Image by Tadeusz Dziedzina from Pixabay
Kraków is often named the favorite city by most people who have traveled to Poland. And it’s not hard to see why, seeing its history and all the things to do there.
The city has over a thousand years of rich history and culture; it was even the capital of Poland for a few hundred years.
Yet it still has a young vibe thanks to its hosting one of Poland’s most prestigious and oldest universities.
Kraków is a city where you can get your culture and history fix while also having a great time. It has tons of exciting activities for the entire family as well as a vibrant nightlife. (Although please be respectful of the residents: with gaining popularity as a cheap tourist destination, there has also been a rise in drunken tourists disrupting the charm of the city.)
Read my 28 favorite things to do in Kraków to see why it’s one of best cities to visit in all of Europe! And see why it should be your next travel destination.
[Please note that some of the links below are affiliate links. I would never recommend anything that I would not use myself, or anything that I don’t think would be beneficial to my readers.]
Lying on top of a hill overlooking the Wisła river, the Wawel Castle is one of the most defining parts of the city. It’s an absolute must if you are visiting Kraków for the first time. There is much to see and visit on top of this hill, and you can easily spend a whole day there.
Within the castle you can tour the Staterooms, the Royal Private Apartments and the Crown Treasury and Armory. You can also take a tour of the gardens, visit the impressive Wawel Cathedral and go down to the excavations of architectural sites.
Especially during the vacation season, make sure to arrive early to get a ticket for that day. It gets very crowded and there are only a limited number of tickets per day.
Alternatively, you can skip the lines and buy online. Get tickets to the impressive Cathedral with an audio tour here. Get a guided tour of the castle and entrance to the Royal Staterooms and “Lost Wawel” exhibition here.
Beneath the hill upon which the Wawel Castle stands lies an underground cave you can climb down to. Legend has it that there once lived a dragon in this underground tunnel. It was killed by a man who tricked it into eating disguised sheep that were actually filled with rocks. This is a famous Polish legend that all Polish children know, and therefore the cave is a popular tourist destination.
When you exit the dragon’s cave, you can watch a statue of a dragon breathe real fire every 10 minutes or so. While you wait with your camera ready to capture the fiery moment, enjoy the grassy park in between the Wawel Hill and the Wisła River.
The Wisła River is the largest river in Poland and runs not only through Kraków but the capital, Warszawa, as well. There are paths running along the river in Kraków, offering an ideal route for anyone looking for a little bit of exercise. Take a walk, go for a run, go rollerblading or take a scenic bike ride along the most important river in Poland.
Kraków’s Main Square is a beautiful one. In fact, it is often named one of the most beautiful squares in Europe, is the largest medieval square in Europe and is UNESCO protected.
The Rynek Główny serves as the central hub of the city. Still to this day, the statue of Adam Miczkiewicz is a popular meeting point for the city’s inhabitants, and the many restaurants, cafes and bars circling around the square are the perfect places to sit outside and soak in the energy of the city.
This museum actually lies four meters under the Rynek Główny and was opened in 2010 following an excavation of this square. The museum holds some of the discoveries of this excavation, such as medieval merchant stalls.
With tons of multi-media displays, this museum is the perfect place to learn about the history of Kraków on your visit to the city. I remember that when it first opened, it was near impossible to get a ticket, with few month long waiting lists. Now it’s much easier to get a ticket, but buy a ticket in advance just to be safe; the amount of people who can enter at one time is limited.
[Pro Tip: Bundle and save by buying a ticket for Rynek Underground, the Town Hall Tower and Krzysztofory Palace for only $11.27 here.]
Kraków has many impressive churches. Although this one doesn’t look like much in comparison to the other churches in the city, it is special because it is the oldest one. It lies on the corner of the Main Square, where it has been standing for almost 1000 years. It lies at such an awkward location because it is actually older than the square itself!
If you look closely you will notice that the church lies below the pavement of the square and you have to go down the steps to enter, which was not how it originally lay. Rather, the ground of the square has risen by being paved over for hundreds of years.
