When you book a spring weekend away in northern Europe you never know what you’re going to get. Rain, sun, snow – a bit of everything? So you need a destination that ticks a few boxes. Small enough not to be overwhelming when you just have a few days there, but big enough to have things to do outside if it’s sunny and inside if it’s not. And a visit to Krakow ticks the lot.
Set on the banks of the Vistula (Wisla) River, Poland’s second city is a bit under the radar for a weekend city break, but it shouldn’t be. It’s one of the country’s centres for art and culture and is packed full of beautiful building, but there’s a cooler edge to it too and a fascinating recent history to discover. Here are five reasons why I loved Krakow – and think you would too.
Why should you visit Krakow?

St Mary’s Basilica and the Rynek Glowny
1. The architecture
The city’s beautiful architecture is what first made me want to visit Krakow. Beyond the city walls you’ll come across patches of Communist-era concrete, but the whole of its old town has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s filled with a mix of Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque churches, towers, archways and cobbled squares.
And right in the heart of Krakow’s old town is the main square, or Rynek Glowny. It’s Europe’s biggest market square and on a sunny spring day it was full of flower stalls, bagel-sellers and people on horse and carriage rides. It was just warm enough to grab a table at one of the cafés around the edge of the square and sit with a beer watching people wandering by.

The Sukiennice and Old Town Tower
On one side of the square is St Mary’s Basilica, built in 1397 and famous for its wooden carved Veit Stoss altarpiece and an amazing ceiling painted in dark blue and gold to look like the night sky. If you’re passing by on the hour listen out for the trumpet signal from the top of the tallest tower – it cuts off partway through to commemorate the 13th-century trumpeter who was shot in the throat while he was sounding the alarm after the Mongols invaded the city.
On the other side of the square there’s the Sukiennice cloth hall, with a covered market underneath and a museum above, and the Town Hall Tower. It’s all that’s left of Krakow’s old town hall and you can climb to the top and look out over the square from 70 metres up.

Views from the Old Town Tower
2. The history
Krakow has had a long and pretty dramatic history. Legend has it that back in the 13th century it was founded on the site of a dragon’s lair after a Polish prince defeated him and built a palace on top. That palace is Wawel Castle and you can still see a fire-breathing dragon beneath its walls (though this one is made of bronze and breathes fire regularly every five minutes).
Wawel Castle was home to the kings of Poland and is one of Europe’s largest royal castles, a huge complex with a mix of styles as it grew over the years – adding a turret here and a golden dome there. There are five different museum sections you can visit, as well as gardens and the cathedral where Pope John Paul II was archbishop before he became Pope.

Wawel Castle
Krakow handed over the job of Polish capital to Warsaw in 1596 and was later fought over by the Russian, Prussian and Austrian empires. But it’s the period of history around the Second World War that most people know Krakow best for. The city was invaded just five days after the war started and it became the capital of the German Central Government.
The Nazis took over Wawel Castle and forced the Jewish residents first into a ghetto and later shipped them to concentration camps like nearby Auschwitz. It was a dark period of history for Krakow, but there were a few patches of light, like the story of Oskar Schindler.

Oskar Schindler’s desk and the museum
Schindler ran an enamelware factory in Krakow which employed over 1000 Jews. When the German authorities started clearing the ghettos, he argued that he needed his employees to keep working at the factory. So he was allowed to relocate his Jewish staff to a new factory in Bohemia, saving 1200 of them from death in the gas chambers.
He spent his whole fortune on bribes and the black market to keep them alive, and his story was made into the film Schindler’s List (some of which was shot nearby). His old factory has now been turned into a museum. It’s more about the history of Krakow under occupation – which is fascinating in its own right – but there’s a section about Schindler too and the people he saved.

Memorial at the museum
3. The people
I’ve been to European cities where you feel like tourists are being barely tolerated, but all the Poles we met in Krakow were friendly and welcoming – despite not seeing Brits abroad at their best as it’s a favourite for stag weekends! You do have to run a gauntlet of people selling sightseeing and Segway tours in Rynek Glowny, but it all felt good-natured and never pushy.

The Town Hall Tower and Church of Saints Peter and Paul
As well as the general friendliness we had a few standout moments during our visit to Krakow. There was the manager in Fiorentina restaurant who set up an impromptu Polish wine-tasting session for us after my dad mentioned that he’d never tried any. Or the old guy in the t-shirt shop who dug out his album of photos with Roger Waters and threw in a free badge when my friend went in to buy a Pink Floyd shirt. And our Auschwitz tour guide Damien who guided us through the horrors of this traumatic site so carefully and respectfully.

Krakow’s colourful streets
4. The food and drink
I didn’t know much about what to eat in Krakow when I decided to visit, other than a fondness for pierogi (filled dumplings). But we were introduced to a few other local specialities like zapiekanka (a kind of baguette pizza) and obwarzanek (a thin bagel). We also tried traditional Polish food like potato pancakes with creamy mushroom sauce at Miod Malina, and discovered a modern take on traditional Polish ingredients at the glamorous Szara Gęś (Gray Goose).
The Gray Goose was a bit of a random find as we were walking around, but had amazing food and desserts that were almost works of art. There was a perfectly crafted chocolate acorn full of dark chocolate and peanut butter, and a giant goose egg made from white chocolate mousse with a mango puree yolk. Almost too pretty to eat (but not quite).

