A short history of Kraków
Every hour on the hour a trumpet sounds from the tall tower of St Mary's Basilica, and the tune breaks off midway. Legend has it that in the 13th century the trumpeter warning of a Tatar raid was struck in the throat by an arrow, and the tune ends where he stopped. Today firefighters take turns playing it.
For centuries Kraków was the capital of Poland. Kings were crowned in Wawel Cathedral, and Copernicus studied at the university founded in 1364. The court moved to Warsaw at the end of the 16th century, but coronations continued at Wawel.
In September 1939 the German army occupied the city, and Kraków became the seat of the occupation government. Before the war about a quarter of the population was Jewish. In 1941 a ghetto was set up in Podgórze, and in 1943 it was emptied, with most of its residents murdered in the camps. A memorial of empty chairs now stands on the ghetto square. About 60 km west of the city, in Oświęcim, around 1.1 million people were murdered at Auschwitz-Birkenau, the camp the Germans built there, the great majority of them Jews. The site is now a memorial and museum.
Kraków neighbourhoods
Nowa Huta was built from scratch in 1949 as a socialist model town for steelworkers. With wide avenues fanning out from Plac Centralny and the Arka Pana church that local people fought for years to have built, it's a completely different Kraków, a tram ride from the Old Town.
Salwator, on the west bank of the Vistula, is the end of a tram line. Walk uphill from here to the Kościuszko Mound, and on a clear day you can even make out the Tatra Mountains.
Dębniki is on the bank of the river facing Wawel. The Manggha museum of Japanese art is here, and you can have a coffee in its café looking across at the castle. At the southern end of the same district, the Benedictine abbey of Tyniec stands on a rocky bluff above the Vistula. In summer, cycling there along the river is a popular outing.
In the evenings the riverbank, the Bulwary Wiślane, turns into a meeting place for locals, with deckchairs and bar boats moored along the shore.
Where to stay
- Old Town (Stare Miasto): The great market square, churches and Wawel are all within walking distance.
- Kazimierz: The old Jewish quarter, full of cafés, bars and galleries.
- Podgórze: Quieter, across the river and close to Schindler’s Factory.
- Kraków Główny / Kleparz: Airport and intercity trains, a few minutes from the old town.
When to visit Kraków
May-June or September is when Kraków is at its best. Days are 18-24 °C, the Planty park is lush and the riverbank fills up in the evenings. In late June and early July the Jewish Culture Festival takes place in Kazimierz, and its closing concert fills Szeroka Street.
Midsummer brings 25-28 °C, and afternoon downpours are possible. Tickets for Auschwitz-Birkenau and the Wieliczka salt mine sell out weeks ahead in these months, so book your time slot early.
Winter is long and cold, with January nights below -5 °C. Even so, the Christmas market on the Rynek sets up from late November. On the first Thursday of December the area around the Adam Mickiewicz statue fills with szopki, colourful Christmas models entered in a traditional competition. These church-like models are made from tinfoil and coloured paper.
Food culture in Kraków
From early morning, blue carts on street corners sell obwarzanek, which looks a bit like a Turkish simit. This ring of bread, boiled and then baked, is topped with sesame, poppy seeds or salt, and has EU protection as a Kraków speciality.
In Poland the main meal of the day is obiad, eaten between 13:00 and 16:00. Żurek, a soup made with soured rye, often comes in a bread bowl. The most common pierogi are ruskie, with potato and cheese, and there are meat and cabbage-and-mushroom versions too. Oscypek, smoked sheep's cheese from the Tatra Mountains, is grilled at market stalls and served with cranberry jam.
At night in Kazimierz, people buy zapiekanka from the windows of the round market building on Plac Nowy. A long half baguette is topped with mushrooms and cheese, baked, and finished with the sauce of your choice. If you say dziękuję to the server as you pay, they'll take it that you're leaving the change as a tip.
Kraków trip budget
For someone coming from Western Europe Kraków is cheap, and for someone coming from Turkey it's also good value. Around the main square, though, prices are noticeably higher than in the rest of the city. The currency is the złoty. In 2026 daily spending per person runs roughly like this: 200-300 zł with a hostel and milk bars, 450-700 zł with a mid-range hotel and restaurants, and 1,000 zł and up for a comfortable trip.
A 20-minute tram and bus ticket is 4-5 zł, and a 24-hour ticket around 17-20 zł. A filling lunch at a milk bar is 25-40 zł. At Wawel each exhibition has its own ticket. The Wieliczka salt mine is around 150 zł with a foreign-language guided tour. Entry to Auschwitz-Birkenau is free with a reservation, guided tours are paid, and a guide is required at peak hours.
The Rynek, the Planty park, the Wawel courtyard and the riverbank are free. Some of the synagogues in Kazimierz charge a small entry fee.
Prices are approximate as of October 2026.
Build your route on the Kraków map