Custom Trip Plan

Krakow

Poland's historic capital and cultural heart. Krakow's unique spirit has made it a popular destination for city breaks.

Video about Krakow

Poland's second largest city, Krakow is the country's most popular tourist destination. Visiting Krakow is a thrill, as it's full of history, architecture, and cuisine. Poland's royal capital, Krakow came out of WWII mostly unscathed, unlike much of the country. There is no doubt why Krakow is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The quaint Old Town is lovely, though it houses Europe's largest medieval market square. Krakow's Jewish district gives a glimpse into life during and before WWII, while the city offers great art and history museums.

Krakow offers great restaurants providing hearty local classics, as well as more varied fare. The city has many cultural and musical festivals throughout the year, and its many students help keep the nightlife vibrant. Krakow is a popular spot for day trips, whether to nearby Auschwitz and the Wieliczka salt mine, or to Zakopane and the surrounding High Tatra mountains. Krakow will be a highlight, whether you're focusing on Poland, or also visiting its neighbors.

Popular Tour Itineraries Featuring Krakow

Spend some time in Krakow on a tour that takes in other cities in Poland and neighboring countries. Our vacation packages including Krakow and other destinations throughout Poland and Europe hassle-free. We take care of getting you from place to place, accommodation, excursions and activities.

Essential Poland in a Week Custom Itinerary

Essential Poland in a Week

Zakopane, Krakow, Warsaw

from$2,125 pp^*

Central Europe's Top Trio Custom Itinerary

Central Europe's Top Trio

Prague, Krakow, Budapest

from$2,175 pp^*

Poland's Tantalizing Trio Custom Itinerary

Poland's Tantalizing Trio

Krakow, Warsaw, Gdansk

from$2,200 pp^*

The Regal Cities of Poland and Lithuania Custom Itinerary

The Regal Cities of Poland and Lithuania

Krakow, Warsaw, Vilnius

from$2,175 pp^*

Budapest and Poland's Best Custom Itinerary

Budapest and Poland's Best

Budapest, Krakow, Warsaw

from$2,600 pp^*

Eastern Horizon: From Krakow to Kyiv via Lviv Custom Itinerary

Eastern Horizon: From Krakow to Kyiv via Lviv

Krakow, Lviv, Kyiv

from$2,175 pp^*

Luxury Tour of Poland Custom Itinerary

Luxury Tour of Poland

Krakow, Warsaw, Gdansk

from$4,575 pp^*

Jewish Heritage Tour of Poland Custom Itinerary

Jewish Heritage Tour of Poland

Warsaw, Lodz, Krakow, Rzeszow, Lublin, Warsaw

from$3,825 pp^*

Four Highlights of Central Europe Custom Itinerary

Four Highlights of Central Europe

Budapest, Vienna, Prague, Krakow

from$3,350 pp^*

The Culinary Delights of Central Europe Custom Itinerary

The Culinary Delights of Central Europe

Budapest, Vienna, Prague, Krakow

from$3,525 pp^*

WWII Tour of Poland Custom Itinerary

WWII Tour of Poland

Gdansk, Warsaw, Lublin, Krakow

from$3,600 pp^*

UNESCO in Hungary, Slovakia and Poland Custom Itinerary

UNESCO in Hungary, Slovakia and Poland

Budapest, Tokaj, Kosice, High Tatras, Krakow

from$3,575 pp^*

The Polish Grand Tour Custom Itinerary

The Polish Grand Tour

Krakow, Wroclaw, Poznan, Gdansk, Warsaw

from$2,575 pp^*

The Central European Grand Tour Custom Itinerary

The Central European Grand Tour

Berlin, Prague, Cesky Krumlov, Vienna, Budapest, Krakow

from$4,175 pp^*

Off the Beaten Path in Central Europe Custom Itinerary

Off the Beaten Path in Central Europe

Prague, Wroclaw, Krakow, Zakopane, Kosice, Eger, Budapest

from$3,700 pp^*

A Peek Behind the Iron Curtain Custom Itinerary

A Peek Behind the Iron Curtain

Berlin, Prague, Bratislava, Budapest, Krakow, Warsaw

from$3,725 pp^*

Nature & National Parks of Poland Custom Itinerary

Nature & National Parks of Poland

Gdansk, Mikolajki, Kiermusy, Bialowieza, Warsaw, Kazimierz Dolny, Krak...

