Krakow, Poland

All the places we visited in seven days in Krakow

Getting around

We found the public transport system in Krakow to be excellent and used the train and tram systems for everywhere we needed to go. We found it helpful to download Koleo for train travel – you can buy tickets in the app. For tram travel we bought a 7 day pass for about £13 one Jakdojade which we also used for route planning and timings. The tram stops were a little confusing at first as there can be three or four platforms for one stop that might be spread out across a junction but you soon get the hang of it. We didn’t use buses but they are included in the price of the pass and seemed fairly easy to navigate.

Tickets were checked on every train we got on and a couple of trams too. You can also buy tickets once on board from the machines or from the conductor.

Krakow itself is easily walkable if you are planning on basing yourself around the old town and square. Our hotel was a little further out so we did use the tram every day.

Old Town Square and Cloth Hall

This was our first port of call when we arrived and it was too early to check into our hotel. It was raining heavily (thankfully the only bad weather we had all week) but there were still people sat outside the bars under heated canopies. We picked one randomly and asked if we could sit for drinks, they immediately told us there was space inside. The bar was called the Piano Lounge and seemed to be located in a cave. It was very dark with a rather gothic atmosphere that made me forget it was 2pm. We sampled a handful of the bars on the square over the week and had excellent service and drinks in all. You will pay a bit more but thats to be expected when you have a prime spot in the square. 

The Cloth Hall is a UNESCO world heritage site and the central feature of the main square. It has been called the oldest shopping mall in the world. In the medieval 1400’s it would have traded fabrics and spices from all over the world. Today it still houses a market selling jewellery and souvenirs. Amber jewellery in particular can be found in abundance due its historical significance in Poland.The upper floor is home to the Sukiennice Museum, a collection of 19th art and sculpture.

Rynek Museum

Unique muséum located underneath the cloth hall, the entrance is through one of the doors on the outside on the side diagonally opposite St Mary’s Basilica (The basilica was unfortunately not open when we visited).

The museum tells the story of the people of Krakow and the role of the Cloth Hall and Square as the main hub of the City. There was recently a huge excavation under the square in 2005 and artefacts from this can be seen as well as photographs showing the work being carried out. As an archeology student my daughter found this hugely interesting. There are little rooms off to the side where short films show the history of the City and its role as a major trading post.

Planty Park

We walked through parts of Planty Park on our way to other places and sat down a couple of times to eat lunch. Its 4km of trees and pathways encircle the old town so there is always some green space nearby. Its lovely and shaded too so a welcome break from the sun on warm days. There are various features along the way including Chopin’s Piano Water Fountain, a tribute to Poland’s famous composer. 

Glowny shopping centre

We didnt spend a lot of time in here as it was too warm to be indoors but did have a browse around on the way out of the station, which is accessed through the shopping centre. Has many well known brands such as H&M and Bershka and plenty of food options (we didn’t look into gluten free options here as we were spoilt for choice with restaurants).

Auschwitz-Birkenau

Concentration and death camp used by the Nazi’s in World War Two and the scene of some of the most horrific war crimes in history. 

You must book a guided tour when visiting, there is only a very short time frame where visitors are allowed to be self guided. Just over an hour on the train from Krakow and then around a 25 minute walk to the entrance. It is very busy at the entrance – ask which queue you should be in rather than waiting around as once we showed our tickets staff waived us straight through due to most of the queues outside being coach trips and large groups. Your tour guide waves a flag with your chosen language on to gather everyone on their tour and you stay together all the way around. All visitors are given headsets so you can hear your guide as there are points where there are a lot of people all talking at once. As expected we heard some harrowing details of what the prisoners here endured and saw the conditions they were held in. I learned a lot of things that I was not previously aware of that will stay with me forever. 

At the end of the Auschwitz part of the tour, a shuttle bus takes you to Birkenau just a few minutes away, where the tour continues. This is where the infamous train tracks are that transported tens of thousands of people here who had no idea of their fate. I believe everyone should experience this if they have the opportunity.

