Krakow is the recognized cultural capital of Poland. The richness of the historical heritage and the beauty of the architecture of the old quarters attract thousands of tourists to the city every year. Local residents are very proud of the city, as the history of the formation of Polish statehood is inextricably linked with it.

During the Middle Ages, the city became an important spiritual, cultural and educational center. Since the 11th century, temples and monasteries have been built here, among which are the magnificent St. Mary's Church and the Romanesque Church of St. Andrew, in 1364 the Jagiellonian University appears - one of the oldest educational institutions in Europe.

No less interesting are the museums in Krakow, where you can learn the history of Poland and get to know its culture better. Oskar Schindler Factory and Museum contemporary art will certainly interest tourists who are fond of the history and heritage of the XX-XXI centuries.

The best hotels and hostels at affordable prices.

from 500 rubles/day

What to see and where to go in Krakow?

The most interesting and Beautiful places for walks. Photos and a short description.

The residence of the Polish kings of the XIII century, located on the banks of the Vistula River. Construction began under Wenceslas II and continued under Casimir III the Great. During the Northern War, the castle was burned down by the Swedish troops, after which it was reconstructed in 1724-28. For a long time, the Wawel Castle belonged to the Austrian Empire, and only at the beginning of the 20th century did the Poles manage to buy it back.

The Catholic Cathedral, which has the status of a minor basilica. Earlier, on the site of the temple, there were churches of St. Wenceslas of the 11th century (it was destroyed as a result of hostilities) and St. Stanislav of the 12th century (burned down). A new temple was built to replace the lost ones. The facade of the building is made in the Gothic style. At a later time, Renaissance chapels were added to it. In the temple there is a tomb where the kings, poets and national heroes of Poland are buried.

The Market Square is located in the historical center of Krakow. There are many iconic landmarks here. One of the most notable buildings is Cloth Rows, a shopping gallery that appeared under King Boleslav V. Over the following centuries, the complex was repeatedly rebuilt, overgrown decorative elements, loggias, arches and columns. The building acquired its modern look at the end of the 19th century.

The Catholic Church, located near the Main Market in Krakow. The first wooden church on the site of St. Mary's Church appeared in the 13th century. The modern building began to be erected at the beginning of the 14th century. The structure is built of red brick in the early Gothic style and is decorated with magnificent colored stained glass windows. Baroque and late Gothic features predominate in the interior space.

Before early XIX century on the Market Square there was a full-fledged building of the town hall, erected in the XIV century. All buildings were demolished due to dilapidation, but the tower managed to survive. In the 1960s The building was reconstructed, after which it passed into the jurisdiction of the city museum. The tower reaches a height of 70 meters. At a height of 50 meters there is an observation deck from where you can admire the magnificent architecture of the old quarters.

A quarter in the historical part of Krakow, on the territory of which the Jewish community lived from the 16th century until the occupation of Poland in World War II. In the period 1335 - 1818. Kazimierz was an independent city, since 1800 it became part of Krakow. The Jewish Quarter is one of the main tourist centers. Many historical monuments located on its territory are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

A small street with a length of just over 330 meters, located in the historical part of the city. It is built up with picturesque Renaissance, Baroque and Classicist mansions, most of which served as residential buildings for the Krakow aristocracy. The street got its name from the ancient defensive tower, which was once the entrance to the city - the Florian Gate.

An architectural monument of the 15th century, the northernmost part of the defensive wall around Krakow, which was demolished in the 19th century. The Barbican served as a fortification that protected the entrance to the city through the Florian Gate. It is equipped with seven watchtowers and 130 loopholes. The thickness of the walls reaches 3 meters. Today, a branch of the Krakow Historical Museum is located in the barbican.

Collegium Maius ("greatest collegium" in Latin) is the oldest building of the Jagiellonian University. The building itself was included educational institution by the will of Vladislav II Jagiello. There were auditoriums, professors' rooms and a library. In the 19th century, the Collegium Maius was restored in neo-Gothic style. Today, it houses the Museum of the University.

