Aerial view of Kraków with Wawel Hill and the Old Town
  1. Home
  2. Destinations
  3. Poland
  4. Krakow
  5. 2 day itinerary

Krakow in 2 days

  • 2 days
  • 6.4 km on foot
  • 18 stops
  • Audio guide

Two days is just right for Krakow: one for the city of kings, with the castle interiors and the museum hidden under the main square, and one for Kazimierz and Podgórze, Jewish memory and the Nazi occupation. The afternoons leave room to go inside the places that really deserve it, and there's still the evening for the dragon legends.

Day 1The city of kings

Set off first thing from the Barbican on "The Royal Road: from the Barbican to Wawel Castle", which passes St Mary's and the Church of Saints Peter and Paul before climbing the hill. Drop down to Grodzka for pierogi, then head back up to Wawel for your timed visit to the State Rooms, followed by the museum under the Rynek. As the light softens, start "Kraków of dragons and sorcerers" at St Mary's; it finishes by the dragon, a short stroll from dinner and a bowl of żurek.

  1. Morning

    The Royal Road: from the Barbican to Wawel Castle

    Mixed · 1.8 km · 1 h 40 min

    1. Barbican and St Florian's GateA round brick bastion from 1499 and the Gothic gate through which kings and ambassadors entered: this is where the Royal Road begins.
    2. St Mary's BasilicaThe burghers' church of Kraków holds one of the largest Gothic altarpieces in the world, carved by Veit Stoss between 1477 and 1489.
    3. Rynek Główny and the Cloth HallOne of Europe's largest medieval squares, laid out in 1257, where a duke paid homage to the king and Kościuszko swore to lead an uprising.
    4. Church of Saints Peter and PaulKraków's first great Baroque church, with twelve stone apostles standing guard over Grodzka Street.
    5. Kanonicza StreetThe street of the cathedral canons: Gothic and Renaissance houses, the chronicler Długosz and a young priest called Karol Wojtyła.
    6. Wawel Hill: castle and cathedralFor centuries the centre of Polish power: kings were crowned and buried here, and the nation's heroes rest here too.

    Start the audio guide See the route

  2. Lunch

    Try Pierogi at Bar Mleczny Pod Temidą. ul. Grodzka 43, Cracovia

  3. Afternoon

    Wawel State Rooms (inside)

    The route leaves you in the castle courtyard; inside are the royal Renaissance chambers and Sigismund Augustus's collection of Flemish tapestries. Tickets are timed and often sell out, so book a slot for straight after lunch.

    Directions

    Rynek Underground

    A museum beneath the main square, opened in 2010 after years of excavation: medieval streets, stalls and graves several metres below your feet, brought to life with models and screens. The perfect warm-up for the legends walk, which starts right above it.

    Directions

  4. Early evening

    Kraków of dragons and sorcerers

    Mysteries & legends · 2.1 km · 1 h 45 min

    1. St Mary's: the broken-off bugle callEvery hour a trumpet sounds from the tallest tower and stops dead. The explanation everyone repeats dates from the 20th century.
    2. Cloth Hall: the knife and the pigeonsAn iron knife hangs under the arches of the Cloth Hall. Legend links it to a murder between brothers; history, to market justice.
    3. Collegium Maius: magic at the universityCopernicus studied in the Jagiellonian University's oldest building; according to a 16th-century text, magic was taught here too.
    4. St Andrew's: the church that held out against the MongolsAn 11th-century Romanesque church built like a fortress: according to Jan Długosz, locals held out here when the Mongols sacked Kraków in 1241.
    5. Wawel Cathedral: dragon bones and a cursed tombHuge bones hang beside the door of the cathedral of Poland's kings. Tradition says that if they ever fall, the world will end.
    6. Smocza Jama and the Wawel DragonAt the foot of the hill, a cave and a fire-breathing bronze dragon recall Kraków's oldest legend.

