Kraków
Time of year: September
Length: 4 nights
Approximate hotel and flight costs: £550–£650 for two
Good for: Historic sights, city strolls and a moving day trip
Why Kraków?
We’d wanted to visit Poland for a while and wondered what it would be like to see part of the country. Auschwitz was also on our list, so staying in Kraków gave us the perfect opportunity to visit both.
Accommodation and travel
We had about an hour’s delay at passport control after arriving in Kraków. The airport train took us to the main station in under 25 minutes, and from there we continued to our hotel by tram.
We stayed at Hotel Puro in the lively Kazimierz neighbourhood. The hotel had an upscale feel, and everything inside was great. Our room was excellent, and the staff were friendly and attentive. The free hot drinks available around the clock on the ground floor were a welcome bonus. Breakfast was excellent too, with plenty of choice.
Discovering Kraków
Our first impression was of a grand European city: wide boulevards, trams zipping about, and plenty of open squares and green spaces. The weather was warm enough for us to leave our coats off, though the first signs of autumn were appearing, with leaves beginning to fall.
The Old Town was interesting to explore, with Baroque and classical buildings sitting alongside one another. The changes in style became especially noticeable as we walked along the streets.
The Main Square was busy without feeling too overcrowded. Pigeons were everywhere, on the lookout for their next meal. On one side stood St Mary’s Basilica. I liked its unequal Gothic towers, which gave the building extra character. Morning sunlight caught the gilded crown around the taller spire. I later read that it represents the Virgin Mary as Queen of Poland, and that the current crown was added in the 17th century.
We waited for the hour and listened to the trumpeter playing from one of the Basilica’s towers. Afterwards, a hand appeared at a window and waved to signal that the performance was over.
At the centre of the square, the Cloth Hall stood out with its arched facade. We walked through to find traders’ stalls setting up for the day, mostly selling trinkets to passing tourists. Higher up, we noticed crests on the walls that added to the building’s historic feel.
A large knife hanging by one of the Cloth Hall entrances caught our attention. We looked it up and found a local legend: it was said to be the weapon used by a jealous brother who murdered his sibling while the towers of St Mary’s Basilica were being built. True or not, it was unusual to see it hanging there.
A walk along the river was a relaxing change of pace, with the castle beside us. We headed towards the famous Wawel Dragon beneath the rocks and were lucky enough to see it breathe fire as we arrived. The legend says that a dragon once lived in the cave beneath Wawel Hill and terrorised the city until a clever shoemaker tricked it with a sheep stuffed with sulphur. The cave is still there, adding to the mystery.
While walking along one of the shopping streets, someone couldn’t resist popping into the Christmas shop. I was bored after a few minutes of looking at tree baubles. While waiting outside, I noticed wasps enjoying the cakes in the open shop window next door. I couldn’t understand why nobody seemed bothered that about ten wasps were crawling over the cakes. Was that normal around these parts? All I knew was that I wouldn’t be eating any wasp-riddled leftovers.
One evening, we visited Ghetto Heroes Square, where 70 chairs represent the furniture and belongings left behind when the ghetto was cleared and its Jewish residents deported. Around the corner were the remains of the Jewish ghetto wall. There wasn’t a lot to see, but it gave us a sense of the area’s history.
Wawel Castle and the Vistula waterfront
At the foot of the castle hill, we took the main road up towards the castle. As we climbed, we could see over the treetops, and the views from the ramparts became more interesting. We passed through the gates and by some of the castle turrets before exploring the grounds, which were free to enter.
The Renaissance-style inner courtyard was the highlight. The sun made the space feel like a suntrap. Three levels looked down into the courtyard, with repeated stone archways, balustrades and painted frescoes around the top. As we rested in the shade and took in the space, I noticed the muffled sounds of a tour group in the opposite corner. I thought a concert would sound great there.
As we left the castle hill, I spotted a stone obelisk peeking over a hedge. Looking closer, I saw a four-sided face of an old man, other symbols below it and a candle at the base. I looked it up back at the hotel and found that it was believed to be a replica of a pagan original, thought to be of Slavic origin, which had been discovered in the river. The original is now housed in a city museum.
Auschwitz-Birkenau
It was another warm, sunny day when we arrived at the memorial. At first, there was a sense of peace as we walked along a concrete path. Then we began to hear the names of camp victims being read over a speaker.
The main gates seemed to appear from nowhere, with the words “Arbeit Macht Frei”- “Work Makes You Free”- spanning the top. I looked at them and found myself thinking of them in a different context: free from life.
In one of the exhibits, hundreds of photographs were displayed across the walls in a way that reminded me of a crime-scene presentation. It felt like looking at a wall of death, with each person’s name and records below their photograph. The records included their deportation and death dates, often only weeks apart.
Some of our guide’s words stayed with me: “They felt alone. They never knew anyone, as no one survived long enough for anyone to get to know them.” I couldn’t imagine being in that position, or how I’d begin to process it, let alone cope with it.
Our guide led us from the camp hospital into the courtyard. She explained who had been shot there and why. Many were people who had undergone medical experiments and were no longer considered useful. I didn’t know where to look. I couldn’t help noticing the expressions on people’s faces as they each dealt with what they were seeing in their own way.