In May 1942, a ghetto was formed in one of the city squares, where more than 4,000 Jews were rounded up for further transportation to concentration camps. In 2005, a memorial monument was erected here in the form of rows of chairs, which symbolize the furniture thrown out of the apartments during the Nazi pogroms. Unlike other squares in Krakow, there are usually few tourists here.

A factory for the production of metal utensils, founded in 1937 by Jewish industrialists M. Gutman, V. Gleitman, I. Kohn. In 1939, it went bankrupt and passed to O. Schindler, who modernized and revived production. During World War II, Jews from the Krakow ghetto worked here. Thanks to the efforts of Schindler, many workers managed to avoid death in a concentration camp. In 2010, a memorial museum of the same name was opened on the territory of the factory.

The exposition is located in one of the buildings of the Schindler factory, modernized in 2010. The museum specializes in organizing exhibitions of art objects created in the last decades of the 20th century and at the beginning of the 21st century. It has its own permanent exhibition, which is exhibited on the second floor. The gallery has a library, a bookstore and a restoration workshop.

The catacombs are located under the Market Square. They were created to house a branch of the Krakow Historical Museum in 2010. In the Underground of the Market there is an exposition consisting of finds from archaeological excavations carried out in 2005 as part of the reconstruction of the Market Square. The dungeons are equipped with modern multimedia equipment, with the help of which historical reconstructions are created.

One of the largest aviation expositions in Poland. The museum was established on the site of the former airfield in 1964. Aircraft, helicopters and gliders manufactured in the Czech Republic, Poland, Russia, the USA, Great Britain and other countries are exhibited here. There is also a large collection of aircraft engines. The exposition is located in three hangars, as well as on a wide open-air field.

The museum is located in the Kazimierz quarter. It was created in 2004 on the initiative of the journalist K. Schwartz and Professor D. Webber. The exposition is dedicated to Jewish culture, traditions and way of life, as well as the events of the Holocaust (for the most part - the suffering of prisoners concentration camp Auschwitz). Galicia regularly hosts meetings, seminars and lectures on various aspects.

The museum is located in the building of a stained-glass workshop, which was erected in 1907 in the Art Nouveau style, which was fashionable at that time, according to the project of L. Voytychko. The exposition was founded in 2000 for the purpose of studying, preserving and developing Polish stained glass art. In addition to viewing the exhibits themselves, in the museum you can observe the process of making picturesque compositions from colored glass.

The exposition is located on the territory of the former Kazimierz town hall. The museum emerged as an independent institution from the ethnographic department of the National Museum of Krakow in 1910. The collection contains more than 8,000 items related to the history and culture of Poland. Most of the items belong to the 19th century, but there are also artifacts belonging to earlier historical periods.

The museum was opened in 1796 on the initiative of Princess Isabella Czartoryska. In 1801, as a result of the November Uprising, the exposition was plundered, and the surviving remains were taken to France. In 1970 the collection returned to Poland. The most valuable exhibit of the museum is the painting by Leonardo da Vinci "Lady with an Ermine" - the only creation of the master, which is located on the territory of Poland.

One of the best drama scenes in Poland, founded in 1893, which was already at the turn of the 19th-20th centuries. gained wide popularity and significance among the theatrical public. Well-known Polish directors and many talented actors worked here, as well as plays by world-famous authors were staged. The building was erected according to the project of the architect Y. Zaveisky.

Roman Catholic Cathedral of the first half of the XIII century, located in the historical part of Krakow. It is believed that the founders of the temple could be princes Henry II the Pious or Boleslav V the Shameful. Researchers do not have a consensus on this issue. The Gothic facade of the building has been preserved in its original form, having undergone minor changes during the reconstruction of the 19th century.

The temple was built in the Gothic style at the turn of the XIV-XV centuries. Baroque and renaissance features, which were brought here during later reconstructions, can be traced in the appearance of the external facade, as well as in the interior design. In 1566-1582. a baroque belfry was attached to the main building. An important relic is kept inside the basilica - the relics of the Polish preacher St. Stanislaus Kazimierczyk.

