Things to Do in Krakow in 1 Day

Despite having only one day in Krakow, with a good itinerary you can see the essential points of the city. The small size of its Stare Miasto (the old town declared a World Heritage Site) and the short distances that allow you to walk without problems, will allow you to visit at least the Market Square, Wawel Castle and part of the Jewish quarter.

To start the tour of Krakow is very important to be clear that we will have to get up early to alleviate some of the lack of time. The first point to go to is the bank of the Vistula River, more specifically to the iron statue depicting a dragon and is located under the Wawel Hill.

This dragon is one of the main symbols of the city. The legend, which you can read in more detail at this link, tells that many centuries ago, such an animal inhabited a cave on the hill and terrorized the inhabitants of the area. The fact that the statue spits fire from its mouth every few minutes certainly makes it appear at the top of the list of what to do in Krakow with children, as they are sure to be fascinated.

On the other hand, the so-called Dragon Cave, located next to the statue, can be visited during the summer months. However, on this occasion we will have to pass it up in order to continue with the itinerary.

Guided or self-guided tour?

There are several guided tours in Krakow that will cover, approximately, the points of interest that I point out. For example, the tour of Krakow by segway. Whether you do the free visit or an organized tour has pros and cons, so it is up to you to decide what to do.

• The main advantage of a tour, especially when you are short on time, is that you will get to the sights without having to stop to get your bearings. In addition, the guides will always provide you with interesting information.
• Krakow is a very easy city to explore on your own, as its size means that you can walk almost everywhere. However, even if you prefer this option, it is worth hiring a guide for some of the visits.

From the base of the hill you have to take a short climb to get to one of the must-see places to visit in Krakow: Wawe Castle. This castle, named after the hill on which it was built, is one of the symbols of Polish national identity, as well as being one of its cultural centers. In addition, for several centuries it was the official residence of the kings of the country.

The complex is quite large, with a large central courtyard surrounded by several buildings, all with an interesting interior that is worth visiting with time. If you book a guided tour of the Wawel Castle you will see:

• The John Paul II Cathedral Museum: inaugurated by Karol Wojtyła, the pope born in Poland in 1978, it has an exhibition of religious objects.
• The entrance to the dragon's cave: from the castle you can access the cave where the legendary dragon lived.
• The Royal Palace: it was the first seat of the Polish monarchy. Later, the building was abandoned until it was rebuilt again.
• Other attractions such as the Sandomierska tower, the armory and the remains known as "the Lost Wawel".

My advice, given the lack of time, is to dedicate the visit to see the exterior of the castle and the inner arcaded courtyard. The Palace and the royal apartments take several hours, so perhaps it is better to leave them for another time.

Practical information

• Price: entrance to the courtyard is free, while each of the attractions has a different price.
• Opening hours: the opening hours are from 9:30 am to 5 pm.

If you book a tour of the Old Town, inside the hilltop enclosure you will find one of the most important cathedrals in the country. This temple, with more than 1000 years of history, was the place where some of the Polish kings were crowned and also buried. Together with the palace, the Wawel Cathedral, in Gothic style, made the Wawel Hill the center of religious and political power in the country for many centuries.

Inside you can see 18 funerary chapels, among which especially highlights the one of Sigismund I, considered the best example of the Renaissance in Poland. Also interesting is the mausoleum of St. Stanislaus, the patron saint of the country. Finally, it is worth climbing the Sigismund Tower and contemplate the 12-ton bell located there.

Practical information

• Price: entrance to the Cathedral is free, but the Sigismund Chapel costs about 15 zlotys (just over 3 euros). Students and pensioners pay half price.
• Opening hours: from Monday to Saturday, it is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (except from September to March, when it closes one hour earlier). On Sundays it opens at 12:30 p.m..

If you book a tour of the Old Town, after leaving the Cathedral, you should go down the hill and look for Grodzka Street, one of the liveliest streets in this World Heritage Site. This street, nowadays eminently commercial, was once part of the so-called Royal Road, a route that crossed the entire walled enclosure from the castle to the gate of St. Florian.

During this walk you can take the opportunity to take a look at the craft stores, but without losing sight of the beautiful pastel-painted facades of the buildings of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. If you prefer, you can choose the street parallel to Grodzka, the Kanonicza, where you can see Renaissance houses and some old churches.

No matter which one you walk, during the tour you should stop at the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul to see the statues of the 12 apostles. Also, it is worth your while to enter the Church of St. Andrew to delight in its baroque style. Both are among the most important churches in Krakow.

At the end of Grodzka Street is the extraordinary Market Square with all its monuments and activities, one of the places to see in Krakow

It is, without discussion, the heart of the historic center and landmark of the city. Surrounded by Renaissance-style buildings, it is one of the most beautiful medieval squares on the continent.

If you go to Krakow at Christmas, you can not miss the fabulous market that is installed here and you can walk around while listening to the Christmas choirs performing on some stages set up for the occasion.

The Market Square needs to reserve a couple of hours for you to discover them in depth because it has very prominent places that you can not miss. This is the case of the Basilica of Santa Maria where you can see the largest wooden altarpiece in Europe with its 12 meters long. In addition, you can climb one of its two Gothic towers to see the views.

The visit that can not miss is the Lonja de Paños, built in 1257 and today occupied by several souvenir stores and handicrafts. The beauty of this palace makes it one of the most photographed in Krakow. In its time, it was a place dedicated to trade, to the point that some historians consider it the first commercial center in history. You can go up to the second floor of the building where the National Museum of Krakow is located, or go down to the subway to see the Rynek Museum.