I saw a door set back into an earth mound. I knew what it was before I reached it, but I wasn’t ready to acknowledge it just yet. The guides led us inside and silently gestured towards the holes in the ceiling where the canisters had been dropped. There was an overwhelming sense of quiet and disbelief as we stood in a place of death and torture. The silence felt deafening. A door to the side led straight to the crematorium. I looked for a few seconds, then had my fill and just wanted to be back outside in the air.
After a short break, we continued to Auschwitz-Birkenau. This part of the tour was mostly outdoors. The atrocities here had taken place on a much larger scale, but it felt less intense than the first camp, partly because some of the buildings had been destroyed.
Throughout the visit, I kept noticing that I was looking at the ground. I think it was my way of dealing with the brutal things I was learning about, and with the disbelief and sadness I felt for those who suffered and lost their lives here.
I won’t say more about the visit, other than that it was a must-do excursion for us. I’m glad we had the chance to visit a memorial that should never be forgotten.
Wieliczka Salt Mine
The salt mine looked like an interesting place to visit, so we booked tickets and took a taxi to Wieliczka. We entered the mine via a wooden staircase that led us 65 metres underground. At the bottom, gusts of wind-swept past, like the rush of air when a train approaches on the London Underground. It was cooler down there, but still comfortable in a T-shirt.
Our guide was excellent and shared plenty about the mine’s history. At one point, we were invited to taste brine flowing from a crevice into a salt-encrusted cauldron. It made me laugh to see people queuing up to try it, as if they’d never tasted brine before.
At a depth of 135 metres, we reached a cathedral-like chamber with huge chandeliers adding to its grandeur. It felt as though we’d entered a Dwarven kingdom. Salt carvings etched into the rock showed religious scenes and notable people from Polish history. At the far end was a church altar, unusually carved entirely out of rock salt. I’d never seen anything like it.
Further along the tour, we visited several salt pools. Music played in one of the chambers so we could appreciate its acoustics, which were very acoustical. Near the end, we walked towards the lift shaft to return to the surface. The walk felt a bit tedious, it must have been nearly a mile and we had to watch our step over the train tracks set into the floor. Even so, it was a really good morning out, and we enjoyed it. Even so, it was a really good morning out, and we enjoyed it.
Our final day and night in Kraków
We spent our last afternoon and evening taking it easy by the river. We wandered down to the Forum complex, which had a concrete-jungle feel and looked as though it had been repurposed. There was a funfair next door, so we took a ride on the Kraków Eye. As we rotated, we got great views of the castle across the river and parts of the city we hadn’t seen before.
After a drink and sometime relaxing at a riverside bar, we headed back to the hotel feeling we’d made the most of our stay in Krakow and enjoyed every minute.
Good to know
River walks after dark can be painful if you haven’t covered up. The insects got us as we walked along the waterfront. I’m not sure if that was just because of the time of year.
We wanted to visit Schindler’s Enamel Factory, but decided to give it a miss so our trip had the right balance of time in Kraków and Holocaust-related visits.
If you book an 11 a.m. tour of Auschwitz, don’t be surprised if the tour company changes your time to a later slot. That happened to us.
We took a taxi to the salt mine, which saved us time and was really affordable.
So, how did Kraków score?
Things to do - 9/10: Kraków gave us plenty to explore, from the Old Town and Wawel Castle to the salt mine and Auschwitz-Birkenau.
Getting around - 7/10: The trams took a bit of working out at first, and we got caught out by the airport train, but taxis were affordable and the centre was enjoyable to explore on foot.
Food and drink - 7/10: Hotel breakfast was excellent, although food wasn’t a big part of this trip.
Value for money - 8/10: We found Kraków good value, with plenty to see and do across the city and beyond.
Overall experience - 9/10: We really enjoyed Kraków and were glad we went. It gave us a memorable mix of history, beautiful sights and unique experiences. We’d happily recommend it for a city break.
What would I do differently?
We could have been more organised with the trams. It was a little tricky working them out on the first day.
The airport train wasn’t covered by our Kraków travel card. We’d been led to believe that a card covering zones 1–3 would include the journey back to the airport, but it didn’t.
Download the travel app (Jakdojade) and add your card details before you arrive. It should make getting around easier.
Would I visit Kraków again?
We’re glad we went and enjoyed our time in Kraków. I don’t think we need to return anytime soon, as we’d like to see some other Polish cities first.
What made me laugh
Shortly after arriving in the city, we took the tram. Five stops passed before we realised we were heading in the wrong direction.
At hotel breakfast, I thought I’d poured myself apple juice. Something sour and unfriendly hit our taste buds. It turned out I’d accidentally poured sauerkraut juice into my glass. Eek!
Favourite thing
Looking down at the salt mine chamber from the viewing platform, with light bouncing off the chandeliers and across the church-like space. I was excited to get a closer look..
“On a warm autumn morning, Kraków’s Main Square came alive beneath the trumpeter’s call—a lovely reminder of the history all around us.”
