What to see in Krakow in four days?
Situated on the banks of the Vistula River, it is one of the largest, most important and oldest cities in Poland and for much of Polish history it was the capital of the country.
Indice:
Day 1, what to see in Krakow
Already staying in the historic center. What better than taking a tour of Krakow? Krakow Old Town Tour
As I always say, starting with a free tour is a good idea as soon as you arrive in a city you don’t know. With the help of someone who speaks our language, we can understand a little more about the place and its people and begin the tour with what there is to see in Krakow.
A must in Krakow is to take an excursion to theAwschwitz Birkenau area, which we will talk about later in the post.
Market Square
What better place to start touring what there is to see in Krakow than in this immense square, it is the largest medieval square in Europe, surrounded by churches, and beautiful buildings, there are many things we can see here.
Basilica of Santa Maria
The Basilica of Santa Maria will perhaps take our attention. Built in the 14th century, it is one of the most important, well-known and must-see monuments in Krakow.
The two towers of different heights will perhaps catch our attention. The highest tower is used to sound a trumpet every hour with a melody recognizable to all Poles, in honour of a watchman killed while blowing his trumpet to warn the citizens of an arrow during a siege of the city (which is why the song suddenly stops), and then the trumpeter greets all of us below. In the past, it was used to inform about the opening and closing of the city gates, as well as fires and enemy attacks.
The entrance to the basilica costs 15PLN (3.50 €), it is included in the Krakow pass. I will tell you about the tourist pass later. During the summer months you can also visit the tower to see the touch, the cost is 20PLN (4.50 €).
Cloth Market
We cross and go to the Cloth Market.
Located in the centre of the Market Square, the Cloth Hall was opened in the 13th century with a group of stalls that were later transformed into the building we see today.
It is undoubtedly an attractive building, inside we find many souvenir shops, a good time to buy something to take back with us, but perhaps the construction is what draws our attention the most.
Old Town Hall Tower
We continue to be dazzled by this square and turn our gaze towards the town hall tower.
Built in the 14th century, it is the only part of the old Town Hall that has been preserved since it was demolished in 1820. It is possible to climb it to get a view of the city. The cost of the climb is 18 PLN (€4), it is included in the Krakow Pass.
The Eros Bendato is a sculpture in the shape of a head, it is located in the western corner of the Market Square. The head belongs to Eros, the Greek god of love and desire. Made in 1999 for an exhibition organized in 2003/2004, it was later donated by the author and remained in Krakow.
The church of Santa Bárbara also occupies a place in this square.
The Church of St. Adalbert is another of the highlights of this square, a small church that often goes unnoticed.
Rynek underground museum.
This visit is different, I personally really enjoyed doing it, it is like going down to the basement of the city. The square has more to offer us, not only what we see on the surface but we can go down and learn about Krakow’s past.
Walking between the Cloth Hall and St. Mary’s Church, we may not realise that some 4 metres below ground lies a magnificent place to discover, as we said, Krakow’s past.
The museum was founded in 2005 after a series of archaeological investigations, which uncovered previously unknown historical facts and various objects from ancient times.
Rinek underground museum is a museum located in an archaeological excavation that has interactive exhibits that tell you about the past. As I was saying, I really liked it, but I have found mixed opinions about the visit. I think that, like everything, it depends on your tastes.
The entrance fee is 28 PLN (6.20€) and is included in the Krakow Pass
St. Peter and St. Paul Church
We will arrive at the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul. It is the largest church in the centre of Krakow considering the number of worshippers it can accommodate. It was built between 1597 and 1619.
St. Florian’s Gate and Barbican
Crossing this old town completely, we arrive at the Gate of St. Florian and crossing it to the Barbican.
The Barbican was built in 1499, but today the route is just a climb up the stairs and a walk around it, but it is still attractive. The entrance fee is 16 PLN (3.60 €), which is included in the Kraków card.
For this first day, dedicating it to the old town, its streets, taking the free tour and enjoying the square will be a good plan. Enjoy it little by little, don’t tire yourself out, we’ll continue tomorrow.
Day 2 what to see in Krakow
Wawel Hill
Our morning will be dedicated to Wawel Hill and Castle. Another of the must-sees in Krakow.
We will also arrive on foot because it is close to the historic centre. Wawel Hill, inhabited for thousands of years, was the site of the construction of the castle that we still see today and which was the first residence of the Polish kings.
After this long life and changes, today there are several parts open to the public and it is one of the most visited places in Krakow.
Wawel Cathedral
Let’s start with the Wawel Cathedral. Built between 1320 and 1364, it is a gothic church with three naves. It was the traditional coronation place of Polish monarchs.
