Disclosure: This is a collaborative post with Jet2 Holidays
The first glimpses of Wawel Royal Castle and Krakow Old town are like a scene from a medieval fairytale. Krakow is known to be home to around 6000 historical buildings and over 2 million works of art. So it’s definitely somewhere high on the list to visit for history fanatics and art lovers. But the museums aren’t all stuffy and prim, you will find a great selection of museums and attractions that the whole family will enjoy! We visited the Polish city of Krakow with our 2 children (aged 10 and 12 years old) and both had a wonderful time. So it’s definitely one of the best places for a city break for adults or children.
Krakow was also a historic centre of education, as in the 14th century the Jagiellonian University was established, which is the oldest University in Poland. This rich history of education and royalty certainly makes it a great city to visit in Central Europe.
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How To Get To Krakow
Getting to Krakow is incredibly easy, with plenty of direct flights from UK airports into the popular Polish city. If you prefer to travel overland, you will also find that there are regular train connections to the rest of the Europe, so a good choice to visit on a rail trip too.
Fly To Krakow
There are many airlines flying direct into Krakow airport. We chose to fly with Jet2Holidays which has direct flights from Glasgow airport with Jet2 to Krakow and also has some excellent deals to book hotels though Jet2 too. You can catch flights direct to Krakow with Jet2, great service and the staff are excellent at ensuring everyone has their luggage! We would definitely recommend searching for Krakow City Breaks with Jet2Holidays.
Train To Krakow
If you prefer to travel via train to Krakow, there are good routes from London. Take the Eurostar from London to Brussels, then an overnight train to Berlin (Eurosleeper) and the following day a Eurocity train to Krakow. Alternatively you can stay overnight enroute to avoid using sleeper trains, travelling during the day time. Check The Man In Seat 61 for details of times and costs.
Airport Krakow To City Centre
Krakow airport is just outside the city, but it’s relatively easy to find your way into the city centre. I would recommend taking the train for ease and cost effective travel. However, if you are nervous about public transport there are also taxi services available.
Airport Krakow Train To City Centre
When you arrive at Krakow airport arrivals, head out to the entrance hall and up the escalator to the next floor. From here you can walk along the walkway to the other side and back down an escalator to the train staton. It’s all covered from the airport too, no need to worry about the rain!
There are ticket machines at the station platform, however they can be a little complicated. If you have plenty of time until the next train use the machines to buy a tickets, the central station is Krakow Glowny, although the newer station of Krakow Grzegorski is closer to Kazimierz district if you’re hotel is in that area. If you are limited for time then it’s better to buy tickets from a conductor on the train.
Once in the city there are plenty of trams around to get about the city, Google Maps seems to be fairly accurate for tram times.
Airport Krakow Bus To City Centre
There are also buses available from the Krakow airport bus station, just outside the arrivals hall. Buses are frequent throughout the day and tickets can be bought from a machine in the arrivals hall or at the bus station. You do need to validate your ticket as you get on the train though!
Taxi From Krakow Airport To City Centre
There are plenty of taxi’s available just outside arrivals. However, it may be more cost effective to use Bolt or pre-book an airport private transfer on Get Your Guide.
Best Krakow Hotels
Obviously Krakow has a whole host of hotels to stay in! If you don’t know Krakow it may seem a little daunting to decide which area is best. However, the areas closest to popular attractions are around the Old Town and Kazimierz. So I definitely recommend looking for hotels in these areas. It will mean that you can walk into the centre to find somewhere to eat or to most of the attractions. There are definitely some great family city breaks to be found in Krakow!
Best Krakow Hotels Deals With Jet2
For those who are looking for 5 star luxury, you will be overjoyed with Bonerowski Palace overlooking the Main Market Square. It’s the perfect place to stay if you are looking to treat yourself! Other options near the main square include the 5 star H15 Palace Hotel, with amazing vaulted pool area and the slightly cheaper Venetian House Aparthotel.
Outside of Old Town in the Kazimierz district are some lovely 4 star hotels, including the MR67 Mayera Rapaporta where we stayed. You can see photos below of the hotel room and breakfast area. It’s only a short walk into Old Town and Wawel Castle from here. You can check out all the current Jet2 Holidays best Krakow hotels deals here.
Things To Visit In Krakow
The best things to visit in Krakow really depends on what you enjoy and who you are travelling with. A lot of people like to visit Krakow to visit the nearby concentration camps and Oskar Schindler factory. However, those travelling with children will want to avoid these, they are really only suitable for 14+ years old. Fortunately there are plenty of other suitable places to take younger children and I’ve detailed these in the 3 days in Krakow itinerary below this section.
