators to the exhibitions in the barracks.

4. Explore Kazimierz

Southeast of Old Town, the Kazimierz neighborhood had been Poland’s most important center of Jewish culture for 500 years until mass deportation and extermination of Kraków’s Jews by the Nazis destroyed it. Largely rundown during the Communist era, Kazimierz has bounced back in recent years.

A stroll through its streets is a wonderful way to get to know its historic sights, from the restored Old Synagogue and a 19th-century Jewish cemetery with surviving tombstones to the Moorish-style Temple Synagogue and the sobering Galicia Jewish Museum that traces the history of Jews in Kraków. Browse the flea markets on Plac Nowy on the weekends, or attend a film screening or concert at Cheder during the Jewish Culture Festival.

5. Wieliczka Salt Mine

Another massively popular attraction that’s not actually in Kraków proper but is easily reachable from the city, this UNESCO-certified subterranean labyrinth of passages and chambers has been drawing visitors since the 1720s. It’s not for the claustrophobic: as part of a "tourist" tour, first-timers descend at least 125m (410ft) below the ground and spend two hours in the depths of the former mine, while return visitors can opt for a more immersive miners’ tour.

Highlights include an underground lake, chapels adorned with statues carved from the white stuff, and a salt cathedral with chandeliers. And yes, everything around you is carved from salt; we licked the wall so that you wouldn’t have to. Wieliczka Salt Mine is easily reached from Kraków by bus, train or tour. Pack a sweater.

6. Schindler’s Factory museum

You’re likely to have heard of Oscar Schindler, the German industrialist immortalized in Steven Spielberg’s 1993 film Schindler’s List . During WWII, Schindler saved more than a thousand Jewish inhabitants of the Podgorzé ghetto from deportation to the death camps by employing them at his enamel factory. Schindler's Factory museum , which was part of the Schindler’s List film set, was given a major facelift in 2010 and became one of Kraków’s must-visit museums . Book your timed slot online at least three days in advance (it’s hugely popular!), and don’t miss the superb permanent exhibition, Kraków During Nazi Occupation 1939-1945, that tells the story of everyday life, underground resistance and anti-Semitic repressions in the city during WWII.

7. Eat street food

Many cities have signature street food. Paris has its croissants, Hanoi has its bánh mì, Vienna has its käsekrainer , and Kraków has its obwarzanek . Chewy, moreish and topped either with poppy seeds or sesame seeds, Kraków’s bagels are found at stalls on every corner in Old Town, and locals will tell you which stall is likely to have the fresher lot.

But there’s more to Kraków’s street dining than bagels. For the best kielbasa (signature Polish sausage) in town, head for the Kiełbaski z Niebieskiej Nyski van in front of the Hala Targowa market on ul. Grzegorzecka. Then there’s zapiekanka – half a baguette topped with melted cheese, mushrooms and a squirt of ketchup. Poland’s answer to pizza was invented in the 1970s when basic ingredients were all you could get, but now versions with fancier toppings are ubiquitous at fast food stands. For numerous zapiekanka sellers under one roof, try the Okrąglak food court at Plac Nowy in Kazimierz.

8. Nowa Huta

If you want to see how steelworkers lived in the 1950s, catch tram 4 or 10 from central Kraków to this masterpiece of socialist-realist urban planning and Communist architecture in the east of the city. If wandering around the uniformly grey, identical blocks of flats isn't enough of a draw, take a tour of Nowa Huta in a vintage, Communist-era Trabant with Crazy Guides , who’ll take you down into the old nuclear fallout shelters and ply you with vodka.

9. Klub Awaria

Klub Awaria is the kind of dingy dive bar that your mother warned you about: a sticky-floored, vaulted-ceilinged saloon where the carpe-diem clientele will gladly press a drink into a sober stranger’s hand to help them participate in the mildly anarchic nightly revelry. Up-and-coming local blues and rock bands perform on the little stage most nights and after the band is done, there’s occasional dancing on the tables and on the bar itself by regulars to Tina Turner classics.

10. Cruise along the Vistula

The slow-flowing Vistula River bisects the city. Join locals during their morning runs along the footpaths that run alongside the river banks for several kilometers from near Wawel Royal Castle to the city’s eastern suburbs, skirting Kazimierz on the way. Alternatively, if you have local friends, you might be invited aboard a party boat with a full bar and music system; these are available for hire by groups and are essentially floating nightclubs. More easily accessible are hour-long cruises that depart below Wawel Castle Hill, showing off the city’s important landmarks, such as the Dębnicki Bridge, the Norbertine Monastery , the Manggha Museum of Japanese Art and Technology  and the Piłsudski Bridge.

11. Swim in Zakrzowek

Tall limestone cliffs and dense pine forest surround this lagoon with its clear, turquoise waters that feel a million miles away from urban life, even though it’s only a short tram ride (on route 1 or 4) to Kapelanka, southwest of Old Town. The lagoon began its life as a limestone quarry but it was deliberately flooded in 1990 after falling into disuse. It then became a popular swimming and picnicking spot for locals. It's currently undergoing renovations that won't be complete until 2023, so you can't swim or dive here at the moment, but it's perfect for a scenic picnic and some lovely out-of-town hiking.

12. Dine at a bar mleczny

Cheap, cheerful, and with seriously retro decor, a bar mleczny is a time-warp step behind the Iron Curtain into 1980s Poland – in a good way. Dotted around the city, bar melczny are dirt-cheap cafeterias, where you’ll be rubbing shoulders with locals while you load up your tray with soup, pierogi (filled dumplings), placki ziemniaczane (potato pancakes) and other hearty, belly-warming staples – all without dropping more than 10zl (around US$2). There’s a branch at Grodzka 43 in Old Town and another at Starowiślna 29 in Kazimierz.

13. Summit Kopiec Kościuszki

When you’re standing on Wawel Hill, you may notice lump-like green hills surrounding Kraków. The origins of Kraków Mounds are lost in the mists of time, but it’s believed that the oldest – Kopiec Krakusa and Wandy – were built by pagan tribes several millennia ago as part of some solar calendar: during the summer solstice, the sun rises at Wandy and sets at Krakusa. Kopiec Kościuszki is a newer mound, completed in 1823 to commemorate a fallen Polish general. Catch bus 100 to the mound for fantastic views of Wawel Castle, St Mary’s Basilica  and Główny Rynek.

14. Spend your night out finding a “lost bar”

Other cities have speakeasies, while Kraków has its “lost bars”. It’s the same idea, even though Kraków’s hidden drinking dens are a recent development. Head to the Smakolyki restaurant on Floriana Straszewskiego, find your way to the cloakroom and pass through to a hidden courtyard from which you enter Mercy Brown . It’s 1920s Kraków – all velvet couches, mood lighting, chandeliers, and cocktails from a bygone era (gin with jasmine tea cordial, anyone?). Entertainment includes burlesque shows.

15. Hang out in Tytano

Just west of Old Town, a decrepit former tobacco factory has been transformed into a pocket of hipsterdom, complete with art studios, exhibition spaces, beer gardens and brunch cafes that attract Kraków’s young and cool contingent. Check out the latest photography exhibition or fashion event, then grab a coffee from Kraków’s specialty roasters at Bonjour Cava.

This article was first published Jul 31, 2022 and updated Nov 21, 2023.

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13 Best Things to Do in Krakow

Written by Joni Sweet Updated Mar 24, 2023

Effortlessly beautiful and steeped in history, Krakow often doesn't get the glory it deserves on tourists' European vacations. But the Polish city rewards those who visit with unrivaled sightseeing opportunities, a vibrant live music scene, pretty parks, and impeccably preserved medieval attractions. It's one of the best places to visit in Poland .

Krakow's Old Town is one of the first ever UNESCO World Heritage Sites and remains the top place to visit in the city today. It's conveniently located at the base of Wawel Royal Castle , where you can see lovely gardens and private apartments once used by royal guests. You'll want to leave room on your itinerary to visit Kazimierz , the former Jewish district, and explore Jewish history. You can also see Schindler's Factory , a World War II museum housed in the former factory that was previously owned by Oskar Schindler, who saved more than 1,000 Jews from death.

Krakow's efficient public transportation system and park-lined streets make it a pleasant place for many hours of sightseeing. Whenever you need a break, you'll easily be able to relax and refuel at one of the city's abundant pierogi joints or trendy cafés. Krakow also makes a convenient home base for exploring other important tourist attractions around Poland , including the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial camps and the Wieliczka Salt Mine .

Make the most of your Poland travel itinerary with our list of the best things to do in Krakow.

1. Tour Krakow's Old Town

2. marvel at st. mary's basilica, 3. wander wawel royal castle, 4. descend into the rynek underground museum, 5. play at the krakow pinball museum, 6. visit oskar schindler's enamel factory, 7. stroll through planty park, 8. immerse yourself in the eagle pharmacy museum, 9. see the ghetto heroes square, 10. see a fragment of the ghetto wall, 11. watch a performance at the juliusz slowacki theatre, 12. head to the auschwitz-birkenau memorial and museum, 13. take a day trip to the wieliczka salt mine, map of things to do in krakow, krakow, poland - climate chart.

If you only have time for one thing to do in Krakow, seeing the city's Old Town should be top of your list. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1978, this attraction has been a thriving commercial center for roughly 1,000 years.

While Krakow's Old Town has a maze of cobblestone streets, it's always easy to find your way back to its center: Rynek Glowny (Market Square), Europe's largest medieval town square. Check out the Cloth Hall , an iconic Renaissance-style structure that brims with souvenir shops–a throwback to its golden age some 600 year ago, when the building bustled with international traders swapping exotic imports with Polish salt from the Wieliczka Salt Mine.

Situated just outside the Cloth Hall, the Town Hall Tower offers panoramic views of Krakow from its highest floor. You can also see the mechanism behind the structure's antique clock, which relies on radio waves from Mainflingen, Germany to stay accurate.

Other Old Town highlights include Royal Road (a thoroughfare flanked by historic sites that starts at St. Florian's Gate ), St. Mary's Basilica, the Pharmacy Museum , and the Church of St. Anne. But beyond offering hours of touring, the Old Town is simply a great place to relax with some coffee and cake at one of the many outdoor cafés in the area.

Situated on the eastern corner of Rynek Glowny is one of the most iconic symbols of Krakow: St. Mary's Basilica. The attraction has had a presence in Krakow since the 1220s, although the structure you see today has been rebuilt and renovated over the centuries.

The Gothic-style brick church features two bell towers, one of which is topped by a gilded crown that dates back to 1666. Historically, the taller of the bell towers would ring at the opening and closing of the city, and to alert residents of a fire or attack from a foreign invader.

Tourists can appreciate the bell today when it plays "Hejnal Mariacki" ("St. Mary's Trumpet Call") every hour on the hour. Listen for the five-note bugle call to stop abruptly–it's a tribute to a trumpeter who was killed after attempting to warn city dwellers of a siege.

It's definitely worth touring the interiors of the church, which feature exquisite stained-glass windows and a nave decked out in gold stars. There's also a massive, intricately carved altarpiece that's considered to be one of the most important pieces of medieval art in Poland. You can learn more about its restoration at the Rynek Underground Museum.

Address: Plac Mariacki 5, 31-042 Kraków

Official site: https://mariacki.com/en/

Reserve at least half a day in your Krakow itinerary to explore Wawel Royal Castle–a historical and cultural treasure for Poland. The 16th-century castle has been converted into a museum with a series of permanent exhibitions, each of which has their own entrance fee. The most impressive exhibits include the State Rooms and the Royal Private Apartments, where you can see magnificent antique tapestries and lavish furniture.

The castle grounds are home to the Wawel Cathedral, as well, although it's operated as a separate institution. The Gothic cathedral brims with art and contains the crypts of national heroes, royal figures, and revolutionaries.

It's also worth climbing the wooden stairs to the top of the Sandomierska Tower for incredible views across the Vistula River. Don't miss the Dragon's Den nearby. Legend has it that this murky cave below Wawel Hill once held a mean dragon who ate maidens. Once you exit the underground chambers, you'll be met with a 50-year-old statue of a dragon that breathes real fire.

Address: Wawel 5, 31-001 Kraków

Official site: https://wawel.krakow.pl/en

The highlights of Rynek Glowny aren't solely at ground level. Descend the stairs from the Cloth Hall to enter the Rynek Underground Museum, a popular attraction dedicated to preserving and teaching the history of Krakow. The museum is filled with high-tech novelties, including a film projected on a plume of smoke, touchscreen monitors that provide insight on centuries-old artifacts (including coins and jewelry), and even a children's show narrated by an animatronic crow.

But perhaps the most fascinating displays are the remains of the medieval city, including merchants' stalls excavated around 20 years ago and an 11th-century grave of a supposed vampire . Consider spending some extra time at the end of your journey through the museum watching its short documentaries, which take you through various stages of Krakow's history.

Address: Rynek Główny 1, 31-042 Kraków

Official site: https://muzeumkrakowa.pl/en/branches/rynek-underground

Around 90 pinball machines and arcade games wait for players to achieve new high scores at the Krakow Pinball Museum. Located next to the Atlantic Squash Club , the arcade museum contains some of the world's most popular pinball machines, including Indiana Jones, the Addams Family, and Cactus Canyon, some of which date back to the 1950s. The entry fee includes unlimited free plays on all games, so you can keep playing until your thumbs get tired.

Address: Stradomska 15, 31-068 Kraków,

More than 1,200 Jews were spared from concentration camps during the Holocaust when their employer, Oskar Schindler, insisted they were essential workers at his enamelware factory. That site now houses a museum that explores the tumultuous history of World War II and the German occupation of Krakow.

The museum contains dozens of rooms that aim to recreate different aspects of life at that point in history, including narrow alleyways of the ghetto with the sounds of dogs barking and Nazi officers yelling, basements where Jews hid from the Nazis, a railway station lobby flanked by troop mobilization posters, and prison cells that held members of the resistance and academics. Tourists can also see the desk used on the set of Steven Spielberg's 1993 film Schindler's List , along with a giant cube filled with enamelware produced at the factory.

Address: Lipowa 4, 30-702 Kraków,

Official site: https://muzeumkrakowa.pl/en/branches/oskar-schindlers-enamel-factory

Planty Park, one of Krakow's largest city parks, encircles its Old City. It contained the city's defensive fortifications many centuries ago, but in the mid-19th century, its walls were razed and moats were filled to make way for the green belt you see today.

The park's lush array of trees and flowers make it one of the best places to take a stroll in the city and watch everyday life unfold. Keep your eyes peeled for the many monuments dedicated to Polish authors, intellectuals, and scientists, including Nicolaus Copernicus .

Of the four pharmacies that stood in Krakow's Podgórze district , Eagle Pharmacy was the only one to remain open when the Germans converted the area into a ghetto for Jews in March 1941. With the help of his loyal staff, pharmacy owner Tadeusz Pankiewicz dedicated himself to helping the ghetto inhabitants. The pharmacy offered medications, shelter, food, and news from the outside world, despite the risk of severe consequences from the Nazis for doing so.

The pharmacy has since been converted into a remarkable museum that welcomes visitors to dig through its drawers, open up its cabinets, and watch recorded interviews with those who lived in the ghetto.

The museum's atmosphere of exploration helps enlighten the hidden history of this pharmacy and deepen your understanding of what life was like for the Jewish community at this time.

Address: Plac Bohaterów Getta 18, 30-547 Kraków

Official site: https://muzeumkrakowa.pl/en/branches/eagle-pharmacy

You'll notice a series of empty bronze chairs standing in the square outside the Eagle Pharmacy Museum. The installation, known as Ghetto Heroes Square, serves as a memorial to the victims of the Krakow ghetto whose furniture would get piled up in this area when they were forcibly relocated.

The empty chairs are a symbol of the devastation of Krakow's Jewish community, whose population dropped from around 70,000 before World War II to somewhere between 100 and 2,000 today.

Address: Plac Bohaterów Getta, 30-547 Kraków

When the Nazis turned the Podgórze district into a ghetto, they surrounded it with a stone wall to contain some 20,000 Jews and separate them from the rest of the city. The ominous wall, which was described by one victim as having the shape of the tombstones Jews would eventually occupy, has largely been torn down, but you can still see a fragment that remains on Lwowska Street. It has a plaque that memorializes the victims who endured immense suffering and death at the hands of the Nazis.

Address: Lwowska 29, 30-548 Kraków

Considered to be the place where modern Polish theater was born, the Juliusz Slowacki Theatre has staged plays regularly since it debuted in the late 19th century. The Baroque-style theater features an elegant entry hall and four lavishly decorated stages, which nearly always have theatrical and operatic performances–check the website for the most up-to-date listings.

But even if you can't get inside to see a show, you can still appreciate the theater from the outside on a walk through Planty Park. Plan to go late in the day to see its facade glimmer in the golden sun, then light up beautifully after dark.

Address: Plac Świętego Ducha 1, 31-023 Kraków

Official site: https://teatrwkrakowie.pl/en

While emotionally demanding, taking a day trip to the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum is one of the most important things to do while in Krakow.

The former concentration camp is about 90 minutes away by bus and offers guided tours in English and several other languages throughout the week. The tours, which take around four hours, include stops at both Auschwitz I and the sprawling Birkenau (also known as Auschwitz II) camps. You'll see the decrepit conditions where the camp's 1.3 million residents were kept and, for the vast majority, murdered.

Exhibits of victims' belongings, including shoes, pots and pans, and a room full of hair that was cut from victims' heads and intended to be sold, help deepen visitors' understanding of the human toll at this horrific place.

Visiting this memorial is a heartbreaking experience, but one that's an essential part of remembering the victims and making sure that history doesn't repeat itself.

Official site: https://www.auschwitz.org/en/visiting/

Less than an hour away by bus, the Wieliczka Salt Mine makes a fun day trip on the outskirts of Krakow. Both a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an official Polish Historic Monument, this is one of Poland's top attractions . It has produced salt since the Neolithic times (although commercial salt mining ceased in 1996).