The church is the first building on the territory of Krakow, erected in the Baroque style. It was designed by the Italian architect D. de Rossi at the end of the 16th century for the Catholic Order of the Jesuits. After the brotherhood was disbanded in the 18th century, the church changed owners several times and was eventually transferred to the Cistercian abbey. Since 1820 it belongs to the Krakow parish of All Saints.

The building was erected in the 11th century in the Romanesque architectural style. Appearance The cathedral underwent changes in the 18th century during reconstruction. It acquired some baroque features, although the general architectural concept was left the same. A monastic cloister adjoins the temple, where ancient church relics are kept. There is also a library with a large collection of theological literature.

Dominican temple of the XIII century, built in the Gothic style. After a devastating fire in 1850, the building was almost completely destroyed. The entire interior burned out, and the walls of the facade partially collapsed. The temple was restored in the period 1853-1872. During construction work, the surviving part of the facade had to be dismantled, as it was very fragile due to damage. As a result of restoration work, the original appearance of the basilica has changed significantly.

Since 1992, a complex of religious buildings has been called a sanctuary, which includes the chapel of St. Joseph, the convent of the Sisters of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy, the Chapel of Perpetual Adoration, the Basilica of Divine Mercy and other objects. This place was declared a pilgrimage center due to the fact that the relics of St. Faustina Kowalska and the famous icon "Jesus, I trust in You" are kept on its territory.

Memorial mound dedicated to the national hero of Poland Tadeusz Kosciuszko. It is located in the west of Krakow on the natural Sikornik hill. The monument was erected in 1823. In 1854, a fortress was built around it to accommodate the Austrian garrison. During the battles for the liberation of Krakow in 1944, the hill played the role of an important observation post for Soviet soldiers.

The very first menagerie appeared in Krakow on the territory of Wawel under King Sigismund III, when the city was the capital of the Polish state. After the loss of Krakow's capital status, the zoo gradually fell into disrepair. The modern menagerie was founded in 1929. At that time, only about 200 mammals and birds lived in it. Today, more than 1,500 thousand individuals (260 species) live in the Krakow Zoo.

In the 18th century, on the site where it is now located Botanical Garden, the Czartoryski family park was laid out, which in 1752 was sold to the Jesuit Order. In 1783, the university department of chemistry and natural history received it at its disposal after the dissolution of this monastic brotherhood. At first, the garden occupied a small area of ​​2.4 hectares. Medicinal and ornamental plants. Gradually, its area increased to today's 9.6 hectares.

City park located on the border of the historical part of Krakow on the site of former fortifications (fortifications and ditches). It was destroyed in the 19th century. After the Second World War and until 1989, the park was in disrepair, until a decision was made to start restoration work. Today Krakow Planty is a wonderful place for walks in nature, decorated with numerous sculptures and monuments.

The most long river Poland, whose length is 1047 km. It originates in the mountain range of the Western Carpathians and flows into the Baltic Sea. The Vistula flows through several major Polish cities, including Krakow and the country's capital, Warsaw. Within Krakow, along the banks of the river, there are picturesque public parks and several natural reserves have been created.

Recently, my sister was on a business trip in Poland (Warsaw) and decided to visit Krakow at the same time.
Krakow is the Polish capital until 1596, a city of more than a hundred churches, churches and monasteries, a city with many authentic buildings of various architectural styles that have survived to this day, a city that enchants, a city that makes you want to return again and again.
What to see in Krakow? Where to go in Krakow? Sights of Krakow, where to stay on a budget in Krakow and how to organize it yourself
a trip to Krakow - you will learn all this from today's article.
Next, a word to my beloved sister :)

In my post you will find information about the main attractions of Krakow, places where you can eat tasty and inexpensive, useful tips for organizing a trip, as well as my review of the hostel in which we lived in Krakow with a friend.

You can read about my trip to Warsaw here:

Interesting articles about other European cities can be found here:

How to get to Krakow?

