1. Wawel Castle, Krakow
Step into a Polish history textbook at the Wawel, the hill where for over 500 years Polish kings were crowned, housed and buried. Enter the fourteenth century Gothic cathedral to see their tombs, stroll the State Rooms and lavish Royal Apartments to discover how they lived and visit the Armoury for a hint at their powers. Most of the crown jewels were plundered by the Prussians in 1795 but you can see the dainty coronation slippers of Sigismund August, who was just 10 years old when he was crowned.
Opening times: 9am-4.45pm-5.45pm (depending on season. Closed on major holidays) Tickets: 4 PLN Address: Wawel 5, 31-001 Kraków, Poland
2. Visit the Salt Mines in Wieliczka
Precious crystals were found at Wieliczka as early as the 11th century and the salt mine here is a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage monument. Take the Miners’ Route and you’ll don a grey boilersuit, descend into the darkness and find out how to dig for salt. Take the Tourist Route to see the jaw-dropping underground chapel, carved from the salt.
Opening times: 9am-6pm Tickets: You will need to make reservations for visiting the Mysteries of the Wieliczka Mine at least 2 weeks before the planned visit. 84 PLN per person Address: Daniłowicza 10, 32-020 Wieliczka, Poland
3. Stroll Krakow’s Town Square
Squares don’t come grander than this. Rynek Glowny is Europe’s largest medieval town square and its vast expanse (some 40,000 square metres) of flagstones is encircled by stately townhouses and lofty spires. The loftiest belong to St Mary’s, which dates from 1220, while the medieval Sukiennice cloth hall stands assured of its commanding position over the square with its imposing colonnades and Belle Epoque café, long a meeting place for the city’s elite though now more a tourist haunt.
4. Go underground in the Historical Museum
Hidden beneath the Sukiennice is Krakow’s past, literally. Descend from the square into the Historical Museum’s Rynek Underground exhibition, four metres below current street level. You’ll explore the recently excavated merchant stalls that predate the cloth hall above you and see the remains of an 11th-century cemetery, where many of the corpses were buried with bricks in their mouths or stabbed through the heart to prevent them coming back as vampires. Yes, seriously.
Opening times: 10am–5:30pm Tickets: 19 PLN Address: Rynek Główny 35, 31-011 Kraków, Poland
5. See Krakow’s Jewish Quarter
Krakow’s Jewish quarter, Kazimierz, was once a headily vibrant place, with a flourishing community. This perished at the hands of the Germans in World World II but they did not destroy the buildings and synagogues that today are once again home to an energetic community – and some of the city’s best nightlife. Cafes and bars abound here; try the bohemian Café Mlynek by day and head to retro-funky Alchemia by night.
Address: ul. Szeroka 24, Krakow 31-053, Poland
6. Pay homage to Schindler
A humble enamel factory on the city’s outskirts would be an unlikely tourist site. If it weren’t for Oskar Schindler, that is. The factory he took over in 1939 is today a living historical monument, where you can see his former office and the very place where he saved the lives of hundreds of Krakow Jews from the gas chambers. The modern museum here tells the life stories of some of those he saved, as well as walking you through a reconstructed Krakow replete with scenes from history and confronting you with a ‘Hall of Choices’. Few museums are as evocative, or as challenging.
Opening times: 10am–6pm Tickets: 21 PLN for an adult, 16 PLN for a concession Address: ul. Lipowa 4, Krakow 30-702, Poland
7. Let them eat cake
Krakow loves cake, and there are sweet treats on seemingly every corner in the city centre. Sink your teeth into towers of pink cream sandwiched in flaky pastry at Michalscy Cukiernia or tuck into cupcakes of all shades and flavours at Cupcake Corner. Want to sit down awhile? Head to Bunkier Café in the city’s Planty Gardens where transparent walls bring the garden inside even in winter and the cakes are laid out enticingly in the glass cabinet.
