3 days in Kraków

Day by day

1. Day 1: Main Market Square and Cloth Hall

   Main Market Square, Cloth Hall and St. Mary's Basilica, then Kazimierz Jewish quarter in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Main Market Square

      Laid out in 1257, the Rynek Główny is one of the largest medieval town squares in Europe, ringed by townhouses, café terraces and the Town Hall Tower, with the Cloth Hall in the middle and the small St Adalbert's Church in one corner.

   2. Late morning

      Cloth Hall

      Browse the ground-floor stalls for an overview, but compare amber prices with shops elsewhere before buying.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Pierogi

      Milk bars and pierogi restaurants across the Old Town and Kazimierz; order a mixed plate to try several fillings.

   4. Afternoon

      St. Mary's Basilica

      The brick Gothic basilica on the Main Square has a deep-blue, star-painted vault and the great altarpiece carved by Veit Stoss between 1477 and 1489, the largest Gothic altarpiece in Europe, with life-size limewood figures.

   5. Evening

      Kazimierz Jewish quarter

      Visit the synagogues in the morning, then return in the evening for dinner and drinks around Plac Nowy.

2. Day 2: Wawel Castle and Wawel Cathedral

   Wawel Castle, Wawel Cathedral and Dragon's Den and Wawel Dragon, then Vistula boulevards in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Wawel Castle

      Pick two or three exhibitions rather than trying to see everything; the State Rooms and Treasury are the highlights.

   2. Late morning

      Wawel Cathedral

      Polish kings were crowned and buried in this cathedral, whose chapels range from Gothic to Baroque.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Obwarzanek krakowski

      Street carts on almost every Old Town corner, especially in the morning when they are freshest.

   4. Afternoon

      Dragon's Den and Wawel Dragon

      Visit the cave on your way down from the castle; the exit by the river leads straight onto the Vistula boulevards.

   5. Evening

      Vistula boulevards

      Walk from the Dragon's Den along the river to the footbridge at dusk, when Wawel is lit up.

3. Day 3: Oskar Schindler's Enamel Factory and Ghetto Heroes Square and Pharmacy Under the Eagle

   Oskar Schindler's Enamel Factory, Ghetto Heroes Square and Pharmacy Under the Eagle and MOCAK – Museum of Contemporary Art, then Kazimierz and Plac Nowy in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Oskar Schindler's Enamel Factory

      Oskar Schindler's former factory in Zabłocie houses a Museum of Kraków exhibition on the city under Nazi occupation from 1939 to 1945.

   2. Late morning

      Ghetto Heroes Square and Pharmacy Under the Eagle

      Walk here from Kazimierz across the Father Bernatek footbridge and continue to Schindler's Factory, about 10 minutes away.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Zapiekanka

      The hatches around the round market hall (Okrąglak) on Plac Nowy in Kazimierz, open late.

   4. Afternoon

      MOCAK – Museum of Contemporary Art

      Built into the former workshops of Schindler's factory complex, MOCAK shows Polish and international contemporary art in changing exhibitions and a permanent collection, with a good café and bookshop.

   5. Evening

      Kazimierz and Plac Nowy

      Bohemian bars with mismatched furniture and candlelight, open late and lively all week.

Before you go

• Wawel Castle: Each exhibition has its own timed ticket and daily limits; buy online or early in the day, especially in summer.
• Oskar Schindler's Enamel Factory: Timed tickets sell out, especially from spring to autumn; book online several days ahead.

If it rains

• Swap in Rynek Underground (Old Town): It is a good choice for a rainy afternoon; buy a timed ticket early in the day, as slots fill up.
• Swap in Collegium Maius (Old Town): The courtyard is free to enter; the interiors are seen on a short guided tour.
• Swap in Czartoryski Museum (Old Town): Go early or late in the day to spend a few quiet minutes with the Leonardo.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 3 nights, Old Town keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, Stradom ($$$) suits first-timers, families and couples. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 15–17 hours of visiting over 3 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 8.1 hours in December to 16.4 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

More or fewer days

• One day in Kraków
• 2 days in Kraków
• 5 days in Kraków

Questions travellers ask