The architecture of this basilica is impressive, with the awe-inspiring interior and its two distinct towers. The legend behind the towers is that two brothers fought over building a taller tower. One brother ended up killing the other with a knife in jealousy before finishing to build his own tower taller. According to this legend, that is why one tower is taller than the other.
But another unique thing about this basilica is the trumpet call, called the Hejnał Mariacki. It is played from the top of the higher tower in each of the four cardinal directions every hour exactly on the hour. The trumpet call was originally played to announce a spotted fire or enemy. It is now a tradition held dear to all residents of Kraków and Poland to hear this beloved tune.
You’ll notice that the melody ends abruptly. That is to commemorate the trumpeter who was killed by an arrow to the neck while playing his trumpet to alert the city of the Mongols attacking the city in 1241.
Right in the middle of the Main Square is the Cloth Hall, which is a roofed marketplace. You can still do some shopping there to this day, although most vendors sell overpriced goods. Still, you can find great buys here, and it’s a convenient place to get buying your souvenirs out of the way, especially if you’re pressed for time.
Even just walking through this impressive structure is worth the little extra time out of your day. See if you can find the hanging knife, which is allegedly the same knife used by the tower builder to kill his brother from the legend of the Basilica’s towers (see above).
As mentioned before, this is Poland’s oldest and most prestigious university (established in the 1364). It’s also where many famous Poles studied, such as Copernicus (who, yes, was Polish).
You can visit the university’s museum, which is located in the oldest building of the university, Collegium Maius.
Kraków’s Barbacin (a medieval defense that was connected to the city walls) is still intact. This makes it the best preserved such structure in all of Europe.
The Barbacin was once connected by drawbridge over the moat to St. Florin’s Gate, which was once the main entrance to the city (and the only surviving city gate of the original eight). While the Barbacin was built as a thick, impenetrable defense, St. Florin’s Gate is much prettier and built as a tower. Unlike the Barbican, it is still flanked on both sides with city walls, under which you can choose a unique souvenir from the artists selling their paintings.
The green area of the Planty Park stretches around the outskirts of the old town. The reason for this is that it was once the location of a moat that lay in front of the wall fortifications, serving as an extra protection for the city in medieval times. It’s a nice place to escape the urban landscape for a walk or to simply lounge on a park bench on a nice day without even leaving the city center.
This is a must on the to do list of every chocolate lover. Their hot chocolate is so thick and rich, and you can grab one to go if you’re in a rush.
I’d recommend going inside their café on the Main Square, though, because the interior is a cozy place to sit down and relax for a bit. Also, their extensive dessert menu will impress you with the various fancy options available. Prepare yourself for the best chocolate overdose of your entire life!
Are you a chocolate lover who’s also going to Warsaw? There’s a rival chocolate company there that made the list of my 10 favorite things to do in Warsaw (I really love chocolate :p).
This old neighborhood is one of my favorites in the city. Despite its old appearance, it has become a young and energetic part of the city. The old buildings and warehouses have been turned into trendy bars (read about my favorite one below under recommendation 15), so it’s a great place to go out.
There’s also lots of street art, which contrasts against the old brick buildings that serve as their canvas. The neighborhood also has a diverse history, as it used to be a primarily Jewish quarter.
Zapiekanki are pretty much the best drunk food. Cheap and filling, a zapiekanka is basically a long piece of toasted baguette cut in half and topped with cheese, ketchup and mushrooms. That’s the original one, but there are a lot of other toppings you can choose from.
You can find stands and fast food restaurants selling them throughout the city. And you don’t have to be drinking to enjoy these hot, delicious sandwiches. They make a good meal too if you’re looking for something fast, filling, cheap and authentically Polish.
This brewery is located in the Kazimierz neighborhood. It’s one of my favorite places to go out in Kraków, especially in the summer when there’s a soccer tournament going on.
During these events, they project the matches on a large screen outside in the courtyard, where you can enjoy a freshly brewed beer. If it’s a popular game, make a reservation for a seat or arrive early if you want to get even a standing spot. It gets super crowded, something I learned the hard way when I wasn’t allowed in due to lack of space during a FIFA final game.