My gorgeous dessert at the Szara Gęś
Krakow’s stag do reputation might make you think that it’s all jugs of beer and Irish pubs. But we found some more low-key gems in the old town – creative cocktail concotions at Movida and a sampling board of different vodka flavours at Wódka. But for the best nightlife you need to head to the Kazimierz Jewish quarter. Krakow’s hipster hub is the sort of place where you can drink at a bar where each table is an old Singer sewing machine, with lots of quirky drinking spots.

The Rynek Glowny by night
5. The value for money
When it comes to architecture and culture, Krakow is up there with places like Prague and Vienna, but the one big difference we noticed was the prices. It’s not an ultra-cheap budget destination, but it is one of those places where you get a lot for your money.
So if you want to treat yourself to a bit of luxury on a budget then it’s perfect. Accommodation is really good value – we stayed in an apartment which cost us £46/€55 a night for four people but you can also find rooms in four- and five-star hotels for around £100/€120 a night.

Old town doors
A meal in a high-end restaurant cost us £30/€36 each and a traditional Polish meal around £20/€24, both including two courses, wine and service charge. And that was in the old town where things are priciest. A lot of the joy of a trip to Krakow is wandering around those beautiful streets, but if you want to visit museums, it won’t set you back too much.
Entry to the Town Hall Tower was free the day we visited but would normally be 9 Zloty (£2/€2), and the different sections of Wawel Castle and Schindler’s Factory only cost 20 Zloty (£4/€4.50) each. Because it’s such good value we could add on things like private airport transfers rather than getting the train, making the trip feel that bit more luxurious.

