Krakow Travelers Recommend

With three days in Krakow, there’s plenty of time to explore the UNESCO World Heritage–listed Old Town, visit the city’s top museums, and see more of Poland’s historic sites and natural wonders. Here are some ideas on how to spend 72 glorious hours in and around Krakow.

Day 1: Admire the UNESCO-Listed City

Ample time in Krakow means you can take your time exploring, so book a full-day sightseeing tour for a comprehensive overview of the city, hire a private guide, take the hop-on hop-off bus at your own pace, or make the most of great-value super saver tours and deals. No matter how you go, spend your first day hitting the highlights of Krakow’s Old Town, starting at the main square of Rynek Glowny. Admire Krakow’s stunning architecture as you walk to Cloth Hall (Sukiennice), the Church of the Virgin Mary (Kosciol Mariacki), the Old Town Hall Tower, and the Empty Head sculpture. After a walk through Planty Park and a visit to Wawel Castle, set out along the Vistula River for a scenic sightseeing cruise and watch the sunset from the water.  

Day 2: Discover Krakow’s Dark History

Learn more about Krakow’s past on a guided tour of Auschwitz-Birkenau, once the largest Nazi concentration camp in Europe. Now a UNESCO-listed memorial and museum, it’s a harrowing reminder of the atrocities committed during World War II and a moving tribute to those who lost their lives. Follow this moving experience with a visit to the Wieliczka Salt Mine, another UNESCO site where you can venture underground into the historic mine. If you’ve still got energy to spare when you arrive back in Krakow, head into the Kazimierz district, the former Jewish quarter, where you’ll find some of the city’s best bars, restaurants, and live music venues. 

Day 3: Explore the Polish Countryside

There are plenty of options for day tours from Krakow, offering a chance to escape the city and explore the Polish countryside. Perhaps head into the Tatras Mountains, where highlights include the ski resort of Zakopane and the funicular ride to the summit of Mount Gubalowka. Or visit some of the beautiful castles and sacred sites dotted throughout the mountain valleys—Jasna Gora Monastery, Pieskowa Skala Castle, and Tyniec Abbey can all be seen on a day trip. You can even visit Warsaw on a day tour from Krakow, and spend the day taking in the must-see sights of the Polish capital. 

With two days to explore Krakow, there’s ample time to see the UNESCO World Heritage–listed Old Town and its top sights, delve into the city’s unique museums, taste the riches of its culinary scene, and learn more about the region’s troubled history. Here’s how to get the most out of 48 hours in Krakow.

Day 1: Culture and Cuisine

Morning: Take a walking tour of the Old Town, starting in the main square of Rynek Glowny. Most of the city’s photo-worthy landmarks are clustered around the square, so stop by Cloth Hall (Sukiennice), Church of the Virgin Mary (Kosciol Mariacki), the Old Town Hall Tower, and the famous Empty Head sculpture. Alternatively, ride the hop-on hop-off bus to the city’s main sights at your own pace.

Afternoon: Take a scenic detour through Planty Park and follow it south to the medieval Wawel Castle, once home to the kings of Poland. Pay a visit to the castle museum and peek inside the neighboring Wawel Cathedral before walking down to the Vistula riverside to watch the sunset.

Night: Krakow’s former Jewish district, Kazimierz, is at its most atmospheric in the evening hours. Admire the historic architecture of the Corpus Christi Church, Tempel Synagogue, and Remuh Synagogue, then head to Ulica Szeroka street to drink and dine with the locals.

Day 2: History and Heritage

Morning: Take a half-day tour to the UNESCO-listed Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum, just outside of Krakow. On a guided exploration of the former Nazi concentration camp, see the barracks, crematorium, gas chambers, and prison blocks, and learn more about the atrocities of World War II.

Afternoon: Continue your education about Krakow’s dark history with a visit to Oskar Schindler’s Enamel Factory, a site immortalized in the Oscar-winning film Schindler’s List. With time to spare, other worthy sights include the nearby MOCAK Museum of Contemporary Art in Krakow and the Rynek Underground, an underground museum that lies in the vaults beneath Rynek Glowny.

Night: Spend your final night in Krakow tucking into traditional Polish cuisine at a local restaurant—don’t miss the delicious stuffed dumplings and borscht (beetroot soup). Alternatively, attend a classical music recital at St. Adalbert’s Church and listen to Mozart, Vivaldi, and Bach performed by the Royal Chamber Orchestra.

Once the capital of Poland, Krakow may be best known for its castle and charming Old Town. But those who want a deeper introduction to Polish history can head to the city’s plethora of interesting, informative museums. Here are a few top picks.

Oskar Schindler's Factory

A former enamel factory, Oskar Schindler's Factory today is home to a permanent exhibition telling the story of the Nazi occupation of Krakow, in addition to a number of rotating temporary exhibitions.

**How to Visit:**Join a small-group walking or Segway tour of Krakow's Jewish quarter, or book a private tour for a more in-depth experience.

Ghetto Eagle Pharmacy Museum

Located within the boundaries of the former Jewish ghetto, the Eagle Pharmacy Museum commemorates both the Holocaust and the memory of pharmacy owner Tadeusz Pankiewicz, who operated his business during the Nazi occupation.