Stara Zajezdnia is located in an old warehouse where trains used to be stored, and you can still see the train tracks on the cobblestone ground. They make their own beer here: my favorite is the honey beer. Ask if they have it, because sometimes they’re sold out!
This place is actually a chain, and you can find it in other Polish cities. However, there are a few locations in Kraków, so it’s worth mentioning. As the name suggests in Polish, it’s a place to drink vodka and beer. But it’s also a place to try some traditional Polish foods (great chasers for the shots, by the way).
The décor of this chain is a nostalgic recreation of the 60’s in Poland, back in the “communist times.” Even if you don’t want to indulge in the cheap beer and shots (1 euro each), it’s worth stepping in to see what bars used to look like in Poland during those times.
Yup, it exists! The Dziórawy Kocioł (or Leaky Cauldron) is a Harry Potter themed café serving food and drink inspired by the greatest books ever written.
I randomly came across it the last time I was in Kraków, and as the biggest Harry Potter obsessed fan, you could only imagine my immense excitement. I was tempted to stay there all day, even though it would mean missing my flight. If you’re a Harry Potter fan too, Kraków should be on your destination wish list just because of this place; it’s Harry Potter heaven.
Don’t believe me? Check out the video I made.
This huge mound was erected as a symbolic tomb for Koścuiszko (Polish military hero who helped the colonies win independence in the American Revolution, among many other accomplishments) in the 1800’s. The mound still exists to this day and has a path wrapping around it. You can easily climb to the top of it and enjoy a nice view of the city.
There are actually a few more mounds around the city that you could climb for a nice view, such as Piłsudski’s Mound and Krakus Mound. But if you’re pressed for time, Kopiec Kościuszko has the nicest view of the old town, so I’d recommend that one. Get tickets ahead here.
Wieliczka is located super close to Kraków, and its salt mine is well worth the visit! I had a blast visiting it as a child, and I still think it’s amazing as an adult!
You learn a lot about salt mining and get to enjoy the gorgeously impressive tunnels that you are transported down to. The spacious underground St. Kinga chapel, complete with chandeliers made of salt, is easily the most impressive part of the tour.
You can find a guided tour that includes round trip transportation from Kraków here.
Ever heard of the movie Schindler’s List? Did you know that his factory was located near Kraków? Yep, and you can visit it! It has been turned into a fantastic museum where you can learn more about Oskar Schindler’s story, Jews in Kraków and concentration camps.
If you want a tour of Jewish quarter and ghetto in addition to entrance to the factory, book the tour here.
If you have time for another day trip, the Auschwitz concentration camp is a visit you will never forget. I’m sure that all of you have heard about the atrocities taking place in the Nazi concentration camps. Maybe you even heard about Auschwitz, one the most notoriously brutal Nazi concentration camps.
But it’s something completely different to physically be in the place where it all happened.
You must take a tour in order to enter. On the tour you can go inside the barracks where the prisoners slept and into the gas chambers. You can also see what life was like inside the camp through the many exhibits.
One of the most striking exhibits for me was a room holding mountains and mountains of hair that was shaved from the heads of the prisoners.
You can buy a full-day guided tour including hotel pick-up and drop off here and save up to 20%.
This neighborhood actually used to be its own city, but it became part of Kraków after the fall of communism. It was built by the Soviets as a project to create the “perfect” communist city, and it’s one of the only planned socialist realist districts in the world.
The grand streets and buildings were laid out perfectly and uniformly, with plenty of trees and parks in between.
Communism is largely a hated concept in Poland, as most Polish people were very poorly affected growing up in the communist Soviet occupied Poland- which didn’t end until Poland regained independence in 1989.
However, the original layout of the city remains, so it’s worth checking out this unique district. It signifies how in theory communism was built on positive concepts and in the search of a utopia, but as the case in Poland shows, it caused much suffering in practice.
Want to learn more about life in Poland under the communist regime? Well you’re in luck- the Museum of Poland Under the Communist Regime exists in Nowa Huta for just that purpose!