Tourists can make their way down some 800 stairs to explore the mine's maze-like passageways, many of which contain quirky rock salt statues carved by miners, and an underground lake.

The crown jewel of the attraction, however, is the underground Chapel of St. Kinga . The chapel, including its chandeliers, tiled floor, and walls, are sculpted entirely in salt. Be sure to look out for a salt mural of da Vinci's The Last Supper on the left wall.

Address: Daniłowicza 10, 32-020 Wieliczka

Official site: https://www.wieliczka-saltmine.com/

By virtue of its peculiar architecture and enthralling history, still present in all corners of the city, Kraków is one of the most stunning and surprising metropolises in Europe . Discover all there is to know about Kraków with this travel guide.

Kraków Travel Guide

• General Information
• Top Attractions
• Getting to Kraków
• Public transport
• Where to Stay
• Where to Eat

Krakow tourism

Krakow (also written Cracow) is the former capital of Poland and still one of the country’s most important cities. It's also considered one of the most beautiful cities in Europe thanks to the excellent preservation of its buildings and its rich artistic cultural heritage.

Krakow’s Old Town, listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO , is packed with exquisite Gothic, Baroque, and Renaissance-style edifices.

Over two million tourists visit Krakow every year, not only because of the kindness of its inhabitants and the allure of the city but also because it's very close to the Wieliczka Salt Mine and Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum.

Where to start

If you’re planning to visit Krakow and don’t know much about the city, the best way to delve into your destination is to read about its past . Then learn about the practical information to visit Krakow. Next, we suggest checking out its top attractions and most-visited museums .

Looking for accommodation?

If you still don't have accommodation booked, we recommend you visit our search engine, where you’ll find all types of hotels, hostels,   and apartments   with the best rates guaranteed (with up to 75% discount). Besides, in most cases, you'll only have to pay once you get to your destination, and you can cancel the booking just one day in advance.

• Hotels in Krakow – Find the best deals online.

top activities

Auschwitz Tour from Krakow Get official skip-the-line tickets to Auschwitz & hassle-free transportation from Krakow . Discover the history of this historic site with an expert guide.

Wieliczka Salt Mine Day Trip Take a trip to the Wieliczka Salt Mines, one of the most-visited sights in Poland and explore the subterranean salt-carved chapels with statues and chandeliers.

Krakow Combo: Auschwitz and Salt Mine Tour Auschwitz-Birkenau  and the Wieliczka Salt Mine are Poland's most-visited sights. Discover both attractions on the same day with this full-day Krakow combo tour.

Chopin Piano Concert Entrance Ticket Step into a 15th-century building in the centre of Krakow to enjoy this Chopin Piano Concert Entrance Ticket. Make the most of this unique experience! 

Polish Folk Show and Dinner Feast your palate and eyes with the typical gastronomy and dances  of Poland with our Polish Folk Show and Dinner in Krakow.

Free Walking Tour of Krakow Take in the exquisite buildings and streets on this walking tour of Krakow's old town and see for yourself why it's a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Free Walking Tour of the Krakow Jewish Quarter Delve into Jewish culture in Poland on a 2.5-hour walking tour of Kazimierz, the most vibrant Jewish quarter in Krakow, home to unique synagogues and more.

Dig in to some of Poland's most traditional dishes on this food tour of Krakow. You'll also get to try the country’s national alcoholic beverage: vodka.

Vistula River Boat Trip Enjoy the medieval city of Krakow from a unique perspective with us on this fantastic boat trip along the Vistula river.

Oskar Schindler's Factory Guided Tour Oskar Schindler, a German industrialist, risked his life to save his Jewish employees from the concentration camps. Discover his life in his factory in Krakow.

Sunset Boat Cruise in Krakow Enjoy Krakow from a new perspective with a fantastic sunset boat cruise on the idyllic Vistula river . Admire the city skyline at golden hour like never before.

Krakow Pub Crawl Experience legendary nightlife on this pub crawl of Krakow . Enjoy an incredible night out in Poland, plus free shots and an hour-long open bar!

With this free tour of Nowa Huta, you'll walk through a former communist city designed after World War II and find out what events marked its history.

Learn about the tragic history of the Holocaust on this guided tour of the Krakow filming locations of the famous movie Schindler's List .

Krakow Old Town & Jewish Quarter Free Tour® Discover Poland's rich history on our free walking tour around the old town and Jewish quarter in Krakow . We'll visit the most important spots in the city.

Travel back in time and discover some of the Polish city's most important historical sights on this  World War II Tour of Krakow .

Krakow Beer Tour Poland has a blooming craft beer industry worth discovering. Embark on a 3-hour tour of Krakow and visit its best bars while you learn about the brewing process

Schindler's List Tour of the Płaszów Concentration Camp Embark on a Schindler's List T our of the Płaszów Concentration Camp and learn about one of the darkest chapters in history: the Jewish Holocaust.

Holocaust Free Tour of Krakow On this  free   Holocaust Tour of Krakow we'll visit the city's Jewish   ghetto , as we learn about the tragic history of World War II .

Private Day Trip from Krakow Mountains, monasteries and castles: explore Poland's most beautiful hidden secrets on this private day trip from Krakow .

Transport between Krakow and Auschwitz With this  transport service between Krakow and Auschwitz , we'll take you to one  of the most chilling concentration camps in history .

Ojców National Park Excursion Visit ancient fortresses and majestic rock formations on this excursion to Ojców National Park . We'll experience the Polish landscape and visit two castles .

Dog Sled Ride Drive your own husky dog sledge through the frozen landscapes of the Tatra Mountains in the south of Poland. Ready for an unforgettable adventure?

Travel back in time to Medieval Krakow on this Night-time tour of Krakow and hear scary ghost stories as you explore the city.

Tour of Wawel Royal Hill Join us on the guided tour of one of Poland's most important historical places . Wawel hill is full of fascinating monuments and secrets!

Zakopane Day Trip & Dunajec River Rafting Fall in love with the architecture of southern Poland on our Zakopane Day Trip from Krakow . We'll also go rafting on the Dunajec River on the Slovakian border.

What was Krakow like during the communist era? Discover a different side of the Polish city by following the traces of communism through Krakow on this tour .

Krakow E-Scooter Tour Discover the streets of this Polish city with this Krakow E-Scooter Tour. Choose between an adventure through the historic centre or the Jewish quarter !

Krakow Private Walking Tour Take a private tour of the historic center, and Jewish Quarter of Krakow, learning about the city’s history and culture with an English-speaking guide.

Roll through the streets of a World Heritage City on this bike tour of Krakow - an exciting and eco-friendly way to explore the city!

Energylandia Ticket & Transport If you're looking for a fun plan for the whole family , don't hesitate to book this ticket to Energylandia which also includes transport from Krakow !

Pope John Paul II Route Follow the incredible footsteps of Saint John Paul II, the first Polish pope and one of the most beloved pontiffs in history.

Wieliczka Vineyard Tour Are you a wine enthusiast? Then you can't miss this excursion from Krakow to visit the vineyards of Wieliczka , and taste their excellent wines.

Vistula River Free Bike Tour If you're staying in Krakow and want to explore its surroundings, our Vistula River free bik tour on the banks of Poland's longest river is for you!

On this boat trip to Tyniec you'll sail on the Vistula River and visit this historic town and enjoy the Polish countryside.

Tatra Mountains Thermal Pools Private Tour Leave the hustle and bustle of your everyday life behind by unwinding at the Bialka Thermal Pools , a complex of thermal pools

On this excursion, we'll cross the border into Slovakia for a hiking tour through the  Treetop Walk Bachledka  and visit the Polish town of  Zakopane .

On this excursion from Krakow, we'll head to   the Tatra Mountains  to visit the Chochołów Thermal Baths , the largest thermal pool complex in the region!

Auschwitz and Salt Mine Private Tour On this private tour to Auschwitz and the Salt Mines , you'll visit the largest Nazi concentration camp  from WWII accompanied by an English-speaking guide.

On this guided tour of the Wawel Castle ,   we'll explore the heart of one of the most iconic places in Krakow and visit its subterranean area.

Vistula River Night Cruise Enjoy a night cruise along the Vistula River and see Krakow 's beautiful monuments lit up at night for a magical experience!

Krakow Card Are you ready to discover the main attractions of Krakow? The Krakow Card is the best way to explore the city, for 1, 2 or 3 days !

Lake Roznów Horse Riding Tour On this horse ride round  Lake Roznów , we'll enjoy the stunning landscapes of this artificial lake  perfect for nature lovers !

Banksy Museum Ticket Discover a space filled with works by one of the most famous, yet unknown artists in the world. If so, this ticket to the Banksy Museum in Kraków is for you!

Treetop Walk Bachledka & Chochołów Thermal Baths Day Trip Get incredible views of the Tatra Mountains from the Treetop Walk Bachledka's decks and visit the Chochołów Thermal Baths on this day trip from Krakow.

Treetop Walk Bachledka Day Trip & Dunajec River Rafting On this day trip, you'll stroll above the treetops of Slovakia's forests and admire incredible views, as well as do a fun rafting activity on the Dunajec River .

Polish Aviation Museum Guided Visit Discover the history of the world's most significant battles on our Polish Aviation Museum Guided Visit. Explore the old airfield and see amazing models.

Learn about the role of the Polish Underground State on this guided tour through the Home Army Museum in Krakow. A journey through Polish history!

Krakow Electric Car Private Tour Discover the Polish city's best kept secrets with this Krakow Electric Car private tour - an eco-friendly and fun way to visit the city!

Get into the spirit of Poland with this tasting tour of Krakow's most traditional liquors , accompanied by typical snacks. Cheers!

Krakow Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour This sightseeing bus in Krakow lets you explore one of the most visited cities in Europe at your own rhythm. Hop on and off at any of the stops!

On this segway tour of Krakow , we'll learn the most interesting facts about Polish history. You can choose to explore the old town or the Jewish quarter .

Auschwitz Birkenau Private Day Trip Learn about the dark past of World War 2 with this private day trip to the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp from Krakow.

Zakopane and Tatra Mountains Day Trip Set off on a unique full day trip from Kraków to Zakopane, the country’s most famous winter town, and discover the untouched landscape of the Tatra Mountains.

Krakow Rynek Underground Museum Tour Walk into the depths of Krakow on a tour of Rynek Underground Museum accompanied by an English-speaking guide & discover the medieval market stalls.

Guided Tour of Nowa Huta Communist City Explore Nowa Huta , a city established mid twentieth century as an ideal social realist settlement accompanied by an expert English-speaking guide.

Dunajec River Gorge Day Trip Marvel at the awe-inspiring landscape of the Dunajec River Gorge from a traditional Polish wooden raft & explore the haunted 14th-century Niedzica Castle.

Częstochowa Black Madonna Half Day Trip Embark on the pilgrimage to Częstochowa, Poland's religious and spiritual center  and home of the Black Madonna, the most cherished relic of the Virgin Mary.

Why read our Krakow travel guide?

Written by eager travelers for equally enthusiastic adventurers, Introducingkrakow.com offers up-to-date information about the top tourist attractions, climate, and the best ways to get to the city. We have included our points of view and experiences , to make the most of your trip.

The information provided in this guide has been updated in December 2022 . If you find a mistake or would like to make a suggestion, please do not hesitate to contact us .

Our travel guides

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• where to stay
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25 Things to Do in Krakow for the Perfect Visit

Krakow is one of those cities that tends to polarize travelers. Some love it and stay for several weeks, others quickly jump ship to nearby Wroclaw or Warsaw, or maybe even hop the border to Germany or the Czech Republic. 

Yet whether you love it or hate it, you can’t deny Krakow is probably Poland’s most traveler-friendly city. Public transport is fantastic, things are cheap, the city is beautiful and clean, the nightlife is raging and there is a ton of things to do in Krakow.

If you’re planning on heading to this historic city, here’s a blueprint to help you hit the ground running without missing any of the best that Krakow has to offer.

25 Things to do in Krakow, Poland

Table of Contents

Krakow’s Old Town is gorgeous and always brimming with activity – most of the action centers around the main square.

Make the most out of your time in Krakow with a 3-day museum and transport pass that gives you complimentary access to 40 top museums, tram travel, and a 24-hour bus ticket.

You’ll also enjoy discounts at select restaurants, shops, and other activities with your pass.

Get your Krakow Museums and Transport Official Pass

1. Old Town Walking Tour

This a free walking tour in Krakow (there are a few). You can choose to go at 10 AM or 2 PM (there’s also a 4 PM slot between March and October). I definitely recommend getting the 10 am spot, as the sun can be pretty heavy in the afternoon.

This particular tour will take you through Krakow’s beautiful Old Town (it really is beautiful).

Like most of Europe, there is so much history here and the guide will unravel Krakow’s story right from the Middle Ages to the present day.

The tour takes around 2.5 hours, so make sure you have walking shoes on. The meeting point is between the St. Florian’s Gate and Barbican – just show up.

Cycle the scenic streets on this Sightseeing Bike Tour of Krakow . Led by a local guide, pedal past the city’s top attractions, such as Jagiellonian University, Wawel Castle, the Jewish quarter and more.

Learn about the area’s rich history and architecture as you go, stopping to relax with a traditional Polish lunch. After an afternoon of exploration, your tour concludes at your original departure point.

2. Underground Museum

As you’ll already be around the Old Town, spend the afternoon wandering Krakow’s Underground Museum. Literally, underneath the main square, the museum is a collection of exhibits that illustrate the city’s entire history.

It’s pretty snazzy (and cozy) so there’s a 300 person limit at any one time. Especially in the busy season, make sure to book in advance. You can do it online or pre-purchase tickets at the Cloth Hall in the main square (ask, it’s not hard to find).

Don’t leave home without: Lonely Planet Poland (Travel Guide)

3. Lunch at Moaburger

This was one of my favorite places to eat around the main square. The burgers are huge, fresh and delicious, the french fries are superb, and the ample sauce tops everything off nicely.

Not exactly Polish, but will definitely hold your stomach down for the rest of the day.

4. Check out Galeria Krakowska

A little shopping to end the afternoon. I was super impressed by this mall. It’s 3 stories of non-stop shopping, all your favorite brands, and the prices are good too.

I visited Krakow near the beginning of my Eurotrip, so ended up buying quite a few supplies here.

Also if you have any housekeeping to do, such as buying a sim card or grabbing a few groceries, this is a pretty good place to do it. Not a bad place to enjoy a coffee and do some people watching as well!

You could also take a Communism Tour in a Genuine Trabant Automobile in the afternoon or a Krakow WWII Private tour to learn about the cities role in the war.

5. Dinner at Smakołyki

This is a Polish cafe that serves slightly spruced-up versions of traditional Polish dishes. The menu is a melting pot of deliciousness, and even after three visits here you probably won’t have tried everything you wanted to (I hadn’t – that’s for sure).

The pancakes are awesome if you’re looking for breakfast, but I prefer to head here later in the day when I’m ready for something heavy. I easily go through three courses here, every time. Find them at Straszewskiego 28.

Are you a foodie? You can not visit Krakow without going on a Krakow Evening Food Walking Tour .

Treat your taste buds to fresh local smoked cheese and “pierogies , “ the famous stuffed dumplings filled with meat and potatoes while walking through the evening-lit streets of Krakow.

Enjoy a cold Polish beer in one of the many hidden haunts along the main market square. The Krakow Evening Food Walking Tour last 2.5 hours and is filled with many great local eats!

You’ll probably be exhausted (and full!) after that, so head home for some shuteye and rest up for the next day. There’s a lot to see in Krakow , you’ve barely scratched the surface of your Krakow itinerary.

6. Walking Tour Jewish Town

The cool thing about Krakow’s walking tours is they don’t try and cram everything into one afternoon – things are split into several tours meaning you can take a different tour each day.

The Jewish Tour is another one of their free tours, which runs every day at 10 AM, 1:30 PM (plus a 5 PM between March and October). Again, I’d recommend the first or the last spot to avoid the heavy sun.

Kazimierz is a charming little area of Krakow where the Jews, after being shunned by much of Europe, finally found a home. In fact, Kazimierz is still considered one of the most important places in Jewish history.

The Jewish population was allowed to flourish here due to Krakow’s religious tolerance back in the day, meaning the Jewish community grew to be quite large and prominent.

This walking tour takes about 2.5 hours and you’ll see a lot of interesting corners of Kazimierz, plus the stories that go with them.

The meeting point is in front of the Old Synagogue on Szeroka Street. Again, just show up.

7. Lunch at Gossip Cafe

Not far from Kazimierz is Gossip Cafe. This is a boutique coffee shop on Zwierzyniecka 4, along the main road and not hard to find at all. It’s small, so you may have to wait, but most times I was able to find myself a seat.

The menu is a collection of healthy choices made fresh daily, with smoothies, juices, classic breakfasts, and a few traditional Polish choices too.

Definitely one of the best places in Krakow for a brunch or a quick coffee break.

Don’t leave home without:  Lonely Planet Poland (Travel Guide)

8. Walk the riverside

Krakow’s riverside is gorgeous. During the summer you’ll find many students sitting on the grass banks studying, people rollerblading and riding bikes, some doing yoga under the trees, and many people simply enjoying an afternoon stroll.

The river is huge so it’s a good way to spend a slow afternoon and people-watch, or simply sit on the banks and enjoy some time out.

I spent many afternoons here, recovering from long nights out, reading books, meeting up with friends. In my opinion, it’s one of the best places in Krakow.

9. Wawel Castle and Cathedral

Another popular thing to do when in the riverside area is to visit the Wawel Castle , the home of much of Poland’s old royalty in the olden days.

Today it’s been transformed into an art and culture museum that’s always teeming with visitors.

Depending on the time of year, not all areas are accessible, and there is also a limit to the number of people allowed in.

