Krakow has risen rapidly in its tourist rankings due to its colorful character. From imposing castle towers to snowcapped mountains, Gothic Cathedrals to memorial buildings and camps during WWII, underground activities, and much more, visiting Krakow offers a wide variety to enjoy.
Located in the heart of a small but mighty town, it features some of the best historical sites in Europe, plus luscious cuisine and high-quality entertainment at comparatively affordable prices.
Amazing Things To Do in Krakow
Explore this list of the top 20 things to do in Krakow.
1. Pedal Around The Ghetto Heroes Square
A perfect activity during the summer sun, feel the breeze through your hair, cycle through the beautiful streets of Krakow on a bicycle tour, stopping to enjoy some of Poland’s most beautiful and unique places.
From historic houses to charming, cobbled streets and atmospheric burial grounds to old graveyards. One of the amazing things to do in Krakow.
They are also great opportunities for people to meet fellow travelers as well. While the schedule changes according to the itinerary you select, you’re likely to get a chance to eat Polish food before visiting places such as Wawel Castle, the Jewish Quarter, and the remains of the Jewish Ghetto during World War II.
2. Visit Kazimierz, The Jewish Quarter
During your visit to Galicia Jewish Museum, where guests will have the chance to explore Galician life and the Holocaust in the past and learn about contemporary lives in a single place. Kazimierz is the city’s nightlife epicenter, with several restaurants and bars.
Even though the area was decimated during the war and has been neglected for many years, current rebuilding and refurbishing work in Kazimierz has restored its prewar intimate feel. Another excellent couple activity is to visit the most charming Krakow area – Jewish Kazimierz.
Known as a landmark attraction, it has a network of narrow cobbled streets with plenty of artisan stores offering distinctive gifts and intimate cafés for enjoying the finest wines and artisan foods to make your experience more memorable. It has an attractive character and Yiddish heritage that creates incredibly romantic experiences for visitors to Krakow.
After WWII, Kazimierz was almost abandoned, and it wasn’t until “Schindler’s List” was shot here that the Cracovians started to return. Kazimierz also houses the city’s two most popular museums, the Ethnographic Museum and the Municipal Engineering Museum. One of the best things to do in Krakow.
3. Take a Hike at Ojcow National Park
The ideal getaway from the bustle of the city is Ojcow National Park, which is 40 minutes north of Krakow. During the busiest travel seasons, the city is way too loud. One of the most fantastic things to do in Krakow is this.
4. Visit The Wieliczka Salt Mine
Krakow’s Tourist staples to all who want to escape from its most popular haunts for just a few days; probably the most interesting place in Poland, Wieliczka Salt Mine is the world’s largest miner heritage museum, and the site is composed of underground trails, galleries, and chambers that allow you to explore sacred artworks and underground lakes.
This is quite a journey at 1350 meters in depth, so thankfully, we have an easy way to get back. Experience the subterranean world of the Wieliczka Salt Mine’s tunnels, chambers, huge halls, and walks designed to see the mine’s underground.
Apart from the religious holidays, the Wieliczka Salt Mine, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is open all year. It is unquestionably among the top things to do in Krakow.
5. Zoom Around Town in a Segway
The first thing you should know about riding a Segway is that tiny, delicate motions will generate the smoothest ride. While riding a Segway has numerous advantages, it certainly pays to be prepared.
Alternatively, you take an easier route and visit the city on a scooter or by taking your bike. The welcoming locals are taking over the route – this eliminates the worry and hassle associated with planning an itinerary – expect to walk around large medieval squares and charming side streets along the road to the grand Wawel Castle and Saint Mary’s Chapel.
You’re moving far quicker than you would if you were walking. You will undoubtedly cover a bigger amount of ground in less time. Segways are a lot of fun. Certainly, it is one of the amazing things to do in Krakow.
6. Admire St. Mary’s Basilica
This gothic masterpiece built around 1470 amazes visitors annually with its magnificent interior and exterior walls and artwork. Step inside for enchanting stained glass, lighted ceilings, and magnificent wooden altars that are the work of today’s worshippers. You can pre-plan it to enjoy the sound of hourly bugles echoed through this 80-meter tower!
