Krakow is a major city in Poland jam packed full of history, world class castles, exciting nightlife and excellent architecture. There are so many amazing things to do in Krakow you will not have second to waste from world war 2 history where you can see the scars the city still bores from it’s role in the war to a new happy era for the city which consists of trendy restaurants and bars and beautiful castles and forts that will have you marvelling in awe at the medieval history and architecture.

The best things to do in Krakow Poland

Main Square

The centre of Krakow is undoubtedly the Main Market Square. The 13th century market square had been largely modernised to create a hub for tourism with local bars and restaurants lining the edges of the square offering alfresco dining under cosy lights with a back drop of the famous Cloth Market or St Mary’s Basilica. The main market square is the perfect place to taste local dishes such as Polish dumplings or duck legs whilst tasting the local beer.

St Mary’s Basilica

Located in the corner of the Main Market Square, St Mary’s Basilica is gothically architectural church boring the signs of Gothic Medieval architecture from old Poland.

The church was previously used as a watch tower in the war which was destroyed by air raids and recently rebuilt to create the St Mary’s Basilica we see today. Head to the top of the tower for excellent views over the city.

Cloth Hall

The Main Market Square is also home to the old Cloth Hall. Named as Europe’s oldest shopping hall this is a delicate market not to be missed. Beautiful on the outside and held up by huge pillars which are certainly Instagram worthy and beautiful on the inside as the market halls spams both sides selling a selection of souvenirs and amber jewellery.

Cafe Szal

For beautiful views over the Main Market Square head to Cafe Szal for coffee, drinks or food. Located on the second floor of the Cloth Hall this is the perfect place to unwind above the craziness of the Main Square down below.

Choose a table either inside or outside depending on the season.

Wawel Castle

No trip to Krakow is complete without visiting one of it’s castles. Wawel Castle is sitting on the top of a small grass hill just outside of the Old Town. The medieval architecture is stunning along with the Italian style courtyard that guests can take a stroll in. The whole castle is surrounded by a moat and you can take a trip inside during visiting hours.

Rumour has it those who ring the bell will soon be married.

Source: Lonely Planet

The Barbican

The Krakow Barbican is also known as the gateway to the city due to it’s position and the fact that everyone who once visited Krakow had to get in through the gates of the Barbican. The building also served as a fort and is positioned along the moat at the foot of the Old Town.

The round structure is very unique and architecture buffs will be in their element.

The Jewish Quarter -Kazimierz

Kazimierz the old Jewish Quarter in Krakow has a dark past and is jam packed full of history. Now the area is a trendy hub of activity packed full of coffee shops, bakeries, bars and restaurants that offer a quirky unique vibe. The centre of the Jewish Quarter is the Main Market Square which houses a round building in the middle serving traditional pizza breads packed full with toppings and well worth a taste when you come to Kazimierz. The main market Square still offers a vintage market on Saturday mornings and then you can spend your time wandering the quirky streets checking out the street art and marvelling at the old architecture.

Kazimierz Weekend Vintage Market

The weekend vintage market takes place in the Main Market Square during the day on the weekend. Browse the collection of vintage clothes, records, jewellery and artefacts whilst trying local foods from the street food stalls.

Bar Scene in the Jewish Quarter

No trip to Krakow s complete without sampling the trendy bar scene. Bar’s are on offer for all tastes including small quirky lounge bars to bars playing music with musicians and local DJ’s. The Jewish Quarter is the place to be at the weekend and locals and tourists alike can be seen enjoying a drink or two at one of the many bars.

Some of the bars and restaurants in the Jewish Quarter still take on original fittings from before the war. Several bars still have the original signs and fixtures from how they stood prior to the war and the inside has been restored to an exciting bar and restaurant.

Judah Food Market

One of the gems of the Jewish Quarter is Judah the food market. This quirky spot is set under twinkling fairy lights and you can eat and drink from the range of local street food vendors. Music plays in the evening making this place a trendy hangout set with the backdrop of some awesome street art.

Jewish Ghetto

After you have visited the Jewish Quarter it is well worth venturing across the water over to the Jewish Ghetto. The area is packed full of the dark history that haunts the Ghetto and you can learn so much about the history of the Holocaust. Firs of all you will be able to see the Ghetto wall and take in the area that the Jewish people of Krakow were packed inside before venturing further into the area leaning about how the Jewish people of Krakow were forced to live, the mass extermination and the train stop that was used to board people to Auschwitz the extermination camp. The focal point to the area is Hero’s Square where a memorial is in place for victims in the form of the symbolic chairs placed showing where Jewish people would have waited to face their deaths.