**How to Visit:**Book a one- or two-day hop-on, hop-off sightseeing bus tour and make this museum one of your stops, or join a tour focusing on Krakow's Jewish district, Kazimierz.

Stained Glass Museum

Visit this century-old stained-glass workshop to watch masters at work and learn the process behind the creation of large-scale stained glass installations.

**How to Visit:**Admission is only possible as part of a tour, offered hourly in English. 

Historical Museum of Krakow

Dedicated to telling the history of Krakow, the Historical Museum is spread across 16 branches and includes Oskar Schindler’s Factory, the Ghetto Eagle Pharmacy Museum, the Town Hall Tower, the Old Synagogue, and the Rynek Underground.

**How to Visit:**Check out a handful of branches by joining a small-group walking or mini-bus tour of the city.

National Museum Krakow

Founded in the late 19th century, the National Museum Krakow, or MNK, is the primary branch of Poland's National Museum and is home to nearly 800,000 pieces of art, including a large collection of Polish works.

**How to Visit:**Make the museum a stop on a one- or two-day hop-on, hop-off sightseeing bus tour.

Krakow may be Poland’s cultural capital, but the city also harbors a dark past. Occupied by the Nazis in World War II, Krakow still shows traces of its history today. Learn about the city’s past with a tour of its WWII sites—here are your options.

City Tours

Discover Krakow's Jewish heritage and learn about the city during WWII on a walking, biking, or Segway tour of Kazimierz, Krakow's Jewish quarter, and the old Jewish ghetto in Podgorze. Along the way, see the original WWII Ghetto wall and Ghetto Heroes Square; take a tour of Oskar Schindler's Enamel Factory, where many Jewish lives were saved during the war; and visit filming locations from Steven Spielberg's award-winning movie,Schindler's List. Tours typically last between 3 and 5 hours, while guided tours of Schindler's Factory are 90 minutes long.

Day Trips

About a 1.5-hour drive from Krakow is one of the most notorious WWII sites in Europe—the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp, which is now preserved as a museum and memorial. Most day tours from Krakow last least 6 hours and include hotel pickup, round-trip transport, and a guided tour of the camp that includes stops at the Holocaust exhibitions and the prisoner barracks.

With its UNESCO World Heritage–listed historic center, lively Jewish district, and fascinating museums, it’s easy to see why Krakow is known as Poland’s cultural capital. With just one day in town, planning ahead will help you maximize your time and fit as much as possible into your visit. Here’s how to see Krakow in a single day.

Morning: Hit the Must-See Sights

Start your day with a hop-on hop-off bus tour, which lets you take in the sights at your own pace and save time traveling between attractions. Spend the morning exploring Krakow’s UNESCO-listed Old Town, starting in the central square of Rynek Glowny. Take time to admire the square’s architectural landmarks, including the Cloth Hall (Sukiennice), Church of the Virgin Mary (Kosciol Mariacki), and the Old Town Hall Tower—plus the famous Empty Head, a popular photo spot. Continue to Wawel Castle and, after visiting the neighbouring Wawel Cathedral, stroll over the Grunwaldzki Bridge for a fantastic view of the castle on the banks of the Vistula River.

Afternoon: Discover Krakow’s Dark History

A visit to Oskar Schindler’s Enamel Factory offers insight into one of the most moving stories of Nazi-occupied Poland. On a tour of the museum, learn about the horrific events that happened in Krakow during World War II and hear how Schindler’s story was retold in the Oscar-winning film Schindler’s List. Continue to nearby Kazimierz, the former Jewish quarter, which is now one of Krakow’s most atmospheric neighborhoods. Spend the rest of the afternoon exploring the district, including sights such as Corpus Christi Church, Tempel Synagogue, and Remuh Synagogue, or browsing the market stalls around Plac Nowy (New Square).

Night: Drink and Dine in Kazimierz

It’s worth staying in Kazimierz until the evening hours, when the main street—Ulica Szeroka—buzzes with activity. There’s a huge selection of bars and restaurants here, as well as live music venues and nightclubs that stay open until the early hours. Enjoy dinner at one of the traditional Polish restaurants, or join an evening street food walking tour and sample local specialties like smoked cheese, stuffed dumplings, and borscht (beetroot soup).

Manufactured in East Germany between 1957 and 1990, the Trabant was an icon of Europe’s communist Eastern Bloc. Before the fall of the Iron Curtain, Trabants were a common sight in Poland. For visitors hoping to tap into Krakow’s communist past, here’s what you need to know about exploring the Polish city in an authentic vintage Trabant.

Highlights

• Hop into an original Trabant and feel what it’s like to travel inside the noisy car, which many jokingly referred to as “a spark plug with a roof,” during a guided communism tour of Krakow. 

• Travel by Trabant to the city’s Nowa Huta district. A sprawling suburb of Krakow meticulously planned and constructed by the Soviets, Nowa Huta is home to many of the city’s most striking examples of Socialist Realist architecture.

• Combine a ride in a Trabant car with a walking tour of Krakow’s old Jewish Quarter, Kazimierz, which was home to Krakow’s Jewish community for centuries before World War II.

• Upgrade your Trabant tour to include other communist-themed experiences, such as a visit to a communist-era apartment and the chance to try typical communist-era snacks such as pickled cucumbers at a restaurant that dates back to communist times. 

• Learn about daily life behind the Iron Curtain in Krakow from a guide.