Anyone considering a visit to culture-filled Krakow would be on the way to making a great travel decision. What you’ll find upon arrival is Europe’s largest market square and a charming Old Town teeming with some of the city’s best attractions, as well as museums aplenty, and parks and green space galore. If you’re planning on visiting, we have you covered with tips from our local Krakow guides on everything you need to know about getting around and what to see and do once you’re there.

Getting to and from KRK

Taking the train is a convenient way to get from the airport into the city. The trains run approximately every 30 minutes to Krakow’s main railway station and also offer free wi-fi. Tickets cost PLN 9 and you’ll need to purchase your tickets in advance at a ticket machine. The train station is located near the passenger terminal, at the rear of the multi-storey car park.

Metered taxis are also available and cost approximately PLN 120 to the city centre. iCar is the cheapest taxi company and it’s usually cheaper to order a cab by phone. Another option, is if you’ve scheduled a tour of Krakow with Urban Adventures, we’re happy to arrange a private car for our visitors.

Getting around Krakow

Walking: Best way to see Krakow? Break out your comfy shoes and walk! Not only is it free, but the majority of the city’s landmarks in the Old Town are within easy walking distance.

Public transit: The city is served by buses and trams (tickets are the same for both) and public transit is available 24 hours a day. Cost depends on the type of ticket you require with the cheapest fare being good for 20 minutes at a cost of PLN 2.80 (enough to go five to eight stops). The price goes up for length of travel and you can also purchase tickets for 24, 48, and 72 hours, depending on how much you’ll be using public transit.

You also might want to think about picking up a Krakow Tourist Card, which gets you free entry to over 40 Krakow museums and free travel on trams and buses, day and night (including to Wieliczka Salt Mine). Two and three-day cards are available for PLN 100 and PLN 120, respectively.

Taxi: Metered taxis are available in the city. A typical journey costs approximately PLN 30-40. Remember, it’s cheaper to order a taxi over the phone in advance and iCar Taxis are one of the cheapest companies currently available.

Bike: Renting a bike is also an option for getting around Krakow if you prefer sightseeing on two wheels.

Things to do in Krakow

Krakow’s historic Old Town earned its spot on the first-ever UNESCO World Heritage List in 1978. Just exploring the cobbled streets without a fixed agenda is well worth your time, but you’ll also come across beautiful churches, impressive museums, and Europe’s largest market square. The city’s Old Town is also home to Wawel Castle, the National Museum, St. Mary’s Basilica, Church of St. Anne, the interesting Pharmacy Museum, and small but worthwhile Krakow Poster Gallery (home to over 2,500 Polish posters).

Krakow’s scenic Old Town | Photo via Pixabay.com

Known as the lungs of Krakow, the Planty consists of three kilometres of public parks and gardens filled with trees, flowers, benches and historic monuments surrounding the Old Town. It takes about an hour (or more depending on how fast your walking pace is) to traverse the entire area, but it makes for a pleasant and relaxing way to see the city.

On a visit to Krakow, you don’t want to miss seeing the historic Jewish district of Kazimierz, one of the city’s most exciting neighbourhoods. This is where contemporary Jewish culture comes alive, and in addition to colourful street art, chic cafés, cool art galleries, interesting museums, and some of Krakow’s best bars, you’ll also find numerous synagogues and Jewish cemeteries. Kazimierz is also where the huge annual Jewish Culture Festival takes place. If you want to explore the city on a guided tour, hop on our private Changing Faces of Kazimierz tour.

Krakow is known as Poland’s cultural capital — and rightly so. There are music, film, theatre and arts festivals going on in the city year-round, and especially during the summer. Consider timing your visit to include Misteria Paschalia (focusing on renaissance and baroque music), the Krakow Film Festival, the Summer Jazz Festival, the International Street Theatre Festival or the Sacrum Profanum Festival, focusing on contemporary music.

If you have time, it’s worth heading outside of Krakow to visit Wieliczka Salt Mine, a UNESCO World Heritage site famous for its deep salt mine where everything you see has been carved by hand from salt blocks. Mined since the 13th century, the cavernous mine is spread over nine levels and contains kilometres of galleries featuring works of art, altars and statues sculpted in salt. Visitors are guided in groups and tours take about two hours. Wear comfortable shoes.