Krakow has an international airport that accepts planes from different countries peace. Are there direct flights from Russia? We flew with the Polish airline Lot, but not to Krakow, but to Warsaw.
We traveled to Krakow by train. There are several possibilities: the following types of trains run on the Warsaw-Krakow route - Express EIC (Intercity), Express EIP (Intercity Premium) and TLK trains. The difference between them is the travel time, the number of stops and, of course, the price. We chose the last option (TLK train) as it is the cheapest way to get to Krakow (almost the cheapest). Tickets for this train cost from 40 PLN (2nd class) and from 78 PLN (1st class) per person.
For our round-trip tickets, we paid PLN 64 and PLN 54 each, respectively, and that only because we did not buy tickets in advance.

1. Early booking tickets are cheaper.
2. Tickets can be bought online on the website of the carrier company http://rozklad-pkp.pl/. You can also check the schedule and compare prices there.
3. Tickets can also be purchased at the central station (Warszawa Centralna). We just bought ours there. In the evening, only a couple of cash desks worked, and quite a decent queue formed. Therefore, we decided to buy tickets in the morning and were not mistaken, only 10 minutes and tickets to Krakow were on hand! Hooray!
4. In TLK trains, in my opinion, not an expert, 1st class is not very different from the second. Therefore, it makes no sense to overpay. There was not a soul in our carriage in the first class.
5. The trains have air conditioners, and they are quite powerful, it is even cold in the car. Warm clothes (jacket, light jacket) will not interfere in the warm season.

Tickets for express trains of the EIC and EIP categories are two or even three times more expensive than TLK trains. However, they go faster. On the EIP Express, the trip to Krakow lasts only 2 hours and 20 minutes. On the TLK train, we traveled 3 hours 25 minutes there and just over 4 hours back.
So if you want to save money, buy tickets for the TLK train, but if you need to get there faster, you will have to choose a more expensive option.

The cheapest way to get to Krakow from Warsaw is by bus (from PLN 19), but the trip lasts about 5 hours. Timetables and prices can be found here www.polskibus.com.

Accommodation in Krakow: Al Fresco Hostel

As in Warsaw, tourists will find a wide variety of accommodation in Krakow, which differ in both quality and price.
With the help of intermediary sites, such as www.venere.com / www.booking.com / www.housetrip.de or any other that you trust and use, you can easily find something suitable for yourself.
This time we decided to save money and rent a hostel. On the site venere.com we found one quite nice, which met our wishes and requirements.
The hostel is called "Al Fresco".

We rented a room with a double bed and another bed in a two-room suite. Fortunately, there were no visitors in this room, designed for 9 people, besides us. And as a result, for 29 euros per night we got two rooms)))

The environment in the hostel is very simple. There are beds, chests of drawers, a bedside table (for some reason, one), a table with 4 chairs in the middle of the room, a TV and a wardrobe:

Not very comfortable, but quite clean.
In the second room, there was also a kitchen corner with an electric stove (suddenly you want to cook something homemade on vacation)))), cabinets, a small refrigerator, a sink, an electric kettle (that was very handy) and dishes:

The shower and toilet are located in a common room intended for residents of two rooms (ours and another neighboring one). Hot water there is almost always. Only once the water was cold and you had to wait for it to heat up (there is a boiler in the bathroom). I believe that when the rooms are completely filled with a visit to the shower and toilet, there may be problems in the form of a queue and the lack of warm water. But we are still lucky. In the next room there lived a "pan", whom we never met.

What did you like about Al Fresco Hostel?

The hostel is just superbly located, we lived in the old town. The central square is only 5 minutes walk. Hostel address: st. Pijarska 3 (ul. Pijarska 3).

In front of the hostel is the Planty park, which stretches around the old town on one side (on the site of the former fortress wall):

The price is quite acceptable. We paid 62.43 euros (for two) for three nights in Krakow with all taxes and duties. I won’t say that it’s cheap (nowadays, with such a euro / dollar exchange rate, it’s unlikely that anything can be cheap for us), but this is practically the cheapest offer for Krakow. Nothing came cheaper. You may find better deals if you book early.

What did you not like about Al Fresco Hostel?

The promised free wi-fi barely works, it was difficult to check e-mail. On the first day, they could not even connect to the network, since the declared password did not fit. The next day, the girl from the reception helped solve the problem and got us a new password (not without pain: not finding any of the employees at the reception, we left a note in English for them, from which the employee did not understand a word, upon returning from a walk, we had to explain with her in Polish). But all efforts were in vain, it was impossible to use Wi-Fi 🙁
If you are without the Internet in any way, then I recommend stocking up on mobile Internet.

