One day in Krakow works well. The Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, compact and walkable, and the main sights are close together. It's also one of Central Europe's most underrated cities for food, which makes even a short visit worthwhile. The one complication for a one-day visit is Auschwitz-Birkenau, which requires a dedicated full day on its own.

Getting In and Out

Krakow John Paul II International Airport is around 18 kilometres from the city centre. The rail link takes around 20 minutes to Krakow Glowny (the main station), which sits adjacent to the Old Town. Very convenient. Buses from Warsaw take around 2.5 hours.

Morning

Wawel Castle and Wawel Cathedral sit on the hill above the city and are the starting point. The castle complex is extensive: the State Rooms, the Treasury and Armoury, and the Cathedral (with the tombs of Polish kings) are all separate tickets. On a one-day visit, prioritise the Cathedral. The hill also gives good views over the Vistula river.

Come down from Wawel and walk into the Main Market Square (Rynek Glowny), one of the largest medieval squares in Europe. The Cloth Hall (Sukiennice) in the centre houses souvenir stalls on the ground floor and an impressive gallery of 19th-century Polish painting upstairs (free entry). St Mary's Basilica on the square has a breathtaking Gothic altarpiece by Veit Stoss, and the hourly bugle call from the tower is a Krakow tradition.

Afternoon

Walk south from the Market Square to the Kazimierz neighbourhood, the historic Jewish Quarter. The district was Krakow's Jewish heart for centuries and today has a remarkable concentration of synagogues, Jewish cultural institutions, restaurants, and bars. The Galicia Jewish Museum on Dajwór Street is excellent.

Lunch in Kazimierz: the neighbourhood has Krakow's best restaurant and café scene. Pierogi (stuffed dumplings) are the local staple and here they're done well. Jewish-influenced cuisine is also well represented.

Evening (if time allows)

The Podgorze district, across the river, contains the former Jewish Ghetto and the Schindler Factory museum. The museum covers the Nazi occupation of Krakow and is one of the most important historical sites in the city. Allow 90 minutes.

Back in the city centre, the streets around the Market Square have excellent bars and restaurants for the evening. Krakow has a strong craft beer scene and a good whisky bar culture.

What to Skip

Auschwitz-Birkenau is 60 kilometres from Krakow and requires a full day, particularly if you want to give the site the time and attention it deserves. Trying to include it in a one-day Krakow visit is not recommended.

The salt mines at Wieliczka are popular but take three hours including transport. Not for a 24-hour visit.

If Krakow has surprised you, our Krakow guide covers the full picture including the logistics of visiting Auschwitz from the city.