Krakow Holidays & City Breaks

from £89 per person

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Polish

PLN: Polish złoty

Enchanting castles and medieval houses decorate Poland’s best preserved city. Culture-filled Krakow blends history with the modern delights of lively bars, trendy cafes and world-class museums.

Delve into history that stretches back to the 10th century on holidays in Krakow. Horse-drawn carriages clop across cobbled streets and picturesque squares host architectural gems. Spring and autumn blanket the city in the glorious colours of nature, while summer buzzes with festivals. Looking for sparkly winter wonderlands? Christmas in Krakow is a festive dream.

Entertainment in Krakow

Indulge in theatre, music, dance and film to your heart’s content on Krakow holidays. Culture vultures flock to the city for a year-round schedule of events. No matter when you visit, listen to jazz in basement clubs and gallery-hop to uncover innovative art. Between fun excursions, fill up on hearty traditional dishes and international fare at top-notch restaurants.

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Overview
Things to do
Places to stay

Why book Krakow holidays

Must-visit historical sites

Krakow’s Old Town, Old Jewish quarter & Wawel Castle

Sample the local food

Pair the traditional Pierogi (Polish dumplings) with Polish IPA

Fab shopping scene

Pick up some unique items from Kazimierz, the Old Jewish Quarter

Hit the nightlife & bar scene

Krakow promises fun nightlife with plenty of bars & clubs to keep you going

Famous square

Lively Rynek Square is the largest medieval town square in Europe

Top attractions to visit

Don’t miss out on Wawel Castle & Wawel Cathedral

Your guide to Krakow holidays

Time to explore

Top 5 things to do in Krakow

Romantic vistas for couples holidays, family-friendly attractions and dynamic nightlife districts await on Krakow city breaks.

The medieval Market Square is the heart and soul of the UNESCO-listed Krakow Old Town. Plan to return time and again, with museums, souvenir shops, historic buildings and pubs to discover. Or, just settle in at a restaurant and people-watch for hours.
To thoroughly explore the city, stroll along the Vistula Boulevards. Following the longest river in Poland, the charming pathways lead to attractions including the Bernatek Footbridge. It’s otherwise known as the Lovers’ Bridge, so don’t forget a padlock to hang for your sweetheart.
The artificial Kosciuszko Mound was built to honour Polish military hero, Tadeusz Kosciuszko. Hike up 34 metres and get your camera ready for panoramic city views.
History and modern living collide with an energetic vibe on Florianska Street. Part of the Royal Route, the famous stretch is lined with Renaissance facades, craft beer bars, shops and historic cafes.
Only around an hour from the city centre, Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum offers a moving experience of the Holocaust.

Famous buildings in Krakow

Get set for gasp-worthy moments when you stumble upon architectural marvels on holidays to Krakow.

The massive complex of Wawel Castle dominates the Krakow city skyline. Once the domain of Polish kings and queens, it features majestic Gothic belfries, imposing fortifications and a museum with five sections.
Seven spiked turrets top the circular Krakow Barbican, a structure straight from a fantasy that was built in 1498. Now, the formidable gatehouse hosts jousting tournaments, feasts and events for tourists.
Two striking towers of different heights characterise St Mary’s Basilica. Take a peek inside to see beautiful stained-glass windows, wall paintings and the incredible altarpiece.
Marking the start of the Royal Route, St Florian’s Gate is one of the city’s originals. It was built in the 14 century as part of Krakow’s fortifications.
Saints Peter and Paul Church was the first baroque building in Krakow. Statues of the 12 disciples line the fence and it’s topped by a skylit dome.

Food & Drink

Food and drink in Krakow

Krakow’s ever-changing food scene keeps your taste buds happy, from traditional street stalls to creative fine dining.

Wander around the romantic streets of Krakow Old Town and you’ll find a dazzling array of restaurants. Wierzynek Restaurant is one of the city’s oldest, serving decadent Polish cuisine in palatial dining rooms.
Follow your nose to a mouthwatering jumble of street food stalls, bohemian cafes, Jewish eateries and international restaurants in Kazimierz.
When you can’t decide what you feel like, check out the offerings at the Judah Square Food Truck Park. Sausages, stuffed potatoes, burgers and ice creams get you started.
In the communist era, Poland’s milk bars offered government subsidised food for the working masses. They continue to thrive and you’ll find tasty cheap eats with a splash of history at milk bars throughout Krakow.
Can’t wait to shop for food with the locals? Join the hustle and bustle at Plac Imbramowski. The huge market offers budget-friendly meat, fish, dairy and fresh produce, along with household goods, clothes and cosmetics.

Traditional dishes to try in Krakow

It’s not all about meat and potatoes in Poland, though simple staples tend to taste better on Krakow holidays.