The bed was terribly uncomfortable. I felt like a Princess and a Pea, all the springs were felt 🙁

Hostel employees could be found at the workplace only at lunchtime. It was closed in the morning and evening.

Conclusion: Would I recommend Al Fresco hostel? Perhaps yes (since I don’t find fault with trifles and consider this as a temporary inconvenience) - but only for a short time and if you want to save money. But do not expect something fantastic about the hostel.

Sights of Krakow: What to see in Krakow in three days?

There are so many things in this beautiful city that, having estimated the volume, I decided to write a separate article about the sights of Krakow. In the same post, I will only list those places that are mandatory for inspection and visit for every guest of Krakow, and which we, of course, visited and examined.

– Firstly, you need to visit the central square of the city, the Main Market (Rynek Główny) with all its majestic and beautiful buildings and cozy cafes. Above all this magnificence, with its two towers, rises the stunning St. Mary's Church (Kościół Mariacki), which I liked the most.

– Secondly, you should definitely visit the Wawel Royal Palace. Formerly the residence of Polish kings, and now a national treasure, it invites its visitors to admire buildings from different eras in different architectural styles - from Romanesque and Gothic to Renaissance and Baroque. Also in Wawel you can visit several museums.

– Thirdly, a walk through the old town, which, together with the Wawel Royal Palace, is listed as a world cultural heritage by UNESCO, will help you get to know Krakow better and feel its beauty. In the old town there are many churches and churches (for example, the Church of St. Peter and Paul, the Church of St. Anna, the Church of St. Andrew and others), and just a lot of beautiful old buildings. Be sure to check out the Barbican and the city gates of Krakow.

– Fourth, it is worth visiting the Kazimierz district with its Christian buildings and the Jewish quarter. In Kazimierz - a city founded by Casimir the Great, as well as a former Jewish settlement - you will find beautiful churches and churches (I really liked the Pauline Church and the active monastery on the Skalka), synagogues and the Old Jewish Cemetery.

- And finally, a walk along the Vistula can also become one of the pleasant memories of Krakow. You can walk along the promenade on foot, ride a bike or take a boat trip.

More detailed description Krakow attractions can be found here.

Cafes and restaurants in Krakow: Where to eat tasty and inexpensive in Krakow?

Polish cuisine is very tasty, and most importantly, it is very close to Russian and Ukrainian cuisine (what can I say, common Slavic roots).
Most establishments serve traditional Polish dishes. The city center abounds with many cafes, restaurants, bistros, pastry shops, etc.
The cheapest offer in milk bars. One such establishment is on the street. Grodskoy. On average, the first dish costs 4-5 zlotys there, the main course - 7-16 zlotys. The situation there is very simple.

We didn’t go to the milk bar, but decided to visit the Chłopskie Jadło restaurant (which means “peasant food” in Polish), which is also located on the street. Grodzka 9 (ul. Grodzka 9). You won’t find the restaurant right off the bat, it is located deep in the courtyard, you need to go through the arched passage. If we had not read about this restaurant on one forum, we would hardly have got there ourselves. But everything turned out well. And we have been there. The restaurant is decorated in a rustic style, very cozy and inviting:

On the menu National dishes Polish cuisine. The menu is in Polish and English. The price tag is quite low, which is rare for establishments located in tourist centers. We ordered pork leg (Golonka w piwie) with potatoes, sauerkraut and pickles.

Yummy!!! Service is top notch, waiters are very friendly. In the evening there was a performance in the restaurant - the group performed traditional Polish songs and dances. (I don’t know if there are performances every evening. At that time, there was a large group of tourists from Japan in the restaurant who were very happy and clapped their hands. Perhaps the performance was ordered.)

The restaurant "Pod Wawelem" (Under the Wawel) is also very popular. Royal Palace which is clear from its name. In the evening, there is nowhere for an apple to fall in an institution, especially on outdoor terrace. A table must be booked in advance.

