2 Days In Kraków: The Perfect Kraków Itinerary

Kraków (also spelled as Cracow or Krakow) is a city in Poland (in Polish, Polska). Located in the south of the country, in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship (in Polish, Województwo Małopolskie), it also serves as the capital of this province.

Kraków is the second-largest and one of the oldest cities in the country, having been established during the 4th century. Its Old Town was one of the very first sites inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List under the name “Historic Center of Kraków”, back in 1978!

So, do you want to know more about 2 Days In Kraków: The Perfect Kraków Itinerary? Keep reading!

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Brief History of Kraków

The beginning of Kraków as a city is attributed to Krakus (also known as Krak or Grakch, hence the name Kraków), the legendary Polish prince and ruler of the Vistulans, who lived somewhere between the 4th and 8th centuries depending on the sources.

By the end of the 10th century, Kraków was a notable trading center controlled by the Bohemians. In 1038, the city became the seat of Polish monarchs from the Piast dynasty, and later the administration center of the Jagiellonian dynasty and the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth.

Kraków ceased to be the capital in the late 16th century when King Sigismund III Vasa transferred the royal court to Warsaw. Centuries later, with the Invasion of Poland that led to the start of World War II, Kraków became the seat of Nazi Germany’s General Government.

The Jewish population was forced into the Kraków Ghetto and subsequently sent to Auschwitz concentration and extermination camp or Płaszów concentration camp. In 1978, the Archbishop of Kraków Karol Wojtyła was elected as Pope John Paul II and became the first-ever Polish pope.

World Heritage

Did you know that the Historic Center of Kraków was part of Poland’s first set of inscriptions on the UNESCO World Heritage List? This 2nd session of the World Heritage Committee took place in Washington, D.C. (USA), between September 5th and 8th, 1978.

Only one other Polish site was announced in the session: the Wieliczka and Bochnia Royal Salt Mines.

Nowadays, Poland is the ninth country in Europe and the eighteenth country in the world with the most UNESCO sites, tied with Czechia and Portugal. It has seventeen heritage assets (both cultural and natural) inscribed on the world list of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization.

In the meantime, I’ve already had the opportunity to visit three of them:

  • Auschwitz Birkenau – German Nazi Concentration and Extermination Camp (1940-1945) (1979)
  • Historic Center of Kraków (1978)
  • Wieliczka and Bochnia Royal Salt Mines (1978)

Visiting Kraków

In my opinion, the best way to visit Kraków is on a multi-day road trip through the Lesser Poland Voivodeship. In that case, I suggest exploring other destinations in the vicinity: Wieliczka (13 km), Olkusz (40 km), Bochnia (41 km), Chrzanów (48 km), Jaworzno (60 km), or Oświęcim (62 km).

However, Kraków is also an excellent stop on a two-to-four-week road trip in Poland. In this situation, make sure you visit cities such as Warsaw, Wrocław, Łódź, Poznań, Gdańsk, Szczecin, Bydgoszcz, Lublin, Białystok, or Katowice!

Kraków Itinerary – Day 1

Main Square

The first day of this Kraków itinerary begins at the Main Square (in Polish, Rynek Główny), the principal urban space of the city’s historic center. Many claim it’s the largest medieval square in Europe, but that “title” should be given to Charles Square in Prague, Czechia.

You can find a different number of monuments in the Main Square of Kraków, notably the Cloth Hall, the Town Hall Tower, the Church of Saint Adalbert (in Polish, Kościół Święty Wojciecha), and the Adam Mickiewicz Monument (in Polish, Pomnik Adama Mickiewicza).

Cloth Hall

This Kraków itinerary continues in the Cloth Hall (in Polish, Sukiennice), the city’s most recognizable landmarks. Erected in the 13th century in the middle of the Main Square, the building was extended in the 14th century in the Gothic style and renovated in the mid-16th century in the Renaissance style.

On the upper floor, the Cloth Hall houses the Gallery of 19th-Century Polish Art at Sukiennice (in Polish, Galeria Sztuki Polskiej XIX wieku w Sukiennicach), one of the many branches of the National Museum in Kraków (in Polish, Muzeum Narodowe w Krakowie).

The MNK The Sukiennice is open from Tuesday to Sunday, from 10 am to 6 pm. As for tickets, these cost 35 PLN (full rate) or 25 PLN (reduced rate) – although the permanent exhibitions of the National Museum in Kraków are free to enter on Tuesdays!

Town Hall Tower

The next stop in this Kraków itinerary is the Town Hall Tower (in Polish, Wieża Ratuszowa), the only remaining part of the old Kraków Town Hall in the Main Square. It’s one of the several divisions of the Historical Museum of the City of Kraków (in Polish, Muzeum Historyczne Miasta Krakowa).

The Town Hall Tower is open on Mondays, from 10 am to 3 pm, and from Tuesday to Sunday, from 10 am to 6 pm. As for tickets, these cost 18 PLN (full rate) or 14 PLN (reduced rate) – but the permanent exhibitions of the Historical Museum of Kraków are free to enter on Mondays!

