15 of the best things to do in Krakow

1. Check out the largest central square in Europe

Smack in the centre of the old town, Krakow’s Rynek Glowny (Market Square) is impossible to miss.

This vast square is a marvellous site in itself, but it also contains a trio of beautiful buildings, each one notable for its design and architecture: the colonnaded Sukiennice (Cloth Hall) market, St. Mary’s Basilica and the Town Hall Tower.

Lined with restaurants and bars, the square is one of Krakow’s busiest social hubs and a great starting point for exploring the city.

2. Learn about Krakow’s history at Schindler’s factory

Many of Poland’s major cities were laid to waste by the Nazi’s during WWII, but Krakow was spared a similar fate.

You can find out about the city’s history during this time at Oskar Schindler’s Enamel Factory. Its permanent ‘Krakow under Nazi Occupation 1939–1945’ exhibition tells the story of Krakow during the war, including the Nazi’s persecution of the city’s Jewish population, the city’s strategic significance and the story of Schindler himself.

3. Reflect at Auschwitz-Birkenau

As one of the largest and best preserved death camps to survive WWII, Auschwitz-Birkenau stands as a sobering reminder of one of the darkest periods in human history.

As well as the original buildings and barracks, the museum has thousands of personal items from the prisoners – from glasses and suitcases to masses of human hair.

Although the camp is just over an hour away from Krakow, it can easily be reached by train, car or bus and many tour operators run day-trips from the city. It’s a confronting, and essential, visit.

4. Visit the stunning Wawel Royal Castle

Regal and majestic, Wawel Royal Castle, which features ornate spires and exquisite architecture, has proudly stood in Krakow since the 16th century.

The castle itself is now home to one of Poland’s best art museums, filled with sculpture, prints, tapestry work and a collection of Italian Renaissance works.

Within the castle grounds you’ll also find the Wawel Royal Cathedral, an ornate, 900-year-old gothic church that houses the remains of Polish monarchs and priests.

5. Hang out in Kazimierz, Krakow’s thriving Jewish quarter

Since Stephen Spielberg used Krakow’s Kazimierz district (the Jewish quarter) to shoot Schindler’s List in the 90s, the former ghetto has gone from hostile to hip.

Once the scene of terrible atrocities and injustices, today, the Jewish quarter is a thriving hub of activity, with a bohemian café culture, edgy nightlife and countless important historical sites, such as the Galicia Jewish Museum, the Old Synagogue and the Church of Corpus Christi.

6. Descend to an underground cathedral in a salt mine

The fascinating Wieliczka Salt Mine is one of Krakow’s most intriguing attractions. A UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage List site, the mine is a historic and cultural monument to Poland’s salt mining history.

There are two tours available: the easygoing ‘Tourist tour’ which takes you through a magnificent underground cathedral, or the slightly more hardcore ‘Miners’ tour’, for which visitors must don overalls to explore more of the working mine.

7. Climb the Town Hall Tower

This gothic tower is all that remains of Krakow’s grand medieval town hall, once the seat of the city council and home to its prison dungeons.

Today, you can climb up the 75m (246ft) tower on a mini museum tour before taking in the bird’s eye views of the main square and the city rooftops beyond. But be warned, the 110 steps are a thigh-burner!

8. Get back to nature at Planty Park

Head down almost any street in Krakow’s old town and you’ll reach Planty Park. Like a green scarf wrapped around the city, this 4km (2.5 miles) string of gardens and green spaces is an open-air gallery of monuments and sculptures punctuated with little cafés and flower beds.

Pick up a poppy seed obwarzanek bagel on your way, find a bench (there’s literally hundreds to choose from) and join the locals for a casual lunch under the shade of the park’s towering trees.

9. Try zapiekanka, an authentic Polish pizza

Peasant food turned cheap street treat, a super-calorific zapiekanka is Polish comfort food at its shameless best.

Imagine a big baguette, covered in toasted cheese, mushrooms, garlic and other delicious and decadent toppings, and you’re pretty much there.

To find the best ‘Polish pizza’ in Krakow, head down to the ‘Okrąglak’ market in Plac Nowy in the Jewish quarter, where plenty of stalls sell this cheap snack.

10. Discover the 'ideal' Socialist city at Nowa Huta

Think of Krakow and you’ll probably picture pretty cobblestoned streets and winding medieval lanes. Visit Nowa Huta, the city’s easternmost suburb, and you’ll come upon something else entirely.

Literally called ‘New Steelworks’, this post-WWII planned neighbourhood is only one of two ‘socialist realist’ cities in the world (the other is Magnitogorsk in Russia).

With a mix of Parisian-style boulevards, renaissance-inspired exteriors and plenty of brutalist grey, it’s a fascinating walk through Krakow's communist past. Go with a guide to get the full history lesson (this tour zips you around in a vintage Trabant car) or just café-hop across this up-and-coming spot.

11. Sample the local tipple

Poles drink vodka like it’s going out of fashion, so it’s pretty cheap to buy all over the city. Unlike that nasty stuff you used to get from the off licence in your teens, even the cheap vodka in Poland is high quality.

Zubrowka Bison Grass Vodka is one of the most widely available vodkas in Poland and you can get it pretty much everywhere in Krakow.

To try out some of the more unusual examples, however, such as plum, blackcurrant or hazelnut vodka, check out the aptly named Wodka Bar.

12. Float along the Vistula River

Much of Krakow’s local life plays out along the Vistula, especially in summer when locals picnic along its banks. Once you’ve strolled along it, see a different side to the city on a cruise.

Tours range from one-hour sightseeing cruises that crawl under bridges and past the city’s top attractions, to half-day trips to attractions like the Wieliczka Salt Mine and Tyniec Abbey – perfect for a relaxing day packed with gorgeous views.

13. Swim in an old quarry at Zakrzówek Park

It’s hard to imagine the sparkling blue-green waters of Zakrzówek Park as a dangerous and disused quarry. Flooded in the 90s, the spot was quickly taken up as a swimming spot by locals, but a recent renovation has made this hidden gem in Krakow almost unrecognisable.

As well as new facilities like picnic tables, toilets and food trucks, you can choose from five enclosed pools and soak up the sun from the floating docks.

To get there from the old town, take tram 18 to the stop Norymberska, or disembark earlier at Kapelanka to wander the park trails on the way to the pools.

14. Catch some live jazz in the Old Town

Live jazz is an important part of Krakow’s thriving nightlife culture, with an abundance of cool basement bars and clubs tucked away in the city.

Harris Piano Jazz Bar, Piec Art Acoustic Jazz Club, U Muniaka and Piano Rouge are some of the best places to see live music in Krakow.

15. Walk up the Kościuszko Mound

A monument to Polish military hero, Tadeusz Kościuszko, and a long-standing symbol of Polish independence, the Kościuszko Mound is a viewing platform, exhibition and history lesson all rolled into one hill-like lump of earth.

The earth itself is made up from the battlefields where Kościuszko fought, and at 34m (112ft) high, it has some of the best vistas of Krakow’s impressive cityscape.