Try to head there earlier in the day if you really want to visit. The impressive Wawel Cathedral is right behind it – also worth checking out.

10. Dinner at Pod Temida

You can’t leave Poland without eating at a bar mleczny. Literally translated as “milk bar”, these are workers’ canteens from the Socialist era, that were set up to ensure all workers were able to get access to a nutritious meal.

It was usually included in the worker’s salary, so they would just show up, get fed quickly and head back to work.

These milk bars flourished all through the 1900s and are still popular today – now run as cheap canteens open to the public. If you’re looking for cheap, delicious, traditional Polish food, a milk bar is hands down the best place to get it.

My favorite is Pod Temida, which is right in the middle of the action on Grodzka 43. Try the blueberry dumplings, known as pierogi – they’re amazing.

Alternatively, consider an evening food walking tour to sample all the popular local favorites or a Polish Folklore Show and Dinner with traditional food and dancing.

11. Nowa Huta

While Krakow is famous for its action-packed center, there’s a lot more to the city than that. One of the best places to get a glimpse of what else it has on offer is Nowa Huta.

This is a part of Krakow that not many tourists see, but it’s an important part of the city that you shouldn’t miss. If you jump on tram number 4, you’ll be there in 25 minutes (head to the Plac Centralny stop).

The history here though is rather fascinating. Nowa Huta was planned and built by the Soviet Union in the late 40’s, designed to be a model socialist era city – a rival opposite to the cute and artsy Krakow. The buildings are all almost identical, and the city laid out in generic blocks to give it that Soviet feel.

The wide streets and colorless buildings are a stark contrast to the Krakow most people know, something you’ll notice quite quickly before you even get off the tram.

What can you do there? Wander the “Plac Centralny” central square, check out the Nowa Huta Museum, see if there are any exhibitions at the Nowa Huta Culture Centre, take a look at the Ludowy Theatre and the Arka Pana Church.

My visit to Nowa Huta was quite rushed near the end of my trip, so I kind of just scrambled around the town. Book a Nowa Huta Tram and Walking Tour to ease your stress.

I would have loved to have taken a tour here if I’d had the chance, there is so much history to see and learn about.

12. Lunch at Max Grill

Max Grill is a little open-air grill in Nowa Huta. It has a street food feel to it, and you can see the guys flame grilling piles of meat right behind the counter.

It’s cheap, easy and delicious, and has the grill firing well into the night. Definitely worth a visit! Find them at Jana Pawła II 232.

13. See the Steelworks

One of the icons of Nowa Huta was the massive steelworks, which employed almost 40,000 people at its height.

In fact, the name Nowa Huta actually translates to “new steel mill”, as these steelworks were intended to be the Socialist era symbol that Nowa Huta was known for.

Take the number 4 tram and go another two stops and you’ll get there (if you’re unsure, ask – everyone knows where it is). You’re not actually allowed inside the steelworks anymore, but it’s cool to see what the town was built around.

14. Grab a beer at CK Browar

One of the better places to wind down with a drink in Krakow is CK Browar. This is a huge pub/restaurant at Podwale 6/7 that brews their own beer. There are lots of brews to choose from, so it’s great to come in a group if possible and share a few pitchers (or just drink a lot, that works too).

It’s popular to come here for dinner before a night out, and most groups indulge in a multi-liter tower of beer to go with their meal.

It’s almost always busy, so try to show up early to get a seat. Experience the craft beer culture of Kraków on a small-group, 3-hour walking tour.

15. Spend the Night Out

Not ready for the night to die young? Nightlife in Krakow is an animal of its own, and travelers from all over Europe come here just for the parties. Kazimierz turns into a total hipster bar-hopping town after sundown, and there are many traditional bars and clubs in the main square.

I won’t name any specific places, because the truth is there is just too many – Krakow has the highest density of bars and pubs in the world.

There is also a pub crawl every night if that’s your scene. The town pops almost every night of the week, just put on your dancing shoes and show up.

With such a variety of bars and clubs, it can often be difficult to choose the best nightlife venues in Krakow. Guarantee a great night in Poland’s capital on a Krakow Club and Bar Crawl .

This is a great choice for travelers looking to meet like-minded people. Your evening experience includes a 1-hour open bar, free shots in each venue, a photographer, and VIP entry to one of Krakow’s hottest nightclubs.

16. Visit Auschwitz & Birkenau

The most popular day trip out our Krakow itinerary is to the Auschwitz concentration camp. This is one of the most well known of the German concentration camps where over a million people were killed during the Nazi regime.

Today, it serves as a memorial of the crimes committed against the Jews and other minorities during the war and post-war era. A place where you can better understand exactly what went on during those years.

To get there, simply catch the train to Oswiecim from Krakow’s main train station. It should cost you 15.60 PLN (about 3.5 EUR). From Oswiecim, you can simply walk to Auschwitz – about 25 minutes away – or catch a bus if you prefer.

There’s bound to be a lot of other travelers making the same day trip, so it shouldn’t be hard to figure out.

If you are not up for doing this adventure alone, book an Auschwitz – Birkenau Guided Tour . Make your visit to Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum as easy as possible on this tour from Krakow.

In a small group limited to eight people, you’ll travel to the former Nazi concentration camp in a comfortable minivan before embarking on a shared guided tour of the complex.

Entry to Auschwitz is free, but there is a quota on the number of visitors so you should reserve in advance for the time slot that you want. You can do that online here .

You’ll need around 90 minutes for the Auschwitz site and maybe another 90 minutes for Auschwitz II-Birkenau. Make time to see them both and be prepared for a humbling and reflective experience.

Other Krakow Tours Worth Checking Out

• Wieliczka Salt Mine Guided Tour from Krakow
• Zakopane and Tatras Mountains Day Tour
• Pieskowa Skala Castle and Czestochowa Day Tour
• In the Footsteps of John Paul II Day Tour from Krakow
• Lagiewniki – Wadowice – Kalwaria Zebrzydowska Day Trip
• Full-Day Warsaw Trip from Krakow by Train

Krakow Travel Tips

Where to stay in krakow.

I stayed in Krakow for five weeks and  I Couchsurfed the first week (the Couchsurfing community is very active) and stayed in an Airbnb quite far outside the center for the remainder.

As mentioned the public transport is excellent so there was no need for me to stay within the city center for the length of the visit I did.

On a shorter trip, however, close to the center is probably where you want to be. If you’re on that backpacker vibe, there is an endless number of hostels, and you can find some decent private rooms too.

I’d recommend staying at Hotel Kazimierz in the Kazimierz area, which is a little chicer and less bloated with tourists.

We have put together a shortlist of hotels we recommend in Krakow based on luxury: Sheraton Grand Krakow , mid-range: Hotel Astoria , and hostel: Moon Hostel . All hotels are located no more than .05 miles from Krakow’s main center allowing you to be located in the best area of town to experience Krakow.

Read reviews and check prices with our  Hotel Search Engine , that gives you the best hotel deals found across the web. Our search engine pulls results from all of the major booking places, including Expedia, Hotels, Booking and more. All the options, all the deals, all in one place and just for you.

Getting Around in Krakow

Getting around Krakow is incredibly easy. The tram system runs until 11 PM (there is a night service too which is less frequent) and reaches most corners of the city. Simply get on board and buy a ticket at the self-service machines (they’re in English). A ride will cost you less than a euro.

If you’re feeling lazy, in a rush, or need a ride home after a big night out, grab an Uber. Uber is efficient and surprisingly cheap in Krakow. I used it regularly and it was always great, most drivers speak English and ride only cost about 10-15 PLN (2.50-3.50 EUR).

If you plan to use local transport and trams, be sure to purchase a  Krakow Museums and Transport Official Pass  to check off the best things to do in Krakow.

If you are interested in exploring Europe by train then check out our Ultimate Guide to Eurail Pass Train Travel in Europe.

Basic Information for Visiting Krakow

• Currency – Poland uses the Polish złoty (pronounced zwoh-tay). A lot of major banks are in Poland and it’s easy enough to get cash from the ATM. Also, paying with tap-tap credit cards is hugely popular here. You’ll see currency converters around the main center too, although I never had the need to use them.
• Language –  The official language here is Polish. Most people speak at least basic English, and a lot of the younger crowd speak quite well. It’s rare to find people who are fluent though. A little Polish will go a long way.
• Safety – Krakow is considered a very safe city to navigate both during the day and at night. Knowing this, we encourage you to get out and see the city at night when it is lit up, especially the Wawel Castle. There is also a lively street culture with dancing that happens at night and you shouldn’t miss it.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Brendan is a former accountant turned full time traveler from Auckland, New Zealand. He is the blogger behind Bren On The Road and the founder of Missing Wanderer . His travels have taken him across every continent since he first started his journey in 2011. He lives and breathes budget travel , and writes to educate others on how to see the world on small budgets.

More on Poland:

• 15 Best Things to Do in Warsaw, Poland
• Ultimate Guide to Eurail Pass Train Travel in Europe
• When is the Best Time to Visit Europe?
• Travel Insurance for Europe Vacation: Do I Need It?
• Best Places to Fly a Drone in Europe
• Viking River Cruises in Europe-What to Expect

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Travel planning resources, about guest writer.

Guest writers for Divergent Travelers offer insider tips and information on destinations that they are experts in. It is important to us that we are able to have the highest level of travel information available to you from local writers and experienced travelers.

9 thoughts on “25 Things to Do in Krakow for the Perfect Visit”

Krakow is so lovely! I visited with my mom last year as part of our effort to retrace our family history. Now I’m already talking to my fiancé about returning so we can research his family history.

My time in Kraków was cool, but in sommer it is too noisy and overcrowded. However I fell in love with Warsaw during winter months.I visited the city last winter and it was magical! I really liked how Nowy Świat and Krakowskie Przedmieście was looking with all of those Christmas lights and decorations, all covered in snow. I also spend wonderful night in New Orleans, nice place to eat something or relax by great pole dancing shows.

I am heading to Krakow tomorrow and this post definitely covered it all! Thanks fort helpful info!

Love to hear that! Have an amazing trip. 🙂

Wow, Krakow looks amazing! I go to Poland quite often, but usually stay in Warsaw. Well, Krakow is on my list, I will for sure visit it during my next trip to Poland! Warsaw is also a very nice place, there are also tens of fantastic places. As it comes to eating out my favorite restaurant is a place called “Akademia”. They specialize in Polish food, but they do everything with a very modern approach. Their food is really delicious, and the restaurant itself is very elegant and nice. I love visiting them 🙂

Great tip for Warsaw, thanks for sharing! Yes, def put Krakow on your visit list, it’s a charming city.

lovely article. I also did food tour there. enjoyed it.

Great information not found elsewhere & as we have 3 days in Krakow – ideal article 🙂

Glad to hear you found the information useful! Krakow is a fantastic city, enjoy.

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Home » Travel Guides » Poland » 25 Best Things to Do in Kraków (Poland)

25 Best Things to Do in Kraków (Poland)

UNESCO World Heritage city, Kraków was the throne of the Polish monarchs for half a millennium up to the 17th century. After being ransacked by the Mongols in the 13th century the Old Town was built anew, and the layout has barely changed since then.

Kraków was at the height of its powers in the 1300s during the reign of Casimir III the Great. He founded Kraków University where Copernicus would later study, as well as the district of Kazimierz, once a separate city home to one of Europe’s biggest Jewish communities.

The sweeping Main Square in the Old Town tells you all you need to know about Kraków’s wealth and authority in Medieval Times, while the royal castle and cathedral on Wawel Hill convey the full might of the Polish monarchy.

Let’s explore the best things to do in Kraków :

1. Stare Miasto (Old Town)

Kraków’s oldest quarter is a planned city drawn up in 1257 just after the Mongol invasion laid everything to waste.

The whole city was encircled by walls, now a belt of parkland, and hoisted above its southernmost point was the mighty royal ensemble on Wawel Hill.

A day in the Old Town will fly by as you drift from churches to atmospheric squares, tempting specialty shops to museums.

The simple act of going for meal or a drink can be a historical journey, descending into cellars with Gothic vaults.

A couple of things we won’t talk about later are the tower of the former town hall, now an observation platform on the Main Square.

But also pop into a bakery for a ring-shaped obwarzanek krakowski, a slightly sweet bun not too different from a bagel.

Recommended tour : Old Town Guided Walking Tour

2. Rynek Główny (Main Square)

One of the largest Medieval squares in Europe, Kraków’s central marketplace has been the commercial, social and administrative focal point of the city since the middle of the 13th century.

This grand plaza measures 200 metres by 200 and was laid out in the years after Kraków was razed by the Mongol invasion, so is also an enduring piece of Medieval urban design.

A few of the monuments on this list are on or near the square, like the Cloth Hall and St Mary’s Basilica.

At the borders of the Main Square are long rows of townhouses.

And although these took on Neoclassical facades at the turn of the 20th century, the buildings within are usually far older.

See for instance Wierzynek, a restaurant going back to Medieval times, and where the Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV and Elizabeth of Pomerania celebrated their wedding in 1364.

This square is also covered in the previously recommended walking tour.

3. Wawel Castle

A monument of immeasurable national importance, the UNESCO-listed Wawel Castle completes an ensemble with the cathedral on its lofty perch above the Old Town.

The castle has architecture of every style from Romanesque to Baroque and was the seat of the King of Poland from the 13th century to the 17th century.

A fallow period then arrived, after the capital was moved to Warsaw and the castle was damaged by the Swedish invasion in the 1650s.

But since the 1940s Wawel Castle has been a national museum, presenting the riches of the Polish monarch through sumptuous interiors, painting by Veronese, Lucas Cranach the Elder and Domenico Ghirlandaio, Gobelin tapestries and a marvellous treasury and armoury.

One piece that must not be missed is Szczerbiec, the coronation sword for almost every monarch from 1320 to 1764.

Recommended tour : Skip The Line Wawel Castle Guided Tour

4. St Mary’s Basilica

Built on the foundations of an earlier church also levelled by the Mongols, this Brick Gothic wonder is from the beginning of the 14th century, and would be reworked over the next few decades.

The St. Mary’s Trumpet Call is played from the top of the taller of the two towers, on the hour every hour.

This is in memory of the 13th-century city trumpeter sounding the alarm for the Mongol attack.

He was shot in the throat mid-way through the call, which is why the tune breaks off abruptly.

Within, the stained glass windows and the gold stars on the blue background in the vaults are sublime.

But the star of the show is the largest Gothic altarpiece in the world.

Completed in 1484, it was carved over seven years by German sculptor Veit Stoss, with lime-wood sculpted figures up to 2.7 metres high.

5. Wawel Cathedral

A monument of real national importance, Wawel Cathedral is the site of the coronation and burial of numerous Polish monarchs, national heroes and cultural figures.

The current building was completed in the 14th century after the previous two were destroyed or burned down.

And because of its many royal burial chapels, the cathedral has taken on a captivating variety of styles.

Sigismund’s Chapel, the funerary chapel for the last of members of the Jagiellonian line, is a wonder of 16th-century Tuscan Renaissance architecture: Under a golden dome the chapel is rich with detailed carved ornamentation, stuccowork and tomb monuments by some of the leading sculptors of the day.

The cathedral’s status is also underlined by the mausoleum to the Polish patron saint St Stanislaus, in which his silver sarcophagus rests under an exuberant canopy with gilded columns.

Included in : Skip The Line Wawel Castle Guided Tour

6. Kazimierz

South of the Old Town is a district that was a separate city for 500 years up to the 19th century.

Kazimierz was founded by Casimir III the Great, taking his name and bestowed the status of a Royal City.

After a fire in Kraków at the end of the 15th century King Jan I Olbracht moved the entire Jewish population to Kazimierz, which ballooned as it took in Jews expelled from cities throughout Europe.

They occupied a space within an interior wall, dividing Kazimierz between Jewish and ethnic Poles.

And although that wall was pulled down more than 200 years ago, the eastern streets of Kazimierz have a Jewish flavour that has been revived since the late 1980s.

A lot of Schindler’s List was filmed in this neighbourhood, which once again has synagogues, bookshops, restaurants and bars for a small but dynamic Jewish community.

Top rated tour : Kazimierz District Jewish Heritage Tour

7. Franciscan Church

This monastery church took shape in the aftermath of the Mongol Invasion, and was consecrated around the middle of the 13th century.

It was the first example of Kraków’s hallmark brick and sandstone architecture, even if only the rib vaults remain from that initial building.

The church suffered a near-catastrophic fire in 1850, but that handed an opportunity to the artist Stanisław Wyspiański to work his magic.

The founder of the Young Poland movement, Wyspiański produced eight Art Nouveau stained glass windows for the apse and choir, and painted stunning murals with geometric and floral motifs in the transept.

These are accompanied by more traditional paintings in the nave and chancel, by the landscape and historicist artists Władysław Rossowski and Tadeusz Popiel.

Included in:  Bike Tour of the Old Town, Kazimierz, and the Ghetto

8. Cloth Hall

One of the symbols for Kraków, the Cloth Hall has existed in some form since the 1200s, and the Renaissance monument at the centre of the Main Square today is from the 1500s.

A trading hall for 800 years, the cloth hall testifies to Kraków’s position in the middle of Central Europe’s Medieval commercial network.

Most of the goods sold here came from the east, like spices, silk, wax and leather.

The Cloth Hall is still a market, and if it doesn’t quite have the same cachet, it’s the first place to come if you’re stuck for gift or souvenir ideas.

You can idle past stalls with handmade lace, amber jewellery and wooden handicrafts, and then head upstairs for the Sukiennice Museum.

Mainly for Polish 19th-century painting, there are individual rooms devoted to Romantics like Piotr Michałowski, Academic artists in the vein of Henryk Siemiradzki and Realists like Józef Chełmoński.

9. Royal Road

On this themed walk through Kraków’s Old Town you’ll be treading the same path as Poland’s monarchs, as you follow the route of Medieval coronation processions north to south through the city.