Inside we can see the Sigismund Chapel, the Mausoleum of St. Etanislaus, the crypt and the Sigismund Bell. The latter is one of the visits we enjoyed doing, after climbing a wooden staircase you can see the famous Sigismund Bell built in 1520.
To access these places the entrance fee is 22 PLN (5€ approx).
Royal Palace
The other visit is the Royal Palace. Inside there are several rooms to see, the lost Wawel (in the basement), the State Rooms, the Royal Apartments, the Crown and Armoury Museum and the Museum of Oriental Art. Each one has separate entrances so you can visit the ones you choose. It has free entrance on Mondays, at certain times and dates.
They also have the John Paul II Cathedral Museum on the hill.
►All the information on the Wawel Castle website
Wawel Dragon Cave
And finally, the Dragon’s Cave. Legend has it that the Wawel Dragon lived here. The cave has tunnels that lead to the banks of the Vistula, where you can see a sculpture of the dragon. The entrance fee to the cave is 9 PLN (2€), but you can see the dragon for free as it circles around the outside of the hill.
Church of San Francisco de Asís
A walk back to the old town will take us to the Church of St. Francis of Assisi with the Monastery of the Franciscan Order on the west side of All Saints Square and in front of the Episcopal Palace , residence of Pope John Paul II during his stay in the city. The church dates back to the 13th century.
We walk back slowly towards the old town and we will take the opportunity to end the day in a museum.
Czartoryski Museum
The museum has works and furniture but perhaps most of us will come here for the famous painting The Lady with an Ermine by Leonardo Da Vinci
Admission is 60 PLN (€13.50) and is included with the Karokow Pass. On Tuesdays it has free admission.►More info on the museum’s website
Day 3, what to see in Krakow
Today we will go to the Jewish quarter, and the old ghetto of Krakow and we will do it with the free tour of the Jewish quarter and the ghetto, which if you remember I told you that accompanied us on the first day on the introductory tour to the city.
Kazimierz
We will start in the Old Town, in Planty Park and head to the Jewish cemetery and the Remu Synagogue.
The New Jewish Cemetery is a historical necropolis located on Miodowa Street in the former Jewish quarter of Kazimierz, covering an area of about 4.5 hectares. Since 1999, the cemetery has been a registered heritage monument.
We enter Kazimierz, bars, shops appear before our eyes, undoubtedly a charming neighborhood, and there the Remu Synagogue.
Remuh Synagogue
Built in the mid-16th century, the Remuh Synagogue is the smallest in Kazimierz and the only one still active today. On a visit to the synagogue you can see its old cemetery in which, despite the destruction suffered at the hands of the Nazis, numerous tombstones are still preserved. The entrance fee is 10 pln (approximately 2 euro) and is included in the Krakow Pass.
And then to eat a zapiekanka at Plac Nowy. Surrounded by antique sales, it is something we could not resist. I recommend them!
Several of the scenes in Schindler’s List have been filmed in this neighborhood.
►Tour of the sets of the film ‘Schindler’s List’, another possible tour to see in Krakow.
We will also pass through several synagogues, but also through a church, the Minor Basilica of Corpus Christi.
We will now leave the Jewish quarter to enter what was the Jewish ghetto of Krakow and for this we will cross a very beautiful bridge
Father Bernatek Bridge
Opened on 30 September 2010, the Father Bernatek Pedestrian Bridge spans both sides of the Vistula River, linking the districts of Kazimierz and Podgórze. Since 2016, the bridge has been adorned with nine gravity-defying acrobatic sculptures.
The bridge is also called by lovers because of the number of padlocks left on it.
Podgórze
We now cross over to what was once the Jewish ghetto. In 1941, the Podgórze district was transformed into the Krakow ghetto, a place of operation that separated the Jewish population from the rest. Before that event, the district had 3,000 inhabitants. The number rose to 15,000, who lived crowded together in houses and buildings.
Plaza to the heroes of the ghetto.
The Krakow Chairs Monument is located in the Ghetto Heroes Square and is a site that we cannot miss. This was the main square of the Ghetto, so it was precisely in this place where the Nazis selected the people who would be fit to work or those who were to be transferred to concentration camps such as Auschwitz.
Each of the chairs in the ghetto in Heroes’ Square symbolically represents 1000 Jews who lost their lives, after being deported and executed by the Nazis.
The monument was donated by Roman Polanski, the famous film director. He himself is a Holocaust survivor, who spent his childhood in Krakow.