After visiting the Royal Palace, we decided to refresh ourselves in this restaurant, the reviews of which impressed us. We ventured to get there without prior booking, and we were lucky - there was a free table, not on the terrace, of course, but in the hall. But it was nice too. As a result, we were very satisfied - delicious food, pleasant service, affordable prices, live music performed by jazz bands and a wonderful atmosphere.

Restaurant "Pod Wawel" is located at: st. St. Gertrudy 26-29 (ul. Św. Gertrudy 26-29).
tel.: +48 12 421 23 36

Opening hours: Mon-Sat 12.00-24-00
Sun 12.00-23.00
From 6.30 to 10.30 a breakfast buffet is offered.

This establishment will please visitors with a stylish environment, a super-nice hostess (understands and speaks a little Russian) and delicious desserts.

You can also have a bite to eat in the city on the run, especially with something sweet - a choice of ice cream, cakes or Polish waffles - gofry (Gofry), the latter are highly recommended!

It's just impossible to refuse such sweets 😉

I’m finishing for today, you can write about delicious food forever 🙂
I promise to write more about sights!
I hope that my post about the trip to Krakow will be interesting and useful.

How to save money on a hotel or apartment on vacation?

I'm looking on the Rumguru website. It contains absolutely all discounts on hotels and apartments from 30 booking systems, including booking. Often I find very profitable options, it turns out to save from 30 to 80%

How to save on insurance?

You need insurance abroad. Any admission is very expensive and the only way not to pay out of pocket is to choose an insurance policy in advance. For many years we have been making out on the site, which give the best prices for insurance and selection, along with registration, takes only a couple of minutes.

I wish you all interesting trips and vivid impressions!

• HOW TO GET THERE - The best way to start your trip to Poland is from the John Paul II Airport in the suburbs of Krakow. You can easily get there from the city center, the transfer will take a little more than half an hour. There are trains, international buses and small "shuttle" bus routes to Krakow, following from the bordering cities of Belarus and Ukraine.
• TRANSFER - yes
• TRANSPORT - The oldest city in Poland is Krakow, it is better to explore slowly, ideally on foot, although if you are not a fan of walking, go on a tour by bus, tram or minibus.
• WHEN -
• WEATHER - The April weather in Krakow does not spoil tourists much with warmth. The temperature here remains no higher than +13, although it often drops to +3 degrees Celsius, therefore, when traveling to Poland in the middle of spring, do not forget to bring warm clothes.
• WHERE WE VISITE - Old Town, Wawel Castle, Kazimierz, Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, Wieliczka.
• EXCURSIONS – Krakow
• ACCOMMODATION AND FOOD - Comfortable hotels located in Krakow allow you to settle both in the historical center and on the outskirts of the city. Depending on financial capabilities, you can choose superior apartments, as well as in two-star hotels and roadside motels. There are many bars, cafes and restaurants in the city.
• FELLOW TRAVELERS - from Krakow
• DURATION – 5 days
• THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRAVEL YOUNG —

The charm of Krakow

Getting to know Krakow is very simple, just take a tour of the Old Town, where all the elements of the historical and cultural heritage of the city are concentrated. Here are the remains of the ancient city walls, and the imposing majestic Town Hall, and the Florian's Gate, and the St. Mary's Church, and the Juliusz Slovatsky Theater, and the Jagiellonian University, and the Sukennice with its shopping malls.

Day 2 – Wawel Castle

Beginning of the second day best time for the Wawel Castle, which served as the residence Polish kings. On the territory of the castle there is the Kurya Lapka tower and the famous Cathedral of Wenceslas and Stanislav, where Cardinal Karol Wojtyla himself held services before becoming Pope John Paul II.

Day 3 – Wieliczka

Journey to a small village, the city of Velichka - a real kingdom of salt. Tourists, in an underground mine, in which there are sculptures and benches made of salt, as well as amazing in its own way chemical composition underground lake. Tourists are invited to visit the underground bar, the interior elements of which are also made of salt.

