Europe,  Poland

Why You Should Visit Krakow Poland

October 27, 2020 / 50 Comments

If you’ve never been to Poland, you should read this post. I will give you many reasons why you should visit Krakow, Poland!

Here we are with friends on a carriage ride through the Old Town

I’ve been to this city probably 15 times over the last ten years. Why? Because my company had its Shared Service Center in Krakow and I went there often for work.

Night scenes in the town square

Most of my visits to Krakow were spent in the office or in the hotel, but I did manage to do some sightseeing on several of my trips.

Town Square buildings

I decided to write this post because the last time I was there was two years ago this month, for work and to visit our South African friends who live there now (and work for the same company I worked for).

Typical buildings in the city center

Over recent years, more airlines have arranged direct flights to Krakow from other European cities. Krakow is well-known for many large companies to host their service centers.

Where Krakow is located in Southern Poland

So what can you do and see in this old European town? I will share with you my favorite picks including the below topics:

Town Square

The town square in the center of town is my favorite part of Krakow with its huge open space and many vibrant bars and restaurants lined around the square.

Ornately decorated horses for carriage rides

You will see many horse carriages in the center. This is a great way to get a quick tour of the town. The price varies between $10-25 depending on the ride duration. In the square, you will see the famous clock tower and some cool sculptures.

Clock Tower in the center of the Town Square

The Tower is the only remaining part of the old Kraków Town Hall demolished in 1820 when the city opened up the Main Square. 

Posing in a very cool statue in the town square

There are many markets in the center of town for souvenir items or fresh food. The market hall in the square is a beautiful open building with suspended lighting.

There are often local events going on or street performers to watch in the town square. It is really the heart of the city.

Evening ambiance in the town square

In summer, this spot is very crowded but you will also enjoy the area during the other seasons. There is a great Christmas Market during December. Be sure to stay here long enough to see the nighttime lights. It is magical!

For paid or free walking tours of the Old Town, look on this site.

Vistula River

The river that runs through the downtown area of Krakow is one of the highlights. It has a nice wide path on both sides for riding bikes, walking, or running.

One of many scenic bridges on the Vistula River

There are many interesting bridges that allow you to cross over at any time. You will find permanent boats positioned on the side of the river serving as floating bars or restaurants. On a nice weather day, you will find many people enjoying the river paths.

Restaurants

I have a few favorite restaurants in Krakow that I could recommend. You really can’t go wrong when eating in this town. The food is always good and very cheap. If you like meat, you will find plenty of it here, from thick juicy steaks to their traditional sausages.

Many outdoor restaurants in the town square

Here are just a few of my favorite restaurants:

  • Cyrano de Bergerac this unique underground restaurant with its brick walls is a delight. You will feel like you are in another world. The fine dining food and service are excellent.
  • Sakana Sushi Restaurant if you love sushi, especially handmade in front of you and with an extra special taste, you need to try this restaurant. Every time I go to Krakow, I always go back to this place – delicious!
  • Once Upon a Time – Chajim Kohan we had a tasty lunch at this funky restaurant in the Jewish ghetto. They have great decoration and the service was perfect. Try to reserve early as the place is quite small.
Typical restaurant and storefront in Krakow

Wawel Royal Castle

This castle was the first-ever UNESCO site in Europe. The castle is one of the largest in Poland and is similar to all European architectural styles of the medieval, renaissance, and baroque periods.

Castle in Krakow

To be honest, I have never taken a tour of the inside of this castle. My normal hotel when I went for work was the Marriott, which is just beside this impressive castle. I had many hotel room views of this beautiful structure.

For more info about touring the castle, check out this website.

Krakus Mound

On our last visit there, our friends took us to this special place to see the 360-degree view of the city. Krakus Mound is the highest point in Krakow and offers incredible panoramic views from its sixteen-metre high summit.

Walking up to the Mound

Mounds were erected throughout Europe starting in prehistoric times. They were used as burial sites but were also places of cult rituals and defense. The Krakus Mound is the oldest of five mounds in Krakow originating from the 7th century.

View of the town from the Krakus Mound

You can park easily and walk up the gradual hill to see a great viewpoint overlooking the city. Try to go here on a clear day to appreciate the sprawling view.

Jewish Quarter

A part of Krakow well worth the visit for the history lesson and the architecture is the Jewish Quarter, also called Kazimierz. This area is just a short 15-minute walk from the Town Square.

Kazimierz is south of town square next to the river

After the Jews were prosecuted in Western Europe in the Middle Ages, they started settling in Kazimierz. Soon after, Krakow became a place of Jewish prosperity. You will find more info about this area on this website.

Jewish Quarter

This trendy area now contains indie galleries, quirky shops, and vintage clothing stores. Here you will find a 16th-century Old Synagogue (the oldest one in Poland) and the Remuh Cemetery with a wall built of tombstones broken during WWII.

Poster showing the movie film set

You can walk through the area where the ‘Schindler’s List’ movie was filmed during 72 days in 1993.

Check here for free walking tours in the Jewish Quarter.

Summary

In addition to visiting the town of Krakow, you can take a tour of the nearby Auschwitz concentration camp, which is 68 km (42 miles) from Krakow. For more excursion ideas near Krakow, check here.

Posing on a colorful bike in the Jewish Quarter

I’ve listed in this post just a few of many sites to visit when you go to Krakow. I hope this gave you some insight into this lesser-known tourist area of Europe and gave you a worthwhile reason for WHY YOU SHOULD VISIT KRAKOW POLAND on your next European trip!

Pin the below to refer back to this post when you go to Krakow!

If you are looking for assistance to plan your next trip, I am here for YOU! I love to plan travel itineraries for myself and others. For more details on how I provide this service, please check out my Itinerary Planning page and drop me a quick email at jan@janadventures.com to get started!

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