Top 15 Attractions and Activities in Kraków

Crowned by an impressive royal castle and characterized by its church spires and world-class museums, Kraków integrates the historical with the contemporary.

The streets of the former Jewish quarter Kazimierz and the nearby Auschwitz serve as somber reminders of 20th-century tragedies, while the bustling crowds in Kraków’s main square and the eateries lining picturesque Old Town lanes radiate 21st-century vibrancy. Alongside prominent attractions, simpler local pleasures abound: strolling along the Vistula River, enjoying hearty traditional cuisine in a retro bar mleczny (cafeteria), listening to local music in a renowned dive bar, savoring coffee in the hipster enclave Tytano, and admiring the art nouveau architecture.

Here are the best activities to experience in Kraków.

1. Wawel Royal Castle and Wawel Cathedral

Perched on Wawel Hill and overseeing Old Town, this historic site was the center of Polish royalty for centuries, embodying the nation’s pride and identity. The red-roofed, turreted architecture encircled by a red-brick wall represents a 16th-century Renaissance palace that reflects the evolution of royal residence usage at this historically significant site since the 11th century.

Prominent features include the luxurious 16th-century tapestries and intricately carved wooden heads in the grand state rooms, intimate royal apartments that provide insight into the lives of monarchs, the treasury containing crown jewels, and the Szczerbiec (jagged sword) that has been pivotal in Polish coronations since 1320, located within the vaulted Gothic armory.

Allocate sufficient time to explore the adjacent Wawel Cathedral, where many of Poland’s kings and queens rest eternally in elaborate tombs, alongside the remains supposedly belonging to the legendary Wawel dragon. The grounds can be visited free of charge, although it is advisable to secure tickets for desired exhibits at least two weeks in advance due to their high demand.

2. Główny Rynek (Main Market Square)

Encircled by restaurants and accentuated by magnificent centuries-old edifices, Główny Rynek (Main Market Square) stands as the epicenter of Old Town, being Europe’s largest medieval town square. After exploring the market building, step back in time by visiting the medieval-meets-the-21st-century museum situated below the square.

Engaging multimedia exhibits, holograms, and animated puppets recreate medieval market stalls and present insights into historical burial practices for vampire prevention. It is advisable to acquire timed tickets in advance. The museum offers free admission on Tuesdays and is closed on the second Monday of each month.

3. Auschwitz-Birkenau

The profound impact of the site may reveal itself differently to each visitor. For some, the “Death Block,” with its torture cells and crematorium, is particularly haunting. For others, the gas chambers and the innumerable rows of crematoria at Birkenau, the site of most mass killings, leave a lasting impression. Others may be moved by the mountain of eyeglasses, prosthetic limbs, and piles of battered suitcases with personal addresses from victims whose final journey led them here.

In any case, Auschwitz is unlikely to leave anyone indifferent. Over one million Jews, as well as countless Poles and Roma, perished here between 1940 and 1945, and the preserved camp serves as a stark, essential historical lesson.

Auschwitz is accessible by bus, train, and organized day tours from Kraków. While independent visitors can navigate the site without a guide, participating in a guided tour enhances the experience, which includes a screening of the graphic 1945 documentary film produced by Soviet liberators and various exhibits within the barracks.

4. Explore Kazimierz

Situated southeast of Old Town, the Kazimierz neighborhood was once Poland’s principal center of Jewish culture for 500 years, tragically devastated during the mass deportation and extermination of Kraków’s Jews by the Nazis. After a period of decline during the Communist era, Kazimierz has experienced a resurgence in recent years.

A leisurely walk through its streets allows for an appreciation of historic landmarks, including the restored Old Synagogue, the 19th-century Jewish Cemetery with its surviving tombstones, the Moorish-style Temple Synagogue, and the sobering Galicia Jewish Museum, which chronicles the history of Jews in Kraków. Consider browsing the flea markets at Plac Nowy on weekends or attending film screenings or concerts at Cheder during the Jewish Culture Festival.

5. Wieliczka Salt Mine

This immensely popular attraction is situated just outside of Kraków and has been a UNESCO-certified underground labyrinth of passages and chambers since the 1720s. The experience is not for those who are claustrophobic: the standard tourist tour involves descending at least 125m (410ft) below ground level and spending two hours exploring the depths of the former mine, while returning visitors can opt for a more immersive miners’ tour.

Noteworthy attractions include an underground lake, chapels adorned with intricate statues carved from salt, and a salt cathedral featuring impressive chandeliers. Indeed, every aspect of the mine, including the walls, is crafted from salt; a lick of the wall may be intriguing, but it is entirely optional. Access to Wieliczka Salt Mine can be readily achieved via bus, train, or organized tour from Kraków; do bring a sweater.

6. Schindler’s Factory Museum

Oscar Schindler, the German industrialist memorialized in Steven Spielberg’s 1993 film Schindler’s List, rescued more than a thousand Jewish residents of the Podgórze ghetto from deportation to death camps through their employment at his enamel factory. The Schindler’s Factory Museum, featured within the Schindler’s List film set, received significant renovations in 2010, establishing it as one of Kraków’s essential museums. It is prudent to reserve your timed visit at least three days in advance due to its immense popularity; do not overlook the impactful permanent exhibition, Kraków During Nazi Occupation 1939-1945, which details daily life, underground resistance, and anti-Semitic oppressions in the city during WWII.