from$5,225 pp^*

Prolonged Polish Peregrination Custom Itinerary

Prolonged Polish Peregrination

Warsaw, Bialowieza, Gdansk, Torun, Poznan, Wroclaw, Zakopane, Krakow, ...

from$6,450 pp^*

* Starting price is per person, based on double occupancy in 3 star accommodation, in the most affordable month an itinerary is offered. Airfare to Europe is not included.

Click on your choice of itinerary, select number of travelers in your party, month of travel, and desired star level of accommodation to get an approximate price. Submit the enquiry form with any additional details and we can start planning your customized trip.

What we love about Krakow

Team Leader for Central Europe & Baltic Region

This is my hometown! Quite often people don't know much about their place of birth, simply emphasizing the greater interest in other areas that are waiting to be discovered, but to be honest I have to say that this city is really great! Because of the lucky happenstance, not much was destroyed during World War II, so hundreds of years of history are waiting for you! However, this is not just history, because Krakow has been developing on various levels for years, and it just flourishes! It should also be added that the restaurant scene can now compete with any other large city in Europe or around the world.

Trip Planner

Krakow simply is a beautiful place. I was amazed by its lovely historic buildings, charming streets as well as lively green spaces. The old Jewish quarter of Kazimiierz and the lively terraces full of people enjoying the sunshine in summer were probably my favourite things about the city.

Operations Executive

The thing I like about Poland in general is how friendly the people are there. It was so in Krakow as well. Unfortunately I didn't have too much time to spend there, but the historical buildings, the green areas and of course the lovely narrow streets surely had an impact on me. I definitely would like to go back to spend some more time there.

Where to stay in Krakow

In Krakow the majority of the accommodation options we offer, from hotels, B&Bs to apartments, are located in the historic old town area, with just a few by Kazimierz, the former Jewish ghetto. Take your pick from simple but cozy three star to luxury five star hotels in historic buildings. If you're staying a little longer the extra space of an apartment and access to a kitchen is also a possibility. Once we start preparing your customized itinerary we will present our recommended options for you to select from.

Central Modern Hotel in Krakow

Central Modern Hotel

Excellent value for money, this clean, friendly hotel is located in the Old Town. The location is quiet and there's a lovely backyard area to relax.

Boutique Design Hotel in Krakow

Boutique Design Hotel

This hotel is one of the city's newest and most luxurious design hotel, and has a great location between the main square and Wawel Castle.

Art Deco Design Hotel in Krakow

Art Deco Design Hotel

Ideally located in the heart of the Old Town, in the peaceful area of Planty Park. Great staff, comfortable beds and quiet rooms.

Things to do in Krakow

There's lots to see in and around Krakow and we can include many varied tours and activities as part of the Krakow leg of your Eastern Europe tour. Learn about Krakow's history on the City Tour, go down the salt mines of Wieliczka, learn in detail about Jewish Krakow, even go for a traditional Jewish Style Dinner with Klezmer. The most historically significant sites near Krakow is of course Auschwitz, about an hour away, and this can be visited on a private or group day trip, or included on a transfer to or from Prague. Or get out of the city center and into Poland's great outdoors with a day trip to the mountain resort of Zakopane. When we send you your customized itinerary you will be able to choose additional excursions to included in your vacation package or consider for adding later.