8. Go on a pub crawl
In 2010 the Father Bernatek bridge straddled the Wisla river for the first time and opened up the ultimate Krakow pub crawl. Start on the Podgorze side where Drukarnia Jazz Club has typewriters on the walls (Drukarnia means Printhouse) and a laidback New Orleans vibe, before moving on to CAWA Café & Wine for, you’ve guessed it, a glass of vino. Then head across the bridge to Kazimierz and Mostowa Art Café for microbrews and homemade vodka.
9. Become a Pinball Wizard at the Museum
Haven’t ever visited a Pinball Museum before? Now’s your chance. After all of the epic architecture and walking tours in Krakow, the bright lights and games make a welcome change of scenery, especially for families and teens. Plan to spend 2-3 hours glued to the machines in this museums cellar. The tickets are good for re-entry all day, so you could definitely visit after popping into the local breweries too.
Opening times: Noon–11PM Tickets: 40 PLN for a regular, 20 for a concession, 7 for children and 100 for a family Address: 15, Kraków, Stradomska, 31-068 Kraków, Poland
10. Stroll Lost Soul’s Alley
Lost Soul’s Alley isn’t for the faint hearted. Even as you walk down the alley to the venue, you’ll feel the tension building inside – what’s on the other side of the door? An adult’s horror house, worthy of 30 minutes of screams and scares. If you’ve ever visited any of the escape houses (and enjoyed it) give this one a try. It takes a minimum of one Polish vodka to recover.
Opening times: 12–8PM Tickets: 20 PLN Address: Florianska 6, Krakow 31-021, Poland
11. Visit the Stained Glass Museum
If you’re looking to recover from the excitement of Lost Soul’s, the tranquil studios of the painters in this museum make the perfect place. You’ll be taken through the glass workshop which has been here since 1902, and meet some of the makers too. It’s a particularly memorable experience if you carry it in the context of all churches in Poland too – the technique for glass painting hasn’t changed since the Middle Ages.
Opening times: 12PM-6PM, closed Sunday and Monday Tickets: 32 PLN for an adult, 24 PLN for a student Address: aleja Zygmunta Krasińskiego 23, 31-111 Kraków, Poland
12. Find the Franciscan Church
Once you’ve learned all the skills and techniques in the Stained Glass Museum, see them in play at the Franciscan Church (Kosciol Franciszkanow) in the Old Town. This Church contains the famous ‘God the Father’ from Stanislaw Wyspianski, and a kaleidoscope of colours too. Just remember your camera.
Opening times: 7am-8pm
Tickets: Free Address: pl. Wszystkich Świętych 5, 31-004 Kraków, Poland
13. Picnic in Planty Park
Planty is known as the ‘lungs of Krakow’. It was once part of the city’s thirteenth century defence fortifications, but now it’s been transformed into a 52 acre lush, botanical garden. Take a bottle of wine during spring or summer and enjoy Poland’s sunshine.
Opening times: 24 hours Tickets: Free Address: Planty, 30-001 Kraków, Poland
14. Take photos at Zakrzowek Gorge
This is an old limestone quarry, that’s now been filled with water. In the summer it fills with locals too, as the city dwellers from Krakow catch the 5 minute taxi ride to the park. There are hiking trails around the water, but we wouldn’t blame you for wanting to stay by the lake all day long.
Opening times: 24 hours Tickets: Free Address: Zalew Zakrzówek, Kraków, Poland
15. Run, walk or cycle along the Wisla River
The Wisla River divides the city of Krakow in 2, and thus it’s one of the best ways to see the city on a budget too. Rent out a bike or run off a few of the meals you’ve indulged in along the river side – or enjoy a few more drinks whilst walking the river banks. There’s even a beach for the hotter summer days.
Opening times: 24 hours Tickets: Free Address: Wybrzeze Helskie, Warsaw, Poland
How to get to Krakow:
There are direct flights from London, Birmingham, Manchester, Newcastle, Edinburgh, Bournemouth, Liverpool and Belfast. You can also catch connecting flights from Cambridge, Aberdeen, Exeter, Dundee, Newquay, Norwich, Inverness and Glasgow
