Where to stay · Kraków · Poland
Where to stay in Kraków
6 neighbourhoods compared, with the trade-offs hotel listings don't tell you.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Jar.ciurus, CC BY-SA 3.0 pl
Quick answer
For a first visit, stay in Old Town. The Main Square, cellar bars and townhouse hotels inside the green Planty ring. Best alternatives — families: Stradom; budget: Podgórze.
Key facts
- First visit
- Old Town
- Families
- Stradom
- Budget
- Podgórze
- Nightlife
- Old Town
Best area for each kind of trip
| Trip type | Area | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-timers | Old Town | The Main Square, cellar bars and townhouse hotels inside the green Planty ring |
| Families | Stradom | Quieter streets between the Old Town, Wawel and Kazimierz |
| Couples | Stradom | Quieter streets between the Old Town, Wawel and Kazimierz |
| Budget | Podgórze | Across the river: wartime ghetto history, museums, a prehistoric mound and new cafés |
| Nightlife | Old Town | The Main Square, cellar bars and townhouse hotels inside the green Planty ring |
| Food lovers | Kazimierz | Historic Jewish quarter of synagogues, cafés, bars and the Plac Nowy food stalls |
| Solo travellers | Kazimierz | Historic Jewish quarter of synagogues, cafés, bars and the Plac Nowy food stalls |
| Quiet stays | Podgórze | Across the river: wartime ghetto history, museums, a prehistoric mound and new cafés |
Kraków neighbourhoods in detail
$$$ · Best for first-timers, culture and nightlife
Old Town
The Stare Miasto is enclosed by the Planty park on the line of the old walls, with the Main Square, Cloth Hall and St. Mary's Basilica at its centre and Floriańska and Grodzka streets forming the Royal Road to Wawel. Hotels occupy historic townhouses, and almost everything is walkable, including Kraków Główny station on the northern edge.
- Good
- Walk to almost every sight; Short walk from the main station; Atmospheric at night
- Watch out
- Weekend nights can be loud around the bars; Highest room prices in the city
- Nearby
- Main Square, St. Mary's Basilica, Cloth Hall, Wawel Castle
$$ · Best for food lovers, nightlife, solo travellers and culture
Kazimierz
Founded as a separate town in the 14th century, Kazimierz was the centre of Jewish life in Kraków for centuries. Today Szeroka Street's synagogues and cemetery sit beside candlelit cafés, vintage shops and the city's best bar scene around Plac Nowy, where the round market hall serves zapiekanki late into the night. The Old Town is a 15-minute walk.
- Good
- Most characterful area in the city; Excellent cafés and restaurants; Good-value apartments
- Watch out
- Noisy late at night around Plac Nowy; Some streets are scruffy
- Nearby
- Old Synagogue, Remah Synagogue, Plac Nowy, Vistula boulevards
$$$ · Best for first-timers, families and couples
Stradom
Stradom is the narrow district along Stradomska and Dietla streets, sandwiched between Wawel Hill, the Old Town and Kazimierz. It puts you within 10 minutes' walk of all three without the late-night noise of either the Main Square or Plac Nowy, and trams run along its main streets.
- Good
- Central yet calmer; Walk to Wawel and Kazimierz; Good tram connections
- Watch out
- Less atmosphere than the Old Town; Some busy traffic streets
- Nearby
- Wawel Castle, Kazimierz, Vistula boulevards
$$ · Best for budget, culture and quiet stays
Podgórze
South of the Vistula, Podgórze held the wartime Jewish ghetto, remembered at Ghetto Heroes Square and the Pharmacy Under the Eagle. Schindler's Factory and the MOCAK contemporary art museum are in the post-industrial Zabłocie area, and Krakus Mound gives free views over the city. The Father Bernatek footbridge links it with Kazimierz.
- Good
- Lower prices and newer hotels; Major museums nearby; Footbridge walk to Kazimierz
- Watch out
- A 20–30-minute walk or tram ride to the Main Square; Fewer restaurants
- Nearby
- Schindler's Factory, MOCAK, Krakus Mound, Ghetto Heroes Square
$$ · Best for budget, first-timers and solo travellers
Kleparz
Kleparz, just north of the Barbican and Florian's Gate, is centred on the Stary Kleparz market, where farmers sell fruit, vegetables and cheese. It is close to Kraków Główny station, the Galeria Krakowska mall and the airport train, and has a good choice of mid-range and budget hotels.
- Good
- Easy for trains and the airport; Good-value hotels; Walk to the Old Town in 5–10 minutes
- Watch out
- Busy roads around the station; Less charming streets
- Nearby
- Stary Kleparz market, Kraków Główny station, Florian's Gate
$$ · Best for quiet stays and families
Zwierzyniec and Salwator
West of the Old Town, Zwierzyniec has villas, the vast Błonia meadow, the Salwator tram terminus and the walk up to Kościuszko Mound. It is residential and green, with the Vistula riverside path leading back towards Wawel in about 30 minutes.
- Good
- Green and peaceful; Riverside walks; Space for children to run
- Watch out
- Few hotels; A tram ride from the Old Town sights
- Nearby
- Kościuszko Mound, Błonia, Vistula boulevards
Areas compared
| Area | Price | Nearby |
|---|---|---|
| Old Town | $$$ | Main Square, St. Mary's Basilica, Cloth Hall, Wawel Castle |
| Kazimierz | $$ | Old Synagogue, Remah Synagogue, Plac Nowy, Vistula boulevards |
| Stradom | $$$ | Wawel Castle, Kazimierz, Vistula boulevards |
| Podgórze | $$ | Schindler's Factory, MOCAK, Krakus Mound, Ghetto Heroes Square |
| Kleparz | $$ | Stary Kleparz market, Kraków Główny station, Florian's Gate |
| Zwierzyniec and Salwator | $$ | Kościuszko Mound, Błonia, Vistula boulevards |
Getting to your hotel
Kraków John Paul II International Airport (KRK) is in Balice, about 11 km west of the centre. Trains run from the terminal station to Kraków Główny in about 20 minutes; buses and taxis take about 25–40 minutes depending on traffic. Katowice Airport (KTW), about 100 km away, is linked by shuttle buses taking about 1.5–2 hours.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best area to stay in Kraków for first-time visitors?
Old Town. The Stare Miasto is enclosed by the Planty park on the line of the old walls, with the Main Square, Cloth Hall and St.
+Where should families stay in Kraków?
Stradom: Central yet calmer.
+Which area of Kraków is best for a budget stay?
Podgórze ($$): Across the river: wartime ghetto history, museums, a prehistoric mound and new cafés.