3 Days in Krakow: Old Town, Kazimierz and Wieliczka

Krakow is Poland’s most visited city for good reason. The Old Town survived the Second World War intact, Kazimierz has become one of Europe’s most interesting cultural quarters, and one of the world’s great underground attractions sits 20 minutes away by train. This three-day itinerary covers the highlights without rushing, with time built in for pierogi, craft beer, and wandering.

Route Overview

• Day 1: Old Town, Main Market Square, St Mary’s Basilica, Cloth Hall, Wawel Castle
• Day 2: Kazimierz Jewish Quarter, Schindler’s Factory, Podgorze
• Day 3: Wieliczka Salt Mine, Nowa Huta, evening pierogi crawl

Budget estimate: Approximately PLN 1,200-2,000 (EUR 280-470) per person for three days, excluding flights.

---

Where to Stay

• Budget: Greg & Tom Hostel, ul. Pawia 12 — dorms from approximately PLN 80/night (EUR 19), private rooms from PLN 200 (EUR 47). Five minutes from the train station.
• Mid-range: Hotel Stary, ul. Szczepanska 5 — rooms from approximately PLN 500/night (EUR 117). Right on the Old Town square, rooftop terrace with castle views.
• Upscale: Hotel Copernicus, ul. Kanonicza 16 — rooms from approximately PLN 1,200/night (EUR 280). Renaissance townhouse on Krakow’s most beautiful street, pool in the medieval cellar.

---

Day 1: Old Town and Wawel Castle

Morning — Main Market Square and St Mary’s Basilica

Start at Rynek Glowny, the largest medieval market square in Europe. The scale is immediately striking — 200 metres on each side, ringed by townhouses and anchored by the Cloth Hall (Sukiennice) at the centre.

Enter St Mary’s Basilica (Kosciol Mariacki) on the northeast corner. The interior is covered in blue and gold Gothic frescoes, and the carved wooden altarpiece by Veit Stoss is one of the finest in Europe. Entry costs approximately PLN 20 (EUR 5) as of 2026, open Monday-Saturday 11:30am-6pm, Sunday 2pm-6pm. Every hour on the hour, a trumpeter plays the hejnal from the taller tower — the melody cuts off mid-phrase, commemorating a 13th-century watchman shot by a Mongol arrow.

Walk through the ground floor of the Cloth Hall for amber jewellery and folk art, then head upstairs to the Gallery of 19th-Century Polish Art (approximately PLN 30/EUR 7 entry). The Rynek Underground museum beneath the square is worth an hour — it takes you through medieval market stalls excavated under the cobblestones (approximately PLN 32/EUR 7.50, closed Mondays).

Lunch

Walk south to Milkbar Tomasza at ul. Tomasza 24. This modern take on the traditional bar mleczny serves pierogi ruskie (potato and cheese) for approximately PLN 14 (EUR 3.30) and zurek (fermented rye soup) for PLN 12. It fills up by 1pm — arrive early.

Afternoon — Wawel Castle

Continue south along ul. Grodzka to Wawel Hill. The castle complex was the seat of Polish kings for 500 years. There are several exhibitions inside, each with a separate ticket:

• State Rooms: Approximately PLN 35 (EUR 8) — Renaissance chambers with Flemish tapestries
• Royal Private Apartments: Approximately PLN 30 (EUR 7) — smaller rooms, more intimate
• Crown Treasury and Armoury: Approximately PLN 25 (EUR 6) — includes the Szczerbiec coronation sword
• Wawel Cathedral: Free entry to the nave; tower and royal crypts approximately PLN 20 (EUR 5)

Open 9:30am-5pm Tuesday-Sunday as of 2026. Ticket numbers are limited daily — arrive by 10am in summer or book online at wawel.krakow.pl. Allow 2-3 hours for the castle complex.

Evening

Walk back through the Planty park ring and find dinner at Szara Gęś (The Grey Goose), Rynek Glowny 17. This is refined Polish cuisine — duck with plum sauce and roasted beetroot soup are standouts. Mains from approximately PLN 65-120 (EUR 15-28). Book ahead for a terrace table overlooking the square.

---

Day 2: Kazimierz, Schindler’s Factory and Podgorze

Morning — Kazimierz Jewish Quarter

Kazimierz was a separate town until 1800, and its Jewish community was one of the largest in Europe before the war. Start at the Old Synagogue (Stara Synagoga) on ul. Szeroka — the oldest surviving synagogue in Poland, now a museum of Jewish history and culture. Entry approximately PLN 15 (EUR 3.50), closed Mondays.

Walk along ul. Jozefa and ul. Meiselsa, where Kazimierz’s character is strongest — independent coffee roasters, bookshops, vintage stores, and street art. Stop at Cafe Camelot at ul. Tomasza 17 for coffee and apple cake in a candlelit interior.

Cross to Plac Nowy, the neighbourhood’s daily market square. The round brick building at the centre sells zapiekanki — the open-faced baguette with mushrooms and cheese that is Krakow’s definitive street food. Approximately PLN 12-18 (EUR 3-4) from Endzior or one of the other windows.

Lunch

Eat at Starka, ul. Jozefa 14, for updated Polish-Jewish cuisine. Try the goose neck stuffed with buckwheat or the herring in cream. Mains from approximately PLN 40-75 (EUR 9-18).

Afternoon — Schindler’s Factory and Podgorze

Cross the Bernatka footbridge (the one with the padlocks) over the Vistula to Podgorze. Schindler’s Factory at ul. Lipowa 4 is one of Europe’s best museum experiences — it covers the entire wartime occupation of Krakow, not just Schindler’s story. Entry approximately PLN 32 (EUR 7.50), free on Mondays (limited numbers). Open 9am-8pm as of 2026. Book online at muzeumkrakowa.pl — walk-in slots sell out by noon in summer. Allow 90 minutes to 2 hours.

