Is Krakow route in one day It is designed for travelers who have little time or for your first day in this beautiful medieval city.
Although we know that 24 hours is a short time to enjoy all the experiences that Krakow offers, you should keep in mind that the old town, declared a World Heritage Site, is quite small and the main points of interest are within walking distance that most tourist places can be seen in relatively short time.
If you have more days, one of the areas you can leave for the second day is the traditional Jewish neighborhood with several synagogues and the ghetto, where the Oskar Schindler Factory is located.
Based on our experience during the trip to Krakow in 5 days, we have made this guide to Krakow in one day, making the most of the time. We start!
How to get from Krakow airport to downtown
To go from the Juan Pablo II International Airport, located 11 kilometers from the city, downtown or your hotel you have these options:
- Bus: lines 208 and 902 (night) will take you to the train station (Kraków Glówny), located 10 minutes from downtown, in 45 minutes for one euro. Bus 252, which leaves every 20 minutes, will leave you at the Congress Center stop, located 10 minutes away from Krakow Castle.
- Train: the train will take you to Kraków Glówny in 20 minutes for about two euros.
- Private transfer: When booking this comfortable service here a driver will take you from the airport arrivals terminal to the door of your hotel in 25 minutes, depending on traffic.
- Cab: The price of a taxi is about 23 euros, higher than the private transfer so it is the least recommended option.
For more information about the transfer you can check the post on how to go from Krakow airport to the center.
Where to sleep in Krakow
Our recommended hotel to meet Krakow in one day It is the Logos Hotel, located in a quiet area, 10 minutes from the Market Square that in addition to its magnificent location, has a 24-hour reception, a full breakfast, friendly staff and one of the best quality / price ratios in the city .
Another good option if you make the transfer from the airport by public transport is to stay at the recommended PURE Kraków Stare Miasto, located 5 minutes from Kraków Glówny station and 15 minutes walk from the Market Square.
Practical advice for Krakow
This list of tips will help you plan your trip to Krakow:
- If you want to save on food enter the famous dairies, local food restaurants with very tight prices, which were created during the communist era.
- To change euros to złoty, 1 euro is equivalent to about 4 zlotys, we recommend you to take money from an ATM with the BNEXT card with which you will not be charged commission and you will have the current change. Another card without commissions very useful to pay in Krakow is the N26 card, with which you will have the best change. You can find much more information in the post The best cards to travel without commissions.
- It is not necessary to bring an adapter since the plugs are the same as in Spain.
- To get to know the history of the city better and not miss anything important it is advisable to book this free tour through the old town, considered one of the best free tours in Krakow or this private tour where you choose the itinerary, both with guide in Spanish.
- If you have more time we recommend you follow this list of the most beautiful places to see in Poland or do some of the best excursions in Krakow.
For more recommendations you can consult the post of tips to travel to Krakow essential.
What to see in Krakow in one day
The itinerary of the first day of what to see in Krakow in one day Start early with a walk along the Vistula river bank until you reach an iron dragon located at the base of Wawel Hill which is one of the symbols of the city and has the peculiarity that every 5 minutes, spits out fire by mouth
From the base the hill you can climb to Wawel Castle, one of the most essential places to visit in Krakow. This castle that was abandoned and subsequently rebuilt and has among its most prominent places the Wawel Cathedral, the John Paul II Cathedral Museum, the Dragon Cave and the Royal Palace.
With little time we recommend you see the outside of the castle and a magnificent interior courtyard with free entrance and leave the visit to the Palace and the royal apartments for a better occasion.
Wawel Castle
A few meters from the Royal Palace is the entrance to the crypt of the cathedral, where Polish kings and national heroes are buried to get out of the crypt to approach the cathedral square, which has in the center the sculpture of Pope John Paul II, a true myth for the vast majority of Poles.
Inside the Wawel Cathedral in gothic style you can see the Sigismund Chapel and the mausoleum of St. Stanislaus, patron of Poland and then climb to the Sigismund Tower, where there is a famous bell of more than 12 tons made in the year 1530.
After visiting the cathedral, remember that on Sundays it opens at 12:30 p.m., the Krakow route in one day Continue entering the medieval old town, a World Heritage Site, along Grodzka Street, a shopping street that was part of the old Royal Road that crossed the entire walled enclosure from the St. Florian's Gate to Wawel Castle.
In addition to entering a souvenir and handicraft shop, it is worth strolling through Grodzka to see the beautiful facades of historic buildings from the 16th and 17th centuries painted in pastel colors.
