If you’re considering visiting Poland, Krakow is probably on your list – and for good reason. It is Poland’s most visited city, after all. There are so many things to do in Krakow to fill a week or more. One person I spoke with said we’d need a month to do everything in Krakow and surrounding areas. Honestly, I believe it. But I only had a week.
Whether you have a month, a week or only a few days, Krakow is still definitely worth a visit. It’s a great place to learn about Poland’s culture and history, eat great food and learn more about this region’s sad recent past.
Here are 25+ things to do in Krakow over a week.
Stroll Down the Vistula River
The Vistula is Poland’s biggest river and cuts through many of its major cities – including Krakow and Warsaw. There are good biking and walking paths down both sides of the river, as well as some places to just take a seat and relax next to it.
The vibe along the Vistula in Krakow is not quite as lively as a weekend evening in Warsaw, but it still makes for a pleasant walk. If you want to eat nearby, there are also restaurants and cafes that overlook the river.
There are also plenty of options to go down the Vistula itself. You can find men walking up and down the river offering boat rides. Or, you can take a small boat out for yourself for an hour or so.
Explore the Medieval Old Town
One of the first things to do in Krakow is to visit its medieval Old Town. While most old European cities have an old town, Krakow’s is especially spectacular. It was among the first to be listed in UNESCO’s World Heritage Site list.
The Old Town is the historic center of Krakow and served as the political center of Poland when Krakow was the capital. Unlike Warsaw, most of Krakow’s historic buildings survived WWII, so its Old Town is original.
I recommend arriving early to admire the colorful buildings, prominent monuments and memorials. You’ll find more crowds later in the day.
Tip: Leave the Old Town to find food. Although it is beautiful, the restaurants in it really cater to tourists and are more likely to be lower quality than those in other neighborhoods.
Walk Down Florianska Street to Florian’s Gate
Florianska Street is a picturesque street in the Old Town of Krakow. The street is characterized by its colorful buildings and mix of gothic and modern day architecture. But the thing that makes Florianska Street truly special is Florian’s Gate.
St. Florian’s Gate was the main gate used to enter the city and marked the beginning of the Royal Route to Wawel Castle. It dates back at least to 1307, but has probably been around for longer.
As you walk through Florian’s Gate and down the Royal Route, you can imagine you were a visitor of the king 700 years ago.
Admire “The Head” Statue
One thing you’ll notice walking through Krakow is the city’s love of statues and monuments. Some depict historical figures, and others are on the quirkier side of art.
You can find one of quirky art pieces within the Old Town. This giant bronze head with empty eye sockets is entitled “Eros Bendato,” but affectionately referred to as “The Head.” It symbolizes love’s binding ways.
Placement of The Head in the main square originally stirred some controversy. But now finding this statue is a favorite thing to do in Krakow for tourists. I recommend taking a picture of or with it.
Climb Kościuszko’s Mound and Visit His Museum
Tadeusz Kościuszko is a Polish-born war hero in both the US and Poland. He played a major role in the American revolution as an engineer who contributed to important battle fortifications. Kościuszko was such an important historical figure that he has a statue in Washington DC, and he’s the namesake of Australia’s tallest mountain.
However, I’d never heard of him – beyond the name – until visiting Krakow.
After involvement in both the American and French Revolutions, Kościuszko brought his revolutionary ideas to Poland. He helped lead the Poland-Lithuania Commonwealth in resistance against armies of Prussia and Russia. The attempt was unsuccessful, and Kosciuzko ended up in a Russian prison for two years. Still, history credits him with starting the Polish resistance that eventually led to independence.
Kościuszko is remembered today in Krakow with a museum and man made mound dedicated to him. To visit, you first go through the museum to learn about Kosciuzko’s life and contributions to the US and Poland. Then, you walk up the mound which offers an excellent view of Krakow and surrounding areas. On a clear day, you can supposedly see all the way to the Tatra Mountains.
I highly recommend visiting Kosciuzko’s Mound as a thing to do in Krakow, especially if you enjoy seeing cities from above.
Walk Across Father Bernatek’s Bridge
There are a few bridges over the Vistula River joining two sides of Krakow. One bridge joining Kazimierz to Podgorze is particularly special.
Father Bernatek’s Bridge is a pedestrian and bike bridge that features sculptures of acrobats in various poses frozen in time. These sculptures turn a simple act like crossing a bridge into an open-air art exhibit. I recommend taking your time while crossing the bridge to fully appreciate the sculptures.
Explore the Podgorze Neighborhood
Podgorze was the former Jewish neighborhood in Krakow, across the river from Kazimierz. If you’re spending multiple days in Krakow, it’s worth taking half a day to explore this neighborhood.
As a Jewish quarter, this neighborhood has a traumatic past. It was right in the midst of the Holocaust. In present day, it is also one of Krakow’s most interesting neighborhoods and has a bit of a reputation as a hipster place.
