The Open Road Travel

Krakow is a city with a rich and storied history, boasting important sites and events covering a period from at least the 13th century right up until the modern day.

That can make choosing the best things to do in Krakow quite the challenge, as you will want to make sure you can fit everything in.

With such a vast number of attractions on offer, those staying for shorter breaks will have an even tougher time, as it is so easy to miss something without even realising.

That is why we have compiled the following list of the 10 best things to do in Krakow. While it by no means includes everything the city has to offer, it will show you the locations that provide the most value, which the majority of people simply won’t want to miss.

So, if you want to plan the perfect Krakow itinerary for your trip, this is the article for you.

Krakow is the second largest and most populous city in Poland, as well as one of its oldest. It also served as the country’s capital until 1596. The first settlements on the site date back to the 7th century, meaning there is a rich and vibrant history present throughout the city.

It has many locations synonymous with World War II, as well as Polish royals dating back to the 13th century. There is also a plethora of unique sights that demonstrate both its natural beauty and its location at the heart of Europe.

In 1978, the Old Town at the heart of Krakow was the first place on Earth to be designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It has also been approved as a UNESCO City Of Literature and was named European Capital Of Culture in the year 2000.

Classified as a “Global City”, Krakow is regularly cited as one of the most beautiful in all of Europe. When combined with its history, this makes Krakow a destination that has plenty to offer for people of all tastes.

When looking at the best time to visit Krakow, I would suggest the period from mid-June to the end of August as the perfect window for the majority of people. Like most of Poland, Krakow is known for its long and bitter winters.

This is the part of the year that sees the warmest, most pleasant temperatures, ensuring you will be able to take in the beauty of the city and all of its outdoor attractions, without constantly worrying about trying to keep warm.

As we move to our list of the 10 best things to do in Krakow, I am going to suggest a broad range of options. These will include things to appeal to travellers of all different interests, while ensuring you have something to cover everything that Krakow is known for.

The Kazimierz district is the historic centre of Krakow and was the first location ever designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978.

The district is further divided into two sections, based on historical lines that were home to the city’s Christian and Jewish communities.

The Jewish section of Kazimierz is known as Krakow’s Jewish Quarter. Among the attractions here you will find six beautiful synagogues, demonstrating examples of Jewish architectural styles in Poland throughout the years.

Among them is the Old Synagogue, the oldest synagogue still standing anywhere in Poland. Now home to the Jewish History Museum, it is the perfect destination to learn about the legacy of the Jewish population of the country in one of their most important locations.

The Old Jewish Cemetery Of Krakow, also known as the Remah Cemetery, is another similar attraction, as it is among the oldest Jewish cemeteries in Poland, with graves dating back as far as 1535.

Each summer, the Kazimierz Jewish Quarter hosts the Jewish Culture Festival, where you can learn even more about the customs of the Jewish community, both historically and in the present day.

So Important is the area to the Jewish people of Poland that it was even used as a major filming location in the Oscar winning movie “Schindler’s List”, as the events that inspired the movie took place in the neighbourhood.

On the Christian side of the district, you then have a collection of beautiful churches and exciting museums to explore.

This makes the Kazimierz District the perfect place to experience everything there is to know about the diverse religious history of the city of Krakow.

Rynek Glowny is the main square in the city of Krakow and the largest Medieval square in all of Europe, dating back to the 13th century.

The heart of the square is dominated by the Krakow Cloth Hall, a Renaissance building rebuilt in 1555.

Historically an important centre of trade in the city, the building now houses the Gallery Of 19th Century Polish Art At Sukiennice, where you can learn about the changing styles of the city.

Surrounding the Cloth Hall, you have then have numerous other attractions.

These include Mary’s Basilica, a 14th century Gothic style church, the Town Hall Tower, the only remaining part of the original Town Hall, and the Adam Mickiewicz Monument, one of the most famous bronze statues in all of Poland, created in 1898.

Surrounded by historic townhouses and churches, the Rynek Glowny square is the perfect place to see some of the best art and architecture in Krakow.

It is also the location of many of the city’s biggest festivals throughout the year.

It hosts the Krakow Szopka, Juwenalia Student, and Military Bands Festivals, as well as the Lajkonik celebrations, the Great Orchestra Of Christmas Charity Gala Concert, and the largest New Years Eve display in Poland.

Located directly beneath the Rynek Glowny, the Rynek Underground is a high tech multimedia museum that presents recreations of Krakow from seven hundred years ago, using equipment such as screens, projectors, and fog machines.

Visitors can explore more than 600 three dimensional models and use 37 carefully placed touch screens to have one of the most immersive historic experiences you will find anywhere in Krakow.

Adjacent to the multimedia exhibits, you will also find excavated tracts and ancient streets which the market square was built on top of. Glass ramps will allow you to walk directly on top of the remains of various Medieval buildings and constructions.

These include aqueducts, the remnants of burned settlements dating back as far as the 11th century, recreations of a Medieval merchant and 12th century workshop, and a map showing distant historic trade routes.

With modest entry fees and free admission on Tuesdays, the Rynek Underground is one of the most unique attractions you will find and one simply not to be missed during any visit to Krakow.

Another part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site that covers Krakow’s historic centre, Wawel Castle was built in the 13th century, with some of the buildings located within its walls even dating back as far as the 10th century.

Originally built for King Casimir III The Great, it is one of the largest castle complexes in all of Poland. Constantly adapted and expanded through the centuries, it features sections that display almost all of the important European architectural styles across the ages.

Its Italian styled main courtyard is surrounded by buildings displaying architectural styles including Baroque, Gothic, Medieval, Renaissance, and Romanesque.