Another point of great interest that you can not miss while wandering around the square is the Old Town Hall Tower, the only remnant of a building demolished in the early nineteenth century. My advice is to climb its 110 steps to reach its viewpoint, one of the most outstanding in the city. .

Joaquín's Traveller Tip:

Try to make your visit to the basilica coincide with a certain time of day. At that time a small door opens in one of the towers and a trumpeter comes out to play a melody.

It is very likely that so much sightseeing has given you an appetite. To recharge your batteries I advise you to book a gastronomic tour of the Jewish quarter or go to a reminiscence of the communist era: the Bar mleczny or Milk Bars, small restaurants that originally served mainly workers at a modest price.

Some of them have survived the passage of time and retain some of its features. Thus, the food they serve is simple and traditional and the prices are among the lowest you will find in the country. Another point to remember is that they do not serve alcoholic beverages.

Obviously, they do not have the style of the best restaurants in the city, but I assure you that the food is more authentic and the atmosphere is worth it. I recommend Bar Mleczny Filarkami, which is only 10 minutes away from the square. One of its advantages is that it has a menu in English. Keep in mind that, in general, in Poland people usually eat around 13 h., although there will be no problem to be late until 14 h.

Practical information

• Address: ul. Starowiślna 29.
• Opening hours: Monday to Friday, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

After lunch you have to walk for about 10 minutes more until you reach the next point of the tour: Kazimierz, the old Jewish quarter of the city. If you want to know it in depth, I recommend booking a tour of the Jewish quarter. This area experienced a revitalization after the filming of Schindler's List and is full of synagogues and very interesting corners.

In my opinion, it is one of the most attractive parts of the city, both for its streets and buildings and for the atmosphere. You only have to read the article what to see and do in the Jewish quarter of Krakow to realize its possibilities during a trip.

The most important street in Kazimierz is called Szeroka. There you will find several synagogues, Jewish bookstores and restaurants serving kosher food. There is also the Martyrdom Monument, which pays tribute to the 65,000 inhabitants of the neighborhood murdered by the Nazis. As you will not have time to enter all the synagogues, I recommend two:

• Old Synagogue: Although the current synagogue dates from the sixteenth century, it is known that in the same place there was another one from a century earlier. Built in Renaissance style, it now houses a museum that explains how the Jewish community lived.
• Remuh Synagogue: it is the only one that continues to offer worship in the entire Jewish quarter. Its origin dates back to the sixteenth century and hides a cemetery in the back. The entrance fee is charged, but it is an essential visit.

Practical information

• Opening hours: these synagogues (and the rest of the synagogues in Kazimierz) open at 9 am and close at 4 pm. In summer, closing time is delayed until 6 p.m.. They are closed on Saturdays and holidays.
• Ticket price: the entrance fee is about 10 PLN (about 2,5 €). Some groups can buy a reduced ticket.

A nice walk through the streets of the quarter and a visit to the synagogues deserves a reward. One of my favorite places to do this in Kazimierz is 2 Okna Cafe, located on Józefa Street.

The cafe, which also serves sweets, has a couple of tables outside. However, if the weather is nice, I recommend you to go into the inner courtyard.

In addition to coffee and tea, from the end of September the place offers a great mulled wine. If you are feeling a bit more daring, you can also try the hot beer or even the cider or vodka with spices and also hot.

An interesting place related to Oskar Schindler. In this case with the movie, it's the stairs located in an inner courtyard between Jozefa and Meiselas streets. If you have seen the film you will recognize the scene of one of its most dramatic scenes, which reflects the eviction of the ghetto by Nazi troops.

And if you want to delve deeper into the figure of Oskar Schindler, be sure to book a tour of the Schindler factory where you will learn more about this businessman who saved more than a thousand Jews during the Nazi occupation.

As you can see, there are plenty of things to see and do in Krakow. On your day trip, not only will you have to do without visiting the Wieliczka Salt Mines or booking one of the excursions to the Auschwitz concentration camp, but you won't be able to see some very worthwhile sights in the city itself. But you can not miss the Plac Nowy (New Square), also known by the nickname of the square of the Jews.

In its center is a circular building (the Okraglak) that was built in 1900 to serve as a poultry butcher's shop. Today, numerous stalls have been set up, both in the building and in various areas of the square. They sell different types of food, from grilled meat to sausages, to the most popular fast food dish in Poland, the zapiekanka.

The square is filled with young people to eat something, to the point that it is difficult to sit on one of the few chairs in the place. However, you can also order your food and look for a free bench. If you are in the mood, the streets near the square are full of cafes and pubs. The student atmosphere of the city is noticeable in these places, whose presence has given the neighborhood a festive and bohemian atmosphere.

The fastest way to get from the airport to the city of Krakow is to hire a private transfer. Depending on traffic, it will only take you about 25 minutes.

If you prefer public transport, you should not worry too much about the delay in reaching the city. There are several bus lines (208, 252 and 902) with a high frequency of departures that will leave you in the center in about 45 minutes.

Finally, the fastest means of transport is the train. Approximately every 30 minutes, one leaves the airport and arrives in the city in only 18 minutes. The stop in Kraków is located at the central station**(Kraków Główny**), just a few minutes from the entrance to the historic center.

A good place to exchange money is the large shopping center located next to the central train station. On the second floor there are a couple of exchange houses with a good rate.

In the city center you are also going to find more exchange places, with a much better rate than what you can find at the airport. One of the best tips for visiting Krakow is that you should never change money upon arrival, but compare between two or three to get an idea of the most favorable exchange rate.

On the other hand, you will be able to pay by credit card in many stores and restaurants, especially if they are in the most touristy area. If you prefer to withdraw money in an ATM I recommend you to check the possible commissions that your bank will charge you for the withdrawal of cash abroad.