In this neighborhood, you can visit WWII and Holocaust memorial sites, beautiful old squares and cathedrals and interesting street art murals.
See the Jewish Ghetto Memorial
The Jewish Ghetto Memorial is in the Podgorze neighborhood, near its old market square. This neighborhood was the site of the Jewish Ghetto – a cramped, walled-in area where the Jewish people of Krakow were forced to live during WWII. It commemorates the Jewish people forced into ghettos and carted to concentration and extermination camps.
The memorial takes up a full square in the neighborhood and is free to enter. Across the square are dozens of empty chairs to represent the Jewish people of Krakow impacted during WWII with signs discussing how it should have never happened.
If you do visit, remember to be respectful. Don’t sit in the chairs.
Visit the Plaszow Concentration Camp Site
Another piece of dark WWII history you can visit in the Podgorze neighborhood is the site of the former Plaszow Concentration and Extermination Camp. The camp itself was mostly destroyed once Auschwitz was up and running at full efficiency, so there is not much to see. Today, it’s an free open-air museum.
There are signs throughout the site discussing the history of the camp, which was built upon a former Jewish Cemetery. Additionally, there are placards marking key locations throughout the camp, like the barracks for men, women and children, the kitchen, execution sites, etc. You can also see remains of the cemetery in some areas.
The site is completely open-air and free to enter, so you’ll want to visit on a clear day. It is quite somber, but a good thing to do in Krakow if you want to visit a lesser-known concentration camp site right in the city’s boundaries.
Admire St. Joseph’s Cathedral
St. Joseph’s Cathedral is also in the Podgorze neighborhood, across from the Market Square in the old neighborhood. You can’t miss it on the street, as it looms impressively large and ornate.
We couldn’t go inside when we arrived at the cathedral as a service was happening as it was Corpus Christi Day. However, we did get to see a procession for the religious holiday leave from the church and go through the neighborhood. Even on a non-holiday, seeing this impressive gothic church is a worthwhile thing to do in Krakow.
Take a Day Trip to the Wieliczka Salt Mines
One of the most-recommended things to do in Krakow is the Wieliczka Salt Mines, and for good reason. Before going, I was skeptical of whether it’d actually be worth the money, but it was actually really cool.
The small town of Wielzicka is located about an hour outside of Krakow and easily accessible by public transit. If you’re staying near the Old Town or the Kazimierz District, you’ll be able to get there on one bus. I’d recommend booking ahead of time to secure your time slot, but not necessary.
A visit to the salt mines includes a two-hour guided tour that takes you through the history of how the mines were discovered, their importance in local history and the many important visitors who toured them. They were a working salt mine until 1996, but a tourist attraction for essentially the entire time they’d been in operation.
Throughout the mine, you see statues made of salt, salt lakes and even a salt chapel. The chapel is still functioning to this day! Read my full recap of my day trip to Wieliczka.
Taste Poland’s Natural Wines
When you think of Poland, you might not also think of wine. However, Poland does have wine regions and is becoming more known for their natural wines. There are wine bars throughout Krakow where you can try and buy some of this natural wine.
One of the best places to try these wines, though, is straight from the source. Luckily, there are wineries you can visit within a stone’s throw of Krakow. One winery, called Winnica Wieliczka, is located about three kilometers from the salt mines. You can tour the salt mine in the morning and then visit the winery in the afternoon for a full day trip. Tastings cost about $10 USD/person, and they come with about eight tastings, including their orange wine. I recommend making a reservation.
Go on a Communism Walking Tour in Nowa Huta
Nowa Huta is a neighborhood far from the center of Krakow that has a bit of a bad reputation. It was built up as an “ideal communist city” in the 1950s. Today, it is one of the last areas of its kind that is still standing and retains its original layout and buildings. In fact, it’s on the waiting list for UNESCO World Heritage status.
I was incredibly interested in visiting it, though a bit wary of its reputation. It seemed like a walking tour was one of the best options. And let me tell you – the Communism Walking Tour in Nowa Huta was my favorite walking tour I’ve ever taken.
Our guide was such a great storyteller, and did so well at explaining the history of communism in Nowa Huta and larger Krakow, its fall and people’s current attitudes towards it. I learned so much about Soviet architecture through the decades and why buildings, neighborhoods and gardens were designed in certain ways during the communist era. It was the perfect way to see the neighborhood and learn about this part of history. It’s one of my personal most recommended things to do in Krakow.
Visit Wawel Castle and Hill
The Wawel Castle complex is considered one of the most culturally and historically important sites in Poland. Built in the 13th century, the castle was home to many Polish kings for centuries when Krakow was Poland’s capital. Many kings were crowned in the cathedral within the castle complex.