The path begins at the Church of St Florian just past the Barbican, then passes through that mighty defence and heads into the city along Floriańska Street and down the east side of the Main Square.

You’ll go past a host of cherished landmarks like St Adalbert’s Church, the Wielopolski Palace and the Church of Saints Peter and Paul.

Then you’ll begin that dramatic climb to the top of Wawel where the coronation ceremony would take place at the cathedral.

Suggested tour: Old Town “Royal Route” Walking Tour

10. Manggha

You may not have counted on immersing yourself in Japanese culture in Kraków, but that’s just what’s on the menu at this museum across the water from Wawel.

The museum and cultural centre was the initiative of film director Andrzej Wajda: He became enamoured of Japanese art after viewing the collection assembled by art critic Feliks Jasieński in the 1940s.

More than four decades later Wajda, on receiving a film prize, opted to donate the money to set up a new museum for the collection.

Manggha opened in 1994 and Japanese architect Arata Isozaki’s airy, oscillating design has dated very well.

There are now 7,000 pieces in the collection, counting woodcuts, paintings, ceramics, furniture and samurai armour; Emperor Akihito paid a visit back in 2002.

11. Polish Aviation Museum

East of the old town, the old Kraków-Rakowice-Czyżyny Airport dates back to 1912 and was commissioned for the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Soon after the airport closed in 1963 a museum opened on the site, initially using the airport’s old hangars.

They are now complemented by an exhibition hall that opened in 2010 and has lots of multimedia and hands-on exhibits.

The Polish Aviation Museum is regularly listed as one of the best in the world, with more than 200 aircraft including fighter jets, bombers, gliders, helicopters and engines from both sides of the Iron Curtain but especially MiGs, Yaks and Sukhois.

Rarest of all though are the Polish pre-war aircraft like the PZL P.11, the only surviving example in the world.

Book online : Polish Museum of Aviation Ticket

12. Stained Glass Workshop and Museum

More than a static museum, this attraction allows you to watch stained glass craftsmen making use of centuries-old skills.

The workshop was founded by the architect Stanisław Gabriel Żeleński in 1902 and moved into the current premises that he designed in 1906. This studio was intended as a gathering place for Poland’s top glass painters, who were in high demand during the Art Nouveau years.

More than 200 windows produced by this workshop adorn buildings around Krakow today, most famously in Wawel and at the Franciscan Church.

Guided tours in English are on the hour, and will bring you through beautiful exhibitions of stained glass and into the studio where you can see pieces being created.

13. Planty Park

In the 1820s when Kraków was a partially independent Free City, the Medieval fortifications that once enveloped the Old Town were dismantled on the order of Franz I, Emperor of Austro-Hungary.

The moat was also levelled off and the whole four-kilometre belt was planted with English landscape gardens.

Planty Park is a welcome green buffer between the Old Town and the newer quarters beyond.

The northern bend is best for sightseers, as this is where the last vestiges of the old defences have been kept.

The imposing Kraków Barbican, with its menacing ring of machicolations is here and is an outpost for the Florian Gate behind.

These were both saved from demolition after a professor at the university petitioned the Republic of Kraków senate.

Explore by bike : Bike Tour including Planty Park

14. Schindler’s Factory

You may be aware that a lot of Steven Spielberg’s 1993 movie Schindler’s List was filmed in Kraków.

And since 2010 it has been possible to go inside the administration building of the enamelware factory he took over after the invasion in 1939. Your main motive for coming is for the branch of Kraków Historical Museum.

Here you can peruse accounts of Schindler’s book-cooking that helped save more than 1,000 Jewish lives, the original desk from Schindler’s office, his “list” and photos of survivors.

But there’s also a wider exhibition about the occupation of Kraków in the Second World War: You’ll find reconstructions of a dwelling in the ghetto, underground tunnels used by the resistance and basements where Jews would be hidden, all with genuine artefacts from the 40s to add some depth.

Recommended tour : Oskar Schindler’s Factory Guided Tour

15. Rynek Underground

Also maintained by the Historical Museum is a museum beneath the Main Square, recapturing life in Kraków’s Old Town 700 years ago.

The attraction is an archaeological site with a total area of 6,000 square metres, showing the foundations of the previous Cloth Hall.

In these galleries are footbridges over archaeological digs, as well as electronic displays, touch-screen computers and holograms.

A trove of artefacts has been uncovered four metres under the city, like Tatar arrowheads, clay figurines, leather shoes, dice, beads, medallions and a 693 kg lump of commercial lead.

There’s much more besides, like real graves from an 11th-century cemetery, reconstructions of workshops and maps to explain the complicated flow of goods in and out of the city when it traded with the Hanseatic League.

Online tickets : Guided Tour of Rynek Underground

16. Museum of the Jagiellonian University – Collegium Maius

In the Old Town you can make an intensive 30-minute tour of Collegium Maius, the oldest building for the Jagiellonian University.

Established in the 1300s, this is also Poland’s oldest university building, reconstructed in the Late-Gothic style in the following century.

Copernicus was a student here at the end of the 1400s, and there’s a room with instruments and globes from the time he was alive, so there’s a good chance he laid his hands on them.

On the whirlwind tour you’ll scurry through lecture rooms, ceremonial halls, professor’s quarters, a fantastical library and a museum, which has the oldest globe in the world to depict the Americas.

17. Kościuszko Mound

Tadeusz Kościuszko was a Polish national hero, lauded for his resistance efforts against Prussia and Russia as they divided up the former Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth at the end of the 18th century.

In 1794 he led a doomed but spirited insurrection against Russia, begun on Kraków’s Main Square.

After Kościuszko died his body was interred beneath this 34-metre-high mound, in the style of rulers from Poland’s distant past.

The mound was completed in 1823 and is at the top of the Sikornik hill 326 metres above sea level.

At the base of the mound are the walls of a military citadel erected by Austrians in the mid-19th century.

In the defences is the Neo-Gothic Blessed Bronisława chapel, offering entry to the mound, which you can climb on a winding path to look west to Kraków’s Old Town.

Included in this (highly recommended!) tour: Tour by Electric Car & Optional Schindler’s Factory

18. Krakus Mound

We’ve talked about the 19th-century burial mound for Tadeusz Kościuszko, but if you want to see a real pagan tumulus it’s a manageable trip to the south of the city near Kraków Krzemionki station.

This site is shrouded in mystery, as for hundreds of years it was assumed to be the 2,100-year-old burial place of the Celtic King Krakus, legendary founder of the city.

But excavations have yet to reveal a grave, and the most recent artefacts buried in the mound have been dated to between the 8th and 10th centuries.

It may instead have had an astronomical function, as it forms an axis with the sun and another mound, Wanda, at sunrise on the morning of the Celtic festival of Beltane.

19. Corpus Christi Church

Casimir III the Great founded this Gothic basilica in the Kazimierz district in 1335. And while the original pointed arches and vaults are still in place today, the fittings and decoration are almost all from the Mannerist and Baroque period.

Corpus Christi has some of the finest and most harmonious Baroque ornamentation in Poland.

The stalls in the choir are exceptional, carved in 1624-32 and embellished with sculptures and paintings of saints.

The altar was completed in 1637, and gleams with giltwood that surrounds paintings by the Venetian court artist Tommaso Dolabella.

Give yourself a few minutes to inspect the beautiful chapels in the northern and southern aisles.

20. Ghetto Heroes Square

The Podgórze district, opposite Kazimierz on the right bank of the Vistula was the location for the Kraków ghetto, from 1941 until it was “liquidated” in 1943. The largest public space, previously known as Plac Zgody, was filled throughout that time with people trying to get some relief from the cramped conditions in the surrounding tenements.

Haunting photographs from the deportations show furniture and bundles of belongings abandoned on the square: Unspeakable tragedies happened on this place, whether it was families being separated for the last time or executions.

When the square was redesigned in 2005, 70 large chairs were installed on the square in memory of the victims of Kraków ghetto, driving home the sense of emptiness and recalling the images of the deportations.

Available tour : Jewish Quarter & Ghetto Private Walking Tour

21. Vistulan Boulevards

The Vistula is a river that has been repeatedly moulded by humans over the last millennium.

The wide riverbanks today are man-made and set aside for recreation, with bicycle paths, quays for cruise boats and stops for the city’s “water tram” service.

These shallow grassy embankments slope down from a retaining wall as an anti-flood measure that has proved very effective down the years.

The project began in the 19th century, and the boulevards are appreciated as much by Cracovians as by tourists breaking away from the crowds at Wawel and the Old Town.

You could begin your trip at Salwator by Kościuszko’s burial mound in the west and won’t have to leave the riverside until the second bend at Kazimierz.

22. Saints Peter and Paul Church

Completed in just 20 years at the start of the 17th century, this Mannerist and Baroque church was the work of Italians, both inside and out.

Giovanni Maria Bernardoni finalised the initial plan, which was modified by another Italian Giovanni Battista Trevano, who was responsible for the dome, facade and much of the interior.

The facade is fashioned from dolomite and has statues of saints in its niches and on the pedestals in front.

Yet another Italian Giovanni Battista Falconi produced the vibrant ornamental stuccowork in the interior, as well as the scenes from the life of St Peter and St Paul in the apse.

The church has also had a Foucault’s Pendulum since 1949. This is hung from a height of 46.5 metres, and if you visit on Thursday morning there are demonstrations on the hour showing earth’s rotation.

23. Dragon’s Den (Smocza Jama)

Burrowing through Wawel is Poland’s most famous cave, a karst formation known to all for its legendary dragon.

You can meet a sculpture of this dragon in front of the entrance, installed in 1972 and even breathing fire.

According to folklore the dragon was slain by King Krakus before he founded the city.

At the entrance to the cathedral there are bones hanging from a chain dating to the Ice Age and claimed to belong to the dragon.

The cave itself isn’t to be taken too seriously, but is a light-hearted detour if you’re overwhelmed by all the history of the Old Town.

You’ll enter from the courtyard of the castle to venture through three chambers measuring 276 metres before being deposited by the Vistula at the bottom of the hill.

24. Plac Nowy

Compared to the Main Square in the Old Town Kazimierz’s central square feels a bit rough around the edges.

But that’s exactly the point, as Plac Nowy is exactly the place to be to tap into Kraków’s bohemian side.

At night you can flit from one cafe or bar to the next, while the markets that fill the square change by the day.

Come by on Saturdays for antiques or Sundays for clothes.

The rotunda in the centre of the square was a big kosher butcher for Kazimierz’s Jewish community up to 1939. Now it’s traced with food stands, selling Zapiekanka, an open-faced French bread pizza piled with mushrooms, cheese and hot ketchup.

25. Tyniec Abbey

Ten kilometres southwest of the Old Town, but still belonging to Kraków, Tyniec is a village on a limestone canyon by the Vistula.

You’ll know why you made the trip when you catch sight of the towers of this Benedictine Abbey posted on the clifftop.

This is a functioning monastery, but you can go on a guided tour and visit a small museum, displaying objects from recent excavations.

Tyniec Abbey dates to the 11th century, and has been left with a Baroque design after being ransacked by Tatars and Czechs in the 1300s and then the Swedes in the 17th century.

You can come for concerts and vespers at the church in the summer, while there’s a little cafe on the belvedere, and a gift shop selling items of specialty food and cosmetics made by the monks.

25 Best Things to Do in Kraków (Poland):

• Stare Miasto (Old Town)
• Rynek Główny (Main Square)
• Wawel Castle
• St Mary's Basilica
• Wawel Cathedral
• Franciscan Church
• Polish Aviation Museum
• Stained Glass Workshop and Museum
• Planty Park
• Schindler’s Factory
• Rynek Underground
• Museum of the Jagiellonian University - Collegium Maius
• Kościuszko Mound
• Krakus Mound
• Corpus Christi Church
• Ghetto Heroes Square
• Vistulan Boulevards
• Saints Peter and Paul Church
• Dragon’s Den (Smocza Jama)
• Tyniec Abbey

15 Tips & Tricks for Visiting Krakow, Poland (First-timer’s Guide)

By Author Jurga

Posted on Last updated: June 26, 2024

Traveling to Krakow, Poland, for the first time  and looking for useful travel tips and practical information ?

When to visit? Where to stay? What are the tipping rules in Poland? How to save time and money and experience Krakow and surroundings to the fullest?.. .

This article with Krakow tips and tricks should answer all your questions. Read on!

To help you plan your first trip, we selected some of  the best tips for visiting Krakow for the first time . This no-nonsense practical guide will not only help you plan your city break, but will also show you how to make the best of your trip, time, and budget. Find out!

This guide with tips for visiting Krakow is written by our writer Christine who recently spent some time in Krakow. In her previous article, she shared her best tips for a long weekend in Krakow . In this post, you can find her experience-based Krakow tips that will help you make the most of your trip to this vibrant city, including the best areas to stay, some local habits, how to get around, how to save money, and much more! Find out!

1. Stay in the Center of Krakow

Without a doubt, the best place to stay in Krakow is the Old Town, in the heart of the city.

While in many parts of the world this might be a very expensive option, the cost of accommodation in Krakow is still reasonable enough to make a city-center stay very affordable. This is particularly true if you opt for a privately owned apartment.

But also hotel prices are very reasonable compared to Western Europe. So if you ever wanted to stay at a really nice hotel but couldn’t justify it, this might just be your chance. Check out Hotel Unicus Palace – a wonderful place to stay in the heart of the city.

Staying in the Old Town means that you’ll have all of Krakow’s main attractions right on your doorstep. But thanks to the unique construction of its large, old buildings, you won’t get any of the noise typically associated with staying in the city center.

If you’re lucky, you might find an apartment or a hotel close enough to St Mary’s Basilica to be able to hear the bugler perform the hourly hejnał mariacki (bugle call) – a sound that will forever remind you of your stay in beautiful Krakow!

TIP: If you’re looking for somewhere a little less crowded, but still very central and perfect for sightseeing, consider staying in Kazimierz . It’s a quaint and beautiful Jewish Quarter located just a 10 to 15-minute walk from Krakow’s Old Town. Accommodation here is cheaper and you can find some amazing value for your money. Take a look at PURO Kraków Kazimierz or Metropolitan Boutique Hotel , to mention just a few.

2. Avoid Peak Season If You Can

The most popular time to visit Krakow is from June to August when the temperatures are high, the parks are green and the banks of the Vistula come alive with barbecues and picnics.

Of course, the popularity of the peak season comes at a price – the city is busy, queues are long, and the prices for accommodation and some attractions are higher. It can also get too warm to enjoy the city… So consider if visiting at a different time of year would suit you better.

April to May and September to October are lovely times to visit Krakow. The temperatures are mild (although it can be quite chilly in the evenings) and the city is a lot less crowded. Accommodation prices are lower and you don’t have to queue everywhere. Krakow is a great destination for a spring break in Europe !

Winter is the least popular season, but having visited at this time of the year, I can say that it surely has its charm. The Christmas-card perfection of the frosty city, the festive Christmas markets, and the cozy restaurants mean that this is a season that shouldn’t be overlooked! Most attractions are still open, but both queues and prices tend to be far lower.

TIP: Take a walk in the city early in the morning or late at night. It’s magical without the crowds.

READ ALSO: Best Time to Visit Europe

3. Book in Advance

Krakow may be a small city, but it is very busy in peak season and its popularity is growing all the time. Hotels in the city center are often fully booked in peak season and the best price-quality deals are always gone first. So if you have a specific hotel in mind you need to book well ahead of your visit.

If you waited too long to book the hotel of your choice, try looking for an apartment instead. These tend to have more availability than hotels at busy times.

Tickets to popular tours and attractions are also worth booking in advance, mainly to avoid long queues. This is particularly true for the Wieliczka Salt Mine , where the ticket hall becomes incredibly crowded during peak season, and for Auschwitz , where booking in advance is essential (or you won’t be able to visit at all).

Both these places are located outside the city, so if you are planning to go on an organized tour from Krakow, you best book the tours in advance too! Here’s the best-rated tour to the salt mine and here – to the concentration camps .

Wawel Royal Castel , home to Polish kings and queens and considered Poland’s most important collection of buildings, is not to be missed in Krakow. You can view the magnificent exterior and walk around for free (or join this great-value guided tour and learn more about the place).

However, if you want to view the Castle’s impressive art collection or visit the splendid Royal Apartments, then you should buy the tickets in advance . Entry to the interior of the Castle is strictly timed, so you may find yourself waiting for several hours during busy times if you haven’t booked ahead (or not be able to visit at all).

Also Oskar Schindler Factory is a popular place and – if you absolutely want to visit – it’s best to reserve your visit in advance .

Some other landmarks and museums in Krakow require advance booking as well. Please check our 3 days in Krakow article for more details.

4. Take Advantage of Free Activities and Free Days

There are many ways to experience Krakow on a low budget, while still being able to see everything that you want to see!

The Church of SS Peter & Paul, the grounds of Wawel Castle, the impressive Market Square and the historic architecture of St. Florian’s Gate can all be enjoyed at no charge. So too can Kazimierz, which boasts the oldest synagogue in Krakow (also free to visit). Plus, of course, there’s the beautiful Planty Park – lush and green in the summer and the perfect place for a stroll.

There are a variety of free walking tours available, usually starting from Market Square, although it is customary (and polite) to leave a tip at the end.

Auschwitz is free to visit as an independent traveler, although it’s important to note that you still need to book your free ticket. Please see our article about visiting Auschwitz for more information.

Many attractions that charge for tickets also offer FREE entrance on certain days of the week. So always check before you buy, but please note that you may still need to book a free ticket! Attractions offering free days include Schindler’s Factory, the National Museum, Wawel Castle, St Francis Basilica, the Cloth Hall, and Rynek Underground.

5. Save Money with the Krakow Card

The Krakow City Pass Krakow Card can be a worthwhile investment if you plan to fit a lot of sightseeing into your stay, but your visit doesn’t coincide with any of the ‘free days’ suggested above.

