5 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

      Listen for the hejnał bugle call played every hour from St. Mary's taller tower; it stops abruptly mid-tune. (1 hour, free).

   2. Late morning

      Cloth Hall

      Browse the ground-floor stalls for an overview, but compare amber prices with shops elsewhere before buying. (30 minutes to 1.5 hours, free).

   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 altarpiece's wings are opened ceremonially each day just before noon; arrive a little early for a good view. (45 minutes, low cost).

   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. (2–3 hours, mid-priced).

   2. Late morning

      Wawel Cathedral

      Climb the narrow stairs to the Sigismund Bell for a view over the castle courtyard and river. (1 hour, low cost).

   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. (20–30 minutes, low cost).

   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

      Allow at least two hours; the exhibition is dense and moving, and it pairs naturally with Ghetto Heroes Square nearby. (2 hours, mid-priced).

   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. (45 minutes, free).

   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

      Book Schindler's Factory first, then fill the time before or after your slot here next door. (1.5 hours, mid-priced).

   5. Evening

      Kazimierz and Plac Nowy

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

4. Day 4: Day trip to Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial

   About 1.5 hours by bus or car each way. Getting there: Bus from the main bus station, train to Oświęcim, or a guided tour.

   1. Morning

      Travel to Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial

      About 1.5 hours by bus or car (Bus from the main bus station, train to Oświęcim, or a guided tour); about 65 km.

   2. Day

      Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial

      The former German Nazi concentration and extermination camps of Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau are preserved as a memorial and museum. Best for culture.

   3. Evening

      Back in Kraków

      Dinner: try Żurek.

5. Day 5: Rynek Underground and Planty Park

   Rynek Underground, Planty Park and Barbican and St. Florian's Gate, then Old Town cellars in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Rynek Underground

      It is a good choice for a rainy afternoon; buy a timed ticket early in the day, as slots fill up. (1.5 hours, mid-priced).

   2. Late morning

      Planty Park

      Walk the full loop in autumn, when the chestnut and maple trees turn gold. (1 hour, free).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Żurek

      Traditional Polish restaurants and milk bars across the city.

   4. Afternoon

      Barbican and St. Florian's Gate

      Walk the wall-top passage between the Barbican and the gate in the warmer months for a view down Floriańska Street. (30–45 minutes, low cost).

   5. Evening

      Old Town cellars

      Bars, jazz clubs and dance venues in vaulted medieval cellars around the Main Square.

Before you go

Reserve timed tickets for Wawel Castle, Oskar Schindler's Enamel Factory and Rynek Underground before you travel; the rest of this plan needs no advance booking.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 5 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 18–20 hours of visiting over 5 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
• 3 days in Kraków

Questions travellers ask