Krakow Poland Two-Day Itinerary for First-Timers
It is difficult to determine how to best use your 48 hours in Krakow Poland, there are so many great things to see and do. Krakow was made famous by Oskar Schindler’s Enamel Factory. Krakow is a walkable city with a historic city wall, castle, fire-breathing dragon, market square, the Jewish ghetto, and delicious pierogi. This 2-day itinerary is jam-packed with must-see sites and top attractions, including, Market Square, Wawel Castle, the Jewish Ghetto, and Schindler’s Factory. Be sure to watch Schindler’s List and learn a bit about the Auschwitz-Birkenau Concentration Camp before your visit. It is possible to travel the world with limited PTO, here’s how to visit Krakow in two days. Enjoy your time out of the office!
READ Complete Guide to Poland, What You Need to Know
Krakow Day One: Kazimierz, Jewish Ghetto and Schindler’s Factory
8 am Grab a coffee and wander the Jewish neighborhood of Kazimierz, the filming site of Schindler’s List. Photograph the beautiful urban decay and the Ghetto Hero’s Square art installation.
10 am Take the tour of Schindler’s Factory. Be sure to buy tickets online, the museum sells out.
12 am Stop to peek through the window into the old Jewish cemetery and have lunch in a café on Szeroka Street.
1 pm Walk across Father Bernatek’s Bridge and photograph the art installation on your way to Wawel Castle. Stop to video the fire-breathing Wawel Dragon. Continue on toward Old Town.
3 pm Snack on Polish dumplings for dinner at Pierogarnia Krakowiacy. Visit St. Mary’s Basilica, climb the tower, and listen to the trumpet call. Photograph the head sculpture at Town Hall Tower. Check out the vendor’s stalls in the cloth market and watch the street performers in Market Square. Learn Kraków’s history at the Rynek Underground Museum or browse 19th-century Polish art at The Sukiennice. Sample vodka and shop for souvenirs along Floriańska Street. Walk under the St. Florian’s Gate and take a selfie with the statue of Jan Matejko.
7 pm Attend the Polish Folklore Show and Dinner
Krakow Day Two: Auschwitz-Birkenau and the Wieliczka Salt Mine
The easiest way to visit both the Auschwitz-Birkenau and the Wieliczka Salt Mine in one day is by a day trip. Auschwitz-Birkenau has become the symbol of the Holocaust. The complex included a concentration camp, labor camp, large gas chambers, and crematoria for mass murders. Otto Thierack stated, “We must free the nation of Poles, Russians, Jews, and Gypsies”. Over 1.1 million people died at Auschwitz. A visit to the site is life-changing.
1,000,000 people visit the Wieliczka Salt Mine each year. The mine is a UNESCO World List of Cultural and Natural Heritage site and is considered a spiritual and historical monument. Descend 800 steps to explore 20 chambers chiseled out in rock salt, statues sculpted in salt, underground saline lakes, and displays of mining tools. The Chapel of St. Kinga is the star of the tour and worth the visit.
Looking for more options? Continue reading for additional things to do in Krakow to supplement this itinerary.
Additional Things to Do in Krakow Poland
Have more time? Supplement this day trip itinerary with these additional things to do in Krakow.
- Photograph the old stone Church of St Adalbert and St Joseph’s Church Clock Tower
- Visit the Chopin Gallery and listen to a piano concert of his works
- Listen to stories of vampires on the Krakow Night Tour
- Visit the Barbican and photograph the statue of Jan Matejko
- Check out the Renaissance houses on Grodzka Street and Kanonicza Street
- Photograph the ceiling of St Mary’s Basilica, climb the tower, and listen to the trumpet call
- Enjoy a food tour through Kazimierz
- Spend a night out in Nowy Square
- Take a Communism Tour in a Genuine Trabant Automobile
- Sample vodka at Wodka Café Bar or take a vodka tour
- Enjoy a Polish Folklore Show and Dinner
- Learn to make traditional Polish food in a home-based cooking class
- Photograph the head sculpture at Town Hall Tower
- Sample Krakow’s craft beer
- Have a picnic in Planty Park
- Cruise along the Vistula River
- Check out the Museum of Illusions
- Eat pierogi, kielbasa, and bagels
- Photograph the city from Kosciuszko Mound
- Browse the contemporary art at MOCAK
- Spend an afternoon wine tasting
- Bike to the Tyniec Abbey
- Explore the painted village of Zalipie
Check the Krakow Poland Tourism Board website for upcoming festivals, special events, and what’s happening during your stay.
Note: Krakow Poland is not an easy city. My sister and I flew in on different flights and neither of us received our luggage. The train platform into town was not well marked. After finding it and getting a ticket there was an overhead announcement stating the train is not running and transport to the city is by bus departing in 5 minutes. Grateful I didn’t have my bag, I ran and jumped on just as the door closed. The struggle continued in the city. Google was not able to locate any public transportation even as I stood at a tram station. Leaving Krakow was not easy either. I was on the first flight out and it was delayed 1.5 hours. The airport looks new yet you are bused out to the planes and the internet was spotty at best. Would I visit again? No. Do I regret this visit? Not at all.
Plan Your Trip to Krakow Poland
Poland Travel Guide
Pick up a Poland Travel Guide from Amazon.com to browse on the plane.
Book Your Accommodation in Krakow Poland Now
Spending the night? Search Booking.com and VRBO in one place to find the perfect property! I stayed at the PURO Hotel Kraków Stare Miasto. The location was great. It was directly across from the train station and within walking distance of the old town.
Krakow Poland Attractions and Day Tours
The best attractions sell out! Don’t chance it, get your tickets now and relax when you arrive.
Travel Essentials
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