After the guided part of the tour is over you are free to look around by yourselves if you choose to. The shuttle bus takes you back to Auschwitz where you can look around the museum.

Energylandia

Theme park with the most rollercoasters in Europe (as opposed to drop or flat rides). Cost of entry was around £40 each. Two of these were on our bucket list – Hyperion and Zadra – and we weren’t disappointed although Hyperion was riding pretty rough! Just over an hour on the train from Krakow and an easy walk from the station. We were really impressed with this park, it seemed well organised with fantastic theming. Gifts shops, toilets and food choices were fantastic and we even found some gluten free pasta for lunch! Top three rides were Zadra, Abysuss and Formula. We did have a slightly embarrassing moment where I couldn’t get the lid off a bottle of water so took it back to the shop thinking it was faulty only to watch the girl who sold it to me open it with one hand!

Wieliczka Salt Mine

Everyone I have spoken to about Krakow told us this was a must see however I had read a lot about it being extremely busy so we booked our tickets for as early in the morning as possible. Easily accessible by train, about 20 minutes from Krakow main station.  There are two different entrances depending on if you have chosen the Tourist Route or Miners route and both are clearly signposted from the station. We were in a group of around 25 people with a guide (Isabella) who showed us around the mine.

There are a lot of steps here especially at the start of the tour, and there is no other way down so keep that in mind if you have mobility issues. Our guide stopped periodically and gave us information about what we were seeing which made sure we weren’t mixed up with the groups before and after us. Salt was produced here from the 14th Century right up until 1996. Highlights were the many sculptures carved by miners and modern sculptors, inducing a carving of The Last Supper which can be found on the wall in St Kinga’s chapel. The chapel itself is absolutely stunning and there isn’t a photograph I could have taken that would do it justice. The chapel is a working chapel which holds a service each Sunday. While we were there we were lucky enough to hear a visiting choir group sining which was beautiful. 

During the tour there were toilet stops and a quick refreshment and souvenir stop. At the end you are taken back up to ground level in a small miners lift that hold maybe 10 people. There is a bit of a wait for it – we waited maybe 15 minutes – but the experience was nowhere near as traumatic as I had read about before visiting. We were packed in tightly but it was in no way unsafe.

After we had been in the main part of the mine we visited the Graduation Tower for some stunning views and to hopefully take advantage of the health benefits of inhaling the brine that flows down the tower which is taken from the mine’s water outlets. The mine is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Archaeological museum

You have to search for this museum as its down a side road and not well signposted. Entry was a couple of pounds each. We had the audio tour option here which gave more information about the  exhibits in front of us. Some areas were closed when we visited which meant there was really only one floor of exhibits to view. The commentary told us about the history of people in Krakow from the Neanderthals to the modern day including what they wore and the tools they designed and used. It was interesting to see how the landscape changed and the different people that came to Poland over different centuries. A very small museum that only took us just over an hour to get around, you may need to allow longer if other areas are open.

Botanical Garden

We stumbled upon this garden when we were having a casual wander on our first morning. We walked down by the University buildings and noticed a large conservatory.  Entry was around three pounds and tickets could be bought from a ticket machine outside and then scanned through the tunrstile gate. Well laid out gardens and paths with information boards showing you the way and and giving information about the plants and wildlife. A lovely way to spend a peaceful couple of hours. 

Krakus Mound

There are a few interesting mounds in and around Krakow. This one is thought to be the resting place of the mythical King Krakus, the founder of Krakow.  Easily accessible by tram followed by a short walk and then a climb to the top of the mound itself. Seems like a great spot for a picnic or a drink to watch the sunset and there were plenty of people doing just that. The age of the mound is unknown but artefacts dating as far as the 8th Century have been discovered during excavations. There is a traditional folk festival held on the mound each year on the Tuesday after Easter.  A nice place to take a walk around and enjoy time away from the hustle and bustle of the city. 

Wojtek the Bear Monument/Jordan Park

I didnt know the story of Wojtek before visiting Krakow. My daughters boyfriend told her the story and asked her to go and take a look at the monument as he had fond memories of visiting as a child. Wojtek was a Syrian Brown bear who was adopted by polish troops during World War II and accompanied them to Italy. He was registered as a soldier to get around trasnportation laws which didnt allow for pets. He was able to mimic the soldiers he worked alongside and even carried ammunition crates for them. After the war he lived out the rest of his days in Edinburgh Zoo in Scotland. Wojtek’s memorial statue sits in The Jordan Park (a tram stops right outside). There is a also a monument to Wojtek on Princes Street in Edinburgh.

Wawel Castle

I have to say the online ticketing system here is one of the most overcomplicated I have ever come across! There are many different tickets you can buy which allow you to explore different parts of the castle. There is a lot to see here and for around £37 you can see every exhibition in the Castle plus 2 other locations. We didn’t intend to spend a full day here so we opted for the Castle!!! option which gave us access to all of the royal apartments and gardens. Anything else such as the Dragons Den, Treasury or Viewing Platform then had to be purchased separately. With  hindsight the full ticket might be better value even if you don’t see everything provided you have the time.

We had the audio tour which told us about the art, furniture and what the different rooms were used for throughout history. The Castle has been home to Kings and Nobility throughout its history before becoming a museum and monument to the history of Krakow. 

We bought the Sandomierska Tower ticket as an add on however I was not able to climb the stairs as they were not solid stairs and I suffer with vertigo so being able to see the floor below through stairs sets me off. My daughter did the climb and enjoyed some stunning views over the city. There is a lot to see here and I will definitely return to see more in future. 

Schindler Museum

Before we came on this trip we hadn’t pre-booked any local activities only the Salt Mine, Energylandia and Auschwitz as aside from that we hoped to explore at our own leisure. When we arrived I tried to put together a bit of an itinerary and soon found that we would definitely need to make reservations for the museums as slots were being taken up quickly. The Schindler Museum had no tickets available for any of the times we were free. A quick google search told us we could take a chance and queue outside the ticket office before the doors opened to see if there were spaces available. Fortunately we got lucky, we arrived at around 8.45am with about 12 people ahead of us in the line and were inside just after opening. Allow at least half a day for this if you want to see and read everything as there is a lot of information on display. There is a very interesting film right near the start of the museum which tells the story through the eyes of survivors who worked at the enamel factory. Although the museum does tell the story of Oscar Schindler, there is plenty more to learn about the life in Krakow during the war and the often complex relationships that were formed. The museum is filled with testimony from survivors and those who died about the harsh realities of life in the Jewish Ghettos contrasted with the relief that Oskar Schindler tried to provide by housing and feeding his workers and treating them with compassion. We spent around three hours here and we spent a lot of time reading everything that we could.

Eagle Pharmacy and Ghetto Heroes Square

The Pharmacy Under the Eagle is a very small but fascinating museum. It is packed with contemporary accounts of what life was like under Nazi occupation and how the pharmacy and its staff were able to help Polish Jews who were imprisoned inside the Ghetto –  an area walled in by the Nazi’s to keep the Jewish people isolated from the rest of the community. The pharmacist was Polish and declined the offer to go and work in a non-Jewish pharmacy. Instead he saved many lives by providing free medications and practical help to those trapped in the Ghetto.

The museum is very small, consisting of just three rooms and there is a lot of information to read in drawers and on shelves. This does make for quite a crowded environment and we had to go back to certain parts as we were conscious of other people needing to take a turn. Visitors are allowed to open the jars and pots that are on display in the apothecary which was unusual and a really nice addition. 

The museum is located in Ghetto Heroes Square in the Jewish Quarter which is a tribute to the many Jews that died in the Second World War. The square was the centre of the ghetto. It was in this square that people were gathered and taken to Auschwitz and other concentration camps or even publicly executed. The square contains 33 empty chairs on which visitors sometimes lay tributes. The chairs symbolise the empty chairs left behind by all those who left the city, never to return.