It also now contains one of the largest, most popular art museums in Poland, with more than 10 different departments hosting a collection of exhibits including armour, ceramics, jewellery, prints, paintings, porcelain, sculptures, tapestries, textiles, and weapons.

This combination of architecture and works of art makes it a must visit destination for any fans of historic buildings or works of art.

Many of the buildings also hold great significance for the Polish people. For example, the cathedral is where countless Polish monarchs have been coronated and buried, while the main castle was the royal residence for the Kings of Poland for centuries.

Those seeking a more mythical experience will also enjoy the Dragon’s Cave below Wawel Castle. Legend states that a Dragon lived here until it was slain by a local cobbler named Krak, who was then named king and had the city of Krakow named after him.

Stary Kleparz, also known as Old Kleparz, is the oldest continuously operating market in Krakow, having been open for more than 800 years.

Stalls sell everything from local produce and clothing to Polish souvenirs, making it a fabulous place to pick up anything you need during your stay, as well as keepsakes to take home with you.

Still as important to the local inhabitants today as it was when it first opened, Stary Kleparz allows you to see how people would have historically shopped in Krakow, while immersing yourself in the way of life for modern residents of this part of Krakow.

Ghetto Heroes Square is a small yet poignant site in the city, which is among the many locations in Krakow dedicated to remembering those lost during World War II.

The site features a collection of 70 bronze and iron chairs, designed to commemorate the Jewish people of the city who lost their lives during the Holocaust.

Located at a site that was a popular meeting point for people in the Jewish resistance, it brings home the reality of how this may have been one of the last places the victims saw before they were taken to the death camps.

For older visitors, it could even be an opportunity to revisit the last place they saw their fallen comrades.

Schindler’s Factory is a former metalworking factory which rose to front of pop culture prominence with the release of the 1993 Oscar winning film “Schindler’s List”.

It is the location where Oscar Schindler took it upon himself to house or employ around 1200 Jews that he had saved from deportation to concentration camps. He did this by using his standing in the community and connections within the Nazi party to bribe officials.

The site is now home to two museums, the Museum Of Contemporary Art In Krakow, and the Historical Museum Of The City Of Krakow.

This allows visitors the chance to learn more about the city and the war, while exploring a location that has incredible significance in the city’s history.

Film buffs will also have the opportunity to explore locations from the movie, as many of the scenes were actually filmed in the very locations that they occurred in real life.

The Kosciuszko Mound is an artificial mound built in 1823 to resemble the prehistoric mounds of Krak and Wanda.

Designed to honour Polish national leader and military hero Tadeusz Kościuszko, fortifications were added in the 1850s so that it could be used as a military lookout.

The mound stands 35.5 metres (116.5 feet) tall, with its summit located 330 metres (1082.5 feet) above sea level. This allows it to offer some of the most stunning panoramic views of the city you will find anywhere in the region.

Visitors can stroll up the serpentine path that weaves around the mound, enjoying the views as they go, before getting to take in the sights and monument which can be found at its peak.

Also known as the “Salt Cathedral”, the Wieliczka Salt Mine was a royal mine that was in use continuously from the 13th century until 2007, making it one of the oldest operating anywhere in the world.

Designated a Polish Historic Monument and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the salt mine is a vast complex of shafts and a labyrinth of passageways located deep underground.

An underground lake and salt pools are surrounded by chapels, sculptures, and statues carved into the salt by various miners and artists through the years.

Its beautiful, unique style are unlike anything you will find elsewhere in Krakow, or perhaps the entire world, making a tour of the Wieliczka Salt Mine a must on any trip to the city.

While technically located around 40 kilometres (25 miles) to the west of Krakow, the infamous location of Auschwitz is a destination many people coming to Krakow will plan to visit.

As such, there are many tour companies around the city offering transportation and guided day trips. Auschwitz I was originally a Polish army barracks.

However, when the Germans invaded Poland in 1939, they converted it into one of the most horrific locations on earth, as it became the heart of a complex that features more than 40 concentration and death camps, designed to facilitate the genocide of the Jewish people.

In the five years between 1940 and 1945 that Auschwitz was in operation, it housed at least 1.3 million inmates. Of that number, at least 1.1 million were confirmed to have died or been executed on this site alone.

In 1947, two years after the end of World War II, the Polish government founded the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum on the site. It was designed as a way to not only honour the people who died here, but also to ensure the atrocities committed were never forgotten.

Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979, it is one of the most famous museums on the planet. Anyone hoping to learn more about World War II or the Nazi “Final Solution To The Jewish Question” simply won’t find anywhere better to do so than right here.

The Premier Krakow Hotel is a beautiful, 4-star hotel, located on the outskirts of the city, around 10 minutes from the Old Town.

Its location makes it perfectly situated to take in stunning views of the attractions, while not being caught up in the tourist buzz of the city centre.

All of its rooms feature air conditioning, soundproofing, and Wi-Fi, as well as amenities like LCD satellite TVs, a safe, and tea and coffee making facilities. Ironing facilities are also available upon request, as is a luggage storage facility in the reception.

The property features a swimming pool and sauna to help guests unwind or work out, while there is also a café bar, where you can sit and relax with a coffee or something stronger.

The on-site restaurant provides a varied buffet breakfast each morning, before offering international cuisine thereafter.

Krakow is an incredible, historic city, which is one of the most important locations in Poland and perhaps all of Europe.

While there is an incredible number of things to do and see, this list of the 10 best things to do in Krakow will hopefully have helped you build your perfect itinerary.

That means all that is left is to get your favourite hotels and attractions booked. That way, you won’t have to worry about missing anything and can start looking forward to experiencing it all for yourself as soon as possible.