Oskar Schindler’s Factory

Those into history will be well inclined to visit Oskar Schindler’s Factory where he worked as a wealthy business man that worked collectively to save as many Jewish people from the concentration camps as possible by adding them to his list to work amongst the factories. The story is told in the Steven Spielberg move Schindler’s List and here you can see inside Schindler’s actual office and where the people would have worked.

Plaszow – Former Nazi Extermination Camp

The Jewish Ghetto is also home to a former Nazi Extermination Camp that was used to exterminate people that were killed in the ghetto and in the camp. The site is now very peaceful and there is not much to be seen other than a small monument and some old gravestones.

The site is well worth a visit to pay respects to the thousands of people of who died here and to see the mass grave that was formed.

Source: See Krakow

Auschwitz Concentration and Extermination Camps

No trip to Krakow is complete without taking the 1 hour journey to Auschwitz concentration and extermination camp. After learning the dark history of the city from both the Jewish Quarter and the Jewish Ghetto it is an absolute must to learn the stories of the people who died and the people who survived at Auschwitz. From survivors stories we have been able to learn so much into this terrible historical event and really tell the story of the day in the life of a prisoner and also the people who were immediately exterminated int he gas chambers. The grounds are incredibly eerie and walking the same steps people would have walked years ago is absolutely heart breaking as you learn more about the tragic history.

You can visit 2 sites of Auschwitz and see the living quarters for the prisoners, bathroom and washroom facilities, standing cells, the horrific death wall that was re-built to reflect the history as well as stepping foot inside the gas chambers and crematoriums. You can also see the area where the train would pull into the station and people were forced to take part in the selection process to determined whether they were strong enough to work in the concentration camp or if they were sent straight to their deaths in the gas chambers.

Learning about this tragic event allows us to remember the victims and also ensure that horrific events like these do not happen again in the future.

Vistula Boulevards

This peaceful river side location in Krakow is the perfect place for a stroll. The water edge has been transformed into a leisure area and is home to some beautiful boats and barges that have been turned into bars and restaurants. Step on board to enjoy a drink whilst taking in the views of Wawel Castle in the background and the Jewish Ghetto across the water.

Source: In your pocket

Vidok of the Jubilat rooftop Bar and Restaurant

Head to the top of Vidok the Jubilat for some food and drinks whilst you take in the epic roof top views. Tables can be booked both inside and outside depending on the weather and you can marvel at the excellent river side views and views of Wawel Castle.

We recommend vising at sunset for the best views of the city.

St Florian’s Gate

At the top of the Old Town is St Florian’s Gate which was used to protect the city from attacks in Medieval times. The Fort like Gothic structure dates back to the 14th century and is at the top of one of the main shopping streets in the Old Town. Wander through the arch way and marvel at the architecture.

Krakow Shooting Range

After learning about all of the war history in Krakow you can really join in and have the experience of shooting your own gun at the Krakow Shooting Academy. Choose one of the packages depending on the type of guns you want to shoot and have a blast aiming for the targets under the instruction of skilled shooters.

Visit a Polish Vodka bar

Visit a traditional Polish vodka bar and enjoy the selection of vodka shots on offer whilst drinking amongst locals. Pijalnia Wodki i Piwa is one of the most popular vodka bars in Krakow and there are various branches on offer. We visited branches in both the Old Town and also the Jewish Quarter and the atmosphere was excellent. You can choose from varieties of flavoured vodka’s as well as vodka cocktail shooters.

Try Vodka Roulette

One of the best ways to get your group to explore the local vodka is by playing a game of vodka roulette. Throw back the vodka and hope to not be the unlucky person who selected the vodka shot filled with 90% vodka.

Kosciuszko Mound

The Kosciuszko Mound was built and stands in memory to the Polish war hero Tadeusz Kościuszko. You can purchase tickets to view the inside of the mound and then explore the outside with the excellent views. The mound stands at 34 meters high and offers excellent views over the city and further afield to places such as the Tatra Mountains in the background.

Source: Get your Guide

Zakrzówek Lagoon

Reached in approximately 20 minutes by car from Krakow is Zakrzowek Lagoon. This peaceful park is home to white cliff edges and a beautiful emerald green lagoon that shimmers in the light.

During the summer months the lagoon is used for various water sport activities including scuba diving, canoeing and paddle boarding.

Tatra Mountains

The Tatra Mountains connect Poland and Slovakia and can be seen in the distance from Krakow. During the winter months the Tatra Mountains serve as part of a winter sport holiday where you can ski and snowboard whilst the summer months offer world class hiking opportunities that give you the opportunity to marvel at emerald lakes and lagoons. The Tatra Mountains are approximately an hours drive from Krakow and a nice escape from the city.