Itineraries for Your Trip to Krakow
1 Day in Krakow for First Timers
On a whistlestop tour of Central Europe, the beautiful city of Krakow should be high on your Poland itinerary. When I studied abroad in the Czech Republic, I took the train over the border to Krakow for an unplanned, impromptu solo weekend away. I enjoyed the freedom of walking around Krakow’s Old Town, browsing the galleries, churches, and castles, and walking along the banks of the Vistula River.
But if you only have one day in Krakow, it’s a good idea to follow an itinerary, to make the most of your time. If you’re into history and culture, the southern Polish city has both in bucketfuls. Here’s how to spend one day in Krakow.
If you only have time for one thing, make it a stroll through the Rynek Glowny (Main Market Square to admire the architecture.
Krakow experiences cold, snowy winters, but it can really heat up in summer: Pack appropriately for the season.
Start your day in Krakow with a tour of the UNESCO World Heritage–listed Old Town and surrounding city center. This area, just north of the Vistula River, contains most of the city’s most interesting architecture, and is right next to Kazimierz, the city’s old Jewish quarter. Don’t miss the Rynek Glowny and covered market inside the Cloth Hall, St. Mary’s Basilica, Wawel Royal Castle atop Wawel Hill, and the 15th-century Great Barbican, an old part of the city walls. Art enthusiasts should also check out the National Museum in Krakow, which proudly houses a Leonardo da Vinci masterpiece, Lady with an Ermine.
This afternoon, head to one of Poland’s most popular tourist attractions: the Wieliczka Salt Mine. You can only visit on a guided tour, so it makes sense to book one with transfers from Krakow. The underground salt mine is much more impressive than its name might suggest. Salt had been mined here for centuries, although now it’s just a tourist attraction. Descend to great caverns that have been carved into the salty earth to admire underground chapels, concert halls, statues—even a salt crystal chandelier.
Poland has strong classical music traditions and was home to one of the world’s finest composers and pianists, Frederic Chopin. Although Chopin hailed from Warsaw, visitors to Krakow can enjoy an evening concert of Chopin music in atmospheric locations, such as old churches. Grab dinner before or after the show: There are many places around the Old Town to try traditional Polish fare, including pierogi dumplings washed down with shots of wodka (that’s vodka to you and me). A fitting end to one day in Krakow.