This circular ring most closely resembles a bagel (Fun Fact: Did you know that bagels were invented by a Polish Jew?), and this fresh bread snack that you can find from vendors throughout the city are unique and original from Kraków. If you need something to fill your stomach before heading to a restaurant for pierogi or other delicious Polish foods, an obwarzanek will more than do the job (and for really cheap too!).
In remembrance of the Jews deported from Kraków during World War II, 70 big chairs were placed throughout a large square where Kraków’s ghetto once was.
The effect is a haunting one, with the empty chairs signifying the emptiness of the ghetto after the Jews were deported to concentration camps by the Nazis.
If you’re in the Podgórze district, it’s worth stopping by and paying your respect to the lives lost.
If you’re up for visiting another darker part of Kraków’s history (this city’s citizens have been through a lot), check out the Gestapo Headquarters.
It was once the Gestapo’s interrogation center. Now it has been turned into a museum showing what life was like under Nazi occupation, and how the Gestapo would torture its prisoners while interrogating them.
The most unforgettable part of this museum is that you can still go inside the original cells that the prisoners were held in. On walls of these cells, you can still see the writing from those prisoners.
This is a small museum, though very informative and moving. But the real reason why I so highly recommend it is a personal one. My grandfather was part of a resistance movement during World War II, and he was arrested and tortured by the Gestapo. His name is actually featured in this museum as one of the Gestapo’s prisoners.
If you want to research other people like him, there is a computer where you can search for others who were also imprisoned and tortured by the Gestapo in Kraków. Buy tickets online here.
This gallery is located in the Sukiennice (Cloth Hall) building right in the middle of the Main Square, so it’s very conveniently placed. It houses many impressive Polish artists, including Jan Matejko.
Also, if you want a nice view of the biggest Medieval square in Europe from up above, step out to the terrace of a little café up there. Enjoy this view once you’re done viewing all the art.
That’s a lot of viewing! Grab yourself a coffee and sit on the terrace to reward yourself for all that hard work!
Poland has a really impressive military history. This is probably due to the fact that Polish people had to fight throughout most of their country’s history to keep Poland on the map. Even when the country really was wiped off the map for over 100 years, its nationals still continued to fight.
This museum tells the story of Poland’s military history, focusing on the Polish military during World War II. It has lots of artifacts- mostly weapons- from the war, as well as interactive exhibits. (You’ll find that such exhibits are common in most Polish museums.)
Are you fan of aircrafts? Then this museum was made for you! Do you not really know anything about aircrafts? Well, you still might enjoy this museum!
I definitely belong in the latter category, but I still thought this museum was really interesting. For one, it’s located on one of the oldest military airfields in all of Europe. And it has a really impressive collection of old planes and other aircrafts. Buy your ticket online here.
Thanks for reading my recommendations from one of my favorite cites in Poland! If you have any other recommendations or if you need tips for your trip to Kraków, feel free to comment below! 🙂
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The most beautiful city in Poland Breathtaking architecture!
I'd love to visit Krakow. I'm actually thinking Poland might be one of the places I try to visit next year, all going well in the world. Auschwitz is a place I feel like I need to visit, I am so interested in learning more about history and it seems like there's a lot of it in Krakow from your post. Thanks for such a detailed guide
Krakow has been getting quite popular recently. I honestly was not really thinking that it is high on my list, but your article is so great and full of super useful information. Certainly adding it to my bucket list now!
Uwielbiam Krakow! ;) Loved reading this post about my favourite Polish city, which is a two-hour drive from my hometown of Bielsko-Biala! Beautiful pics too! :)
Great post! I would love to visit a d check out the castle. Looks so pretty.
I loved visiting Krakow and can't wait to go back after seeing your post!
Ahh! I can't believe I've actually done so many of these - I loved Krakow so much when I visited. I ran out of time to go anywhere else in Poland, but I'm glad I got to experience places like Wawel, Auschwitz, and St. Mary’s Basilica (I missed the Harry Potter Cafe though). I loved reliving the memories with this post.
The underground museum looks awesome! I have been to Krakow but looks like there's a lot left to explore. Thanks for the inspo!