Day 4 - Kazimierz

On the fourth day of the trip, you can make an excursion to the royal suburb of Kazimierz, which was previously considered suburban, but now has become part of modern Krakow. It looks like a Jewish town with 7 synagogues, the Market Square, an ethnic museum and the magnificent Cathedral of St. Catherine.

Day 5 – Kalwaria Zebrzydowska

A trip to Kalwaria Zebrzydowska - a town called the Polish Jerusalem, where a medieval basilica and a monastery complex of the Bernardine Order have been preserved.

After we return and at the hotel we pack our bags for the return home. Our April short vacation and trip to Krakow is over.

Good impressions!

Krakow is a very convenient city for transit tourists. The main attractions, according to thin guidebooks, are concentrated on the "Royal Road". It originates on the northern border of the Old Town, passes through the central Market Square of Krakow, and goes to the Royal Castle.

Therefore, tourist groups passing through Krakow can see most of what is written in the guidebook in just a couple of hours, tick off the cultural program, and continue their journey further.

However, a couple of hours is enough not because there is nothing to see in the city, but because most guidebooks for foreign tourists are written just for "express tourists".

What to see in Krakow

It depends, first of all, on how much time you are going to spend in the city.

In 1 hour you can walk from the train station (Krakow Centralny) to the Market Square, take memorable pictures, visit the St. Mary's Church and look into the Cloth Hall. Maybe even sit in a cafe on the Market Square.

In 2 hours you can walk royal road(the entire tour), go to the territory of the Royal Castle and look into Cathedral(without visiting other museums). And still have time to sit in a cafe or look into local shops.

In 4 hours you can slowly walk along royal road, see all the sights, visit the Royal Castle (not really lingering in museums).

There will be time to visit souvenir shops, and to have lunch in a restaurant.

If you wish (great desire), you can even have time to inspect at a fast pace Kazimierz.

For one evening. If you came to Krakow for only one evening, I advise you to spend this evening walking around the Old Town. And when it gets completely dark - you can choose a bar, cafe or restaurant, and taste Polish there national cuisine, or just sit on the Market Square with a glass of beer.

For one day . For those who came to Krakow for 1 day. I advise after exploring the Old City to take a trip to Velichka.

And after returning, either go to the Royal Castle, or visit Kazimierz, or admire the city from mound Kosciuszki or Krakus, or just take another walk around Old Krakow (not forgetting that by 23:00 the transport is no longer working).

For a couple of days. For those who came to Krakow for a couple of days (usually they arrive in the afternoon and leave in the morning), on the first day I can advise you to take a tour of royal road, during which you can have a bite to eat somewhere, and then visit the Royal Castle.

Then, if the sun is still high, you can admire the city from the height of the mound of Kosciuszki or Krakus. You can devote an early evening to visiting local shops, and when it starts to get dark, have dinner in a restaurant of Polish national cuisine.

The next morning you can go to Velichka. Then, returning to Krakow, take a walk along Podgorze, and then to Kazimierz.

During these excursions, do not forget to pay attention not only to monuments, but also to places where you can have lunch :-).

If you want to visit any museum, it is better to go there immediately upon your return from Wieliczka, because museums usually close in the afternoon.

Then you can go around the Old City by Plantam(if you haven't done so already), and dedicate the rest of the evening to once again going through the places that you especially liked.

On the last evening, you can also go to the Krakow Aquapark (Park Wodny), to the theater or cinema. Young people can choose a student club.

Krakow reviews of our trip, September 2014

• Prices in Krakow


• Krakow souvenirs what to buy


• Krakow attractions route map


• Krakow useful links travel preparation

NB Interestingly, this head does not evoke warm emotions among the citizens of Krakow, but it has become a meeting place and a tourist attraction :)

Some boring info: money, currency, prices in Krakow
Currency: złoty.
How to pay where to change money
You can change at gas stations, there is no normal commission rate. Can change partially, ie. 100 euro bill - 50 change, 50 - ask for euro change - no problem :)
Comfortable: pay with a card and withdraw some zlotys from an ATM.
Zloty needed for: toilet, bagels, other goodies in street tents. It is simply impossible to get past them.
In souvenir shops, cafes (even the smallest ones), shops, you can easily pay with a card.