From the factory, walk 10 minutes south to the Ghetto Heroes Square (Plac Bohaterow Getta). The 68 metal chairs scattered across the square are a memorial to the Krakow ghetto. The Pharmacy Under the Eagle on the square’s corner tells the story of Tadeusz Pankiewicz, who ran the only pharmacy inside the ghetto walls. Entry approximately PLN 16 (EUR 4).

Evening

Return to Kazimierz for dinner and drinks. Eat at Hamsa, ul. Szeroka 2 — Israeli-influenced food with hummus plates from PLN 28 and shakshuka from PLN 35. After dinner, try the craft beer at House of Beer (Wielopole 15) or cocktails at Alchemia, one of Kazimierz’s original bar-cafes on Plac Nowy.

---

Day 3: Wieliczka Salt Mine, Nowa Huta and Pierogi Crawl

Morning — Wieliczka Salt Mine

Take the S1 commuter train from Krakow Glowny station to Wieliczka Rynek Kopalnia — the journey takes approximately 25 minutes and costs PLN 5 (EUR 1.20). The mine entrance is a 5-minute walk from the station.

The Tourist Route descends 135 metres underground through carved chambers, salt lakes, and the extraordinary Chapel of St Kinga — an entire cathedral carved from salt, including the chandeliers. The guided tour takes approximately 2.5 hours and covers 3.5 km. Tickets cost approximately PLN 120 (EUR 28) for adults, PLN 90 (EUR 21) for students as of 2026. Book the English-language tour online at wieliczka-saltmine.com or via Tiqets at least 2-3 days ahead in peak season.

You exit via an elevator that takes 30 seconds to travel 135 metres straight up. Allow the full morning — you will be back in Krakow by early afternoon.

Afternoon — Nowa Huta

Take tram 4 or 15 from Krakow’s centre to Plac Centralny in Nowa Huta (approximately 30 minutes, PLN 5 single ticket). This planned socialist-realist district was built in the 1950s as a workers’ utopia to counterbalance “bourgeois” Krakow. The architecture is monumental — wide boulevards radiate from the central square in symmetrical lines.

Walk the main axis of Aleja Roz (Avenue of Roses), then find the Arka Pana church at ul. Obroncow Krzyza Nowohuckiego 1 — built by the residents in defiance of the communist authorities, who designed Nowa Huta without a single church. The contrast between the brutalist surroundings and the modernist concrete church is worth the trip alone.

For context, consider a guided Nowa Huta tour in a genuine Trabant car — several operators on Plac Centralny offer 2-hour tours for approximately PLN 200 (EUR 47) per car (fits 3-4 people). For a broader range of guided experiences in Kraków, including food tours, history walks, and day trips, browse operators before your visit.

Evening — Pierogi Crawl

Return to central Krakow for a self-guided pierogi crawl. We recommend three stops:

1. Pierogarnia Maly Krakow, ul. Bracka 4 — handmade pierogi with traditional fillings. The pierogi z miesem (meat) are excellent. Plate of 10 from approximately PLN 24 (EUR 6).
2. Pierozki u Vincenta, ul. Bozego Ciala 12 in Kazimierz — creative fillings like spinach and feta or duck confit. Plate from approximately PLN 28 (EUR 7).
3. Przystanek Pierogarnia, ul. Mikolajska 1 — open late, good for the final round. Try the pierogi z kapusta i grzybami (sauerkraut and mushroom). From approximately PLN 22 (EUR 5).

Finish with a drink at Bunkier Cafe on Plac Szczepanski, which overlooks the Planty park and stays open until midnight.

---

Getting Around Krakow

Krakow’s Old Town and Kazimierz are compact and best explored on foot. For longer trips (Nowa Huta, station transfers), use the tram and bus network:

• Single ticket: PLN 5 (EUR 1.20) — valid 60 minutes
• 24-hour pass: PLN 17 (EUR 4) — unlimited rides
• 72-hour pass: PLN 42 (EUR 10) — best value for three full days

Buy tickets from machines at tram stops or on the Jakdojade app. Validate on board.

Taxis from the airport (Krakow Balice) to Old Town cost approximately PLN 80-100 (EUR 19-23) fixed rate. The airport train runs every 30 minutes and costs PLN 12 (EUR 3), reaching Krakow Glowny in 18 minutes.

---

Daily Budget Summary

Category	Budget	Mid-range	Upscale
Accommodation (per night)	PLN 80-200	PLN 400-500	PLN 1,000-1,200
Food (per day)	PLN 60-80	PLN 120-180	PLN 250-400
Attractions (per day)	PLN 50-80	PLN 80-120	PLN 80-120
Transport (per day)	PLN 17	PLN 17-40	PLN 40-100
3-day total (per person)	PLN 700-1,100	PLN 1,800-2,500	PLN 4,000-5,500

All prices approximate as of 2026.

---

Plan Your Kraków Visit

• Kraków City Guide — full overview of hotels, restaurants, and transport
• Things to Do in Kraków — attractions and activities beyond the basics
• Day Trips from Kraków — Wieliczka, Auschwitz, Zakopane, and more
• Wieliczka Salt Mine Guide — full guide to the UNESCO site
• Oświęcim and Auschwitz — visitor information for the memorial site
• Best Restaurants in Kraków — where to eat well across every budget
• Vegan Kraków — plant-based dining across the Old Town and Kazimierz
• Kraków History Guide — the full story of Wawel, the Jewish Quarter, and WWII Kraków
• 1 Week in Poland Itinerary — extend the Kraków leg into a full Poland trip