Auschwitz-Birkenau Private Tour

Auschwitz-Birkenau Private Tour

John Paul II Heritage Small Group Tour

John Paul II Heritage Small Group Tour

Zakopane and Tatra Mountains Small Group Tour

Zakopane and Tatra Mountains Small Group Tour

Jewish Dinner and Klezmer Concert in Kazimierz

Jewish Dinner and Klezmer Concert in Kazimierz

Wieliczka Salt Mine Group Tour With A Private Driver

Wieliczka Salt Mine Group Tour With A Private Driver

Ghetto and Schindler's Factory Private Tour

Ghetto and Schindler's Factory Private Tour

Dunajec Gorge River Rafting with Private Transportation

Dunajec Gorge River Rafting with Private Transportation

Chopin Music Concert

Chopin Music Concert

Krakow Home Cooked Small Group Tour

Krakow Home Cooked Small Group Tour

Glowing Reviews from Our Guests

4.9 / 5

Average of our Guest's Ratings of our trip packages including Krakow, based on 63 reviews

Review by Cheryl, Christine, Carin & Amy

Cheryl, Christine, Carin & Amy

Illinois

JayWay Travel's preparation with all the tours, transfers, guides, restaurant suggestions made this trip so stress free! Every detail of the plans were perfect.

Year : 2024
Visited : Poland
Itinerary : Krakow, Poznan, Gdansk
Rating :

5 / 5

Review by Ian & Solange

Ian & Solange

Alberta

Our tour through the historic cities of Central Europe can rightly be described as a 'trip of a lifetime', and the JayWay team did an absolutely stellar job in managing our trip every step of the way.

Year : 2024
Visited : Poland, Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary
Itinerary : Krakow, Prague, Salzburg, Vienna, Budapest
Rating :

5 / 5

Review by Susan, Benjamin & Brayden

Susan, Benjamin & Brayden

Connecticut

JayWay took care of the nitty-gritty details, but allowed us to plan our time and experiences ourselves. They helped customize our trip and made traveling between 5 cities easy and pleasant.

Year : 2024
Visited : Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Finland, Poland
Itinerary : Vilnius, Riga, Tallinn, Helsinki, Krakow
Rating :

4.75 / 5

Read more Guest Reviews

More Videos About Krakow

Another video about Krakow

Another video about Krakow

Latest articles about Krakow
from the JayWay Travel Blog

A Travel Guide To The Top 10 Places To Visit in Poland

A Travel Guide To The Top 10 Places To Visit in Poland

Europe’s Darkest Tourism Sites

Europe’s Darkest Tourism Sites

Krakow's Best Views

Krakow's Best Views

Read more articles about Krakow on our blog

Frequently Asked Questions about travel to Krakow

How long should we spend in Krakow?

Krakow's pretty old town and somewhat scruffier former Jewish ghetto area of Kazimierz need at least a day to see in any detail and we usually arrange a walking tour of these shortly after our guests arrive to get their bearings in the city as well as learn of its rich history. If you are particularly interested in Jewish heritage then the Jewish Krakow tour or the Jewish style dinner are musts too.

Popular trips outside of Krakow include a visit to Auschwitz Birkenau or the Wieliczka salt mine. Nature lovers might enjoy a full day trip to Zakopane, in the Polish Tatra mountains. With all these possibilities it's very easy to spend at least 3 days in Krakow.

Is Krakow safe?

You can walk safely in Krakow at night or in the day day. As in any city, be careful with your belongings in crowded areas.

What are the people like in Krakow?

There's a very large student population from all over Poland and further afield in Europe so the atmosphere is friendly, and you will have no problems communicating - around 80% of young people speak English, as do staff in all the bars and shops in the town center. Although popular with visitors, Krakow is not overcrowded with them. As a result Krakow has an authentic feel, and if you want you should find it easy to chat with the locals.

How can I get around Krakow?

Most of the sights are located within easy walking distance, so the best way to explore is by foot. Many streets and squares are pedestrianized so it's usually the only option! If you want to see the Old Town without walking, there are interesting options, including horse-drawn carriages, electric carts with audioguides, and bicycle rickshaws.

Outside of the center, Krakow's public transport network of trams and buses is a cheap and efficient way to get from place to place. Taxis are also relatively inexpensive. A 10km journey, between 6am and 10pm Monday to Saturday, will cost you no more than 50zl or 70zl from 10pm to 6am, or all day Sunday.

What is the weather usually like in Krakow?

Krakow' has cold winters (albeit not as snowy in recent years) and hot summers.

How can I get local currency in Krakow?

We recommend using Krakow's many bank ATMs to take out cash.