Adults will be enthralled with all the museums, fantastic food and culture. One minute you can be staring up at famous tapestries and the next you are watching a dragon statue breathe fire! Don’t miss the horse-drawn carriages that leave from the main square or the beautiful architecture of the buildings, such as St Mary’s Basilica
Krakow Main Attractions, Things To Visit In Krakow
Many of the things to visit in Krakow include UNESCO World Heritage Sites. These include Wawel Castle and the Old Town of Krakow, along with various other buildings. Outside of Krakow both the salt mines and Auschwitz concentration camp are also UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Wawel Castle and Wawel Cathedral
One of the major attractions of Krakow, the Wawel Royal castle is a must see! Entrance fees depend on which areas of the castle you would like to visit, so you can easily limit this to the most interesting parts. Arrive early and you will have the majority of the castle to yourself, with hardly anyone in the main castle courtyard or the exhibitions!
Wawel Underground shows how the castle was restored after much of the buildings were destroyed or damaged by use of the Axis powers in Europe during World War 2. It’s interesting to see the fragment of stone work and information on how reconstruction took place. Look out for the hand signs, these are activity areas you can open and use.
The state rooms have interesting frescoes on the walls, along with some beautiful pieces of artwork. The most interesting room, particularly to children is the Envoys Hall, which at one point was used as a throne room. Look up at the ceiling and notice the beautifully carved wooden heads on the ceiling, there are 30 remaining out of the original 193 heads. I was particularly intrigued as these are similar to the Stirling Heads in Scotland’s Stirling Castle. Perhaps there were more like this in the past? Both sets of heads were carved in the 1540’s, so perhaps they were rather well talked about at the time?
Crown Treasury and Armoury
The crown treasury is filled with an enormous number of important and very pretty items. From royal banners and flags, to jewels and silverware. However, the most important object of all is Szczerbiec, the coronation sword of the Kings of Poland. Many of the items from the original crown treasury were plundered by Prussian forces in the 1700’s.
Other interesting rooms include the Armoury, with plenty of heavy armour to admire alongside weaponry, and the Ottoman Turkish Tents exhibition. Poland had strong ties with Turkey, however this later led to a Polish-Turkish war. Many items of the Ottoman Empire were held in Poland and this exhibition shows 3 of the large exquisite tents that were gained by Poland.
Wawel Dragon – Things To Visit In Krakow
Just below Wawel Castle, beside the Vistula River is the Wawel Dragon. There is a legend that describes how a shoemaker saved the people of Krakow from the terror of a dragon that lived in a cave under Wawel Hill. The dragon demanded to be fed farmers cattle and sheep, some stories even say it was fed people! Although many knights attempted to slay the beast, they all failed. Fortunately a clever shoemaker stuffed a ram with sulphur and tar, which the dragon ate and this began to burn in his stomach. The gases eventually built up and the Wawel dragon exploded!
The statue beside the dragons den in Krakow commemorates this legend and breathes actual fire every 5 minutes! Try to visit in the dark as well as the day time to see the fire better.
Are you planning a rail trip around Europe? Check out this post about how to use an Interrail Mobile Pass for an epic train trip!
Rynek Underground Museum – Things To Visit In Krakow
The Rynek Underground Museum was a surprising gem in the centre of Krakow. We weren’t quite sure what to expect, but were delighted at this fantastic underground museum. We visited on a Saturday and to my surprise the ticket officer told me that tickets were free entry today! Turns out there is usually one free day a week, so check this out on the Rynek Underground website in advance. The museum shows the history of Krakow using the excavations from under the main square of the city center. There are plenty of interactive areas to keep the kids interested or if you prefer you can book a guided walking tour.
Boat Trip on The Vistula River
Take a guided tour down the Vistula River to learn more about Krakow from the water. A boat trip on the river is an excellent way to look at Krakow’s old town from the river and enjoy the commentary as you leisurely travel down the river and back again.
Schindler’s Factory
Steven Spielberg made Oscar Schindler famous around the world, with his heart wrenching film ‘Schindler’s List’. Not suitable for children, but adults will be interested to learn more about how Schindler helped the Jewish community during the Nazi occupation. It’s not a pleasant place to visit, the atmosphere thick with emotions, but certainly an important thing to remember the Jewish people of Krakow.
Museum of Municipal Engineering
Take a walk through the Jewish Quarter to find the museum of Municipal Engineering. Based in an old tram depot, this is a must-see museum for ages 8+! There are several old trams, which are obviously exciting for any tram and train fans (which my eldest is!). Then there are a variety of different educational activities and information boards explaining various engineering devices. These include everything from scales and ancient devices for building straight lines, to making electric sparks for engines.
