Last week we went to the beautiful, historic city of Kraków. After loving Gdańsk the year before, we knew we wanted to see more of Poland and Kraków was the perfect base for finally visiting Auschwitz, which had been on our list for a long time.
We visited in early spring, which gave us cool, bright weather for sightseeing, and stayed in the Old Town so we could walk everywhere.
This 3‑day Kraków itinerary is perfect for first‑timers and ideal for a Kraków weekend trip. It’s a great mix of historical sites, iconic landmarks, and easy day trips. Whether you’re planning a short break or looking for ideas on how to spend 3 days in Kraków, this guide covers all the essential sights, from Wawel Castle and the Old Town to Auschwitz, the Wieliczka Salt Mine, and the historic Jewish Quarter.
In this post, we share a day-by-day itinerary with practical tips, and suggestions for food and transport, giving you everything you need to make the most of your time in Kraków.
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How many days do you need in Kraków?
Before we start, you might be wandering how long you need for your visit.
Three days in Kraków is the perfect amount of time to soak up the city’s highlights, explore the beautifully preserved Old Town, and add some day trips to Auschwitz or the Salt Mines. You really can fit plenty into a 72-hour Kraków itinerary and have a lot of fun too!
However, that said, you could easily spend more time, and do a day trip to the Chocholow Thermal Baths near Zakopane or do your visit at a slower pace.
So come with us to discover the perfect 3-day itinerary for first-timers in Kraków and some top tips on how to make the most of your weekend getaway.
3-Day Kraków itinerary for first time visitors
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Kraków Itinerary Day 1
One of the best things about a weekend break in Kraków is that it’s so easy to travel to. Take an early flight into Kraków John Paul II Airport, and within half an hour, you’ll be checking into your apartment or hotel in the Old Town.
Drop off your bags and you’ll be ready to explore. We found a comfortable, modern hotel just 5 minutes’ walk from the Old Town (Portal House Apartments) , which was perfect for us!
Day 1: Old Town, Wawel Castle & the Dragon
Day one of this Kraków itinerary is all about finding your feet and exploring Kraków’s beautiful Old Town.
Morning: Arrive in Kraków & Visit Wawel Hill
Start your visit with a gentle walk along Ulica Grodzka, one of the city’s oldest streets, which leads straight to Wawel Hill, home to two of Kraków’s most important landmarks. It’s worth going here first, as it is one of the most popular attractions in Kraków and gets busy.
Wawel Castle
Begin with Wawel Castle, where you can wander the courtyards for free and enjoy sweeping views over the Vistula River. If you want to go inside, you can buy tickets to the State rooms, Armoury, and Crown Treasury. Tickets for each place are sold separately, so you can choose which you want to visit.
Wawel Cathedral
Next, head into Wawel Cathedral. The cathedral is not just beautiful, it’s the coronation and burial place of numerous Polish kings and dignitaries. I’d recommend paying a little extra for the audio tour, as this gives you a really good idea of what you’re looking at and the significance for Polish history. You’ll also get to climb the tower to see the enormous Sigismund Bell.
It’s a great start to your Kraków itinerary for first timers, and you’ll get magnificent views over the river.
Wawel Dragon
After exploring the castle, walk down the hill to the riverside to meet Kraków’s legendary Wawel Dragon. Every few minutes, the famous statue breathes real fire, which is a huge hit with children and a fun stop for adults too. It was quicker than expected and I’d imagine the flames are easier to spot in the evening.
Lunch
By this point, you’ll be ready for lunch. There is so much choice in the Old Town that you’ll be spoilt for choice. We headed to Pierogarnia Krakówiacy, which serves pierogi, traditional Polish dumplings.
Afternoon: Old Town Highlights
Main Market Square (Rynek Główny)
After lunch, head back into the Old Town to explore. Start in the Main Market Square (Rynek Główny), one of the largest medieval market squares in Europe. It has long been an important trading centre for the city and it’s always a lively spot, with vendors, cafés, and horse‑drawn carriages passing by.
You can have a look at St Mary’s Basilica, one of Kraków’s most famous sites. The grand church is an impressive building which overlooks the square. You can go inside for a small admission fee. Then take a walk through the Cloth Hall (Sukiennice) to get souvenirs before having a wander down the side streets. If you have time, the Rynek Underground Museum is a state-of the-art museum below the square, which offers a fascinating look at the city’s medieval past.
It’s a lovely area to simply stroll, take photos, and soak up the atmosphere before heading out for dinner in the evening.
Exploring Wawel Hill and the Old Town is the perfect introduction to what to do in Kraków on your first day.
Evening: dinner in the Old Town
End your first day with dinner in the Old Town. There’s plenty of restaurants to choose from and the square is well-lit and vibrant at night. However, after an incredibly early start, a busy first day, and dumplings for lunch, we were exhausted gave dinner a miss and had an early night!
Kraków Itinerary Day 2
Day 2: Day trip to Auschwitz‑Birkenau
Auschwitz-Birkenau was the largest was the largest German Nazi concentration and extermination camp complex during World War II and served as the primary site for the Holocaust. It was the main reason for booking our Kraków trip.
It’s not an easy place to visit, but it’s incredibly important and gives a deeper understanding of the city’s history. Auschwitz opens at 7.30am. It’s best to go as earlier as possible to beat the crowds, as it can get very busy.
Morning: Auschwitz 1
We travelled independently by train, which was very straightforward, and then walked to the entrance of Auschwitz I. The visit is sobering from the moment you arrive.
Many of the original buildings remain, and the exhibitions inside them tell the stories of the people who were imprisoned here. It’s emotional and thought‑provoking, but very well presented and informative.
Afternoon: Birkenau (Auschwitz II)
After Auschwitz I, a short shuttle bus takes you to Birkenau, the larger part of the camp. Birkenau is vast, and walking through it gives you a sense of scale you can’t get from photos.
