Things to Do in Krakow in 4 Days

Although four days in Kraków isn’t a long time, it’s enough to enjoy the most magical places the city (and its surroundings) has to offer. However, it’s normal not to know which sights are must-sees and which ones you can skip.

But you’ve come to the right place because I want to share with you one of the most comprehensive ways to explore this Polish city—which was once the country’s capital—in just a few days.

Krakow is a medieval gem, and any long weekend in this city must start at the Market Square. From there, you can easily reach the main monuments. Are you ready? Let’s discover the best of Krakow!

Start your vacation with a traditional breakfast

Are you familiar with the Polish breakfast? In this Northern European country, the first meal of the day is also the most important—so much so that they usually have a second one at 11:00 a.m.

Locals usually start the day with a slice of bread topped with kielbasa (a seasoned sausage), scrambled eggs, or quark cheese with radishes. Hard-boiled eggs and herring may round out the menu.

Many establishments in the Market Square offer a traditional breakfast:

• Smakolyki (28 Straszewskiego Street).
• Dynia: particularly recommended for the warmer months as it has a lovely garden. (20 Krupnicza Street)
• Moment Resto Bar & Music: recommended if you’re staying in the Kazimierz district. (22 Estery Street)

Stroll through the Old Town

Until the 16th century, Kraków was the capital of Poland. King Sigismund III Vasa moved his court to Warsaw, but he couldn’t take the splendid buildings that make up the city center with him.

This area is very compact and can be easily explored on foot, either on your own or as part of a Old Town tour. During your walk, you’ll see a number of fascinating monuments:

• Market Square (Rynek Główny): one of the largest squares in Europe. It is surrounded by colorful houses, while in the center stands one of the city’s symbols, the Cloth Hall, an old market that has retained its commercial function.
• Floriańska Street (ulica Floriańska): one of the country’s most prestigious shopping streets. It is part of the Royal Route, an old path leading up to Wawel Hill.
• Wawel Hill: a hill overlooking the city. Here you’ll find the cathedral, Kraków Castle, and a large cave where, according to legend, a dragon lived that tormented the locals.
• St. Mary’s Basilica (Kościół Mariacki): the main church of the Old Town, easily distinguished by its asymmetrical towers.
• Barbican: one of the best-preserved medieval fortifications in Europe. It was built to control the nearby St. Florian’s Gate

Relax in the greenery of Planty Park

After visiting the Barbican, you’ll only need to walk a few meters to reach Planty Park, a green belt encircling the city. No other city in Poland can boast such a beautiful spot!

This urban garden was created in the early 20th century, when city authorities decided to convert the city walls into a recreational area.

Today, Planty Park is divided into eight gardens stretching over about 4 km.

End the day with a well-deserved dinner

To satisfy your hunger, there’s nothing better than some good ribs. In Kraków, if you want to try this dish, head to Plac Dominikański 2. Here you’ll find the Rzeźnia restaurant, a place for die-hard meat lovers.

If you’re not in the mood for ribs, you can opt for a Polish tartare or some Buffalo-style chicken wings. At Rzeźnia, the portions are very generous, and you can wash them down with a few shots of local vodka. After all, you don’t have to work tomorrow, right?

And if you’re in the mood for something more special, you can kill two birds with one stone by dining while enjoying a Polish folk show at a legendary restaurant in the heart of Kraków. The choice is yours!

After exploring the Old Town, you can embark on an excursion that will take you deep into the earth. Naturally, we’re talking about a tour of the Wieliczka Salt Mine, a magical place just a few kilometers from Kraków.

Spend a morning at the Wieliczka Salt Mine

The Wieliczka Salt Mine is located about 15 km from Krakow and is a very popular destination among both tourists and locals.

The mine was opened in the 14th century, and its development is largely due to the efforts of King Casimir III the Great, who granted many privileges to the miners and founded a hospital to treat them.

This magical place is 327 meters deep and is crisscrossed by a network of chambers and galleries dotted with sculpted figures. Below is a brief list of its most famous attractions, which you can visit on a tour of the Wieliczka Salt Mine from Krakow:

• St. Kinga’s Chapel: the mine’s flagship attraction. This place of worship was carved by two visionary brothers over the course of 30 years of work.
• Weimar Chamber: its main attraction is a tiny illuminated lake.
• St. Anthony’s Chapel: a Baroque monument carved from a block of green salt. It is decorated with figures of saints and features a pulpit carved entirely from salt.
• Gołuchowski Chamber and its station: during the 19th century, miners used an underground railway, and the station was located right here.
• Spalone Chamber: the most “explosive” place in Wieliczka. Salt figures holding long poles in their hands commemorate the workers who risked their lives the most—the burners. Their task was to burn off the methane before its concentration caused an explosion.

Stroll through the Kazimierz district

In the 15th century, Jews were expelled from Kraków and ended up moving to this district. Before World War II, nearly 60,000 Jews lived here and worked in every trade, from restaurants to crafts.

But in 1941, the Germans arrived in the city and drove the residents from their homes. The Jews ended up living in the Podgórze neighborhood or in the Auschwitz and Dachau concentration camps.