Stanislaw Experimental Gardens
The experimental gardens are linked to the Museum of Municipal Engineering above, however, they are not anywhere near each other! You will need to take a tram out to Eastern Krakow to visit. Only open in the late Spring until Autumn, we missed this during our winter visit. However, it has many awesome reviews about the experimental gardens, with over 100 different interactive devices to try out. You will need at least 2 hours to explore all the activities and on a nice day you may need even longer to just relax and enjoy the space too!
Cloth Hall
In the centre of Krakow is the Cloth Hall, this is where you will find plenty of souvenirs! The hall is one long stretch of stalls, most selling varieties of amber jewellery, soft toys and magnets. However, there are a few other interesting items too, they aren’t all quite the same. Is very busy whenever you go, but definitely a great place to buy a souvenir. Did you know that the Cloth Hall is the oldest shopping mall in Poland?! It dates back to the 13th century and still used for commerce today!
Unusual Krakow Attractions – Things To Visit In Krakow
All the attractions above are regular places that tourists visit when coming to Krakow. However, if you would like somewhere a bit different from Polish history or a little quirky, try one of the attractions below!
Bike Hire or Bike Tour
There are several bike hire shops around Krakow, we chose to hire from KRK Bike hire near the main square. They are very reliable and you don’t pay until you return and get charged for the number of hours or day hire. In the winter bring gloves as it can get pretty chilly cycling along the river with bare hands! They have a huge selection of bikes to choose from, including the city bikes with a basket, electric bikes, tandems, kids bikes and trailers. They also over bike tours of Krakow if you are interested too.
There are bike lanes throughout the city and you’ll see many people cycling (or scooting) through Planty Park around the edge of the Old Town.
Pinball Museum
Tucked away beside Stradomska street is the Krakow Pinball Museum. It usually opens mid afternoon and is an excellent place to visit away from historical sites and have some fun. You can pay for just an hour or two, or get a whole day pass to come and go as you please. There are pinball machines that are almost a hundred years old up to the last 20 years with the more recent LCD screens. We actually missed the section with the older machines, there are a selection to the front of the reception desk, but also if you head down and to the right of reception there is a whole other room filled with machines! So don’t miss that section when you visit.
World Under Construction – LEGO Brick Exhibition
This was an unusual attraction I just happened stumble across online and had to visit – World Under Construction. Both my children (and husband!) are obsessed with LEGO, so we couldn’t miss this small exhibition. All the works in the exhibition were created by one boy, from the ages of 9 years old until present day (currently a teenager). Many of the pieces are from sets, but there are also a good selection of items made from his own imagination. All are laid out in different worlds or displaced in cabinets. You can’t touch the LEGO (it’s an exhibition), but there is a LEGO playroom that you can stay for as long as you like. The playroom has boxes and boxes of LEGO pieces and also DUPLO for younger children.
The exhibition is only a few months old when we visited in early 2024, so there wasn’t as much information about it. To find it you need to head into the apartment building at 17 Florianska Street, Krakow, then ring the bell at the bottom of the stairs to be let in to the building, then head up the stairs until you see the sign at the door with LEGO bricks.
Leaky Cauldron
Anyone who loves the wizarding world of Harry Potter needs to take a trip to the Leaky Cauldron when visiting Krakow. It’s just on Grodska street beside Saint Peter and Paul Church. You need to go through a ‘hidden’ door at the bottom of a short flight of steps to enter the building. Once inside there is a magical atmosphere with coloured lighting, decor and of course, the themed music.
This is a little cafe in the cellar and you can buy sandwiches or desserts. The potion drinks are excellent fun with dry ice pouring out and all the desserts were delicious! A great place for lunch or just a dessert and drink.
Local Food You Need To Try!
There are lots of excellent Polish street food to try when you are visiting Krakow. Excellent places to visit and try out this street food include Judah Food Market, their chimney cakes are amazing! Or Plac Nowy, which has a whole range of take away food stalls, certainly not pretty, but certainly the best place to buy some Zapiekanki, which is a bit like pizza on french bread. Another food to try is pierogi, these are sort of stuffed dumplings, the stuffing can vary from traditional meats to vegetarian versions. You can even book a Pierogi cooking lesson in Krakow!
Best Things To Do Around Krakow
Wieliczka Salt Mine – Things To Visit In Krakow
A short train ride from the centre of Krakow and you will find yourself at the town of Wieliczka. Here you’ll find the Wieliczka Salt Mines, begun in the 13th century the shafts now stretch to over 245km over 9 levels. The salt water was discovered in prehistoric times and evaporated to leave behind the salt, however it was only when the salt water springs began to dry up in the 11th and 12th centuries that a well was dug and rock salt was found. This was the beginning of the mining operation.