Grodzka Street
Another interesting street, which runs parallel to it and with the same architecture, is Kanonicka where Renaissance-style houses and old churches are also found.
During the tour of these two streets we recommend you to see outside the Church of San Pedro and San Pablo with sculptures of the twelve apostles and the interior of the Church of San Andrés in baroque style.
Continuing along Grodzka Street you will reach the Market Square, although before entering we advise you to take a small alley called Passage 13, with several striking shops, which we are sure, will surprise you.
The Market Square, located in the heart of the historic center and surrounded by Renaissance buildings, is one of the most beautiful medieval-style squares in Europe, where you can not miss some of its most prominent places such as the Cloth Hall, with numerous shops of crafts and souvenirs, the Tower of the Old Town Hall of the fourteenth century, the Church of San Adalberto of the tenth century and above all, the impressive Basilica of Santa Maria.
Marketplace
Before entering the church you can take a little break in the Krakow in one day Going up to the terrace of Cafe Szal, one of the best things to do in Krakow, from where you will have a unique perspective of this area of the city.
After enjoying fantastic views of the square, we advise you to enter the interior of the church to see a magnificent wooden altarpiece of the 15th century of 12 meters, considered the largest in Europe and to have the best views of the center historic, climb to one of the two Gothic style towers of the church, in which every hour a trumpeter comes out to play a melody.
Remember that to get the few tickets that go on sale every day, especially on weekends and high season, you have to go to the ticket office outside the church around 9 in the morning.
Views from the Basilica of Santa Maria
Before continuing the itinerary of Krakow in one day, you can regain strength with traditional food based on soups and strong stews such as goulash at the recommended El Pato Negro restaurant or if you prefer something faster and cheaper, you can try the local food at Pod Temida, one of the dairies most famous in the city and one of the restaurants to eat in Krakow cheap.
A good way to get to know and taste the local food is to book this gastronomic city tour with a guide in Spanish.
The afternoon begins with a route through the alleyways of the old town until you find the Collegium Maius, where he studied the famous astronomer Nicolás Copernicus. It is worth entering inside this old university building to see a beautiful courtyard full of charm and if you have time, a museum with ancient astronomy instruments.
Collegium Maius
When you leave Collegium Maius you will continue strolling through the old town until you reach Planty Park, which surrounds the old town of Krakow and is a green area located where the old wall used to be, being perfect to relax or have a drink on a terrace with views to the park.
The route of Krakow in one day Continue with a pleasant walk through Planty to the 13th-century Florian Gate, the most famous access door preserved from the old walled medieval city that is another of our favorite corners of Krakow, where you can see paintings on a piece of the old wall and two medieval towers.
A few meters from the Florian Gate is the Barbican, a peculiar circular building that was connected to the wall and was used as a defensive fortress in the Middle Ages.
Florián Gate
After seeing this fortress on the outside, you can cross the Florián Gate again to access the Florianska shopping street, the most important in the city, which is another of the best areas to look for a souvenir or stop at one of its coffee shops originals among which Żarówka Cafe stands out with a relaxing inner courtyard.
The walk ends at Maly Rynek Square, another of the most charming squares in the city where a street market with food stalls is set up on weekends. We test the popular ones here "pierogi", vegetable-filled ravioli and, we loved it1. In addition, near this square you have several recommended restaurants such as the Italian Bianca, the Moaburguer hamburger or the local Milkbar Tomasza.
Maly Rynek Square
After dinner and to put the icing on the Krakow in one day Nothing better than returning to the Market Square to see it illuminated and bring you the best memory of one of the most incredible cities in the world.
If you have more time you can follow this Krakow in two days.
Map of Krakow in 24 hours
Do you want to organize a trip to Krakow?
Get it here:
The best offers of Flights to Krakow here
The best hotels at the best prices in Krakow here
Get € 35 for your reservation with AirBnb here
Book the best tours and excursions in / from Krakow in Spanish here
Book your Airport⇆Cracovia transfer here
Krakow guide in two days
Book your travel insurance with a 5% discount here
The best offers of Flights to Krakow here
The best hotels at the best prices in Krakow here
Get € 35 for your reservation with AirBnb here
Book the best tours and excursions in / from Krakow in Spanish here
Book your Airport⇆Cracovia transfer here
Krakow guide in two days
Book your travel insurance with a 5% discount here