After the war, Kazimierz fell into obscurity and only in the 1990s did it return to its former glory, so now you can take a tour of the Jewish quarter to explore it. Today, the former Jewish ghetto is the most vibrant neighborhood in Krakow. The past comes alive in the synagogues, and at night, the streets come alive thanks to a wide range of entertainment options:

• Klub Piękny Pies: perfect for grabbing a drink and enjoying indie, soul, or grunge music. (Plac Wolnica 9)
• Alchemia: possibly the best-known bar in Kazimierz.
• For more info, I recommend reading the post What to See and Do in Kraków’s Jewish Quarter.

Treat yourself to a meal at a traditional restaurant

Among the restaurants steeped in tradition, Czarna Kaczka deserves a special mention. Its name means “the black duck” and, as you can imagine, it specializes in this type of meat. Here you can try:

• Cracovian-style roast duck with horseradish and mushroom sauce.
• Duck breast in red wine, served with red cabbage and prune dumplings.
• Freshwater fish such as trout fried in butter or pikeperch fillet.
• Vegetarian dishes, including excellent potato pancakes.

But if you want to make the most of your visit to the Jewish Quarter, you can try its dishes and fully immerse yourself in its culture on a culinary tour of Kazimierz.

Auschwitz-Birkenau is a memorial to human cruelty. If you have four days, I recommend visiting this infamous site.

Visit the infamous Auschwitz concentration camp

This concentration camp claimed the lives of 1.1 million people. As World War II was drawing to a close, Nazi authorities attempted to destroy evidence of the genocide, but fortunately, the liberation of the camp in January 1945 prevented them from carrying out their plan.

After the war, the Polish government decided to restore Auschwitz-Birkenau to turn it into a memorial and museum. Since 1979, the camp has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site and welcomes over 2 million visitors each year.

Visiting Auschwitz from Krakow is possible, but it means reliving a horrific chapter of contemporary history. However, knowledge is awareness.

• The article “How Much Does It Cost to Visit Auschwitz: Ticket Prices and Guided Tours” explains all the available options step by step. I recommend choosing a morning tour so you can return to Krakow for lunch.

Return to Krakow for lunch

Auschwitz-Birkenau is very large, and you’ll spend much of your time walking among barracks and open fields. Although the place will leave you with a knot in your stomach, you might be hungry by the time you return to Kraków. A great way to satisfy your hunger is with some pierogi, the quintessential Polish comfort food.

There are dozens of specialty spots, and two of the most popular are:

• Pierogarnia Station uses Ula’s recipe (the owners’ aunt) and has eight locations both in the center and on the outskirts of Kraków.
• Robimy Pierogi: a food truck in the Kazimierz neighborhood (21 Dajwór Street), ideal if you don’t feel like sitting down and would rather grab some pierogi to go. Their dumplings are handmade according to traditional recipes.

Enjoy a pleasant boat ride

After such a busy day, a relaxing activity is just what you need. As you know, the capital of the Lesser Poland Voivodeship (Małopolska) is bordered by the Vistula, a river that originates in the Carpathian Mountains and flows into the Baltic Sea. And on a cruise along the Vistula, you can admire buildings and monuments from a different perspective.

Cruises depart from the Kraków river port (Bulwar Czerwieński) and last approximately one hour. Various types of boats are available depending on the season and/or time of day, and most tours include audio guides.

On your last day, you can spend your time doing some last-minute shopping and enjoying some unique experiences. Make the most of every minute!

Buy some souvenirs at the Cloth Hall

A vacation isn’t complete without a few mementos, and the Cloth Hall is the perfect place to find them.

Beneath this majestic building, you’ll find dozens of stalls selling food, crafts, and souvenirs. We’ve put together a short list of the most typical Krakow souvenirs:

• Amber jewelry: Kraków was an important stop on the Amber Road, a trade route that began at the Baltic Sea. At the Cloth Hall, prices are surprisingly competitive.
• Traditional costumes
• Hand-carvedchess sets: In Poland, there is a unique hexagonal version that you’ll rarely see elsewhere.
• Wicker items
• Żubrówka: the excellent local vodka recognized by the bison on its label.
• Pottery.
• Obwarzanek krakowski: a braided bread that resembles a bagel.

Stroll through the courtyard of the Collegium Maius

It is the oldest university building in Kraków. Built in the 15th century, the building is famous for the courtyard clock. Every two hours, between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM, wooden figures appear and parade to the accompaniment of traditional music.

If you’d like, you can visit the Jagiellonian University Museum, which houses a collection of astronomical and astrological instruments dating back to the second half of the 15th century.

End your long weekend with a unique experience

After dinner, you can bid farewell to the Polish city with a bit of adrenaline: axe throwing. It has become a true sport, so much so that there are professional leagues, and the international championship has been broadcast on ESPN.

In Kraków, the go-to spot is Axe Nation. You’ll find it at 46 Grodzka Street, just a short walk from the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul and the Archaeological Museum.

However, if you’re in the mood for something even more adventurous, you can book a shooting range experience in Krakow. Keep in mind, though, that in this case you’ll need to do the activity before dinner, as it’s located on the outskirts of the city.