The whole day trip to Auschwitz-Birkenau takes about 7 hours (at least 4 hours at the camp and another 3 for travel). Some travellers book a tour which also includes a visit to the Wielickza Salt Mine, but we chose to do this the next day. It would be a lot of walking in one day, but I guess it’s a good way to see both if you’re short on time.
Evening: Dinner in Kraków
After beers in the Old Town and a rest at the hotel, we ate dinner at Pod Aniolami, which serves traditional meats such as boar in their Gothic cellar. On the website it says bookings are essential, but we walked in without reservation. It’s not the cheapest of Kraków restaurants, but a great venue and really good food.
Kraków Itinerary Day 3
Day 3: Salt Mines, Jewish Quarter & Schindler’s Factory
Morning: Wieliczka Salt Mine
On the final day of our Kraków itinerary, you’ll take a trip to the Wieliczka Salt Mine, about 30 minutes outside Kraków.
The tour takes you 101 metres underground, through tunnels, chambers, and even an underground lake. The highlight is the incredible salt‑carved cathedral, where even the chandeliers are made of salt. It’s an astonishing place and unlike anything we’ve seen before.
Be warned, there are quite a few steps to get down, but fortunately, there is a lift to return to the top. However, it’s about a 15-minute walk to the lift once you’ve finished the route.
You can book a tour for the salt mines, but we travelled independently by train, which stops just a 5-minute walk from the mines.
Afternoon: Podgórze & Kazimierz
Kazimierz
After the visit to the salt mines, we took the train back towards the town centre, and walked to Kazimierz, the Jewish quarter.
Nowadays, Kazimierz is one of Kraków’s most characterful neighbourhoods. Once the centre of Jewish life, it’s now a lively area full of cafés, street art, and synagogues. Visit Schindler’s List passage, one of the filming locations from the movie and the Old Jewish Cemetery at Remu’h Synagogue.
For lunch, head to Okrąglak in Nowy Square to try Zapiekanki, a Kraków street-food favourite. These baguette pizzas are amazing and will fill you up for the rest of the day! The only downside is if you go at the weekend, there is limited seating. We sat on the nearby steps.
Kazimierz is perfect for wandering, relaxing and soaking up the creative vibe. It’s only a 15-minute walk from the Old Town or a quick train or tram ride. While we were there, the historic tours of the Jewish quarter by golf cart were extremely popular.
Podgórze
Afterwards, head across the river to Podgórze, the district where the WWII ghetto once stood. Walk to Ghetto Heroes’ Square, a memorial with metal chairs which represent the people who were deported from here. You can also see the remains of the Ghetto Wall.
Schindler’s Factory
Finish your afternoon with a visit to Schindler’s Factory Museum.
Oskar Schindler was a German industrialist who was credited with saving the lives of 1,200 Jews during the Holocaust by employing them in his factory. The museum is in the administrative building of his old factory. However, the museum is much more about the story of Kraków during WWII, not just Schindler’s efforts to save Jewish workers.
Book a guided tour, as you’ll get much more out of the visit. Allow around two hours, as there’s a lot to take in. We booked at 4pm, so we had time to spend in Kazimierz. We nearly didn’t go to the museum, as we’d done a lot of walking in the morning, but really glad we did as it’s so informative.
Evening
Afterwards, you can either stay in Kazimierz for dinner or head back to the Old Town for your final evening in Kraków. We went back and had dinner at Pino, which was near the main square.
Kraków Itinerary Day 4
Day 4: The Barbican and return journey
On our final morning, we took a final tour of the Old Town to stretch our legs before our flight home. Although we had been to Floriańska Street several times, we hadn’t gone through the archway at the end.
Morning: The Barbican
Saint Florian’s Gate was one of the seven original entrances to the city. You can see the old city walls.
Walk through the gate to reach the Barbican, a medieval fortress built to defend Kraków. It later became the city’s stables and is now part of the Museum of Kraków. You can go inside to see the courtyard and displays about the city’s defensive history. There’s also some impressive statues and sculptures in this area.
If you don’t have time on the last day, you could easily include it in day 1 of your itinerary.
Useful information for your visit to Kraków
How to get to Kraków
The nearest airport is Kraków John Paul II Airport. From here her can take the train to the main station, Kraków Główny. Alternatively, there are lots of taxis at the airport. It is only about 20 minutes to get in to the Old Town.
Where to stay in in Kraków
If you are a first time visitor and want to be in the heart of everything, I suggest staying in the Old Town. This way you can walk to all the main attractions and will be near the train station or pick up point if you want to do a day trip. If you want somewhere a bit more artsy, stay in Kazimierz, the Jewish Quarter. If you want a more local feel, away from the tourist attractions, you could find accommodation in Podgórze. Here are some recommendations for accommodation in the Old Town.
- Luxury Accommodation: Bonerowski Palace Hotel is an elegant, 5-star boutique hotel in the centre of Kraków
- Mid-budget Accommodation: Hotel Teater is modern 4-star, in the heart of Kraków
- Budget Accommodation: FiveHostel is a clean, comfortable hostel in a central location
We stayed at the Portal House Apartments, which I’d highy recommend. The hotel was close to the Old Town and train station and included a tasty breakfast.
Is Kraków worth visiting?
Absolutely. The city is beautiful, the people are friendly, and the food is amazing. There’s also a huge amount to see and do, from medieval landmarks to powerful WWII sites and family‑friendly attractions.
It was my second visit to Poland, as I’d been to Gdansk the previous year and also loved it. You can read the 2-day Gdansk itinerary here. I already have plans for Wroclaw!
Tours of Kraków
With so much to see, you might prefer to take a guided tour in Kraków
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