On the corner of the square we find the Bajo El Águila pharmacy, the only non-Jewish Pole who was allowed to live in the ghetto and who helped many of its inhabitants to survive.
The pharmacy can be visited, we found it closed. The entrance fee is 18 pln (4 €).
Javier accompanied us here on the tour. Thank you for your help! (photo)
If you want Javier’s contact information to organize several guided tours around Krakow, ask me via message on Instagram. Anyway, I’ll leave the link in the description for those who want to do the free tour, both the introduction to the city and the Jewish quarter.
Óskar Schindler Factory Museum
A short distance from here we found the Schindler’s Factory Museum, and so we went.
The entrance fee is 32 PLN (€7.20), it is included in the Krakow Pass.
►Guided tour of Schindler’s Factory
Although you might think that the exhibition will be about the factory and the story of how Oskar Schindler employed Jewish workers, thus saving them from an announced end, the exhibition is actually broader and shows the history of the city from the end of 1939 to the communist era into which it was plunged after the end of the war.
The tour through the factory features exhibits, reconstructions, images and sounds that take you back to the hard times that Jews in Poland experienced during the Nazi occupation. But as I said, if you are looking for the history of the factory, this is not the focus. It is also a good idea to take this tour with a guide to get the most out of it.
We return to the Jewish quarter to continue enjoying this sunny afternoon and end the day in the old town.
As always, the maps accompany us so we don’t get lost, and thanks to the fact that we have unlimited internet with Holafly’s eSims. Throughout our last trip we have changed countries several times and thanks to the eSim Europe of unlimited internet we are always connected. Discount code: EUROPAACOMPAÑADA5
Nova Huta
To end the day we went by car, but you can do it by public transport, to Nowa Huta, a communist-era neighborhood. You can see here the typical constructions of the time. Perhaps with more time we would have discovered more but it is not something that we highlight to do if you do not have time to spare. There is a free tour, we didn’t do it, maybe it’s a good way to discover the neighborhood.
Day 4 What to see in Krakow
For this last day of things to see in Krakow, moving away from the city a little, you can choose to visit the Auschwitz concentration camp, the Wieliczka salt mine, or the town where John Paul II was born, Wadowice.
Three totally different visits from each other, but all very interesting.
Auschwitz-Birkenau
The first, a visit to Auschwitz/Birkenau, is a visit for which you have to be emotionally prepared, because it is a tough visit to make.
If you go on your own you can do it by car about 70 kilometers away or by public transport, they have buses that make the journey, and the tickets if you get them in time on the official website, because you can’t imagine the number of people there are. The cost is 90 PLN (20€)
The other way, if you want to complicate it less, is a guided tour from Krakow, around €40/50. ►Book Auschwitz tour from Krakow
Wieliczka Salt Mine
The second visit I recommend as a must from Krakow and is the Wieliczka Salt Mine.
You can also go on your own by car (about 14 kilometers), or by public transport there is a train that covers the route, and buy tickets in advance for the tour in Spanish on the official website. The entrance fee is 82 PLN (just over 18€).
They also have tours in English from Krakow, the price is around €50, if you don’t want to complicate things, it is more practical. ►Book Salt Mine Tour from Krakow
It is a wonderful tour, you are impressed by the beauty sculpted inside, a visit that I recommend doing.
They have a tour that does both of the above mentioned visits on the same day, starting in Awschwitz and continuing with a visit to the salt mines, the price of which is around €100. ►Auschwitz and Wieliczka Salt Mines Tour
Wadowice, John Paul II’s route
And finally, there may be those who want to visit the town of Juan Pablo Segundo and try his favorite dessert.
The city is Wadowice, about 50 kilometers from Krakow. We went by car, but you can also go by bus.
There are also guided excursions, around €100. ►John Paul II Tour from Krakow
Where do we stay?
Krakow for you was the place chosen. Small apartments in the heart of the historic center, the location is excellent. They have reception, the only con are the stairs to carry the suitcases.
Where do we have dinner?
To eat during the day they have what they call milk bars, they are bars from the communist era and the food is very cheap, you will find them all over Poland, we visited them in Gdansk and Wroclaw, not here.
For dinner we chose several, Wesele, Stodola 47 and Chlopskie Jadlo.
What has been said in Warsaw, try the foods on the Polish menu will not disappoint you and the prices are usually not as expensive as in other cities in Europe.
Always remember to travel with health insurance, we use Iati, I leave you our link with a discount.►5% discount on Iati travel insurance
Map & Video
NOTE: The information in this article is based on our own experience, being totally objective. This article contains affiliate links