Saint Mary’s Basilica

This Kraków itinerary continues in Saint Mary’s Basilica (in Polish, Kościół Mariacki), a Brick Gothic church adjacent to the Main Square. Consecrated around the year 1320, its origins date back to the late 13th century when its construction started on the foundations of a former Romanesque church.

Saint Mary’s Basilica is open from Monday to Saturday, from 11:30 am to 6 pm, and on Sundays and holidays, from 2 pm to 6 pm. As for tickets, these cost 15 PLN (full rate) or 8 PLN (reduced rate). This religious temple is considered to be the most important church in Kraków after the Wawel Cathedral!

Floriańska Street

The next stop in this Kraków itinerary is Floriańska Street, also known as Saint Florian’s Street (in Polish, Ulica Floriańska). One of the main and most famous streets of the city, it connects Saint Mary’s Basilica (at the southernmost end) to Saint Florian’s Gate (at the northernmost end).

The structures along Floriańska Street are mainly Kamienica-style – a type of Polish residential tenement building made of brick or stone. Nowadays, some of them house city museums, small hotels, souvenir shops, historic cafés, and local restaurants.

Czartoryski Museum

This Kraków itinerary continues in the Czartoryski Museum (in Polish, Muzeum Czartoryskich), officially called the Princes Czartoryski Museum (in Polish, Muzeum Książąt Czartoryskich). Like the MNK The Sukiennice, this museum is part of the National Museum in Kraków.

The Czartoryski Museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday, from 10 am to 6 pm. As for tickets, these cost 65 PLN (full rate) or 50 PLN (reduced rate) – although the permanent exhibitions of the National Museum in Kraków are free to enter on Tuesdays!

Saint Florian’s Gate

The next stop in this Kraków itinerary is Saint Florian’s Gate (in Polish, Brama Święty Floriańska), also called simply Florian Gate. Like the Tower Hall Tower, this 14th-century rectangular Gothic tower integrates the Historical Museum of the City of Kraków.

Saint Florian’s Gate is open from Tuesday to Sunday, from 10 am to 6 pm. As for tickets, these cost 18 PLN (full rate) or 14 PLN (reduced rate) and provide you access to the City Defence Walls, the Barbican, and the Celestat as well.

Barbican

This Kraków itinerary continues in the Barbican (in Polish, Barbakan), one of the few remaining testimonies of the network of fortifications and defensive barriers that once protected the city. Like the Tower Hall Tower, this fortified outpost integrates the Historical Museum of the City of Kraków.

The Barbican is open from Tuesday to Sunday, from 10 am to 6 pm. As for tickets, these cost 18 PLN (full rate) or 14 PLN (reduced rate) – but the permanent exhibitions of the Historical Museum of Kraków are free to enter on Mondays!

Grunwald Monument

The next stop in this Kraków itinerary is the Grunwald Monument (in Polish, Pomnik Grunwaldzki), an equestrian statue of King Władysław II Jagiełło of Poland designed in 1910 to commemorate the 500th Anniversary of the Battle of Grunwald.

The Grunwald Monument depicts equally the Grand Duke of Lithuania, cousin of King Władysław II Jagiełło, standing in front of him. On the sides, a group of soldiers lifts their arms in celebration of victory – while the Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights Ulrich von Jungingen lies dead on the floor.

Saint Florian’s Church

The first day of this Kraków itinerary ends in Saint Florian’s Church (in Polish, Kościół Święty Floriana), a collegiate church built between 1185 and 1216 but later renovated in the Baroque style. In 1999, it was elevated to a minor basilica by Pope John Paull II.

Saint Florian’s Church is open from Monday to Saturday, from 6 am to 7:15 pm, and on Sundays, from 6 am to 9 pm. This religious temple marks the beginning of Kraków’s Royal Road (or Kraków’s Royal Route), which continues through the historic center towards Wawel Hill!

Kraków Itinerary – Day 2

Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi

The second day of this Kraków itinerary begins at the Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi (in Polish, Bazylika Święty Franciszka z Asyżu), a religious temple that dates back to the 13th century – which makes it one of the first tall brick-and-sandstone buildings in the city!

The Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi is open Monday through Saturday from 5:45 a.m. to 7:45 p.m. and Sundays from 6:15 a.m. to 8 p.m. Across the street is the Bishop’s Palace (in Polish, Pałac Biskupi), which was Pope John Paul II’s residence during his stay in the city.

Grodzka Street

The next stop in this Kraków itinerary is Grodzka Street (in Polish, Ulica Grodzka). Like Floriańska Street, is one of the city’s most prominent streets, connecting the Main Square (at the northernmost end) to the Wawel Hill (at the southernmost end).