    Start the audio guide See the route

  5. Dinner

    Try Żurek at Wierzynek. Rynek Główny 16, Cracovia

Day 2Kazimierz and remembrance

Give the morning to "Kazimierz and Podgórze: the Jewish town and its destruction", which runs from Wolnica Square to the Old Synagogue and crosses the river to Ghetto Heroes Square. Take it slowly and quietly. Walk back to Plac Nowy for a zapiekanka from the Okrąglak, then, refuelled, visit the Galicia Jewish Museum five minutes away. Afterwards, cross the footbridge over the Vistula to Zabłocie and go inside Schindler's Factory with the ticket you booked.

  1. Morning

    Kazimierz and Podgórze: the Jewish town and its destruction

    History · 2.5 km · 2 h

    1. Wolnica Square and Kazimierz Town HallThe main square of a town that once rivalled Kraków: this is where the story of Kazimierz begins, founded by a king in 1335.
    2. Plac Nowy and the OkrąglakA brick rotunda from 1900 where poultry was once slaughtered according to Jewish ritual, and where people now queue for zapiekanka.
    3. Remuh Synagogue and CemeteryA small 16th-century synagogue still in use and, beside it, the grave of one of the great sages of Ashkenazi Judaism.
    4. Old SynagoguePoland's oldest surviving synagogue: a fortress-like building that heard Kościuszko speak and was used as a warehouse under the occupation.
    5. Ghetto Heroes SquareSeventy empty chairs mark the square where the Jews of the Kraków Ghetto were gathered before deportation.
    6. Oskar Schindler's FactoryThe enamelware factory where a German businessman and Nazi Party member ended up protecting more than a thousand Jews.

    Start the audio guide See the route

  2. Lunch

    Try Zapiekanka at Endzior (Okrąglak). Plac Nowy 4B, Cracovia

  3. Afternoon

    Galicia Jewish Museum

    Founded in 2004 by photojournalist Chris Schwarz, it uses photographs to show what remains of Jewish life in the former Polish Galicia: synagogues, cemeteries, houses. It's small and calm, and just a few steps from Plac Nowy.

    Directions

    Schindler's Factory (inside)

    The route stops at the façade; inside, the Museum of Kraków tells the story of the city under Nazi occupation from 1939 to 1945, in superbly designed rooms. Entry is by timed ticket and it closes on some days, so check the opening times.

    Directions

The map

Krakow in 2 days, on the map

Each route’s stops are numbered in order; the stars are the extra sights.

Mixed Mysteries & legends History Extra sight

Loading the map…

Before you go

Tips for Krakow in 2 days

  • Book the Wawel State Rooms and Schindler's Factory in advance: both sell timed tickets, and in high season they're gone days ahead.
  • The Rynek to Zabłocie is about half an hour on foot; if your legs are tired, the trams running down through Kazimierz drop you near the factory in a few minutes.
  • In Kazimierz, dress respectfully for the synagogues and the Remuh Cemetery, and remember that the Remuh, still a working synagogue, closes on Saturdays for Shabbat.

Questions

Krakow in 2 days: your questions

Is 2 days enough for Krakow?

For the city itself, yes: you'll see the Old Town, Wawel inside and out, Kazimierz and Podgórze without rushing. What won't fit is a trip to Wieliczka or Auschwitz; for that you need a third day, as each takes half a day or more.

How far will I walk in 2 days?

The three routes add up to about 6.4 km. With the walks to the museums and the back-and-forth between the Old Town and Zabłocie, expect 8 to 10 km a day, nearly all flat. Wear comfortable shoes: the Old Town cobbles are tiring.

Is Schindler's Factory worth going inside?

Yes, if you're interested in history: it isn't a museum about the film but about life in Krakow during the occupation, and it's very well put together. Allow about two hours and book a time slot; on busy days there's nothing left at the door.

Other itineraries for 2 days

Krakow

More or less time?

1 day itinerary 3 day itinerary All about Krakow