If you only have time to visit one city in Poland, make it Krakow. This city is rich in culture and history, it has beautiful architecture, it’s super cheap and it’s fun. Krakow also has interesting and key places to visit nearby, one of them being the hard to digest but not to be skipped, Auschwitz. Below I outline the best things to do in Krakow, as well as accommodation and transportation tips.
KRAKOW: THE ESSENTIALS
✈️ Getting There / Low-cost flights within Europe get you to Krakow very cheaply, search Skyscanner for the best prices. Depending where you’re coming from, a train can make more sense: I booked an overnight train from Warsaw to Krakow, then another from Krakow to Prague, both on Trainline. If you’re flying into Krakow Airport, book a private transfer with WelcomePickups direct to your accommodation.
🚗 Getting Around / Krakow is a very walkable city, with most key attractions inside the compact Old Town, and the tram and bus network is efficient and cheap for anything further out. If you plan to visit Zakopane or other Polish cities independently, renting a car is worth it and inexpensive. Compare rental cars on DiscoverCars.
🎟️ Tours / These are Krakow’s most popular tours, book ahead in peak season:
Auschwitz-Birkenau Guided Tour & Hotel Pickup
Zakopane Tour with Thermal Pools and Hotel Pickup
Kraków: Evening or Night River Cruise
From Krakow: Wieliczka Salt Mine Tour
Krakow: Schindler’s Factory Tour with Entrance Ticket
🏨 Stay / Best-rated options across the price range, all in or near the Old Town:
Hotel Unicus Palace $$$
Hotel Copernicus $$$
Vienna House by Wyndham Andel’s Kraków $$$
PURO Kraków Stare Miasto $$
Metropolitan Boutique Hotel $$
Ibis Kraków Stare Miasto $
📱Connect / You’ll need mobile data while you are in Poland, I always recommend using an eSIM (there’s absolutely no need for a physical one!). I always use HolaFly, and you can get 5% discount with code TRAVELWITHPAU. Get it here.
🛡️Get Insured / Unfortunately, things can and do go wrong when you travel. World Nomads offers coverage for more than 150 activities as well as emergency medical, lost luggage, trip cancellation and more
Krakow Bucket List: Things to Do
1. Explore Krakow’s Old Town
Make this the first thing you do. As soon as I got to Krakow I did a walking tour of the Old Town. The tour guide was super knowledgeable and took us to many beautiful sites including the Main Market Square & St Mary’s church, Cloth Hall and Townhall Tower, the remains of medieval city walls with the Barbican and St Florian Gate, St Francis Church, Bishop’s Palace, the Papal Window, Wawel Hill, Wawel Castle and the Wawel Dragon.
