Krakow packs more history per square kilometre than almost any European city. The entire Old Town and Kazimierz district form a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the city survived World War II with its medieval core intact, unlike Warsaw. From Europe’s largest medieval market square to an underground salt cathedral carved over seven centuries, here are the essential things to do in Krakow with practical details on prices, hours, and how to navigate each attraction. For a detailed guide, see our Krakow weather by month.
Things to Do in Krakow: Old Town and Royal Route
Main Market Square (Rynek Główny)
Krakow’s Main Market Square is the largest medieval town square in Europe, measuring 200 by 200 metres. It is free to walk around at any hour and is the city’s natural gathering point. The Cloth Hall (Sukiennice) runs through the centre, with souvenir stalls on the ground floor (open daily 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM, variable by season) and the Gallery of 19th-Century Polish Art upstairs (admission PLN 25, closed Mondays). The square is ringed by cafes where a coffee costs PLN 12-18 (US$3-4.50). The hourly trumpet call (Hejnal Mariacki) from St. Mary’s Basilica tower is played live at noon and broadcast on Polish national radio. For the best photos, arrive before 8:00 AM when the square is nearly empty. For a detailed guide, see our best time to visit Krakow.
St. Mary’s Basilica (Kosciol Mariacki)
This 14th-century brick Gothic church dominates the northeast corner of the Main Square with its mismatched towers. The interior holds the Altarpiece of Veit Stoss, a 13-metre-high wooden masterpiece carved between 1477 and 1489, considered the largest Gothic altarpiece in Europe. Admission costs PLN 15 (US$4) for tourists; worshippers enter free through a separate door on the side facing the square. Opening hours are Monday through Saturday 11:30 AM to 6:00 PM, Sunday 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM. The tower climb (PLN 15, 239 steps) offers a panorama of the square from 54 metres up but has narrow, single-file staircases; go at opening time to avoid queues. For a detailed guide, see our Krakow events and festivals.
Wawel Royal Castle and Cathedral
Wawel Hill, a limestone outcrop above the Vistula River, served as the seat of Polish kings from the 11th to the 17th century. The complex includes the Royal Castle, the Cathedral, and several museums. The Castle State Rooms (admission PLN 40, about US$10) showcase Flemish tapestries and Renaissance interiors. The Cathedral (free to enter the main nave; crypts and bell tower cost extra at PLN 15 each) contains the tombs of Polish monarchs and national heroes. The lost Wawel exhibit and the Crown Treasury (PLN 35 each) display royal regalia. Opening hours vary by season: generally 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM in winter, until 7:00 PM in summer. The complex is closed on select holidays. Book tickets online at bilety.wawel.krakow.pl at least a week ahead in summer to skip the ticket queue. For a detailed guide, see our Krakow neighborhoods.
Rynek Underground Museum
Beneath the Cloth Hall, this high-tech archaeological museum (opened 2010) displays excavated medieval market stalls, cobblestone roads, and a 12th-century cemetery discovered during a four-year dig under the Main Square. Admission costs PLN 36 (US$9) and you should book a timed entry slot at least one day in advance via the museum’s website, as same-day availability is limited in high season. Open Tuesday through Sunday; hours vary. Budget 90 minutes for the visit. Touchscreens and holograms reconstruct medieval Krakow life, making it one of the city’s best rainy-day activities. For a detailed guide, see our where to stay in Krakow.
Things to Do in Krakow: Kazimierz (Jewish Quarter)
Kazimierz District Walking Tour
Kazimierz was Krakow’s Jewish quarter for over 500 years before the Nazi occupation. Today it is the city’s most atmospheric neighbourhood, with cobblestone streets, synagogues, and a thriving bar and restaurant scene. A self-guided walk should cover Szeroka Street (the historic centre), the Old Synagogue (PLN 18, the oldest surviving synagogue in Poland, now a museum), Remuh Synagogue and Cemetery (PLN 10, still active, with 16th-century gravestones), and Plac Nowy, the square known for its zapiekanki (open-faced baguette pizzas) food stalls open until late. Free walking tours depart daily from the Old Synagogue at 10:00 AM, 12:00 PM, and 2:00 PM (tips expected, PLN 40-60 is standard). For a detailed guide, see our Krakow travel tips.