Imposing Wawel Castle
So have I convinced you to visit Krakow yet?
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38 Comments
Juliann
April 11, 2018 at 12:07 pmI was just in Krakow and loved every minute of it! I’ll go back for sure, though visiting Auschwitz is something that I don’t think I can do again. At least, not soon. We went to Auschwitz I and II and it was overwhelming. I spent quite a bit of time at the Wodka Bar afterward…
Lucy
April 11, 2018 at 12:14 pmSuch a great city! I’m writing up Auschwitz next and it’s a tough one to relive let alone go back to, so important to see though.
Bama
April 11, 2018 at 1:18 pmWhat marvelous photos, Lucy! Sounds like it was a weekend well-spent. After reading your posts as well as others’ on weekend getaway, I was eager to do more of such thing instead of having to wait for that ‘perfect’ time to go on a vacation. So I did, and the last two weeks I went to two different cities for the weekends. Keep inspiring!
Lucy
April 11, 2018 at 1:53 pmI do love a good weekend break! It’s surprising how much you can fit into a short time. Where did you go on yours? My next one is to St Andrews in Scotland later this month.
Carole 68
April 11, 2018 at 2:06 pmSuch a lovely city ! I visited it in 1994 and then again with my family in 2012 or something like that. It was almost unrecognizable ! In 94 Wavel was still black from the pollution caused by nearby factories… In 2012 I sensed I recognized the buildings but not quite, all those years after !
And people are so nice. We couldn’t find our hotel and stopped a young couple on the street for information – since it was rather far from where we were the guy offered to guide us, and his girlfriend would join him by bus or walk and they would meet later. We would have none of it and piled everyone up in the car – myself at the back with the kids on my knees and his girlfriend so it wouldn’t be a hassle for them, in the middle of toys, food, pillows… (we were on a whole tour of Eastern Europe and were kind of living in our car periodically). They were so sweet, I must have thanked them a million times ! We enjoyed other places in Poland immensely (like Wroclaw or Jelenia Gora) and always people treated us very nicely. We couchsurfed there too and had an amazing time in this country.
Lucy
April 20, 2018 at 1:53 pmWhat great memories! It’s always so interesting to revisit somewhere after a long to see how much it has changed. We found the people we met so friendly too, its definitely inspired me to explore more of Poland.
Hannah Littlemore
April 11, 2018 at 6:09 pmIt’s so beautiful! I think I should add it to my travel list for sure! Would you recommend for a solo traveller?
Lucy
April 20, 2018 at 1:57 pmYes definitely – there are lots of hostels if you want to meet other people as well as tours to join in with, and I felt safe while I was there and found people to be really friendly.
Suzanne - The Travelbunny
April 11, 2018 at 6:27 pmI’ve been considering visiting Poland for a while but couldn’t make my mind up between Kraków and Warsaw. After reading this my dilemma is solved!
Lucy
April 20, 2018 at 1:57 pmGlad I sold you on Kraków, I’ll have to try Warsaw next to make sure though!
restlessjo
April 11, 2018 at 9:44 pmI enjoyed accompanying you around Krakow, Lucy 🙂 ) I’ve not eaten out much in the city because I’ve mostly been fed at my cousin Adam’s place. He’s a baker and his wife is a superb cook. I visited the Schindler museum on my last trip and found it a fascinating experience, but I never had the courage to tour Auschwitz.
Lucy
April 20, 2018 at 1:58 pmHow lovely to have family to cook for you! Schindler’s Factory was so interesting, and I’m glad I visited Auschwitz even though it was tough to do.
alison abbott
April 16, 2018 at 2:35 amI’ll be visiting Ostrava, CR this supper and have been trying to decide where to go from there. After reading your post about Krakow,I think my decision just got a little easier. Thanks for all the information Lucy!
Lucy
April 20, 2018 at 2:06 pmExcellent! Hope you enjoy it if you do make the trip, and have a great time in Ostrava.
Kate
April 19, 2018 at 2:23 pmI was *just* in Krakow earlier this week, and I fell in love! The city was so interesting and fun. Will definitely be heading back there again!
Kate | http://www.petiteadventures.org/
Lucy
April 20, 2018 at 2:32 pmIt’s fantastic isn’t it! I hope to go back sometime and see more of Poland too.
Mike Green
April 30, 2018 at 10:38 amSuper photos of Krakow. We had a fabulous visit in September 2016 and agree with all your comments. We didn’t get to Auschwitz but a visit to the salt mines was outstanding as was the museum under the main square. Our hotel overlooked the square so we had a constant view of the carriages doing their trips and it was warm and sunny.
Lucy
April 30, 2018 at 10:42 amThe Salt Mines looked fascinating, unfortunately we didn’t have time on this trip but I’d like to go back and see more of Poland so can hopefully get there someday.
Harryson
May 18, 2018 at 7:47 amI watched the movie Schindlers List, it was a really brilliant and humane decision to save people. Really his efforts moved me, bribing has helped many peoples lives. I have great plans to take my family to explore entire Poland, I will explore Schindler’s factory turned into the museum. I could see the Shape of life, in the story of Oscar, Thanks for sharing wonderful post, the architecture of the Poland is extra ordinary.
Lucy
May 18, 2018 at 8:44 pmThank you, it was a really moving experience to see this place for myself and hear the stories of the people who lived and died there – something I would really recommend doing.
Kim Lang
July 20, 2018 at 10:14 amWhat an amazing and a fascinating place to visit. I really didn’t know much about this but after reading this post I will surely visit one day. Thanks for sharing such an amazing post.
Lucy
August 2, 2018 at 9:14 pmThanks Kim, it really is a fantastic place, well worth a trip sometime!
MR3
February 5, 2019 at 9:37 pmI also recommend visiting the underground of the Main Market Square in Krakow!
Lucy
February 12, 2019 at 10:00 pmThanks for the tip!
Hei Polen Reiser
February 11, 2019 at 10:06 amThere are lots of beautiful spots in Poland: towns, lakes, the sea, even the desert. Lately, I was in Szczecin which is an exceptional city with such attractions like Philharmonic, Embankment of Chrobry, beach, etc… If you decide to get there, stay at the historic Dana Hotel.
GotoCracow
February 16, 2019 at 7:50 pmTo be honest, in Krakow you can eat much cheaper and still have at least decent food. For example In “Kompania Piwna” (“Beer Compnay”), few hundred yards from the Royal Castle, we spend every few months (I’m from Krakow, but live in the UK) about 80-100 pounds for a meal for 3 adults and 3 children.
And there are more options like this. In the Old Town.
Not mentioning street food like gigantic battered turkey steaks with sauerkraut in “U Endziora” in Jewish Quarter (few quid).
Lucy
February 25, 2019 at 2:02 pmYes of course! We tried out a few of the high-end ones as it was such great value but there are lots of other cheaper options too.
Boutiq
March 27, 2019 at 10:05 pmLoving the perspective on your photos! And Krakow too, though this may be a given!
Lucy
March 30, 2019 at 7:18 pmThanks so much – it’s a brilliant city and I loved my trip!
Krakow
June 21, 2019 at 7:48 pmRemember to visit Wieliczka Salt Mine next time. Great post and pics Lucy!
Lucy
June 24, 2019 at 8:17 pmDefinitely – the mines look great!
Laynec
July 27, 2019 at 12:31 pmI also spent a really good time there during my last summer holidays and we came back with many pleasant memories.
Lucy
July 30, 2019 at 1:14 pmIt’s a great city – glad to bring back some good memories!
Victoria@TheBritishBerliner
August 9, 2019 at 6:06 pm‘Nice one Lucy!
It’s been years since I’ve been to Krakow.
Cough-cough – 15 years!
I am in fact, going again in October, so your post is right on time! 😀
Lucy
August 13, 2019 at 8:44 pmAh have a brilliant time, it’s a wonderful place!
Victoria Ade-Genschow
August 14, 2019 at 6:34 am‘Will do! 😀
poland beaches
January 10, 2021 at 8:05 pmKrakow is a stunning city and probably the first taste of Poland that most travellers get but have you ever travelled to the north of Poland e.g. Gdansk, Gdynia?