History · Kraków · Poland
8 historic sites to see in Kraków
The places that tell the story of how the city came to be.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: bazylek100 / Robin, CC BY 2.0
Quick answer
Start with St. Mary's Basilica, Wawel Castle and Wawel Cathedral. Together the 8 picks below take roughly 11–14 hours across 4 areas; 2 are free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 8
- Free entry
- 2
- Time to see them all
- 11–14 hours
- Areas
- Old Town, Wawel and Kazimierz
Historic sites in Kraków
Religious site · Old Town
1.St. Mary's Basilica
Its two unequal towers are the symbol of the city.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Art
- Architecture
- History
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Castle · Wawel
2.Wawel Castle
The seat of Polish kings for five centuries, the castle on Wawel Hill has a Renaissance arcaded courtyard and several separate exhibitions: the State Rooms with King Sigismund Augustus's Flemish tapestries, the Private Royal Apartments, the Crown Treasury and Armoury, and the archaeological Lost Wawel.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- History
- Architecture
- Views
Religious site · Wawel
3.Wawel Cathedral
The gold-domed Sigismund Chapel is a Renaissance masterpiece, the crypts hold the tombs of kings and national heroes such as Tadeusz Kościuszko and the poet Adam Mickiewicz, and you can climb the tower to the huge Sigismund Bell.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Architecture
- Iconic
Neighbourhood · Kazimierz
4.Kazimierz Jewish quarter
Nearby are the Tempel Synagogue, the Isaac Synagogue and the Galicia Jewish Museum, while Plac Nowy's round market hall and bars bring the district alive in the evening.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- History
- Free
- Food
- After dark
- Iconic
Museum · Podgórze
5.Oskar Schindler's Enamel Factory
Reconstructed streets, ghetto rooms and testimonies tell the story of Kraków's Jewish and Polish residents, with Schindler's office preserved.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Rainy day
- Iconic
Historic site · Wawel
6.Dragon's Den and Wawel Dragon
You exit by the river beside a bronze dragon statue that breathes real fire every few minutes, a favourite with children.
- Time needed
- 20–30 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- History
Museum · Old Town
7.Rynek Underground
Beneath the Main Square, excavated medieval market stalls, roads and foundations form a museum about Kraków's trading past, with holograms, touchscreens and finds such as coins and tools from the excavations.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Rainy day
- Kids
Historic site · Podgórze
8.Ghetto Heroes Square and Pharmacy Under the Eagle
On one side, the Pharmacy Under the Eagle, run during the war by the non-Jewish pharmacist Tadeusz Pankiewicz, is now a small museum about life in the ghetto.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- History
- Free
- Off the beaten path
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Old Town | St. Mary's Basilica and Rynek Underground | 45 minutes + 1.5 hours |
| Wawel | Wawel Castle, Wawel Cathedral and Dragon's Den and Wawel Dragon | 2–3 hours + 1 hour + 20–30 minutes |
| Kazimierz | Kazimierz Jewish quarter | Half a day |
| Podgórze | Oskar Schindler's Enamel Factory and Ghetto Heroes Square and Pharmacy Under the Eagle | 2 hours + 45 minutes |
Booking and timing
Of these 8, 2 free, 3 low cost, 3 mid-priced. Book ahead for Wawel Castle, Oskar Schindler's Enamel Factory and Rynek Underground. The longest visit is Kazimierz Jewish quarter; group the rest by area to save travel time.
- 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.
- Rynek Underground: Entry is by timed ticket in limited numbers; reserve online at busy times.
How to fit them into 4 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Old Town): St. Mary's Basilica → Rynek Underground, at least 2 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Wawel): Wawel Castle → Wawel Cathedral → Dragon's Den and Wawel Dragon, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Kazimierz): Kazimierz Jewish quarter, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 4 (Podgórze): Oskar Schindler's Enamel Factory → Ghetto Heroes Square and Pharmacy Under the Eagle, at least 3 hours.
The quietest months for queues
- February: highs of 3°C (37°F), about 7 rainy days, quiet crowds. Cold and grey, with a chance of snow; a good month for museums, cellar bars and hearty food.
- January: highs of 1°C (34°F), about 8 rainy days, quiet crowds. The coldest month, often below freezing with possible snow; quiet museums and low prices.
- March: highs of 8°C (46°F), about 8 rainy days, quiet crowds. Early spring with mixed sun and chill; crowds and prices are still low.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Old Town — The Main Square, cellar bars and townhouse hotels inside the green Planty ring
- Kazimierz — Historic Jewish quarter of synagogues, cafés, bars and the Plac Nowy food stalls
- Stradom — Quieter streets between the Old Town, Wawel and Kazimierz
- Podgórze — Across the river: wartime ghetto history, museums, a prehistoric mound and new cafés
More of Kraków
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Kraków?
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.
+Which of these are free in Kraków?
Kazimierz Jewish quarter and Ghetto Heroes Square and Pharmacy Under the Eagle.