7. Eat Street Food

Every city boasts its unique street food specialties; Paris offers croissants, Hanoi is known for its bánh mì, Vienna has its käsekrainer, and Kraków features obwarzanek. These chewy, delightful bagels, topped with either poppy or sesame seeds, can be found at stalls dotting Old Town, with locals easily able to point you towards the freshest options.

However, Kraków’s street cuisine extends beyond bagels. The best place to sample kielbasa (traditional Polish sausage) is at the Kiełbaski z Niebieskiej Nyski van, located in front of the Hala Targowa market on ul. Grzegorzecka. Additionally, don’t miss zapiekanka—half a baguette covered with melted cheese, mushrooms, and a splash of ketchup. This quintessential Polish fast food, developed in the 1970s from limited ingredients, now boasts various gourmet versions available at fast-food stalls. For numerous zapiekanka vendors in one location, visit the Okrąglak food court at Plac Nowy in Kazimierz.

8. Nowa Huta

To glimpse the lifestyle of steelworkers in the 1950s, take tram 4 or 10 from central Kraków to this remarkable example of socialist-realist urban planning and Communist architecture located in the eastern part of the city. If wandering through the uniformly grey, identical residential blocks does not suffice, consider touring Nowa Huta in a vintage, Communist-era Trabant vehicle with Crazy Guides, who will guide you into old nuclear fallout shelters while serving vodka.

9. Klub Awaria

Klub Awaria exemplifies that slightly edgy dive bar experience that might raise an eyebrow. It features sticky floors and vaulted ceilings, attracting a vibrant crowd willing to share drinks with newcomers to ensure their participation in the mildly anarchic nightly festivities. Local blues and rock bands frequently perform here, with subsequent table dancing to Tina Turner classics adding to the lively atmosphere.

10. Cruise Along the Vistula

The tranquil Vistula River runs through the city and is favored by locals for morning runs along its banks stretching for several kilometers from Wawel Royal Castle to the eastern suburbs, bypassing Kazimierz along the route. Alternatively, if you have local acquaintances, you may join them aboard a party boat equipped with a full bar and a sound system; these boats serve as floating nightclubs available for rental by groups. Additionally, hour-long cruises that depart below Wawel Castle Hill offer splendid views of significant landmarks, like the Dębnicki Bridge, the Norbertine Monastery, the Manggha Museum of Japanese Art and Technology, and the Piłsudski Bridge.

11. Swim in Zakrzowek

The striking limestone cliffs and lush pine forests envelop this lagoon featuring crystalline turquoise waters, providing an escape from urban life just a short tram ride (routes 1 or 4) to Kapelanka, southwest of Old Town. This lagoon originated as a limestone quarry but was intentionally flooded in 1990 after it was no longer in use. It subsequently became a beloved swimming and picnic site for locals. Currently, renovations are underway that will not permit swimming or diving until completion in 2023, but the area is ideal for scenic picnics and lovely out-of-town hiking excursions.

12. Dine at a bar mleczny

These affordable and cheerful dining establishments, characterized by their distinctly retro decor, serve as nostalgic windows into 1980s Poland. Spread throughout the city, bar mleczny are budget-friendly cafeterias where patrons can enjoy traditional soups, pierogi (filled dumplings), placki ziemniaczane (potato pancakes), and other hearty staples, generally for under 10zl (approximately US$2). Notable locations include Grodzka 43 in Old Town and another at Starowiślna 29 in Kazimierz.

13. Summit Kopiec Kościuszki

When you stand atop Wawel Hill, you may notice the green, mound-like hills surrounding Kraków. The origins of these Kraków Mounds remain mysterious, but it is believed that the oldest—Kopiec Krakusa and Wandy—were constructed by pagan tribes several millennia ago to mark solar events: during the summer solstice, the sunrise aligns with Wandy while the sunset occurs at Krakusa. Located at Kopiec Kościuszki, the newer mound was completed in 1823 to honor a fallen Polish general. Taking bus 100 to the mound offers breathtaking views of Wawel Castle, St Mary’s Basilica, and Główny Rynek.

14. Spend Your Night Out Finding a “Lost Bar”

Rather than speakeasies, Kraków features its own version of “lost bars.” The concepts are similar, although Kraków’s concealed drinking establishments are a more recent phenomenon. Head to the Smakolyki restaurant on Floriana Straszewskiego, navigate to the cloakroom, and proceed to a hidden courtyard leading to Mercy Brown. Experience the charm of 1920s Kraków with velvet couches, ambient lighting, chandeliers, and cocktails reminiscent of a bygone era (gin with jasmine tea cordial, perhaps?). Burlesque shows are part of the entertainment offerings.

15. Hang Out in Tytano

West of Old Town, the dilapidated former tobacco factory has been transformed into a haven for hipsters, featuring art studios, exhibition spaces, beer gardens, and brunch cafes that are popular among Kraków’s youthful crowd. Attend the latest photography exhibition or fashion event, followed by a coffee from local specialty roasters at Bonjour Cava.

This article was originally published on July 31, 2022, and updated on November 21, 2023.