This includes entry to more than 40 attractions and museums and free public transport. Here are just a few examples of what’s included: Oskar Schindler’s Factory, Main Market Underground Museum, Pharmacy “Under Eagle”, Town Hall Tower, St. Mary’s Church, The Barbican The Old Synagogue, City Defense Walls, Former Gestapo Headquarters at Pomorska Street, The Old Synagogue, The National Museum, and many more.

This card is only worth it though if you are actually staying in the city itself for 2 or 3 days (so not counting the day trips that most people do from Krakow).

6. Learn a Few Words in Polish

Locals really appreciate it if you try to speak a few words in Polish. Just a ‘hello’ or a ‘thank you’ can get you a long way. Here are a few Polish words you may want to know:

• Dzień dobry = hello – good morning / good afternoon
• Dobry wieczór = good evening
• Do widzenia  = good bye
• Proszę  = please
• Dziękuję  = thank you
• Przepraszam  = Excuse me/ sorry
• Nie rozumiem = I don’t understand
• Tak  = yes
• Nie  = no
• Na zdrowie!  = Cheers!

7. Be Smart When Exchanging Money

Even though Poland is part of the EU, it is not a member of the Eurozone, so the Euro is not accepted there. Poland uses the zloty, which you will often see abbreviated to PLN. 1 zloty is made up of 100 groszy (the equivalent of pennies or cents).

There are many currency exchange offices ( Kantor ) throughout Krakow, but the rates they offer can vary widely, with the worst rates usually offered in the city center. It is worth comparing the rates between offices before exchanging your cash, or – better – just withdraw cash from an ATM.

During our visit, we calculated that it was much cheaper for us to withdraw cash from the ATM using our foreign bank card than to exchange cash. It is usually cheaper to make one large withdrawal than several smaller ones.

All major debit and credit cards are widely accepted in Krakow, but – as everywhere in Europe – it’s best to use VISA or MasterCard with a chip and a 4-digit pin. American Express or Diners Club cards aren’t ideal for traveling in Europe. Many banks charge a foreign currency fee per transaction, so if you don’t yet have a card with no foreign transaction fees , it might be smart to get one.

PRO TIP: When withdrawing money from an ATM or when paying for purchases, you’ll always be asked to choose the currency for the transaction. Always choose the LOCAL CURRENCY (so in Krakow, Polish zloty) and let your bank do the exchange. This is a known trick that can cost you 3-15% extra if you accept the suggested conversion rate and choose to pay in your own currency. This is something to remember for all your international trips!

8. Enjoy Krakow on Foot

One of the most wonderful things about Krakow is that it’s compact, so it’s possible to get around very comfortably on foot and see most of the attractions. Not only does it save money, but it gives you a true feel of the sights and sounds of day-to-day life in the city.

Negotiating Krakow is very simple. The center of the city is made up of the Old Town and Wawel Hill, home to the historic Wawel Castle. The Vistula River borders the city on one side and Planty Park borders the other.

TIP: If you want to see the highlights of the Old Town and familiarize yourself with the city, you can also opt for this highly-rated walking tour with a local . Try to do this at the beginning of your visit, so that you can take advantage of the local tips and recommendations during the rest of your stay!

TIP: If you’re visiting Krakow in winter, bring waterproof shoes! The snow is not always removed from the pavements, so they can become quite ‘slushy’ and muddy!

9. Live Like a Local and Use Public Transport

Krakow’s bus and tram system is cheap and efficient and a great way to get around the city. Although you might want to avoid rush hours (7 am-9 am and 3 pm-5 pm) when traffic often comes to a standstill!

Buy your tickets before you board, either from a ticket machine at a bus or tram stop, or from a kiosk. On some trams and buses, you can buy tickets from a machine onboard – those selling them have an ‘A’ sign over the door. It is possible to buy your ticket from the driver, but you need to have exactly the right change. You can’t try to pay with a higher amount than the ticket price – the driver is not allowed to accept it.

There are many ticket inspectors on the routes and – sadly – tourists often end up receiving hefty fines because they are not sure what they need to do. To avoid a fine, make sure you buy a ticket in advance or as soon as you get on the bus (if you haven’t been able to buy one beforehand) and that you validate it. To do this, you need to punch it in the validation machine. You only need to do this once – not every time you change a bus or tram. If your ticket is within its time period, it can be used for multiple rides.

TIP: If you get the Krakow Card , you can travel on buses and trams without having to worry about the tickets.

TIP: Download the popular Jakdojade app , designed to help you plan your journeys on public transport throughout Poland.

10. Save Money on Airport Transfers & More

If you plan to travel by taxi to and from the airport, book your airport transfer online – it’s cheaper than hailing a taxi from the rank. Always check the price before you travel. While it’s rare, tourists do occasionally fall prey to unscrupulous drivers who charge more than the going rate. Prices should be on display inside the taxi, on the passenger door or window.

Or consider other taxi alternatives such as iCar (local taxi service) or Uber, which operates around Krakow but is not available in the Old Town.

A fun and cost-effective way to get around is to use an electric scooter or bike. You can rent scooters and there are various locations around the city at which you can rent bikes. Sadly, however, Krakow’s popular bike-sharing service Wavelo was discontinued at the end of 2019.

11. Think Twice Before Hiring a Car

While renting a car gives you freedom, I wouldn’t recommend doing it for a visit to Krakow. Parking is hard to find and costly and the traffic can be very heavy. Some of the rules of the road can be very confusing, particularly with regard to ‘driving zones’ that even the locals find hard to understand.

If you decide to drive, be very careful to keep to posted speed limits. Speed restrictions are strictly enforced.

I’d only recommend renting a car in Krakow if you are staying in the area for longer than 3 days and are planning to explore the wide surroundings beyond the city. The most popular day trips to Auschwitz , Wieliczka Salt Mine , and Zakopane can easily be done with tours or private drivers .

TIP: If you are planning to rent a car, check this website for the best deals. We personally use it for all our car rental bookings all over the world.

12. Experience Polish Cuisine & Street Food

The Poles are rightly proud of their cuisine and you’ll find traditional food available at every turn. Be sure to try pierogis – plump little dumplings filled with a variety of ingredients, then baked or fried. You should also sample zurek – sour rye soup – and the classic borscht , a soup made from beetroot.

The food in Krakow extends far beyond traditional fare. Foodies will love the variety of high quality, gourmet meals on offer at restaurants throughout the city. Prices are very low and it’s possible to dine out very well in Poland for less than $40 a day!

If you’re traveling on a budget, then you can save money by taking advantage of Krakow’s delicious street food. You’ll find Polish bagels known as obwarzanki for sale on just about every corner. And as popular as these bagels are, I don’t think you can beat a loaf of regular Polish bread , fresh from the bakery! Be sure to also sample zapiekanka – Poland’s delicious and filling version of pizza!

TIP: Although it’s tempting to dine at restaurants in Market Square, I recommend doing a little exploring. Restaurants away from the main square are often cheaper and the standard of the food is often higher. Many lovely restaurants and cafes are almost hidden in the inner courtyards of the buildings, so don’t be afraid to stray from the beaten track.

Or you can also join a food tour and discover some of the best places and delicacies with a local guide. Also here, if you take a tour at the beginning of your trip, you can then take advantage of what you learned during the rest of your stay.

13. Tipping Etiquette

At restaurants in Poland, it’s customary to tip 10% if you find the service to be satisfactory. If the service is excellent, you can tip a bit more.

If you pay by credit card, it’s best to leave tips in cash. If you pay in cash and expect to get some change, don’t say ‘thank you’ when handing the money or it might be misunderstood that you’re ok with your waiter keeping the change. So wait to say ‘thanks’ till you have settled the money matters.

It’s not customary to tip at cafés or bars , but you can round up the bill. You can round up your taxi bill as well.

It’s customary to tip your tour guide at 10-15%, but only if you thoroughly enjoyed the service.

Tips are not expected by the hotel personnel or other similar services.

14. Don’t Drink in Public

You should know that it’s illegal to drink alcohol in public places in Poland. So make sure to not drink alcohol in public areas, including parks.

This also counts for celebrations like New Year or similar. There are no exceptions.

Outdoor cafés and restaurant terraces are, of course, ok.

15. Don’t Forget Little Important Details

• Some restrooms display symbols on the doors instead of words, which can be confusing! A restroom with a triangle is for men – a restroom with a circle is for women.
• Krakow is filled with cobbled streets and many hotels, restaurants and other buildings have no lifts. This is something to keep in mind if you are a disabled traveler or if traveling with young kids in a stroller. Make sure to also wear comfortable shoes as you’ll be walking a lot!
• The Polish electricity supply is 230V, 50Hz AC and the plug sockets type C/E just as in the rest of continental Europe. Visitors from the US and the UK will need to use an adapter. While these are available at shops and hotels in Krakow, the cheaper option is to buy one at home before you leave. Here you can get the UK to Europe travel adapter and here – the USA to Europe travel adapter .
• Krakow’s tap water is safe to drink, so there is no need to buy bottled water. If you are traveling in summer, you may want to bring a reusable water bottle.
• Try to buy your souvenirs away from the main Market Square. You will often find the same goods on sale elsewhere but at a cheaper price.
• Krakow often makes the list of the world’s top 20 safe destinations. Nevertheless, use the same safety precautions that you would use anywhere when traveling.
• Local pharmacies may not sell medications that you are used to using, so stock up before you travel.
• Krakow can be very cold in the winter and very hot in the summer, so be prepared with the right clothes . Bear in mind that it can also be very chilly in spring.

So these are our top tips and tricks for visiting Krakow that should help you experience the very best this city has to offer. If you found this guide useful, make sure to also check our other articles – see below.

More tips for your trip to Krakow:

• Best Things to Do in Krakow
• How to Visit Auschwitz
• How to Visit Wieliczka Salt Mines
• Itinerary for 3 Days in Krakow
• Zakopane Day Tour from Krakow

READ ALSO: Europe’s Fairytale Destinations

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More travel inspiration for the nicest cities all over Europe:

If you are visiting other European cities and are looking for in-depth information for your trip, take a look at some of our city guides:

• Amsterdam, Netherlands
• Antwerp, Belgium
• Barcelona, Spain
• Bern, Switzerland
• Bologna, Italy
• Brasov, Romania
• Brussels, Belgium
• Bruges, Belgium
• Bucharest, Romania
• Colmar, France
• Edinburgh, UK
• Florence, Italy
• Funchal, Madeira, Portugal
• Geneva, Switzerland
• Lisbon, Portugal
• Liverpool, UK
• Lucerne, Switzerland
• Madrid, Spain
• Manchester, UK
• Milan, Italy
• Naples, Italy
• Paris, France
• Ponta Delgada, Azores, Portugal
• Ravenna, Italy
• Reykjavik, Iceland
• Rome, Italy
• Salzburg, Austria
• Sintra, Portugal
• Toledo, Spain
• Venice, Italy
• Verona, Italy
• For more… check our  destinations page.

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Wednesday 11th of August 2021

Hello. Thank you so much for the posting. It will definitely help me when I visit in September!

Thursday 12th of August 2021

Have a great trip, Jess!

Saturday 7th of November 2020

Hi Jurga, If you want to explore Poland a bit more, here are some of my suggestions where to go: south Poland -Zakopane and Tatra mountains, Krynica Gorska, Pieniny mountains near Krakow - Ojcow Park, nice for strolling north Poland - Gdansk north-central Poland - Biskupin (Bronze Age settlement) Warszawa is not my favorite , but the old town, Lazienki Park, and Wilanow Palace are beautiful.

Wednesday 11th of November 2020

Wow, thank you so much for all these tips, Kinga! Will definitely keep this in mind when we plan to go in that direction.

Krakow Itinerary: 26 Delightful Things to Do in Krakow!

But what are the best things to do in Krakow? How long do you need to see all this wonderfulness?

Fear not, intrepid traveler! This handy-dandy Krakow itinerary is going to give you all the info you need! Let’s get started!

Want to get the goss on some seriously useful items to take to Poland? Check out my packing list for backpacking Europe!

What’s the best time to visit Krakow?

Okay, first things first. Before we launch ourselves into the excitement of a Krakow itinerary, like a small child about to zoom down a water slide, we need to consider the best time to visit Krakow. It’s kinda important, y’all.

In a statement which will no doubt cause you zero shock, Poland gets hella cold in winter. Krakow, located reasonably near the Tatra Mountains (the highest part of the Carpathians, fact fans), can go down to a rather chilly 23.2 degrees Fahrenheit in January, its coldest month. Although doing your Christmas shopping and skipping through snowy streets is an undoubtedly attractive prospect, have a serious think on whether you want to deal with those cold mountain winds before you book.

The best time of year to visit Krakow is spring, preferably between May and June . These months generally have lovely weather, longer days than autumn, less crowds, and a cheaper rate in the hotels. I visited in July, and although the weather was absolutely perfect, it’s by far the busiest time of year, and having to push through crowds can diminish your enjoyment of attractions such as the Cloth Hall a tad. 

Whichever time of year you choose, check out Wunderground for long-range forecasts on what kind of weather to expect!

How to use this Krakow itinerary

Okay, if you’re still in the planning stage of your Krakow trip, you might not be sure how many days you want to spend in the city. Do you need a three, two, or one day Krakow itinerary?

The good news is that you can use this as anything from a one day itinerary, right up to a four or five day trip planner!

The average visitor will probably spend three days in Krakow, so I’ve divided up all the best things to do in Krakow into that format. Day one and day two are for the city itself, both in the Old Town and the wider area, whilst day three is devoted to day trips – there’s some wonderful excursions on offer in the area, as well as important historical monuments. If you’re looking at having a fairly full-on three days sightseeing, you should be able to squeeze everything in!

If you’re looking at spending four or five days in Krakow (you lucky bunny!), you can use the “day one” etc as a looser guideline. You’ve got extra time: you can take it easy, and explore the best things to do in Krakow in greater depth! You don’t have to do all the sights listed in a single day. You’ll also have time to do all of the day trips, which comes thoroughly recommended from this here traveler.

Only have one day in Krakow? Pick and choose from days one and two. You’ll likely want to stay closer to Krakow Old Town, however, so the day one Krakow itinerary is your friend here!

The best things to do in Krakow!

Now that we’ve got how to use this Krakow itinerary nailed down, let’s get looking at all the exciting stuff you’re going to be doing! There’s sooo many things to do in Krakow – you’re definitely going to make the most of every day you’re there.

Trust me: by the time you’ve seen all of the beautiful sights below, you’ll love Krakow as much as I do!

Day one – things to do in Krakow Old Town

Today is all about Krakow Old Town, the heart of the city – and home to some of its most amazing sights!

Hang out in the main market square

There’s a few lovely little plazas scattered around Krakow (Maly Rynek is another personal fave), but Rynek Glówny is the main market square – and it’s the beating heart of Krakow.

Located right in the center of the Old Town – or Stare Miasto, to give it its proper name – this has been the main square since the 13th century. It’s so awesome, it was once voted the best public space in the world. I mean, think about that for a moment. Out all of the squares, plazas, parks and piazzas, this is the best in the world .

And once you step foot in the square, you’ll see why – it’s surrounded by beautiful architecture, often inhabited by a market selling flowers and toys, and gorgeous horse-drawn carriages ply their trade along the sides.

There’s a number of things to see in Rynek Glówny (which we’ll go in depth on later!), but one of the best is just to stop and watch. Take a perch by the Town Hall Tower (all that remains of the Town Hall), or stand opposite St. Mary’s Basilica on the hour. A bugler climbs the tower and plays a tune which rings out above the city, before giving a cheery wave. It’s basically the most adorable thing you’ve ever seen.

Out of all the wonderful things to do in Krakow, this really is the one that’ll steal your heart!

Feel like royalty at Wawel Royal Castle

Wawel Royal Castle is at the head of the Historic Center of Krakow, a UNESCO World Heritage site – in fact, it was the first UNESCO site in the world. It’s a must for your Krakow itinerary!

All roads in Krakow lead to the Old Town, the roads of which all lead to Wawel Castle, so you certainly won’t have any trouble finding it. If you do, it’s that flippin’ big building on a hillside by the Vistula River – a site which certainly would’ve been easily defensible when this place was built in the 13th century. The historic tradition keeps on; in the summer, you can do a spot of archery at the foot of the castle! But if you’re more interested in seeing the site itself, head up the hill and through the gates.

Even though the castle site is seriously ancient, the buildings are far more modern-looking than the stereotypical castle you’re imagining. But that takes nothing away from their beauty and importance: the structures look almost Italian in a Renaissance style, and they house some of the most important treasures in Polish history.

The star attraction is a sword called Szczerbiec, used in the coronation of Polish monarchs for centuries – aside from its obvious historic value, the hilt is covered in etched magical formulas. It’s probably as close to Excalibur as you’re ever going to get!

Wawel Royal Castle is deserving of its spot on our list of things to do in Krakow, just as much as its status as the first UNESCO site!

See some amazing holy art at Wawel Cathedral

Still in the castle complex? Good stuff, because the next stop on our Krakow itinerary is Wawel Cathedral! As you might’ve guessed, it’s located super-close to Wawel Castle, because monarchs hate walking far or something. Lazy swines.

Unlike the castle, Wawel Cathedral is free entry, though you may have to queue a little in order to get in. The Cathedral is very popular with the locals, partly because Poland tends to be a very church-going nation, and partly because this was the site of the first Mass given by Pope John Paul II, though he hadn’t quite ascended to those heights at that point. He was born Karol Wojtyla in nearby Wadowice, so he was very much a local boy, and he’s still greatly revered in the area.

I was even given a little picture of him by a very kindly shopkeeper when I bought something totally unrelated in his souvenir shop, so be sure to pay the proper respects to his statue located outside!

