Krakow has one of Europe's largest medieval squares, the royal Wawel Castle, the Kazimierz Jewish quarter and easy trips to Auschwitz-Birkenau and the Wieliczka salt mine. It is affordable, lively and walkable.
Good to know
- Book Auschwitz-Birkenau timed entries weeks ahead; it is a moving and sober visit.
- Pierogi and zapiekanka are cheap eats; milk bars serve cheap, traditional lunches.
- Krakow's Christmas market in December is excellent.
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Places the planner can use
Mark places as a must or something to skip. The itinerary is built only from this list; ★ marks the destination’s highlights.
Europe's largest medieval square, with the Cloth Hall, St. Mary's Basilica and the hourly trumpet call.
Traditional cafeteria serving cheap pierogi, soups and cutlets, a Polish institution.
Polish vodka tastings in cellar bars; ask for flavored shots.
Leonardo da Vinci's Lady with an Ermine in a renovated museum.
Royal hilltop castle and the cathedral where Polish kings were crowned and buried.
Historic Jewish district of synagogues, cafes and bars, with Schindler's factory nearby.
Excellent exhibition on Krakow under Nazi occupation, in the factory of Oskar Schindler.
Guided visit to the former concentration camp, 1.5 hours away, a profound reminder of the Holocaust.
UNESCO mine with chapels and sculptures carved from salt, 14 kilometers from the center.
Riverside promenades with bars on boats and views of Wawel.
Mountain town with wooden architecture and cable cars, 2 hours away.