Everyone I have ever meet that has travelled Eastern Europe always raves about two places – Budapest and Krakow. Well I’ve never been to Budapest, but if its half as good as Krakow I want to go immediately! I spent 3 days in Krakow as part of a 1 week Eastern Europe trip with some friends right before lock down and it blow me away!

It is the historic capital of Poland and has done a magnificent job of conserving it’s history. Krakow was one of the only cities in Poland to escape WW2 without getting bombed. It feels like such a small medieval cities, but there is so much to do and it is so walkable! It is filled with history, great bars, cheap food and just enough tourism to make it charming. Krakow is an easy long weekend trip for most European cities and I think 3 days is the perfect amount of time to see the city. Here is the best things to do when you have 3 days in Krakow.

Krakow Day 1

Arrive

Most people arrive via Krakow Airport which is pretty close to the city centre and it is very easy to get between the two. You can either bus, taxi or train. The train runs every hour, but the busses run more frequently. Both are very easy to find, purchase tickets for and navigate. Whatever method you take it will probably drop you off just outside the historic centre. There are not vehicles in the historic centre so be prepared the walk the last little bit to your accommodation.

Walking Tour

Walking tours are generally the first thing I suggest doing when visiting any new city, particularly one with has much history as Krakow. We did the Old Town walking tour provided by Walkative and really enjoyed it, even though it did rain. There are tons of different free walking tours in Warsaw each targeting a different area or theme, you can pick what every one interests you.

On the Old Town tour you start at the Barbican at the front gates. It was used to deflect cannonballs and one of the last intact ones in Europe. You will also pass by the Europe’s largest medieval square and the cloth hall, which was a profitable stop on the Silk Road.

The tour finishes at Wawel Hill which is the medical castle that looks out over Krakow. The founding myth of Krakow was that there once was a dragon under Wawel castle the predictably cause all sorts of havoc. A cobbler came up with the idea to fill a sheep sulphur which of course the dragon ate. This caused him to drink the entire Vistula River that runs through the city and explode. You can go inside both the castle and the dragon’s cave although I don’t think either is essential.

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Jewish Quarter & Schindler Factory

The Jewish quarter is located on the other side of the river from Wawel castle, it is a bit of a long walk, but doable. You can either join another Jewish quarter walking tour or just explore the area on your own. It is interesting to see just how different it is from medieval Krakow. There are monuments and synagogs all over the place. Make sure you catch Hero’s Square if you are in the area. The square is filled with empty chairs to represent all the deaths in the Jewish population under the Nazi’s. You can also visit Schindlers Factory which has been turned into a museum. Oskar Schindler’s saved approximately 1200 Jewish people during the war by employing them at his Enamel Factory. Later this was made into the famous movie Schindler’s List. Try to book tickets in advance as they were sold out when we went.

Traditional Polish Dinner

The Polish are known for the big heart meals and when every meal is so cheap it is easy to eat everything! I suggest getting one meal that is slight more expensive as it is a good way to get introduced to a wide variety of traditional classics. We went to Pod Aniołami Restaurant which is located in a 13th century cavern. It known for its meats, but they do have some vegetarian options! While it was slightly more expensive then our other meals, it was still very affordable and the building itself was worth the extra cost!

Krakow Day 2

Auschwitz-Birkenau

Auschwitz is of course the most infamous site in Polands and it is very close to Krakow, it is the reason alot of people visit Krakow. Although you likely won’t enjoy your visit here, you will learn a lot and it is a humbling experience. Auschwitz-Birkenau is actually two concentration camps. The majority of the tour is in Auschwitz camp including the museum. The Nazis destroyed most of Birkenau camp when the war ended, but you can still visit the iconic gates and walk around the structures.

Make sure you book tickets in advance, especially in the summer. The camp is just over an hour a way. You can either rent a car, book an all inclusive tour, train or taxi. You can find a great article on how to get to Auschwitz here. There is no food available inside the camps, but there is a small cafe just outside of Auschwitz. The trip takes the majority of the day so prepare for a lot of walking.

Perogies Dinner

Perogies are the traditional Polish food, are incredibly cheap and are a great way to line your stomach for some serious drinking later. We tend to think of pirogies as just potato and cheese filled, but the Polish like to fill them will all sorts of stuff! There are a ton of places that specialize in pirogies, but we particularly enjoyed Pierogarnia Krakowiacy.

Night out / Bar Crawl

Krakow is one of the best party destinations in Eastern Europe and its super cheap! I think the visit to Auschwitz means that everyone want to let off a little steam and party the night away. Krakow is a popular destinations for stag and hen parties and has lots of great night clubs and bars for any tastes. You can either go and explore the various bars and clubs on your own or join an organized bar crawl. We went to several of the quiet carver bars in Krakow and really enjoyed the atmosphere. We also joined the Krakow Crawl and had a lot of fun, although it did seem to appeal to a younger crowd.

Krakow Day 3

Milk Bar Breakfast

Milk bars of Bar mleczny are a stable on Poland and usually serve cheap, fast traditional food. They have a very dairy heavy menu that you order at the counter. The portions are huge and cheap and a great way to cure your hang over from last night! There are several in Krakow, but we great enjoyed Milk Bar Tomasza.

Wieliczka Salt Mines

These are more than just salt caves and tunnels, the Wieliczka Salt Mines are a piece of art! Salt was discovered in Wieliczka in the 13th century and quickly become a very important aspect of Polands economy. Miners excavated tunnels and caverns over 9 different levels for the next 700 years. You can only visit 2% of it, but it is a spectacular 2%. It features many chapels carves out of salt so the miners could prey without having to go above ground. The sculptures and the size of it is incredible!

The Wieliczka Salt Mines are actually located just outside of Krakow, but are easily accessible by bus. They offer two different tours either the tourist route or the miners route. The tourist route is designed for people who have never been inside these caves before. It is most famous for the  St. Kinga Chapel, pictured below, which is a huge cable 300+ feet underground and is adorn with chandlers made from salt!

Escape Room

Escape rooms are another staple for any itinerary I plan, particularly for ones in Eastern Europe. While a visit to Wieliczka Salt Mines will take most of the day, it does not take all day. An Escape room is the perfect little thing to fill in any extra time you have. Eastern Europe is the home of escape rooms and there are a ton in Krakow. We did the Wolfenstein room at Exit Room.

Ax Throwing

This was not something we had originally planned on doing on our 3 days in Krakow, but as soon as we saw the sign we knew we had to. We made the right choice – it was a lot of fun! It is a great way to have a good night out without getting drunk so you won’t be hung over for your flight the next day. We went to Ax Nation which is in the medieval centre of Krakow. They teach you the basic then more or less let you do your own thing. You are also allowed to bring your own alcohol in!

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Krakow is an amazing city with so much to do, I understand the hype around it! You could spend ages exploring Krakow and the surrounding area, but ti think 3 days is a pretty good introduction to the city.

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