The Cathedral is understandably unenthusiastic about photography in the building, but you can expect to see a truly gorgeous, compact place of worship. Keep an eye out for some truly beautiful art, not limited to the tombs of an incredible amount of Polish royals, including the brilliantly-named Wladyslaw the Elbow-High. There’s also the sarcophagi of the first Polish saint, St. Stanislaus, as well as St. Hedwig, who was consecrated as a saint by – guess who! – Pope John Paul II.

Wawel Cathedral is actually one of the smallest things to do in Krakow, but it’s well worth a quick trip!

Be awed at St. Mary’s Basilica

I was tempted to put St. Mary’s Basilica at number one on this Krakow itinerary, because it’s quite possibly the most beautiful church I’ve ever been in. And trust me, I’ve been in a lot of churches.

You don’t want to enter through the front doors – these are exclusively reserved for worshipers, as the cathedral is very much in use by the locals (although there’s also regular services in English). Go around the side, and purchase a ticket from the small office opposite the side door, then head in through said entrance. I can guarantee that you’ll take a sharp intake of breath as you enter through the door, because the interior of the building is so awesomely, mind-bogglingly beautiful. It’s genuinely a sight you’ll never forget: if you’re tight on time, this is one of the things to do in Krakow that you just can’t skip.

The most-beloved part of the Cathedral is the altarpiece, a magnificent piece of art which was carved from a lime tree in 1489. It was stolen by the Nazis during World War II and hidden in the depths of Nuremberg Castle , miraculously managing to survive the heavy bombing inflicted on the town. It was restored and returned to Krakow, where its rightfully been cherished ever since!

Oh, and the bugler I mentioned? Want to know why the tune cuts off so suddenly? It’s to commemorate a bugler who was signalling an imminent attack on the city by Mongols back in the 13th century, and who was promptly shot in the throat. You hope he was shot by the enemy, but it’s never made explicitly clear… either way, be sure to give the bugler a wave back!

Get some Krakow souvenirs at the Cloth Hall

Another sight to pop on your “must-do things to do in Krakow” list (which is already getting quite long, am I right?) is the Cloth Hall – trust me, absolutely no Krakow itinerary would be complete without it!

Located in the main market square, the Cloth Hall was – surprise! – built to be a market hall back in the 15th century. It would’ve been quite a sight in its heyday, as it was a bustling center of international trade. Krakow was a major player in the salt trade, which was incredibly important thanks to its use in preserving food, so all kinds of goods would’ve passed through here in exchange. It’s easy to imagine when you step inside, even though the building has been renovated since.

In these here modern times, the Cloth Hall is souvenir central – you can quite easily buy any memento you care to purchase here. Everything from cozy fleece-lined slippers to wooden toys, and from amber jewelry to bright t-shirts is for sale both inside and out: a number of shops ring the outside wall, in addition to the many stalls inside. You might get a little squeezed for space if you’re visiting in the summer, especially around the jewelry stands, as this is probably the busiest spot in the entire city.

If you’re really interested in the history of the building, there’s  a museum upstairs, but let’s face it: you can’t go here without picking up a few Krakow souvenirs!

Climb up the Sigismund Bell Tower

It might seem strange to have the Sigismund Bell Tower as a separate entry on this Krakow Itinerary – after all, it’s located in Wawel Cathedral – but it’s so historically significant that it’s totally deserving of its own entry!

Forget Big Ben and the Liberty Bell, for they are mere baby bells (no, not the cheese) in comparison. The Sigismund Bell was cast in 1520, and is one of the symbols of Poland; it’s appeared in artwork, engravings, coins and more. It’s so significant due to its tendency to be rung in moments of national importance, having been sounded during the German invasion of Poland in 1939, various visits by the region’s favorite son Pope John Paul II, and when Poland entered the EU. Generally, whenever anything really good, or really bad, happens.

Otherwise the bell only rings on holy days and national holidays – and given the bell is so large that it once accidentally knocked someone out of a window, that’s probably not such a bad thing. Definitely make the most of the moment if you hear it ringing! It’s quite easy to visit though; simply pop along to the Wawel Cathedral, and get a ticket from the office. Although the Cathedral itself is free, you’ll have to pay a small fee for the bell tower tour.

Seeing the Sigismund Bell should definitely be on your list of things to do in Krakow, even if it isn’t ringing. The scale of it alone will take your breath away!

See a fire-breathing dragon

Yeah, yeah, I can hear you there. “See a dragon? Is this a Krakow itinerary, or a guide to Middle Earth?”

Nope; I can confirm that there are zero hobbits in Krakow, but there is at least one fire-breathing dragon! Pop around the back of Wawel Castle, and you’ll see a statue of a dragon, lurking outside of a cave on the banks of the Vistula River. Wait just a few minutes, and it’ll suddenly breathe a pretty ferocious jet of fire, much to the delight of the parents and children (who climb quite worryingly close to its head). You can actually trigger the flame by sending an SMS text message, which is gosh darned awesome – text “SMOK” to 7168, and he’ll obligingly spit some fire in your direction!

Why’s he here, though? The Wawel Dragon is the most popular of Krakow’s legends – you’ll see cuddly toy dragons and souvenirs everywhere in the city – thanks to a story dating from the 13th century. The cave which lies behind the statue was home to the real dragon, which terrorized Krakow by taking the city’s beloved daughters off for use as evening meals. The King didn’t fancy his own daughter getting chargrilled, so he put out a most desperate plea for help. A local man with casual views on animal abuse filled a sheep with sulfur and left it for the dragon. It got eaten, the dragon was so thirsty that it drank the entire river, and it exploded. The end.

The Wawel Dragon is one of the best things to do in Krakow, if only to remember that poor sheep. RIP, little fella.

Go shopping for amber

As soon as you arrive in the city, you’ll realize that one of the best things to do in Krakow is shopping – the streets of the Old Town are filled with small, interesting stores. Whether you’re searching for clothes, antiques, or souvenirs, you’re bound to find what you need!

However, one of the best things to buy in Krakow is amber. Polish amber has always been highly prized (Poland was one of the major amber trading nations all the way back into ancient times, when amber was exported all the way around the Mediterranean), and Krakow’s position as a major trading city meant that amber never went away. Go into the Cloth Hall in the main market square, and you’ll find a number of stalls selling amber jewelry, surrounded by eager shoppers!

If you can’t hack the crowds, take a walk down Grodzka (in the direction of the castle), and pop into Schubert World of Amber . Part shop, part museum displaying that you can do a heck of a lot more with amber than you ever thought, it’s well worth popping in and treating yourself to a few pieces! Small jewelry bits such as pendants are the most affordable, and you can be guaranteed that both amber and silver settings are completely genuine.

You definitely shouldn’t leave a spot of shopping off your Krakow itinerary!

Sample a chimney cake

Yep, I know that chimney cakes are a strange choice for a Krakow itinerary. Anyone who travels in Central and Eastern Europe will have a complicated relationship with these pesky little cakes!

The conflict has come around because they travel extremely well. Although they’re Romanian/Hungarian in origin, it seems that just about every country in the region either claims them as their own, or completely denies it whilst still producing tons of them. Prague is a particular example of this: cafes and stalls selling chimney cakes are absolutely everywhere, most claiming them as a “traditional Czech cake” – but they’re nothing of the sort. Chimney cakes are popular with tourists, and so they’ve become a “tourist trap” batter-based outcast.

So why am I recommending them as one of the things to do in Krakow? Basically because I’ve sampled many a chimney cake (they might be touristy, but they’re tasty!), and the ones of in Krakow are the best I’ve found. Head to the Chimney Cake Bakery , right up in the north of the Old Town near the Florianska Gate, and I promise you’ll have the best chimney cakes in Europe. They’re massive, incredibly good value, and super, super tasty!!

If you want my recommendation, get the white chocolate and coconut one!

See the Turin Shroud at the Franciscan Cathedral

Crowds at St. Mary’s Basilica getting you down? Or just want to explore more of Krakow’s beautiful churches? Pop the Franciscan Cathedral on your list of things to do in Krakow.

The Franciscans set up shop in Krakow in 1237, having gained permission from the local King, and they modeled their cathedral on one in Viterbo – as you walk around, you’ll realize that it’s in the traditional cross-shape. The nave is gloriously decorated, especially the ceiling in blue and gold, and various artworks catch the eye as you make your way towards the stained glass windows and intricate gold designs at the altar. There’s also the remains of a saint of display, consecrated by – guess who! – Pope John Paul II.

Is you pop into the Chapel of the Passion, you can also have a look at the Turin Shroud! No, not the real one, but an exact copy which is on permanent display. Give it a good examination, because the original isn’t nearly so easy to view (especially if you’re in Krakow, given that the shroud is understandably kept in Turin).

The Franciscan Cathedral isn’t a must-see if you’re short on time, but still a worthy addition to any Krakow itinerary!

See vampires at Rynek Underground Museum

Been strolling around the main market square, and generally adoring the sights? If you’re looking for one of the more unusual things to do in Krakow, how about going underneath it?

Yup, thanks to the Rynek Underground Museum , you can escape the warmth of a summer’s day and explore the city’s history from a unique angle! Buy a timed ticket in advance, as its super-popular and only admits 300 people at a time, but once your allotted slot comes around, you’ll be able to descend underneath the square. 

The museum came about because of excavations which took place in 2005. Some work was being done to the Cloth Hall, and a number of ancients items relating to trade turned up – predictably, given that it’s a centuries-old marketplace. But archaeologists can never resist the opportunity to see what else might be floating around, so they had a bit of a dig, and came up with a myriad of amazing finds. Primarily, a number of burials in which the unfortunate occupant’s head had been removed and placed between their feet – people suspected of being vampires.

If that doesn’t put it on your Krakow itinerary, nothing will, but it’s well worth visiting to get a sense of what medieval Krakow looked like! Bear in mind that the touch screens can be a bit erratic, to say the least.

Cuddle bears at Galeria Bukowski

Remember how I mentioned that shopping is one of the best things to do in Krakow? If you like cuddly toys, and cuddly toy animals in particular, then you’ll definitely want to have a look in Galeria Bukowski!

Again, this might not seem an obvious stop on your Krakow itinerary – after all, it’s a toy shop – but it gets an entry on this list because it’s quite possibly the most adorable shop you’ll ever set foot in. Bukowski is a family-run teddy bear company which started up in Stockholm, but which are incredibly popular in Poland and elsewhere in Europe. All of the designs are created by the company’s founder, Barbara Bukowski, and I can happily say that she has a tremendous eye for cute. They’re SO ADORABLE.

Head into the shop located just off the main market square, and you’ll find a store which isn’t big in terms of size, but which is packed to the gills with the softest teddies you’ll ever have the privilege of cuddling. Bears and kittens, puppies and pandas vie for your affections, and the only issue you’ll have is choosing how many you want. Personally, I came out with three. Yup.

It’s also worth including this in your Krakow itinerary just to meet the sweetest shop assistant in the world, who single-handedly runs the shop. She’ll give the toys a brush before popping them in a bag, just to make sure they’re looking at their best, and she’ll love you forever if you pop a few zloty into the charity box, which goes to animal rescue homes in the area. Do it!

Buy fresh candy in the world’s smallest sweet shop

You’ve done a lot of walking whilst following this Krakow itinerary… how about some sugar to perk you back up?

The city is home to the smallest candy factory in the world, and going along to try to some samples is definitely one of the best things to do in Krakow! Head along to Ciuciu Cukier on Grodzka Street, and you can see where they make their tiny, deliciously-flavored candies in a space measuring a mere 50 square meters. They roll out hot, caramelized sugar, adding flavor and color (don’t ask me how they add the tiny pictures on to the candy; that’s pure witchcraft as far as I’m concerned), and are quite happy for you to watch! Shows are on the hour, from 11am to 7pm.

The rest of the shop is devoted to bags of pre-made candy, in just about every flavor you can imagine. Check out their website for the full list, but you can grab flavors as diverse as raspberry and orange, to amaretto and chocolate, to salt and pepper and coffee. I’ve never seen so many different flavors in one place! I went for one which was called “Pure Caramel”, and I can confirm that they were smooth, sugary, and highly addictive! (seriously, give me some more right now.)

If you’ve got a sweet tooth, or know anyone who’d appreciate some truly amazing sweet treats, this has to go on your Krakow itinerary!

Day two – things to do in Krakow

Krakow is so much more than its Old Town – there’s a ton of cool attractions in the neighborhoods just beyond. If you need a 2 day Krakow itinerary, then this is the day you go further afield for some exploration!

Walk around Planty Park

There’s a number of wonderful parks in Krakow (another of which we’ll be visiting later!), but let’s start today with a walk around Planty Park.

Wondering where it is? Well, when you were exploring the Old Town yesterday, you may have noticed that there’s a strip of green land which completely encircles the central district. Ta-da; that’s Planty Park! It might not be wide or vast, but taking a walk in a circuit around the Old Town is one of the best things to do in Krakow in the morning. You really get to see the city wake up, with the roads on the far side humming with commuters, whilst locals walk their dogs.

Grab breakfast in one of the stalls you can find throughout the park – there’s a number which sell fresh bakery products (as well as the aforementioned Chimney Cake Bakery ) – or there’s sit-down cafes if you prefer. Keep walking around the park’s length, and you’ll discover a number of statue, including a water fountain devoted to Chopin, and the statue of Jan Matejko which allows you to gain a framed view of the park.

Planty Park is one of my favorite spots in the whole of Krakow, and a perfect place to wake up before a day’s sightseeing! 

Learn important history at Oskar Schindler’s Factory

A walk out to Oskar Schindler’s factory is one of the most popular things to do in Krakow – and a must on your Krakow itinerary.

Although Schindler’s story is better known these days thanks to Schindler’s Ark (and its film adaption, Schindler’s List ), it’s important to visit here to truly understand and learn about what happened here in World War II. Schindler arrived in Krakow as a fully paid-up member of the Nazi Party, taking over an enamel factory which had been confiscated from its Jewish owners, and inherited a staff of over a thosand Jewish workers. After seeing first hand the horrors inflicted on the Jews, he secretly renounced the Nazis, and did everything in his power to keep his workers safe.

He spent his entire fortune on bribes to the SS, with the sole purpose of keeping his workers safe, and eventually helped them to move with him to the Czech Republic, where they were safe from being sent to concentration camps. He was quoted as saying “I felt that the Jews were being destroyed. I had to help them; there was no choice”. When he died in 1974, he was buried on Mount Zion in Israel, an enormous honor. The factory in Krakow is now converted  into a museum recording the efforts of Schindler, and it’s well worth seeing in order to take in the enormity of what he did, and properly pay tribute. 

A guided tour is the best way to see the factory, as there’s only a certain amount of tickets available per day – plus you definitely won’t miss any of the history!

Try pierogi at Ariel Jewish Cafe

Pierogi are a Polish specialty, and no trip to Krakow is complete without sampling these little pockets of yumminess! Put these on your Krakow itinerary, because otherwise we’re gonna have words.

You might’ve seen pierogi on a few menus whilst visiting Krakow, and wondered what they are. Wonder no more! They’re a Central and Eastern Europe dumpling, which may have originated in Russia and been brought westwards by the Tatars. If you can compare them to anything, their closest relative is probably something like tortellini. Instead of pasta, a filling is wrapped with noodle dough, and boiled in water until they have achieved peak pierogi deliciousness. You commonly see them offered as lunch, though I find that a large serving shared between two is just about perfect!

My favorite place to try them is Ariel Jewish Cafe , on Szeroka Street – you can get them boiled or fried, depending on your preference, and they’re absolutely delicious! Sitting outside the cafe on a warm day, chatting with the lovely staff and watching the world go by to the distant strains of live klezmer music, is definitely one of my favorite things to do in Krakow. It’s a really friendly place, and they’ll welcome you in with open arms.

Don’t miss pierogi from your Krakow itinerary, even if it’s just as a super-fast snack; they’re scrumptious, and a big favorite in Poland! 

Explore the wonderful Jewish Quarter

The Jewish Quarter in the medieval suburb of Kazimierz is quite possibly my favorite area in the city, and a must for any Krakow itinerary! Narrow roads hide many examples of interesting shops, markets, and street art, and the locals are some of the warmest in Krakow. 

A guided tour is probably the best way to see it all, as local knowledge is always the best knowledge! You can expect to see sights such as the Old Synagogue and Remuh Synagogue (don’t worry about feeling like you’re ‘invading’ at a place of worship; the staff here are adorably welcoming, no matter if you have a different faith or no religion at all), as well as the get the history of the Jewish Square. You can also see a remainder of the wall of the old Jewish Ghetto – a reminder of the tragic past of this lovely neighborhood.

Also be sure to check out the Popper Synagogue , which was founded in 1495, but the interior of which was utterly destroyed by the Nazis during the Second World War. It was so badly damaged that it could no longer function as a synagogue, but the building survived and is currently being used as a very good bookshop. It’s sad to see the building, which was quite obviously designed for a different purpose, but the shop sells Jewish literature and histories and is well worth supporting.

Walking around the Jewish Quarter is one of my favorite things to do in Krakow, and its risen from its tragic past like a phoenix.

See a sobering reminder of the past at Ghetto Heroes Square

For some people with Ghetto Heroes Square on their Krakow itinerary, it can be tempting to see the place as a piece of fun art, or an Instagram destination. That couldn’t be further from the truth: this place was in the heart of the Jewish Ghetto during World War 2, and the chairs reflect a tragic story.

This square was used as the pickup point for Jews being “deported” – as a result, the Jewish families who had been living in the Ghetto would bring their belongings with them, such as tables or chairs, hopeful that they would be able to take them to their new home. Of course, unknown to them, they were about to embark on their final journeys to Auschwitz concentration camp. Items such as furniture had no value to the Nazis, so tables, chairs and wardrobes were left to rot in the square, never reclaimed by their owners.

You can also see the Eagle Pharmacy in the corner of the square. This was the only pharmacy in the Ghetto which was owned by a non-Jew, and was allowed to stay open because the Nazis were terrified of epidemics starting within the tightly-packed area. However, the owner was a total hero, and was smuggling in goods and letting the local resistance use it as a meeting space!