During the 14th and 15th centuries the salt mine became an important source of income, with Polish kings becoming rich and the city of Krakow became home to the first university in Poland. Despite changes in borders throughout partitioning and war periods, the mine continued to be run and bring in income. It wasn’t until 1964 when it was closed for commercial mining. Then in 1978 it gained UNESCO World Heritage Status.
Visiting The Salt Mine
Now you can visit the mine as a tourist, even though it’s only 2% of the mine that is open to tourism! Choose from the Tourist Route of Miners Route to explore this underground world of rock salt. The tourist route is through the carved treasures of the salt mine, great sculptures of carved rock and many chandeliers. There is a maximum of 40 people on these tours. Alternatively choose the Miners Route, which is a maximum of 20 people per tour. This route takes you along narrow passageways into chambers where you can learn about the history of the mine and how it worked when in use. You even get to try out some activities yourself and take away as much rock salt as you want! We went the Miner’s Route with our 10 and 12 year old kids (minimum age is 10) and highly recommend.
Auschwitz Concentration Camp
Many people come to Krakow to specifically visit Auschwitz on a day trip. It’s a harrowing experience, and strictly for those who are old enough to cope, I believe they recommend it for 14+ years of age. The history of the camp during Nazi Occupation of Poland in World War II is well known. There were many camps across Poland and Germany, however Auschwitz was one of the largest with over 1.3 million people (mostly Jews) sent to the camp between 1940-1945 and over 1.1 million were killed in the gas chambers there.
You can visit the camp with a guided tour or arrive by your own transport and book individual tickets.
Chocholowskie Thermal Baths
Another day tour from Krakow is to the Chocholowskie thermal baths. Many tours also include visits to Zakpane and the mountains, but you can also visit the baths separately. Chocholowskie thermal baths are the largest thermal bath complex in Poland and can make for a great day out on a cold winters day! The baths aren’t just for relaxing in, although there is plenty of space for that too! You can also enjoy water jets, wild rivers, several flumes and a wave pool. An excellent day out for all the family and one of the top attractions near Krakow.
3 Days In Krakow With Kids – Things To Visit In Krakow
If you are visiting on a Jet2CityBreak like us, you may well have a similar itinerary with 3 full days to spend exploring the city. This 3 days in Krakow itinerary is great for families. However if you are spending 3 days in Krakow with teenagers or other adults then you may want to swap the 3rd days activities for Auschwitz Concentration Camp. If you are short on budget there are also plenty of cheaper dining options for families including pizza, street food and of course, McDonald’s! There are plenty of things to visit in Krakow.
Day 1 In Krakow –
Spend your first day in Krakow at the popular attraction of Wawel Royal Castle. You can buy tickets online in advance (recommended) or turn up early and buy tickets at the ticket office. Enjoy the state rooms, learn about the history in the crown treasury and check out the amazing Turkish tents. When you finish at the castle grab lunch at the cafe in the courtyard and walk down the hill to see the Wawel dragon breathing fire (beside the river).
The afternoon should take you into the main square in the Old Town of Krakow where you can explore Rynek Underground, below the main square. It will take 1-2 hours to fully explore the underground museum. If you have time and budget take a leisurely tour around the old town in one of the horse drawn carriages at the back of the square.
Day 2 In Krakow –
The second day of your 3 days in Krakow is to take a trip out of the city centre to Wieliczka Salt Mine. Book the Miner’s Tour in advance (there are only so many English language tours) and arrive 15 minutes before the start. Spend the morning exploring the mines and taking back a few salt souvenirs. You are even allowed to lick the walls!
Arrive back into the daylight above ground and catch the next train back to Krakow, stopping at the Jewish Quarter. Judah Food market is a great place to buy street food and try a chimney cake. I recommend one chimney cake between two, they are a lot larger than I expected!
Across the road from the food market is the Museum of Municipal Engineering, a fun, but educational museum. Don’t miss the old computers near the end, the kids were amazed at what we used to use!
Day 3 In Krakow –
The last day in Krakow! Spend a couple of hours cycling along the river and in the parks around Krakow old town. I recommend bike hire from KRK Bikes, they were very efficient and easy to hire from. Then walk across the main square to visit the World Under Construction LEGO exhibition on Florianska Street. Younger kids will particularly enjoy playing with the LEGO in the play room at the end of the exhibition.
Lunch at the Leaky Cauldron will be a huge hit for wizarding fans, don’t miss the potion drinks (they are all non alcoholic) with dry ice! Finally walk a little further down the street to arrive at the Krakow Pinball Museum. You will need at least one hour to explore the Pinball machines, or longer depending how much time you have left this afternoon!