The castle also sits atop Wawel Hill, which offers an excellent view over Krakow as well. The hill and outside complex area are free to enter, but it does cost money to go inside the cathedral and castle exhibitions. You can pay for each individual area you want to enter.
On Mondays, entry to the armory and the Castle I complex that holds the residences and art are free to enter. Entrance to other exhibits and buildings are never free.
Tour Schindler’s Enamel Factory
Even if you’re not a film or history buff, perhaps you’ve heard of a movie called Schindler’s List? It tells the story of Oskar Schindler, a member of the Nazi party credited with saving the lives of many Jewish people in Krakow during WWII. There is now a museum about the Nazi occupation of Krakow in WWII where his enamelware factory once stood.
This museum gives a detailed overview of how the Nazis took over the city and began occupying Krakow – from the beginning of Polish men being drafted into war to the end of their occupation. There is only a small exhibit showing Schidler’s office in the factory and giving an overview of his life and how he came to be a hero. So if you’re coming for Oskar Schindler, you may have some disappointment.
The rooms of the museum are a bit small and can feel claustrophobic at times. The exhibit on the Jewish Ghetto especially squeezes people into a small space, I think on purpose to mimic the overcrowding of the ghettos. For that reason, only a limited number of people are allowed into the museum every day. It’s best to book ahead, especially if you want a guide.
There is free entrance to the museum on Mondays, but it closes at 2 p.m. The museum takes about 1-2 hours to visit. The length probably depends on how much WWII history you’ve already consumed in Krakow at the time of your visit.
Visit the Hala Targowa Market
The Hala Targowa open air market is one of Krakow’s most popular markets. It is about 10 minutes outside the Old Town, near the Kazimierz District. It’s open every day, with vendors selling goods and produce, as well as street food. Supposedly, it’s even bigger on Sundays when it turns into a full-fledged flea market with locals selling antiques and furniture as well.
Take a Day Trip to Auschwitz
One of the top things to do in Krakow is to take a daytrip to the Auschwitz-Birkenau Concentration camp. Though there were many concentration and extermination camps in Poland during WWII, Auschwitz was the biggest and best-preserved. The other camps were destroyed by Nazi soldiers once Auschwitz was fully built up, and prisoners were transferred there.
Do not take a day trip to Auschwitz lightly. It is a heavy day that will leave you feeling somber and sad. However, it is also a very important experience, and one that I would definitely recommend.
You can visit Auschwitz independently or with a tour. If you visit independently, there are buses going between Krakow and the site. I recommend still having a tour guide for at least part of your visit to give more context. If you want to secure a tour guide, you’ll have to book well in advance of your trip.
I went with a tour from Airbnb Experiences, and I appreciated the partial guidance and the small group experience. Read more about what to know before visiting and my experience here.
Walk through Planty Park
Planty park is a large green space that circles the Old Town. You can take time walking through the long tree-lined paths, relax on benches or enjoy some refreshments from stalls in the park. Planty is a great place especially if you need to get away from the heat of the sun, or take shelter if it rains as its trees form a nice canopy over the walkway.
I recommend taking time to walk through Planty as a thing to do in Krakow if you enjoy shaded walks, nature and people/dog watching.
Dine in a 17th Century Tavern
This recommendation is a little bit kitschy of a thing to do in Krakow. So if that’s not your thing, it’s not going to be for you. However, if you don’t mind a little kitsch and some good but somewhat pricey food, you might enjoy a meal at Ogniem i Mieczem.
I’m not sure how original or authentic the tavern truly is, but it certainly creates the right atmosphere for old time tavern vibes. The garden outside features stacks of wood, and inside has long wooden tables like you might see in Game of Thrones. Decor includes fake (?) animal skins and a coat of armor.
My partner and I ordered a mix of pierogies and pork knuckle, and it was a ton of a food. Everything was very well-made, with the pork perfectly crispy on the outside and juicy and well-spiced on the inside. I was wary of a place with such a tourist trap vibe, but pleasantly surprised.
See a Former Synagogue-Turned-Restaurant and Bar
Krakow has a strong Jewish heritage, and there are both working and former synagogues throughout the city. In the Jewish quarter of Kazimierz, you can eat and drink inside of a former Jewish synagogue at a restaurant called Hevre.
This synagogue was badly damaged during WWII, but much of its interior decor was preserved. Now it’s a bar and restaurant. It’s certainly interesting to walk inside a synagogue with tanks of Pilsner Urquell gracing the second floor.
The food is not super traditional, but it is delicious. I got a barbecue duck sandwich, which I’d highly recommend. Hevre makes for a very unique setting to have a tasty meal.
Visit a Brewery
While the larger Polish breweries are largely outside of the big cities, Krakow still has some small microbreweries. The breweries serve up a variety of beers, including pale ales, IPAs and baltic porters. There is also a small brewery called Tea Time that serves English-style ales.