Ghetto Heroes Square might be one of the saddest things to do in Krakow, but it makes a powerful statement about the absence of the furniture’s owners. Even though it might look like a appropriate place to sit down, please don’t sit on the statues, or use them as a photo prop. They deserve much better.

Browse a flea market

Now that you’ve seen the tragic, yet important aspects of the city’s history, it’s time to get back to some more fun things to do in Krakow – namely, shopping!

The market in Plac Nowy was one of my favorite stops on my Krakow itinerary, partly because of a super sweet stallholder who was incredibly concerned about a bite on my arm in case it was a tick (it turned out to be a mosquito bite from a previous stop in Budapest), and who gave me details on almost every pharmacist in the area so I could get it checked. But even that aside, it’s a wonderful place to go browsing, whether you’re interested in antiques, jewelry, knick-knacks or souvenirs!

By the way, you might see a few items on sale in the market which look as though they’re from the Second World War – be aware that the vast majority of these are reproductions. Trust me – I visited here with my boyfriend, who’s actually a historian and a bit of an expert on the subject, and he can spot a reproduction from a mile away! The stall owners aren’t trying to swindle you – if you ask if an item is original, they’ll be totally honest and say no – but we saw quite a few tourists who thought they’d located a bargain. Nope!

There’s  also a few places to grab a bite to eat, making Plac Nowy market a great place to stop and watch local life for a while!

Explore ancient mounds

All of these things to do in Krakow seeming a little too urban? Itching to see some green space? Take a look at Google Maps, and you’ll see that Krakow is fairly surrounded by parks and greenland – including four mysterious mounds.

Even more interesting, two of these memorial mounds  are absolutely ancient – whereas the other two are much more modern, meaning that the city planners went seriously old school when devising tributes! The two ancient ones are Krakus Mound and Wanda Mound. The former is named after King Krakus, the legendary founder of the city. Remember the story of the Wawel Dragon, with the king who was worried about his daughter being dragon chow? Yup, that’s him. Wanda Mound is supposedly the resting place of his daughter, though neither mound has any evidence of burials.

Of the modern mounds, Kosciuszko Mound was completed in 1823 to honour Tadeusz Kosciuszko. He was a military leader and friend of Thomas Jefferson, who led battles both in Europe and the United States, and became a national hero in multiple countries – not bad going! His mound is the most attractive of all, and offers a lovely view of the surrounding countryside. Pilsudski’s Mound, also known as Freedom Mound, is the most modern, and completes the set.

There’s no need to visit all four mounds, but it’s well worth adding one to your Krakow itinerary – they make great viewpoints, especially on a clear day!

See magnificent flying machines at the Polish Aviation Museum

If you’ve got any sort of interest in planes or gliders, the Polish Aviation Museum is one of the things to do in Krakow that you just have to visit!

I’ve always had a soft spot for old airplanes, mostly thanks to a misspent youth and too many hours playing Knights of the Sky on Amiga, and this is definitely the place to see them. As well as practically every Polish plane developed after 1945, the museum also has 22 very rare WW1 planes which had previously been kept in Berlin. During WW2, the owners were  worried that they’d be damaged by the extensive bombing of Berlin, and so had them moved to Poland. After the war ended, Poland politely informed the German owners that they wouldn’t be giving them back, and they’ve stayed here ever since.

The museum is located a few miles outside of the city center, so tram is your best bet for getting here. Simply hop on a number 4, and get off at Muzeum Lotnictwa. From here, it’s just a walk up a nicely wooded road until you reach the museum entrance. Considering that aviation museums are usually a loooong way out of town, this is definitely a great opportunity to see the aircraft close up!

It’s might not be a stop on everyone’s Krakow itinerary, but if it floats your boat, you’re going to love it!

Get cultural at the Museum of Contemporary Art

If planes aren’t your thing, how about a bit of contemporary art, in a setting which reminds you that beauty and community will always triumph over evil?

Scroll back up our list of things to do in Krakow, and you’ll see the Oskar Schindler factory – if both of these sites appeal, then you’re in luck, because the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCAK) is located on the same site. Part of the factory was demolished, and so this place has risen like a phoenix. Mostly showing art from the last two decades, this is one of the most popular attractions in Krakow, and it’s easy to see why. Tickets are cheap (and you can also get a combined ticket which includes the Schindler Factory, which is a brilliant idea), and the top floor provides more traditional paintings, whilst downstairs is reserved for the weird and wonderful.

However, the thing I really love about this gallery is that the artworks are explained . I don’t know about you, but I find contemporary art which is so abstract that I can’t understand what it’s about kinda frustrating. Here, there’s a plaque showing the artist’s thoughts and interpretation. Love. It. You might even be lucky enough to meet one of the artists, who are quite often popping in and out, by all accounts!

If you love art, you’ll definitely want this on your Krakow itinerary. Even if contemporary art isn’t usually your thing, give it a try, and prepare to be converted!

Go for a stroll in Jordan Park

Yup, most of the best things to do in Krakow are in the urban areas – it’s true. But if you just want to get out into the green, you can’t do much better than Jordan Park.

The park is named after Dr. Henryk Jordan, who was a pioneer in physical education for children (if you hated having to run around doing sports at school, you’ve probably got him partly to blame). Jordan Park was established in 1889 with the intention of creating a safe, fun space for children to get some exercise, and at its heart, that’s still what it is. Walk though here, and you’ll see football pitches, running and bicycle tracks, and even a small lake for boating. It’s basically designed as a place for small children to run around like maniacs, and it does an excellent job of it!

If that sounds far too energetic, take a walk to the southern side of the park, and you’ll find an avenue of busts. No, not that kind: these are statues honoring some of the greatest names in Polish history, and even if that’s not your specialist subject, it’s interesting to walk up and down the line and read the brief biography you’re given for each one. At the top of the avenue, a memorial to Dr, Jordan has pride of place.

Jordan Park is a short walk westwards out of the city center, and well worth including in your Krakow itinerary. It’s a lovely, peaceful place which is full of life!

Day three – day trips from Krakow

Although there’s plenty of things to do in Krakow in order to keep yourself amused, you really want to add at least one day trip to your Krakow itinerary. The area is responsible for some of the best day trips I’ve been on – ever – and there’s plenty of reputable companies offering day trips from Krakow throughout the city. Fortunately, these same companies offer their trips through GetYourGuide, so you can even book them before you leave home!

Let’s take a look!

Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp

It’s been mooted that day trips to places such as Auschwitz concentration camp are “dark tourism” – an exploitation of places associated with death and suffering. However, I think they’re equally important as places of education: a center where you can learn about a dark time in a country’s history, in humanity’s history, and learn the lessons so that they’re never repeated.

Auschwitz-Birkenau is the most notorious of the concentration camps which were set up by the Nazis throughout Europe (there were an estimated 15,000 camps), because it was also an extermination camp. It wasn’t just Jews who were sent here: the camp also held Polish and Soviet prisoners, Roma, and anyone who didn’t fit in with Nazi ideals. 1.1 million people died on this site. Let that number sink in for a bit.

I don’t need to detail the horrors that occurred here, partly because it’s well-known, and partly because it’s important that go visit the site itself, learn, and witness. Everyone knows that gas chambers were disguised as showers, that crematoriums non-stop, and that prisoners were murdered without thought. But a visit here teaches you the individual stories, and truly opens your eyes, far more than reading statistics or words on a screen can ever do. It might be an upsetting stop on your Krakow itinerary, and one that you might be hesitant to visit, but it’s important. As much as anything, it’s a way to pay tribute to the murdered, by hearing their stories.

Auschwitz is now a state museum, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s by far best seen with a guide, as you’ll be able to gain the proper interpretation, and because the site is so large. GetYourGuide is my preferred day trip organizer; I’ve used them many a time, and they’re always reliable and prompt with customer service. It’s definitely a day trip you’ll want to book in advance, as it becomes understandably busy.

One last thing – be sure to tick off anyone you see treating the camp as a photo opportunity, or taking things they may have found on the ground. The first is incredibly disrespectful, and the second is a criminal offence. 

Wieliczka Salt Mine

Day trips to salt mines might not sound like the most exciting thing in the world – but you’d be wrong to think that! Wieliczka Salt Mine is legit one of my very favorite things to do in Krakow, and you’ll find yourself breathless at the beauty of that place. No Krakow itinerary is complete without it!

Salt has been processed here since Neolithic times, thanks to super-salty brine water which seeps through the rock (you can actually taste it at one point, and I can confirm that it’s probably the saltiest thing you’ll ever experience, outside of a small child losing a game). In the 13th century, the locals thought “hey, this could be pretty darn profitable; let’s dig into this here rock, nab the salt, and sell it in the Krakow main square”, and it did so well that they were still producing it up until 1996.

You’ll need a guide to enter – wandering aimlessly around a vast mine complex generally doesn’t end well – and having a tour booked in advance means that you get to skip quite a lot of queuing at the entrance. From there, you’ll descend to a depth of 327 meters under the ground, and your guide will walk you through tunnels carved out of salt rock, showing you the methods which were used to mine precious resources. The guides are great: they’re fully aware that mining methods have to be jazzed up a bit in order to be interesting, and you’ll genuinely enjoy their dry commentary! And yes, they’ll let you lick the walls if you really, really want.

However, the highlight is St. Kinga’s Chapel, and I can promise you that it’ll be one of your favorite items on your entire Krakow itinerary. It’s an underground church, carved completely from salt. There’s reproductions of The Last Supper made of salt. A statue of John Paul II is carved from salt. Even the chandeliers are made from salt. It’s absolutely spellbinding, and completely worth the trip in its own right!

We’ve come to the last entry on our Krakow itinerary –  but a day trip to Zakopane just might be the perfect way to sum up the outstanding beauty of this region!

Zakopane is a mountain town about two hours from Krakow, and it’s located right on the border with Slovakia, in the Tatra Mountains. It’s an incredibly beautiful part of the world; think of every cozy, snowy Christmas mountain scene you’ve ever spied on a greetings card, and then amp it up to 100. Log cabins dot the landscape, and skiing facilities and pine trees cover the mountains.

Don’t worry though! Although the town is fully geared up for winter visitors, with facilities for skiing, snowboarding, climbing, and sleigh rides, there’s plenty to do if you’re visiting in summer (or just not keen on risking anything winter sports-y). The main street of Krupówki is filled with shops and restaurants, and also hosts a huge number of market stalls near the funicular, selling leather goods, cozy fleece slippers, and carved wooden toys!

Head up the hill on the funicular, and you’ll not only get some stunning views over the valley, but you’ll be deposited in a veritable crafts and souvenir wonderland. Pony rides and hair braiding are available for the little’uns, whilst stalls sell the ubiquitous fleece and leather goods, including some incredibly well-made woolen sweaters. You can also sample a local specialty, where potatoes are grilled on a skewer, cut so they open out into a spiral, then flavored with spices – they’re absolutely delicious! OMG. Go for the bacon ones.

A trip to Zakopane will definitely be one of your favorite things to do in Krakow… and it’s a memory that’ll last forever. 

Where to stay in Krakow

So, we have our Krakow itinerary! You’re now completely prepared to make the most of your Poland travel, and see the best things to do in Krakow. You’re going to have such an amazing time, and realize what a completely underrated country Poland is. Trust me, you’ll fall in love with this incredible place!

But wait! Now that you’ve seen all the awesome stuff Krakow has to offer, and you’re all “heck yeah, I want to go there!”, we need to find you somewhere to stay! I’m not just going to show you all this cool stuff and then abandon you when it comes to hotels; I’m not like that. We’re practically BFFs now!

So, let’s have a look at some options which might appeal to you, whatever your budget may be!

Lemon Tree Hostel : If you’re looking for super-cheap accommodation right in the city center, you can’t go wrong with this highly-rated hostel! Perfect for solo backpackers, the gender-separated dormitories are comfortable, clean, and efficient, with free WiFi and a host of facilities to help make your stay as good as possible! Close to all the best things to do in Krakow, and owned by a lovely lady who’ll do everything in her power to make your stay a happy one, this is a great choice for bargain hunters who want to be in the thick of it all.

One World Hostel : This place has so many advantages for the budget traveler. Close to everything on your Krakow itinerary, it’s a stone’s throw from the central train station (with direct links to the airport) and the sights of the Old Town. There’s a Carrefour supermarket nearby for groceries, and the rooms are bright and clean, with an emphasis on providing a safe and friendly place for people to stay. Rooms have excellent security, and there’s a good choice of dormitory, with everything from 12 to 4 people occupancy!

Budget hotels

Metropolo by Golden Tulip Krakow :  Happy to take some tram journeys during your stay? If so (and there’s no reason you shouldn’t be), grab this absolute bargain! Because the Metropolo is a little further out, though with the city center easily accessible by tram, you can get a sumptuous King room for not much more than you’d pay for a hostel. No, seriously. The rooms are large, clean and luxurious, and the hotel is absolutely devoted to helping its guests – they’re even pet friendly! If you want a sparkling, new hotel, which even has a sauna at your disposal, this is the place!

Aparthotel Basztowa : If you’re looking for an apartment at a budget price, with all the facilities of a hotel on hand, then you can’t go wrong with Aparthotel Basztowa! Situated right at the top of the Old Town, near to the station and all the facilities you’ll need, you pick up your keys from the reception of the Hotel Polonia next door. This means that you can use all the services of the hotel, such as bag storage and reception, without having to pay their prices! Rooms are basic, but have absolutely everything you’ll need.

Mid-range hotels

Aparthotel Betmanowska : This aparthotel is my kind of place. It’s right in the middle of the city near the Cloth Hall, allowing you to tick all the boxes of your Krakow itinerary with ease. It’s adults only, meaning that you can sleep in without the pitter-patter of tiny elephants. And it’s beautifully decorated, with those little luxury touches you’ve always wanted – bathtubs overlooking a city view? Yes please! Air conditioning, WiFi, and coffee machines are also at your disposal in this modern dream of a hotel!

Mondrian Luxury Suites : Click the link here, and have a look at that review score. See it? Have you ever seen a score as high as that? No, me neither, and I think that says everything you need to know about the Mondrian Luxury Suites! The owner is absolutely dedicated to making sure you have a perfect trip – he’ll even sit with you, and help you plan out things to do in Krakow – and the building itself is absolutely brimming with facilities and luxury touches. If you’ve ever wanted your own posh city apartment, you’ve got to go here!

Luxury hotels

Hotel Unicus Palace : When this place says it’s a palace, it ain’t kidding. 5-star rated? Check. Large, deluxe rooms? Check. Surfaces so clean you could eat off them? Check? Friendly, super-helpful staff? Check? Indoor swimming pool, hammam, and fitness center? Check. All of this in the city center, a stone’s throw from all the very best things to do in Krakow? Check, check and check. This really is the place to go if you want to feel like royalty – and if you want to be treated like it, too!

Hotel Copernicus : Okay guys – sometimes, only the very best hotel in Krakow will do. You need the very best place is town to retire to after a full day’s Krakow itinerary, and the Hotel Copernicus is that place. It’s an Old World Renaissance building that you’ll fall in love with from the start; everything has that touch of luxury and class. An indoor swimming pool tends to your fitness needs, and the restaurant is recommended by the Michelin Guide. A marble bathroom is yours, and you can walk barefoot across historic hardwood floors. This is simply the best place to stay in Krakow!

Share this Krakow itinerary!

I really hope you’ve enjoyed this Krakow itinerary, and learning about the best things to do in Krakow! Take it from me – you will genuinely, truly fall in love with both Krakow and Poland, and wonder why you didn’t go there sooner. Take the opportunity with both hands, and immerse yourself in one of the best cities in the world!

If you’ve enjoyed reading this, how about giving it a share? You can use those lovely buttons over on the side, and share it to your favorite social media network. Plus all your friends will think “hey, there’s a cool international traveler”, and making people vaguely jealous is kinda fun.

If you’re super-smart, pin the below images to Pinterest! That way, this article gets a share (yay!), and you get a handy-dandy bookmark that you can easily access when you’re in the city, allowing you to follow this Krakow itinerary to the utmost and making the most of your time. Otherwise you’re going to be scrabbling around the internet trying to find it again, and that’s just boring.

Thanks for reading!

Pssst! This article contains affiliate links. These incur zero extra cost to you, but they earn this blog a bit of commission which gets spent on running costs, allowing me to produce more lovely content for your viewing pleasure. Any extra money earned gets spent on pierogi, because dayum, those things are good!

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10 comments.

This is an awesome itinerary! I visited Krakow this past December for the Christmas markets and it was absolutely magical! The pierogies were so delicious. I did a lot of what you mention here, but I would love to go back and go to Zakopane. 🙂

Alexandra Booze

I visited Krakow in 2019 and I LOVED it. I did feel like royalty at Wawel Castle. I stayed there for hours and hours. I wish I could go back and visit during the Christmas markets!

Fabulous post!! Eastern Europe is on my “short list.” I’m an amateur Klezmer clarinetist and would love to hear some real Eastern European Klezmer!

Such a great post! Krakow has long been on my bucket list but I didn’t realize just how diverse its offerings are to visitors. Now I really can’t wait to get there. Thank you for such a detailed list of what to do in Krakow!

I absolutely loved visiting Krakow and thought the city was so beautiful with lots of things to do! I also visited Auschwitz and thought it was one of the most harrowing and eye-opening experiences. I feel that it is so important to create education around such a tragic time in our history and make sure that people understand the affects that the Holocaust had on our planet.

Krakow is such a beautiful city! I’ve been to Krakow 5 times and still love coming back!

Holidays from Hels

I want to go! It looks beautiful and full of interesting places! I’ve never investigated Krakow, and this certainly put it in a new light for me.

Paula Martinelli

Just WOW! your guide is so complete and helpful…I have just added it and pinned for my bucket list. Amazing place to visit.

