Aerial view of Kraków with Wawel Hill and the Old Town
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Krakow in 3 days

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

With three days, Krakow stops being a city break and becomes a proper trip. There's time for all three routes, the city's great interiors and a whole morning underground in the Wieliczka Salt Mine, one of Poland's most memorable visits. This is the plan for travellers who like to go inside, linger at a market and end their stay with a good legend.

Day 1From the Barbican to the throne

Begin at the Barbican with "The Royal Road: from the Barbican to Wawel Castle", which leads you across the Rynek and down Kanonicza Street to the hill. Have pierogi at a milk bar on Grodzka, just below, then climb back up to Wawel with a ticket for the State Rooms. Mid-afternoon, return to the square and head down into the museum under the Rynek. Finish with a coffee at the Cloth Hall and listen for the hejnał sounding from St Mary's tower.

  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. Ideal for late afternoon, when the square above is at its busiest.

    Directions

Day 2The other side of history

In the morning, "Kazimierz and Podgórze: the Jewish town and its destruction", from Wolnica Square to the Remuh and Old Synagogues, then across the river to Ghetto Heroes Square. Don't hurry it: this is a walk that calls for quiet. Head up to Grodzka for a bowl of żurek, then take the tram back to Zabłocie to go inside Schindler's Factory. Afterwards, an uphill walk brings you to Krakus Mound, the best place to watch the evening settle over the city.

  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 Żurek at Wierzynek. Rynek Główny 16, Cracovia

  3. Afternoon

    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

    Krakus Mound (Kopiec Krakusa)

    A prehistoric mound high above Podgórze that tradition says is the tomb of Krak, the city's legendary founder. From the top you can see Kazimierz, the Vistula and Wawel. It's about a twenty-minute walk from Schindler's Factory.

    Directions

Day 3Salt, markets and legends

Make an early start: grab breakfast among the stalls of Stary Kleparz, near the Barbican, then catch the train to Wieliczka from the main station five minutes away. The mine takes up the morning. Back in town, hop on a tram to Kazimierz for a zapiekanka on Plac Nowy. Rest for a while, and at dusk follow "Kraków of dragons and sorcerers", from the St Mary's bugle call to the Collegium Maius and the dragon's cave. Round off your trip with bigos on the Rynek.

  1. Morning

    Stary Kleparz Market

    Krakow's classic local market, five minutes from the Barbican: fruit, flowers, cured meats and oscypek cheese from the mountains under canvas awnings. Perfect for a quick breakfast before the Wieliczka train, which leaves from just nearby.

    Directions

    Wieliczka Salt Mine

    Worked since the Middle Ages and on UNESCO's very first World Heritage list, it takes you down through galleries and chapels carved out of salt, including the Chapel of St Kinga. Visits are guided only, with a timed booking; expect plenty of steps.

    Directions

  2. Lunch

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

  3. 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

  4. Dinner

    Try Bigos at Hawełka. Rynek Główny 34, Cracovia

The map

Krakow in 3 days, on the map

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

Mixed History Mysteries & legends Extra sight

Loading the map…

Before you go

Tips for Krakow in 3 days

  • Book Wieliczka a few days ahead and choose the earliest slot: you'll be back in time for lunch and a rest before the evening walk.
  • In winter Krakow is bitterly cold and dark early: bring the legends walk forward to mid-afternoon and pack a hat, gloves and shoes with a good grip.
  • If you'd rather do a different outing on day three, Kościuszko Mound or the socialist-era district of Nowa Huta are good alternatives close by on public transport.

Questions

Krakow in 3 days: your questions

Can I visit Auschwitz instead of Wieliczka?

Yes, but it replaces the whole morning of day three: with the journey to Oświęcim and the visit to Auschwitz and Birkenau, it takes six to seven hours. Entry is by timed reservation, which you should make well in advance. Keep the legends walk for late afternoon, without rushing.

How far will I walk in 3 days?

The three routes add up to about 6.4 km. With the walks to the extras, the climb up Krakus Mound and the mine itself, expect 8 to 10 km a day. In Wieliczka alone you'll go down hundreds of steps, though you come back up by lift.

Which day of the week should I avoid?

Several museums close or shorten their hours one day a week, often Monday, and the Remuh Synagogue doesn't open on Shabbat, so it's best not to leave Kazimierz for Saturday. Always check the official websites before booking, as opening times change with the seasons.

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