Prices in Krakow

• Magic bagel (bought on the street and eaten on the go - just enough to get to the next "car" with bagels))): PLN 1.5


• Water - PLN 1.5-2


• Raspberries (taken in season, very tasty in September) 7.5 PLN / 800 grams


• Polish cheese at the fair (suluguni) - a small cake (60 grams) - 2 zł.


• Bottled beer PLN 3.5 (in shops)


• Toilet: PLN 1-1.5

Prices in cafe-restaurants Krakow:
One of the most expensive restaurants in the tourist area - in Jewish quarter Kazimierz (Kazimierz), opposite the old Synagogue - Szeroka street. It will offer Polish, European and European cuisine. Dish from PLN 25 and above. Near the restaurants there are barkers and menus with prices.
On the side, not central streets, you can find more affordable prices, in particular, we came across a cafe at the intersection Berka Joselewicza and Sw Sebastiana. It is self-service, but very cozy, tasty and friendly. There is a dish of the day (17 PLN) - this is a full-fledged main course, soups, drinks (no alcohol). First: it is important to try the Polish soup zhurek (they say Russian speakers call it “zhorik”).
Impressions of Polish cuisine: fatty, hearty, salty.
Complement from the Poles: we were in the season of apples: everywhere there were fragrant baskets with apples “for no reason”J

Average prices in Krakow cafe lunch dinner

• On average, a dish costs PLN 10-20 (meat), a side dish costs PLN 7-18.


• Side dish + meat 20-30 PLN


• Drink (coffee, beer, juice) PLN 7-15


• Additionally, nothing is entered on the check (in any case, we did not encounter)

What language is useful in Poland?
Polish. Ukrainian. English.
If you speak Ukrainian, you can speak everywhere, they will understand you, and you will understand (Poles will not speak quickly and there will be no difficulties)
If you speak Russian, then English is better :). The older generation speaks Russian, for young people English is closer.

Souvenirs: what to bring from Krakow
Market Square in Krakow called Rynek Glowny: malls Cloth rows (Sukiennice). It's nice to walk along the malls, but souvenirs are expensive here. Of course, you can pay by card. Business card of Krakow: amber. There are also many items made of silver, fur (wool), wood, leather (bags, belts). We really liked the fair next door- Maly Rynek. Here you can buy suluguni cheese, bread, beer, honey, honey soap, glass souvenirs, amber, silver, sheepskin and linen products, leather products.

• magnet from 7 to 30 PLN


• Amber from PLN 15(very inexpensive unpretentious) up to 200-300 zł for solid jewelry with silver.

• Salt and cosmetics with salt, Zaja cosmetics



• Herbapol syrups (in supermarkets and some liquor stores)


• Amol tincture (in Krakow it is considered "from all diseases")


• Polish beer Zywiec, Warka, Tyske piwo, Okocim


• Chocolate


• minced meat sausages


• Sliwowica tincture

• try the cheese


• buy amber


• Going into a pastry shop is just sweet works of art, very tasty and sincere


• Look into a shop of old Polish drinks: authentic and warming :)

• There are a lot of cyclists and they like to ride fast. It is no coincidence that injuries from collisions with cyclists are the most common case for seeking help from insurance. Be careful!


• The names of the streets match those you will find on the maps - it is very easy to walk around the old Krakow.


• If you plan to walk only in the old city, you will not need transport.


• Cars can enter the old city only until 11 o’clock (to bring goods to cafes and shops). So in the morning it'll be hard to do nice pictures without trucks, but then - as much as you like :)

There are cafes here where you can eat. Then, we went to the embankment and walked along it to the Jewish quarter Kazimierz. Here the street is wide- synagogues and Jewish restaurants. Then they returned to the Old City and for another hour and a half wandered the streets and bought souvenirs.






I am attaching the map. If you get tired: shorten his route at the expense of Kazimierz or a detailed trip to Wawel Castle. Personally, we missed the Wawel tour, but walked around Kazimierez to our heart's content.

Excursions in Krakow are free, and most importantly, fun and interesting: