Krakow, Poland
Top places to visit in Krakow
6 places worth your time in Krakow, with what each is actually like and when to go.
Last updated 2026-08-08
1. Main Market Square and Cloth Hall
Photo: Craig Wyzik from Olympia, WA, USA · CC BY 2.0 · source
The largest medieval square in Europe, with a Renaissance trading hall at its centre and a trumpet call from St Mary's every hour.
- Map: Open in Maps
- Tip: The hourly hejnał breaks off mid-note, commemorating a trumpeter shot mid-warning in the thirteenth century.
2. Wawel Castle and Cathedral
Photo: Jakub Hałun · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
The royal seat and coronation church of Poland, on a limestone rise over the Vistula.
3. Kazimierz
Photo: Specjal b · CC BY 2.5 · source
The historic Jewish quarter, with surviving synagogues, a distinct café scene and the ghetto memorial across the river.
4. Auschwitz-Birkenau
Photo: Assassin3577 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
The former camp, about 70 km west, preserved as a memorial and museum.
- Map: Open in Maps
- Best time: Allow a full day including travel
- Tip: Entry is free but requires a booked slot; a guided tour is compulsory in peak hours. This is a memorial site — dress and behave accordingly.
5. Wieliczka Salt Mine
Photo: Kriskros · CC BY-SA 3.0 pl · source
A working mine from the thirteenth century until 2007, with chapels and chandeliers carved entirely from rock salt.
- Map: Open in Maps
- Tip: Guided tours only, 800 steps down, and it is cold at depth year-round.
6. Schindler's Factory
Photo: Adrian Grycuk · CC BY-SA 3.0 pl · source
The enamelware factory, now a museum of Kraków under Nazi occupation rather than a film exhibit.
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