Schindler’s Factory Museum
Located across the river in Podgorze at 4 Lipowa Street, this museum occupies the actual enamel factory where Oskar Schindler saved over 1,200 Jewish lives during the Holocaust. The permanent exhibition, “Krakow Under Nazi Occupation 1939-1945,” is not about the film but uses the factory as a setting to tell the city’s wartime story through photographs, documents, and reconstructed spaces including a tram, a ghetto wall, and Schindler’s office. Admission costs PLN 32 (US$8). Open Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 AM, closing at 2:00 PM in winter and 6:00 PM in summer. Tickets sell out daily in high season: book at muzeumkrakowa.pl at least 2-3 days ahead. The museum is closed on Mondays.
Things to Do in Krakow: Day Trips
Wieliczka Salt Mine
The Wieliczka Salt Mine, a UNESCO site 14km southeast of Krakow, has been in operation since the 13th century. The tourist route descends 135 metres underground through chambers, chapels, and salt lakes carved entirely from rock salt. The highlight is St. Kinga’s Chapel, a 54-metre-long cathedral with salt chandeliers and relief carvings. The standard Tourist Route (PLN 100-120, about US$25-30) takes 2-3 hours and includes a mandatory guided tour in English or Polish. Trains run from Krakow Glowny to Wieliczka Rynek-Kopalnia station every 30 minutes (PLN 6.50, 22 minutes). Bus 304 also runs from the city centre. Book tickets online at wieliczka-saltmine.com at least a day ahead; same-day availability is rare in summer.
Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum
The Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial is 70km west of Krakow in the town of Oswiecim. Entry to the grounds is free but requires a timed entry card reserved online at visit.auschwitz.org. Guided tours (PLN 90-110, about US$22-27) last roughly 3.5 hours and are available in multiple languages. Direct buses depart from Krakow MDA bus station (adjacent to the main train station) every 30-60 minutes starting at 6:20 AM; the ride takes 90 minutes and costs PLN 15-20. Trains to Oswiecim station run hourly but leave you a 2km walk from the museum; the bus is more convenient. Book your entry card 2-4 weeks ahead for summer dates. The museum recommends visitors be at least 14 years old.
Tatra Mountains and Zakopane
The Tatra Mountains, Poland’s highest range, lie 110km south of Krakow with the resort town of Zakopane as the gateway. Buses depart Krakow MDA station roughly hourly (PLN 25-30, 2 hours). In summer, the trail to Morskie Oko lake (9km each way, paved road, 2.5 hours walking or horse cart for PLN 70 round trip) is the most popular hike. In winter, Zakopane offers skiing with lift passes around PLN 130-160 per day. The town itself has a wooden architecture style unique to the Podhale region and restaurants serving grilled oscypek sheep cheese with cranberry sauce. The temperature at 1,000 metres is typically 5-8°C cooler than Krakow.
Things to Do in Krakow: Free Attractions
Planty Park
Planty Park is a 4-kilometre green belt that encircles the entire Old Town, built in the 1820s on the site of the demolished medieval city walls. It is free, open 24 hours, and lined with benches, fountains, and monuments. The section between Wawel Castle and Florian’s Gate is particularly scenic. In spring, lilacs and chestnut trees bloom along the paths. Street musicians and portrait artists set up near the Barbican in summer.
Vistula River Boulevards
The pedestrianised boulevards along the Vistula River run from Wawel Castle to the Bernatek footbridge connecting Kazimierz to Podgorze. The route passes houseboats converted into bars and cafes open seasonally (May through September). The Bernatek Bridge, opened in 2010, features overhead steel sculptures of acrobats by artist Jerzy Kedziora. The boulevards are popular with runners, cyclists, and sunset watchers. Bike rental costs PLN 40-60 per day from shops near the Old Town.
Kosciuszko Mound (Kopiec Kosciuszki)
This 34-metre artificial mound, built between 1820 and 1823 to honour national hero Tadeusz Kosciuszko, offers the best panoramic view of Krakow. Admission costs PLN 20 (US$5) and includes the adjacent fort and a small museum. Open daily 9:00 AM to dusk. It is in the Zwierzyniec district, reachable by tram lines 1 or 2 to the “Salwator” terminus. On a clear day you can see the Tatra Mountains 100km to the south. Sunset visits are popular with photographers.