No matter where you go, it’s likely you’ll come face to face with an obwarzanek. Street food carts sell the chewy dough rings. They resemble bagels topped with poppy or sesame seeds.
Named after the city itself, kiełbasa Krakowska is one of Poland’s most popular sausage varieties. The thick, smoky sausages, made from lean pork and seasoning, are best served on freshly-baked bread.
The scrumptious dumplings, Pierogi, are among Poland’s national dishes and you’ll find them in restaurants all over the city. Try a range of ingredients in the semi-circular, doughy bites, including cottage cheese, meat and spinach.
Save some room for an abundance of cakes, pastries and sweet treats. Sample the Polish cheesecake called sernik, kremowka cream pie and pierniki gingerbread cookies. It’s always time for a Polish vodka in Krakow and the rapidly-evolving microbrewery scene keeps craft beer fans happy.

Culture

Krakow’s top museums

Pack your comfy walking shoes for some serious museum-hopping on Krakow holidays.

The Nazi German industrialist, Oskar Schindler, famously saved the lives of Jews during the Holocaust. Visit Oskar Schindler’s Factory, which was an enamel plant in WWII. It now houses interactive history exhibits.
Step out of the old and into the avant-garde at MOCAK, Krakow’s Museum of Contemporary Art. Permanent and roving collections showcase installation pieces, photography, video and sculpture.
Enter a mysterious world of test tubes, quirky glass bottles, elixirs and rare instruments at the Pharmacy Museum. The fascinating collection dates back to the 19th and 20th centuries.
Located beneath the main square, the Rynek Underground Museum showcases the lives and relics of medieval merchants via modernistic audiovisuals.
Relive your retro memories at the Krakow Pinball Museum. Play classic pinball machines in the neon-glow of the basement location, with a craft beer in hand.

History and culture in Krakow

The beautiful city of Krakow is a history buff’s dream that overflows with unique cultural experiences.

Explore the maze of winding streets and crumbling buildings in the historic Jewish Quarter. Known as Kazimierz, the once independent town features ornate synagogues amid bohemian bars and cafes.
The Krakow Cloth Hall is known as one of the world’s oldest shopping centres, previously home to the medieval clothing trade. The locals call it the Sukiennice. You’ll find stalls bursting with souvenirs and handicrafts.
Delve into an intriguing world of chambers and tunnels at the Wieliczka Salt Mine. A highlight is St Kinga’s Chapel, an underground cathedral made entirely of salt.
Wander through the grounds of atmospheric Rakowicki Cemetery. Elaborate tombstones mark the graves of notable Polish actors, politicians and poets.
One of Poland’s most picturesque streets, Kanonicza’s cobblestones are lined with houses from the 14th and 15th centuries. Pope John Paul II was among many nobles and canons of Wawel Cathedral to call it home.

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Nightlife in Krakow

If you don’t want to go to sleep in Krakow, you don’t have to. Welcome to a city that’s made for night owls.

Antiques, candlelight and artists characterise the bohemian bars dotted across the Kazimierz nightlife scene. Start your evening at the main square, Plac Nowy, then pub-hop around the district. End your night at Plac Nowy for scrumptious street food.
Elegant buildings in the Old Town’s Main Market Square come to life after dark within cellar venues, pubs, live music bars and clubs. Don’t expect to leave until dawn.
Hit the dance-floors at Prozak 2.0, a clubbing favourite of fun-loving foreigners, music lovers and loyal locals. Live music concerts feature top DJs and a maze of rooms offer various bars.
Check the schedules for opera, ballet, concerts and sporting events at a range of exciting venues. Choose from the Krakow Opera, Tauron Arena Krakow, ICE Krakow Congress Centre and Baccarat Live Music Club.
For couples holidays, there’s nothing more romantic than a horse-drawn carriage ride beneath the glittering lights of this fairytale city.

Krakow family holidays

Along with offering epic, real-life history lessons, family holidays in Krakow deliver barrels of fun.

Polish children know all about the legend of the Wawel Dragon. He was tricked into drinking the water in the Vistula until he exploded. Discover the dragon’s fire breathing statue on Wawel Hill and stuff your suitcases full of dragon souvenirs.
Let LEGO lead the way to engaging lessons at History Land. Virtual-reality technology, animation and interactive LEGO displays highlight the key points of Poland’s history.
Hands up if you want to learn how to make chocolate! The Krakow Chocolate Factory offers workshops for every age. Best of all, whatever you make, you get to take with you.
Planty Park encircles the Old Town with eight spectacular gardens. Let the kids loose among ponds, bridges, fountains and winding pathways that lead to some of the city’s top attractions.
Get up-close to snow leopards, giraffes, chimpanzees and Indian elephants at Krakow Zoo. Established since 1929, it’s located in the lush Wolski Forest and exhibits over 1,400 animals.

What our local experts say

Why we love Poland city breaks

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Krakow weather

Jan

0°C

Avg. Dry Days 12

Feb

2°C

Avg. Dry Days 12

Mar

8°C

Avg. Dry Days 15

Apr

15°C

Avg. Dry Days 14

Nov

8°C

Avg. Dry Days 18

Dec

2°C

Avg. Dry Days 16

Your Krakow questions answered

What is the best time of year to visit Krakow?

For pleasant weather and fewer tourist crowds, visit Krakow from March to May and September to October. Summer is the most popular season, with music festivals, folk fairs and blue skies. The spectacular Krakow Christmas Market runs for the month of December.

What language is spoken in Krakow?

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Prices last checked at 04:00 5 March 2021