7. Shop at Cloth Hall
Cloth Hall or Sukiennice are ideal places to grab your souvenirs and are a top attraction in the historic area. This historic building features exemplary art dating from the 14th century and rows upon rows of handmade items. Shop abundantly from this place because, apparently, it is one of the best things to do in Krakow.
The Cloth Hall, located in the heart of Krakow’s major market square, pays homage to the city’s long commercial history.
The cloth was often exchanged and kept here. During the Middle Ages, this was used to produce clothing, and it was sold in Krakow as early as the thirteenth century.
The National Museum of Krakow is situated in the Sukiennice; Cloth Hall has a lot of art. It is one of the most thrilling things to do in Krakow.
The museum was established to showcase the picture of Nero’s Torches, gifted to the city by one of Poland’s greatest artists, Henryk Siemiradzki. Aside from a rich collection of artwork, the museum boasts a café with a terrace with stunning views of Rynek Glowny Market Square and St Mary’s Basilica.
8. Check Out What’s Happening in Rynek, the Main Market Square
Rynek is the main center of the town, and it is known for its loud and noisy activities; visiting here is one of the best things to do in Krakow. This city’s long and decorated history can be seen in the old church buildings on the square dating back to the 1600s.
The 10-acre square is the biggest in any of Europe’s medieval towns, and it houses the 16th-century Renaissance Cloth Hall and the magnificent 14th-century Gothic Basilica of the Virgin Mary. At its heart, the enormous medieval Sukiennice Cloth Hall reminds Kraków of its historical role as an Eastern European trade and commercial powerhouse.
Restaurants and cafés on the square’s eastern side are more popular with visitors, with a front-row view of the Cloth Hall’s façade and Town Hall Tower, the sole surviving piece of Kraków’s 13th-century town hall and the city’s equivalent to Pisa’s leaning tower.
From the throngs of street performers at the foot of the Basilica’s crimson spires to the little, charming Church of St. Adalbert at the exit on Grodzka Street to the south, the eastern side of the plaza is crowded with objects of interest.
9. Walk around Krakow Old Town or Take a Tour
Take a quick walk into Krakow’s historic center and enjoy its beautiful surroundings; it’s perfect as a starting point to take a walking tour or just a souvenir and grab a quick bite of food and take photos of tourists.
Whatever you do on foot with one of the expert guides or as part of an enjoyable Segway trip, the World Heritage Site is the perfect destination and one of the best things to do in Krakow.
Kraków’s beautiful Old Town is one of the attractions in central Europe’s most walkable tourist sites, and exploring the city on foot is the ideal way to get to know it. Tour guides are typically far more knowledgeable and courteous.
It makes a world of difference. Everything may be booked using the app without the need to print anything, and admission costs are included in the price. This is among the best things to do in Krakow.
10. Go on a Communism Tour
If you want to discover what is happening around Krakow, take a tour to explore the city and its turbulent past. Many communist artifacts remain alive today, which makes it one of the nicest things to do in Krakow.
Along the way, you will learn about the Soviet Union’s gloomy past and see how starkly Nowa Huta, Krakow’s lovely Old Town, built on social realism, contrasts it.
Poland, a great nation that fell prey to oppressive communist rule after WWII, is also the country that led to the demise of communism in eastern and central Europe.
Visit and explore Krakow’s centrally planned Socialist area of Nowa Huta, replete with steelworks and Soviet-style residences constructed in the Renaissance style. This is among the best things to do in Krakow.
Throughout the journey, you will go back in time to discover the beauties of this one-of-a-kind city. Not only will you learn about living under communism, but you will also hear a variety of fascinating anecdotes.
The Communism Tour includes a walking tour around the neighborhood and refreshments at an old-fashioned restaurant. Certainly, one of the amazing things to do in Krakow.
11. Relax at the Zakopane Thermal Baths
An effective traveler will draw the required attention to himself. You may enjoy breathtaking views of the snow-covered Tatra Mountains while taking a tour of the lovely city of Zakopane. One of the nicest things to do in Krakow is to enter its hot springs, where Zen and relaxation are commonplace pursuits.
In addition to outdoor and indoor pools, there is a large variety of restaurants and water parks to explore. Take a vacation from the city and visit Zakopane, where you may relax in the outdoor and indoor hot springs of Chochoowska Baths, the biggest thermal complex in Podhale.
Thermal baths relax and increase blood flow to tissues and organs. Regardless of the number of people in the facility, the biggest thermal complex in Podhale enables you to rest comfortably.
A plethora of activities and enormous outdoor swimming pools next to beaches with stunning views of the Tatras make it one of the best things to do in Krakow.
12. Explore Rynek Underground Museum
Regarding the Krakow-based Museum, Visiting Rynek underground museum is one of the best things to do in Krakow. This museum is 4 meters underground, loaded with technological exhibits, and a great place for visitors.
In the past, the city has witnessed a booming population, from early settlement to the war, and a vibrant economy.
Rynek Underground, which opened in 2010 to highlight this rich mine of Kraków history, combines relics and renovated archaeological sites with lasers, smoke machines, and holograms.
Holographic 14th-century Krakovians welcome visitors to Rynek Underground, projected onto a smoke curtain that is split to reveal an immersive setting depicting everyday life in medieval Kraków. Hence, it is among the best things to do in Krakow.
13. Visit the Botanical Garden
Take a walk in Jagiellonian University Botanical Gardens. It is situated near Old City and provides a 10-hectare square filled with thousands of beautiful plantations.
Being the oldest garden in Poland, the Botanical Garden of Krakow is one of the city’s best and most beautiful places to visit. When you want a quiet break in Krakow, a trip to the Krakow botanical gardens can be an excellent choice.
Aside from providing a calm and instructive garden walk, Kraków’s botanical gardens are a good excuse to venture outside the Old Town. An important thing you should note is the timings; you can visit the gardens from 9 am to 7 pm from mid-April to mid-October. The arboretum, which has over 1000 trees and plants, is the biggest component of the Kraków garden.
Visitors can witness more than 50 varieties of palms, carnivorous plants, tropical cultivable plants, biblical plants, and Poland’s oldest sago palm collection at the “Jubilee” palm house and tropical greenhouse complex. This is perhaps one of the best things to do in Krakow at your leisure.
14. Wander around Wawel Royal Castle
In addition to its gorgeous exterior, Poland’s Wawel Royal Castle is a significant monument with a rich historical past. A national treasure from the 13th century steeped in history through its varied ages as a royal residence and coronation site. A trip to the iconic Tower Bell and Hourly Trombone is just as exciting.
This remarkable refuge shapes Poles’ identities and serves as a national and cultural emblem. Wawel was the seat of Polish monarchs, their necropolis, and the birthplace of Polish history.
The rarest and largest collection of Flemish tapestries from the 16th century is presently kept in this castle, which served as a symbol of the independent Polish state.
The castle is made up of multiple constructions from various eras that are arranged around an Italian-styled main courtyard. Wawel Royal Castle in Poland is a massive castle that represents several architectural styles from the Medieval, Renaissance, Gothic, and Baroque eras.
15. Auschwitz – Birkenau Museum
Another must-see is the camps at Auschwitz linked to the sad time of the Nazi regime in Poland. This site has a significant role in WWII history, and visits to the place are a form of remembrance for victims of the Nazi regime. The Museum Auschwitz-Birkenau provides a variety of original items.
The former concentration site contains more than 150 buildings and more than 300 structures. The fences and roadside are original. The museum is also rich in personal items belonging to prisoners, including luggage, shoes, and glasses.
This is a must-see destination because of the tragic past it represents and a testament to the undying power of the human spirit. Understand the ramifications of World War II and the Holocaust with the assistance of an experienced guide.
Walk around the camp and observe the locations and barracks where inmates reside.
16. Oskar Schindler’s Factory
History fans may find the museum in Oskar Schindlers Factory interesting. You can see Schindler’s restored offices and the true story of his heroism, as you did when watching a Spielberg film. Oskar Schindler’s Enamel Factory Museum presents a museum exhibit on the Nazi occupation of Krakow between 1939 and 1945.
This exhibition reflects the history of the area. It shows everyday life and private life and makes an impression on visitors. Today, the factory houses a section of the City of Krakow Historical Museum, which focuses on the city’s World War II experience and enables visitors to examine history where it occurred.
A rich collection of artifacts, pictures, movies, and documents depict the life of Krakow’s wartime residents, the fate of Polish Jews, and the increasing underground resistance throughout the war. Truly, one of the greatest things to do in Krakow.
17. Aquapark Krakow
The swimming pool is located near Poland’s top swimming pools. Its uniqueness is its numerous attractions both to children and adults. You won’t regret spending time at the facility. The water parks of Krakow are immediately brought into our minds when we think of what they are doing for kids.
It offers many attractions, and you can spend an incredible day here even in a very poor climate. There are attractions suitable for everyone. Real sharks swim in a large coral reef aquarium inside colorful swimming pools and whirling slides. Certainly, it is one of the greatest things to do in Krakow.
The institution distinguishes itself from others by focusing on cleanliness and providing a high level of service. People with impairments may use the facility, which is ideal for rehabilitation and physical treatment.
18. Visit the Krakow Zoo
In good weather, you can go straight to Krakow Zoo. It also offers a huge selection of animal and animal-loving playgrounds that are just as fun for kids.
Children younger than two are welcome. This Zoo is situated in the Wolski Forest near Krakow city, so combining the visit with an excellent day filled with activities such as walking and biking on local trails is possible.
The Krakow Zoo is deep in the forest and easily accessible from the city center through comfortable bus service. The zoo, a mid-sized enclosure of 17 hectares and holding around 1400 animals, has a diverse variety of species and a lengthy history.
The earliest recorded wild animals in Krakow were a pair of lions imported from Florence in 1406. Visitors may now enjoy 285 species, including 88 that are endangered and 32 that are on the verge of extinction. Visit this zoo without fail, when in Krakow as it is one of the best things to do in Krakow.
19. Visit the Polish Aviation Museum
Young people have the opportunity to learn more about flying airplane systems. We are convinced this is a wonderful experience for all the techy kids. The Polish Aviation Museum’s extensive display is shown in the main buildings, the former aircraft hangar, and inside the building.
This museum is perhaps the world’s oldest military airport. The Austrian Empire established it in 1912 and played a major part in developing Polish aviation following its independence in 1918. The Luftwaffe used it during WWII.
A substantial portion comprises German aircraft, particularly those abandoned on Polish soil during WWII or transported to Poland to be hidden after the war. Visiting this place is among the best things in Krakow.
20. Take a Bus Tour
One of the most popular and well-known cities in Europe, especially in Poland, is Krakow. One of the most popular tourist sites, the city has various stunning views and well-known landmarks.
Guests will enjoy easy bus trips through select city sections on the Krakow hop-on-hop-off bus tour, which lets visitors travel the city in a bus and take pauses notably at attractive spots.
An excellent option to see Krakow is to take a sightseeing bus trip, which is both inexpensive and convenient. Bus tour maps keep tourists on the bus routes while walking tour maps guide visitors safely along renowned trails.
This sightseeing option give guests great activities while sitting comfortably in an air-conditioned bus that journeys to some of the city’s major sites.
Conclusion
In Krakow, there are several wonderful locations with many different types of food. You will surely enjoy a fantastic holiday if you visit Krakow with your significant others, friends, and family. Krakow, Poland, is a town worth visiting.
Compared with other European nations, the price is lower. The town of Krakow is a popular stop on many tourists’ tours through Poland. For one, there are abundant things to do in Krakow to enjoy to the fullest!