Interestingly, Grodzka Street features some churches: Saints Peter and Paul Church, Saint Andrew’s Church, Saint Martin’s Church, and the Church of Saint Giles (in Polish, Kościół Świętych Piotra i Pawła, Kościół Święty Andrzeja, Kościół Święty Marcina, and Kościół Święty Idziego).

Basilica of the Holy Trinity

This Kraków itinerary continues in the Basilica of the Holy Trinity (in Polish, Bazylika Świętej Trójcy), which also goes by the name of Church of the Dominicans and Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Rosary (in Polish, Kościół Dominikanów and Sanktuarium Matki Bożej Różańcowej).

The Basilica of the Holy Trinity is open Monday through Saturday from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 to 4:30 p.m., but tourists are advised against visiting during services. This Gothic religious temple from 1223 is one of the largest and most important in Kraków, so make sure you see it!

Wawel Royal Castle

The next stop in this Kraków itinerary is the Wawel Royal Castle (in Polish, Zamek Królewski na Wawelu), the most historically and culturally significant site in Poland! This fortified royal residency overlooking the Vistula River was founded by King Casimir III the Great of Poland in the 14th century.

The Wawel Royal Castle is open on Mondays, from 10 am to 4 pm, and from Tuesday to Sunday, from 9 am to 5 pm. As for tickets, these cost 49 PLN (full rate) or 37 PLN (reduced rate) – but some selected exhibitions are free to enter on Mondays!

Wawel Cathedral

This Kraków itinerary continues in the Wawel Cathedral (in Polish, Katedra Wawelska), a national sanctuary that served as the coronation and burial site of Polish monarchs. This Gothic-style edifice dates from the 14th century, but the original was constructed and destroyed in the 11th century!

The Wawel Cathedral is open from Monday to Saturday, from 9 am to 4:30 pm, and on Sundays, from 12:30 am to 5 pm. As for tickets, these cost 23 PLN (full rate) or 16 PLN (reduced rate), and include access to Sigismund’s Bell, the Royal Tombs, the Cathedral Museum, and the Archdiocesan Museum.

Wawel Dragon

The next stop in this Kraków itinerary is the Wawel Dragon (in Polish, Smok Wawelski), a famous character in Polish folklore. According to legend, a dragon appeared during the reign of the legendary King Krakus to terrorize the city he had just founded: Kraków.

The Wawel Dragon was being appeased with a weekly ration of cattle, until the king’s sons – or the king himself, depending on the chronicler – defeated this greedy man-eating beast by feeding it carcasses stuffed with sulfur. Make sure to visit its breathing-fire bronze statue at the foot of Wawel Hill!

Tempel Synagogue

This Kraków itinerary continues in the Tempel Synagogue (in Polish, Synagoga Tempel), a Reform Jewish congregation and synagogue installed in Kraków’s Jewish quarter Kazimierz. Designed by Ignacy Hercok in the Moorish Revival and Rundbogenstil styles, it was completed in 1862.

The Tempel Synagogue is open from Sunday to Friday, from 10 am to 6 pm. As for tickets, these cost 5 PLN (full rate) or 2 PLN (reduced rate). The newest Jewish temple in Krakow is not only a major place of worship but also a booming center of Jewish culture, hosting numerous concerts and lectures!

New Square

The next stop in this Kraków itinerary is the New Square (in Polish, Plac Nowy), the heart of the historic Kazimierz district. The square took its form during the first half of the 19th century and these days it’s surrounded by multiple pubs, restaurants, and hotels.

The New Square is mostly known for the Okrąglak (or Rondel), a round shopping pavilion from 1900 that serves as a market hall and food court. Its ring of stalls is displayed on a dodecagon plan, with an internal corridor that leads to the entrance to the commerces.

Corpus Christi Basilica

This Kraków itinerary continues in the Corpus Christi Basilica (in Polish, Bazylika Bożego Ciała), a Gothic church located as well in the Kazimierz district. Like the Wawel Castle, it was commissioned by King Casimir III the Great in 1335 and concluded in the mid-15th century.

The Corpus Christi Basilica is open from Monday to Saturday, from 6 am to 6:30 pm, and on Sundays, from 6 am to 8 pm. This religious temple, which was made of brick and stone, was originally intended as a monastery church, which explains the large green spaces around it.

Skałka

The second day of this Kraków itinerary ends in Skałka, whose official name is Saint Michael the Archangel and Saint Stanislaus the Bishop and Martyr Basilica (in Polish, Bazylika Święty Michała Archanioła i Święty Stanisława Biskupa). You can book a tour of this sanctuary here.

Skałka means “a small rock” in Polish, and this term describes the small outcrop in Kraków atop which this Pauline monastery was established. It’s said to be the place where the Bishop of Kraków, Saint Stanislaus of Szczepanów, was slain by order of King Bolesław II the Bold of Poland in 1079!

In case you’re wondering, there are over 120 Roman Catholic places of worship in Kraków, of which over half of them were built in the 20th century. This probably explains why featuring a handful of churches in this Kraków itinerary was so important!

Map of the Kraków Itinerary

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