We really need to visit Krakow! We have been to Poland before, but not Krakow! Thank you for this travel inspiration now! 🙂

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• 12 Reasons You Should Visit...

12 Reasons You Should Visit Krakow

From a booming café culture to wild nightlife, fascinating historical spots to pretty parks, there are plenty of reasons why a visit to Krakow should be on the menu this year.

For the old town.

If there were ever a Polish neighborhood that needed no introduction, it’s this one. Made famous as one of the first ever urban UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the Old Town is a maze of cobbled lanes and alleys, wide streets with historic merchant houses lining the pavements, and – most importantly – sprawling squares where medieval churches and trading houses still loom above the flagstones. There’s nowhere that sums up the grand history and culture of Poland’s past better.

For Kazimierz

Once the historic Jewish Quarter of Krakow, Kazimierz can be found nestled just to the south of the UNESCO-tagged Old Town. A place of crumbling plaster and exposed brick, fusing the industrial and the Gothic, with both synagogues and artisan beer houses, it’s a veritable hub of local life. It’s also got one hefty nightlife scene , with all-night drinking joints and more vodka bars than you can shake an empty shot glass at!

For the café culture

Move over Vienna, because if there’s any other European city that can really challenge the Austrian capital as the self-proclaimed kingpin of café culture, it’s Krakow. Yep, a new breed of artisanal coffee shops like Karma Roasters and Coffee Proficiency are fueling a renaissance in the drinking of the caffeinated elixir, while other cafés are content with a fine location and an al fresco garden overlooking the great historical monuments of the Old Town.

For the parks

Krakow is proud of its greenery. Parks pop up everywhere in the city, from the vast meadows of Blonia (where runners jog in the evening and rollerbladers weave past the crowds) to the statue-peppered lawns of Jordana (perfect for a spot of slacklining). However, there’s arguably no better green space in town than the famous Planty Park, which is packed with looming fir trees, winding paths, and oodles of people – it’s great for settling in with a coffee and watching the world go by!

For Auschwitz

There are few relics of WWII in all of Europe with the same emotive and dark past as Auschwitz . Established by the Nazis after the Invasion of Poland in 1939, this internment facility was soon transformed into one of the most destructive death camps on the continent. Today, guided tours take visitors through the striking cell blocks and experimental facilities, past sobering museum exhibits, and out to the sprawling site of Auschwitz-Birkenau , where countless barrack-style quarters roll on towards the forests.

For Schindler’s Factory

Krakow is the home of Oskar Schindler’s Enamel Factory , which can now be found nestled between the up-and-coming degustation bars and coffee joints that pepper the erstwhile industrial depots south of the Vistula River. Head inside and pay the meager entry fee to discover a vast exhibition space that not only tells the emotional tale of the Schindler Jews, but also the whole history of Krakow as a city.

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For the Wieliczka Salt Mines

For centuries, the mines of Wieliczka echoed with industry. Only closed in 2007, they represent one of the oldest continuously used salt mines in the world. Today, that rich heritage has been converted into a museum and a UNESCO Site to boot. Head down to the small town on the south-eastern edge of Krakow and delve into the deep tunnels and caverns; wonder at the carvings created by the miners, and be wowed by the elaborate subterranean cathedral – all, of course, made out of salt rock.

For the food of Lesser Poland

While pierogi dumplings and Poland’s meat-and-two-veg meals are available across the country, from salt-washed Gdansk on the Baltic to buzzing Warsaw, there’s actually a cuisine of Lesser Poland (Krakow’s state) that’s unique to this southern town. Be sure to sample the smoky sheep’s cheese of the mountains, munch on crispy zapiekanki breads, and enjoy the chewy pretzels of obwarzanek from the roadside stalls.

For the Vistula boulevards

Following the courses of the Vistula River as it bends this way and that like a snake through the centre of Krakow, these tree-lined walkways are punctuated with ice-cream sellers, souvenir shops, beer bars (some on boats!), and grassy lawns. In the summer, they are a perfect spot to laze and take in the beating pulse of the town, while winter means bare trees, ice sheets on the water, and a dusting of snow.

For the Tatra Mountains

The Tatra Mountains poke out of the huge Carpathian chain and jut their way into southern Poland, just about two hours by car from Krakow. Protected as a national park and hailed as one of the most beautiful places in the whole country, they are a veritable mecca for hikers and mountain bikers in summer, offering the soaring peaks of Rysy and Giewont, all covered in fir forests and meadows. By winter, the whole region transforms into one of the best destinations for skiing in Poland !

For the nightlife

No list of the top reasons to hit the Polish city of kings could possibly be complete without a mention of its raucous nightlife . With – as one legend has it – more bars and clubs packed into such a small space than any other metro area in Europe, the town pulses with everything from thumping discos to underground beer halls. There’s also a ridiculously good pub crawl in Krakow , along with opportunities for vodka tasting and trips to microbreweries.

For the accessibility

Over the years, more and more low-cost airlines have added connections to Krakow and nearby cities. That means it’s now amongst the most accessible destinations in Europe, with bargain flights arriving in Krakow’s John Paul II Airport, as well as nearby Wroclaw, Katowice, Rzeszow, and even Poprad across the border. What’s more, high-speed train connections to Warsaw on the Pendolino have made things easier for long-haul travelers, too, taking around three hours to flit from the airport there to Krakow’s central station.

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Welcome to Krakow

Rent a car or moto to move around Krakow and its surroundings more comfortably by dismissing predicament and avoiding traffic jams.

Searching for where to stay in Krakow or surrounding towns? Check these hotels and hostels in Krakow for all budgets and all tastes.

Krakow is known for its gastronomy, deliciously diverse cuisine. Check out these bars, cafes, and restaurants in Krakow and around.

Discover the best nightclubs and bars in Krakow. Here are some of the places for rambling around the town, letting loose, and dancing.

Find popular guided tours and excursions in Krakow and its surroundings. Book your transfer from the airport to Krakow or vice versa.

Language schools and other educational institutions and centers offering Polish language courses and cultural programs in Krakow, Poland.

Architectural monuments of Krakow Old Town

Florianska Street – St. Florian’s Street

Kanonicza Street – Ulica Kanonicza

Krakow Barbican – Barbakan Krakowski

Kraków Cloth Hall – Sukiennice

Kraków Old Town – Stare Miasto

Main Market Square – Rynek Glówny

Royal Road Kraków – Droga Królewska

The former capital of poland.

Kraków, one of the oldest cities in Poland, was the capital of the country until 1596. Situated on the Vistula River, the city dates back to the 7th century.

KRAKOW – THE CITY OF CHURCHES

The abundance of churches, and the plenitude of monasteries and convents earned the city a countrywide reputation as the Northern Rome.

UNESCO WORLD CULTURAL HERITAGE

Kraków’s Historic Center along with the nearby Wieliczka Salt Mine was entered on the first List of the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage.

Kraków city’s extensive cultural heritage across the epochs of Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque architecture includes the famous Wawel Cathedral and Wawel Royal Castle on the banks of the Vistula River, great St. Mary’s Basilica, majestic Saints Peter and Paul Church and the largest medieval market square in Europe, the Rynek Główny.

Krakow has been the capital of Poland for five centuries. Walk through Krakow Old Town, immerse yourself in the history of the inhabitants of medieval colorful houses on the Main Market Square, and listen to legends about dragons, the times of the reign of Casimir the Great, and the heyday of Wawel, its destruction and gradual revival.

ONE DAY EXCURSIONS FROM KRAKOW

Auschwitz-Birkenau – Oświęcim

Błonia Park

Kościuszko Mound – Kopiec Kościuszki

Ojców National Park

  what is krakow known for.

Kraków Old Town with Wawel Royal Castle has been declared the first UNESCO World Heritage Site in the world. The city of Krakow was known as a busy trading center of Central Europe back in 985 and has grown to Poland’s second-most-important city.

Read more..

  Things to do in Krakow

Krakow is the former capital of Poland and a city with thousand-year-long traditions. The city of Krakow is famous for its rich history, world-class monuments, historic Old Town, Wawel Royal Castle, a lot of churches, and of course pretzels.

The city of Krakow was known as a busy trading center of Central Europe back in 985 and has grown to Poland’s second-most-important city. Kraków Old Town with Wawel Royal Castle has been declared the first UNESCO World Heritage Site in the world. Discover the main tourist points of Krakow’s historic Old Town. Walk through its picturesque streets and historic neighborhoods. Learn facts and legends about the picturesque city of Krakow. Follow in the footsteps of the kings of Poland as you explore the famous Royal Route from the medieval Old Town to Wawel Hill.

READ MORE ABOUT KRAKOW

Must-visit attractions in Krakow

History of Krakow

Weather and Climate in Krakow

Nightlife in Krakow

Best day trips from Krakow

KRAKOW ON GOOGLE MAPS

How to spend a weekend in Krakow, one of central Europe’s unsung jewels

K rakow is one of central Europe’s jewels; with a history that stretches back to the 10th century. It is also the best preserved city in Poland, the old town centre having escaped the destruction that befell the rest of the country in WWII. It brims with atmosphere with narrow, cobbled streets radiating off the impressive 13th-century Market Square; here medieval houses jostle with 18th- and 19th-century palaces and behind many a door, a packed and lively bar awaits, for this, a University City, is enduringly young at heart. But, more than anything, culture is at the forefront of its existence from the Royal Castle and Gothic cathedral which dominate the town from their perch on Wawel Hill to the 16th-century synagogues in the Jewish Quarter, made famous in Schindler’s List, to Leonardo da Vinci’s 15th-century Lady with an Ermine housed in just one of a plethora of museums.

For more Krakow inspiration, see our guides to the best  hotels ,  restaurants ,  bars , and  things to do .

In this guide

How to spend your weekend.

Insider tips

When should I visit Krakow?

Where to stay in Krakow

What to bring home

Essential information: what to know before you go

Day one: Morning

Breakfast on the traditional obwarzanki (Krakow’s take on the bagel, now enshrined by the EU in their protected food list), sprinkled well with salt and poppy seeds at any of the cafés around the Market Square (Rynek Głowny) as you watch the city wake up.

Then stroll towards the Wawel Hill , a symbol of national pride which dominates the city and is home to both the impressive Royal Castle and Krakóws’s 14th century cathedral, site of many Royal Coronations and home to the relics of Saint Stanisław, patron saint of Poland. Wind your way back to the main square along Ulica Grodzka, where you can browse the many amber shops.

Stop at Pasaż 13 for an excellent lunch on the run of beef tartare from L Concept Bar & Restaurant underneath the chic designer shops, before exploring some of the more local handicrafts such as the Bolesławiec pottery at the shop Mila .

Walk off lunch with a 15-minute stroll to the main branch of the National Museum in Kraków  to see what many say is Leonardo da Vinci’s best painting, Lady with an Ermine.

After December 20 2019, this painting will be returned to the Czartoryski Museum , for its re-opening after several years of closure due to renovation. Though small, it comprises one of the most interesting art collections in Poland, which apart from a rare Leonardo da Vinci oil painting, also houses Rembrandt’s Landscape with the Good Samaritan. If you are at the latter museum, just off the Market Square, a minute’s walk will take you to the Florian Gate, one of the few surviving remnants of the city’s medieval fortifications.

Start the evening with a Polish vodka tasting of five different vodkas, accompanied by a selection of tapas such as herring and sheep’s cheese, at Enoteka Pergamin .  Move on to dinner at Art Restaurant  for a taste of contemporary Polish cuisine at its best (try the Sour Rye Sour (żurek) with crayfish).

Finish the evening with a nightcap at a favourite of the locals, Piwnica Pod Baranami  a legendary cellar bar which has been going since 1956 when it was the platform for a famous literary cabaret. Jazz concerts happen twice a week.

Day two: Morning

Walk through the leafy Planty gardens that encircle the old town into Kazimierz, home for more than 500 years to the Jewish community. It was destroyed during WWII with renovation only commencing in the 1990s. Today it is one of Kraków’s most lively districts, having been put on the map by Stephen Speilberg’s Schindler’s List, much of which was filmed here.

Have a Polish breakfast of regional white cheese and hams at Momento . Afterwards visit the Old Synagogue , which was built on the cusp of the 15th and 16th centuries and is the oldest surviving example of Jewish religious architecture in Poland. Head back to the Market Square to St. Mary’s Church , a symbol of Kraków since the 13th century to buy tickets (€4/£3) to see its remarkable interiors from the Gothic stained glass window to the world’s largest Gothic sculpture; note though that the magnificent 15th-century altarpiece by Veit Stoss is under renovation until 2020.

If you haven’t heard the bugler play the Hejnal (or bugle call) on the hour from the tallest tower of St. Mary’s Church, settle yourself down in the Market Square with a drink and wait for the next call on the hour. The beautiful call, broadcast live on Polish radio daily at noon, breaks off suddenly in memory of the bugler shot by a Tatar arrow in 1241 whilst sounding the alarm from his post.

Lunch just round the corner at Pod Aniołami  on melt-in-the mouth pierogi, the Polish ravioli. Head out of Kraków either by train or organised bus tour or taxi just nine miles away to see the Unesco World Heritage Site of Wieliczka . A deep salt mine that has been going strong for more than 700 years with an extraordinary underground museum, which houses the Chapel of St. Kinga with chandeliers and statues all hewn out of salt.

Head to the beautiful Trzy Rybki  for culinary elegance under vaulted Gothic ceilings – try the duck breast with rhubarb jam – before finishing the evening with a trip upstairs in their glass lift for a nightcap on the roof terrace. Views are of the asymmetrical towers of St. Mary’s Church and the Renaissance Cloth Hall, a landscape unchanged for centuries.

Summer is hot and crowded so aim for the glorious golden autumn that Poland is famous for, when the city is surrounded by trees of burnished gold. Alternatively, little could be more spectacular than Kraków in the snow, with the spires covered in a dusting of white and the sound of the hourly bugle call cutting through the muffled stillness.

Where to stay

Hotel Copernicus, the go-to hotel for princes and presidents, sits on Kraków's oldest street. The building, dating back to the 1500s, is named after astronomer Nicholas Copernicus, a regular visitor in his day. It offers 29 rooms, a pool, a spa and an excellent restaurant; all in a skilful contemporary-meets-historical design. For a splurge, book The Canon’s Suite, which has a beautifully restored fresco dating back to 1500.

Doubles from PLN 1000(£213). Kanonicza 16; 00 48 12 424 34 00

Boutique beauty

From its origins as an elegant palace for 600 years, to its life as a German pharmacy in the Second World War and a ruin under communist times, every corner of the beautiful Bonerowski Palace has been lovingly restored as a hotel. It offers views directly onto the famous market square and provides luxurious accommodation imbued with a sense of place. Each of the 16 rooms is different but all have typical Polish parquetry floors and, in a variety of colours, heavy chintz or silk curtains.

Doubles from €100 (£88). Świętego Jana 1; 00 48 12 374 13 00

Budget bolthole

This is one of the oldest hotels in Kraków, with buildings dating back to the 18th century. Hotel Polski Pod Białym Orłem was turned into a hotel by owner Prince Czartoryski before the Second World War. It's set on one of the cobbled streets that lead off the Market Square, making it an ideal base for exploring the city. The 60 bedrooms are decorated in warm colours, with deep red carpets throughout and antique furniture. Marble bathrooms come with L’Occitane amenities. 

Doubles from PLN 450 (£93). Pijarska 17; 00 48 12 422 11 44

A speciality of Kraków are the handmade, coloured foil cribs, long a tradition of the city. Find them under the arches of the Cloth Hall where artisans sell their wares.  Much loved is the charming blue and white Bolesławiec pottery, best found at Mila . Dip into the World of Amber for some brilliant designs.

Know before you go

Essential information.

• Tourist board information: discovercracow.com ; 00 48 12 346 3899
• Emergency fire and ambulance:  112
• Emergency police:  112
• British Embassy:  Ul. Kawalerii 12, 00-468 Warszawa, Poland. 00 48 22 311 0000;  gov.uk/world/organisations/british-embassy-warsaw
• Flight time:  (from UK) 2 hours 30 minutes from London
• Currency:  PLN also called Złoty
• International dialling code:  00 48

Local laws and etiquette

• Tipping is not expected but always appreciated.  If you hand over a note and say ‘thank you’ when paying the bill, that means ‘keep the change’.  Don’t fall into that trap. Only tip when your change has been brought back to you.
• Public transport is very safe, even late at night. To travel on buses and trams you need paper tickets, booklets of which you can buy from newspaper kiosks, called Ruch, on the streets. You then need to validate the ticket by punching it in the little machine inside the bus or tram. Alternatively you can buy your ticket inside the transport with a contactless card which is the only proof you need to show the inspectors if they board the bus.  krakowcard.com  is a card which allows multi-use of transport. A single tram ticket is approximately 5 PLN (£1). There is no metro system in Krakow.
• Taxis are cheap and safe.  An excellent company is Eco Taxi which charges 1.80 PLN per km. Tel: 00 48 12 644 22 22.
• The drink drive laws are strict and there is zero tolerance. Police have the right to pull your over even if you are not doing anything wrong. Use taxis, it is not worth the risk of failing a breathaliser test, which could result in a night in prison.
• The best way to get around Krakow is actually by foot. It is a small city and confusing to drive around, with the majority of the historical centre off limits to cars.
• Traditionally three kisses is now the norm, but at a first meeting handshakes are normal. Although more common in the older generation, men still kiss the hands of women when introduced.
• While homosexuality is legal, Poland is a conservative Catholic country with the political party in power campaigning for anti-LGBTQ+ policies, making it thus one of Europe's least hospitable countries for LGBTQ+ travellers.

About our expert

Mary Lussiana returned to live in her Polish father’s homeland as Communism fell. For the next decade, she witnessed its exciting evolution. Now, visits back find her in Kraków’s magnificent Market Square listening to the haunting bugle call.

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