Poland is known for their beer, and they’re edging their way onto the craft beer stage. So if you drink alcohol, definitely give it a try in Krakow.
Eat Your Fill of Pierogies
If you haven’t heard of pierogies, they are essentially a Polish dumpling. Pierogies are most commonly filled with meat, cabbage & mushrooms, and potatoes & cottage cheese. However, you can also find pierogies filled with things like duck, goose and other foods.
I was in Poland for nearly two weeks and ate pierogies at almost every meal. And I never got tired of them. In fact, if I went a meal without pierogies, it almost felt like a waste. I recommend Kuchnia u Doroty for the best pierogies I had in Krakow.
Enjoy Rosehip Jam Doughnuts
Polish doughnuts, called paczkis, come in many flavors and form factors. However, one type of doughnut Poland is particularly known for is its doughnut filled with rosehip jam. This floral jam is just sweet enough to complement the doughnut without being overwhelming. If you enjoy light floral sweets, I highly recommend getting your hands on this Polish specialty.
You can find bakeries lining the streets of Old Town selling these doughnuts. However, for the best doughnut, I recommend finding a small non-chain bakery outside of Old Town.
Try the Fast Food Zapiekanka
Zapiekanka is a popular fast food in Krakow. It’s very similar to a French bread pizza – it’s a large loaf of bread with sauce, cheese and other optional toppings.
You can find Zapiekanka all over Krakow. At night, tons of stalls in Hala Targowa Market sell them to people who had just come from the bars.
Go Bar Hopping
Krakow is gaining a reputation for its nightlife, especially in the Kazimierz district. If you like finding interesting bars and clubs, you will have no issue in Krakow.
I believe Krakow has a bar to suit everyone’s needs if you want to find one. There are bars with live music, bars with candlelight that emits an old-time vibe, bars with interesting and quirky art and so on. Because they can generally be found in a compact neighborhood, you can easily go to a few bars to find your vibe.
Additional Things to Do in Krakow
That is my list of 25 things to do in Krakow. As I said, you can easily spend a month here. So if you’re looking for more things to do in Krakow or alternatives to anything above, here are some recommendations:
- Tour the Barbican (Krakow fortress)
- Shop at Unitarg Flea Market
- Visit the Ethnographic Museum
- Play arcade games at the Pinball Museum
- Walk through the Cmentarz Rakowski
- Visit the Rynek Underground Museum
- Take a day trip to the Zakopane thermal baths
- Hike the Eagle’s Nest Trail
- Take a day trip to the Tatra Mountains
- Visit the Manggha Center (Asian art museum)
- Tour the MOCAK Museum of Contemporary Art
- Take a day trip to Ocjow National Park
- Do a vodka tasting
- Eat at a milk bar
Logistics
Where to Stay in Krakow:
There are a few neighborhoods where you could stay as a tourist and still have things to do in Krakow easily accessible.
- Old Town: Krakow’s Old Town is the historical heart of the city and will put you in close proximity to a lot of the top things to do in Krakow.
- Pros: Easily accessible to major attractions
- Cons: Crowded, noisy, more expensive than other areas
- Kazimierz: This neighborhood is a hot spot for restaurants, bars and is still very close to the Old Town. I stayed here and had no issues with noise, but others say it can be very noisy.
- Pros: Easily accessible to major attractions, close to hip restaurants and bars
- Cons: Can be rowdy, can be more expensive (though I found an Airbnb for $43/night)
- Podgorze: The former Jewish quarter is a little farther away from the top things to do in Krakow, but is becoming a very hip neighborhood to stay in and visit.
- Pros: More affordable accommodations, quieter, less crowded
- Cons: Farther away than the other two, but still accessible
Getting Around Krakow:
Krakow is a very accessible city by foot, bike, tram or bus. There are several walking and biking paths all throughout the city. Everything is well connected by quick, efficient and affordable public transport – even farther away neighborhoods like Nowa Huta. Day trips are accessible by bus or train as well. Overall, you don’t need a car around Krakow or surrounding areas.
Krakow Safety:
Krakow is considered a very safe city, especially in the well-known tourist areas. When I was researching Krakow safety, I saw warnings against going to Nowa Huta, with mixed information about safety. However, I spent some time in the neighborhood even after my walking tour there, and it seemed quite gentrified and very safe.
I did see that someone attempted to potentially rob or assault a live streamer at night during the same time I was in Krakow. I think it’s important to stick to well-lit areas with plenty of people around if you’re walking around at night, especially if you’re flaunting expensive equipment.
Additionally, make sure to be wary of pickpockets, and do not put valuables in your back pocket.
Those are my 25+ things to do in Krakow.
Are you interested in visiting Krakow? Feel free to reach out to me with any questions!
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