Things to do in Kraków
Kraków survived the war intact, so its medieval core is the real thing rather than a reconstruction. It's also the best base for Poland's two most important day trips.
Top picks in Kraków
The experiences we'd book first, compared by length.
| Experience | Duration | |
|---|---|---|
| Kazimierz food tour | 3–4 hours | Check prices |
| Kraków Old Town walking tour | 2–3 hours | Check prices |
| Wawel Royal Castle | 1–2 hours | Check prices |
| Wawel Castle skip-the-line tickets | 1–2 hours | Check prices |
| Schindler's Factory Museum | 1.5 hours | Check prices |
| Wieliczka Salt Mine tour | 2–4.5 hours | Check prices |
Attractions in Kraków
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See all →Kraków's Old Town is built around Europe's largest medieval square, with the Cloth Hall at its centre and St Mary's Basilica on one corner – its hourly trumpet call played live from the tower. Beneath the square itself, the Rynek Underground Museum holds the excavated medieval market. From there it's a short walk up to Wawel Castle and its cathedral above the river – the grounds are free, but the paid exhibitions need their own skip-the-line tickets.
The former Jewish quarter of Kazimierz is a short walk south, best explored on a food tour or a Jewish Quarter walking tour covering its synagogues and the former ghetto, and a short Vistula river cruise gives a different angle on the same riverside. For WWII history without the trip out to Auschwitz, Schindler's Factory covers the occupation years inside the city.
Three of the region's best day trips are easy from here too: Wieliczka Salt Mine (or its quieter, older sibling, Bochnia), Auschwitz-Birkenau – bookable as a guided tour, or self-guided if you'd rather go without a group – and Ojców National Park for a lighter, outdoor day among castles and limestone cliffs.
Planning the trip itself? See our 3-day Kraków itinerary, the best time to visit, and how to get around the city once you land. Combining Kraków with Prague on the same trip? See our Poland & Czech Republic itinerary for how to split the time and get between the two.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
The Old Town and Wawel Castle for the history, Kazimierz for food and nightlife, and a day trip to Wieliczka Salt Mine or Auschwitz-Birkenau – both count among the most-booked experiences in the whole region.
