Krakow

Train from airport to Kraków Główny(20 minutes)

Direct train every 30 min. 12 PLN (~$3). Fastest option

Hotel check-in near Rynek Główny(45 minutes)

Hotel Stary (PLN 600/night, boutique in old town) or Greg & Tom Hostel (PLN 80/night). Stay in Stare Miasto for walkability

Walk Rynek Główny (Main Market Square)(1.5 hours)

Europe's largest medieval square. Cloth Hall (Sukiennice), St. Mary's Basilica (listen for the hejnał trumpet call every hour), and the underground museum below the square

Buy an obwarzanek from a street cart(10 minutes)

Krakow's signature braided pretzel. 3 PLN from blue carts across the city. Sesame or poppy seed. A must

Dinner at Szara Gęś(1.5 hours)

Rynek Główny 17. Polish fine dining on the main square. Duck with cranberry (85 PLN), pierogi with truffles (65 PLN). Reserve ahead

Wawel Castle — State Rooms(1.5 hours)

30 PLN. Arrases (tapestries), Renaissance paintings, and the Senators' Hall. Audio guide recommended

Wawel Cathedral(1 hour)

Free entry to cathedral. Tower climb 15 PLN (Sigismund Bell — the largest in Poland). Royal crypts with Piłsudski and Kosciuszko tombs

Crown Treasury and Armoury(45 minutes)

25 PLN. The Szczerbiec coronation sword (13th century) is the highlight

Dragon's Den (Smocza Jama)(15 minutes)

7 PLN. Cave at the base of Wawel Hill — legend of the Wawel Dragon. The fire-breathing statue outside spouts flames every few minutes

Lunch at Przystanek Pierogarnia(1 hour)

Szewska 30. Handmade pierogi in every variety — classic ruskie (potato-cheese, 22 PLN), wild mushroom, spinach. The best pierogi in Krakow

Walk Planty Park loop(1.5 hours)

4 km green belt around the old town. Pass the Barbican (9 PLN), Floriańska Gate, and the Jagiellonian University

Dinner at Pod Baranem(1.5 hours)

Św. Gertrudy 21. Classic Polish in a cellar. Żurek soup served in a bread bowl (18 PLN), golonka (pork knuckle, 45 PLN)

Walk through Kazimierz(2 hours)

Visit the Old Synagogue (12 PLN), Remuh Synagogue and Cemetery, and the streets seen in Schindler's List. Szeroka street is the heart. Street art and vintage shops mix with Jewish heritage

Schindler's Factory Museum(2 hours)

Lipowa 4 in Podgórze (across the river). Entry 28 PLN. Interactive WWII museum in the actual factory. Book online — sells out days ahead. Open Tue-Sun

Lunch at Starka(1 hour)

Józefa 14 in Kazimierz. Polish-Jewish cuisine. Herring in cream (19 PLN), beef cheeks (42 PLN). Excellent vodka selection

Plac Nowy and evening drinks(2 hours)

Kazimierz's main square — surrounded by bars and restaurants. Try a zapiekanka from the circular stall (Polish pizza-baguette, 12-18 PLN). Evening: Singer Café (candlelit, antique sewing machines) or Alchemia (bohemian, live music)

Transport to Auschwitz-Birkenau(1.5 hours)

Organized tour bus (100-150 PLN including transport + guide) or public bus from MDA bus station (15 PLN). 70 km west of Krakow

Auschwitz I main camp guided tour(2 hours)

Guided tour required in peak hours (90 PLN for 3.5 hrs including both camps). The gate ('Arbeit Macht Frei'), barracks, gas chamber, and prisoner belongings exhibits. Deeply moving

Auschwitz II-Birkenau(1.5 hours)

The vast extermination camp — the railroad tracks, ruins of gas chambers, and memorial. Free shuttle bus between the two camps

Quiet dinner at Cyrano de Bergerac(1.5 hours)

Sławkowska 26. French-Polish. A calm, refined space after a heavy day. Mains 55-85 PLN

Sleep in and late breakfast at Café Camelot(1.5 hours)

Św. Tomasza 17. Atmospheric old town café with stone walls and candles. Apple cake and coffee. 15-25 PLN

Walk through Stary Kleparz market(1 hour)

Rynek Kleparski. Open-air market with produce, flowers, cheese, and bread. Much more local than the tourist shops

Lunch at Chłopskie Jadło(1 hour)

Św. Agnieszki 1. Rustic Polish country cuisine. Żurek soup (16 PLN), bigos (hunter's stew, 28 PLN), and craft beer

Dinner at Marchewka z Groszkiem(1.5 hours)

Mostowa 2. One of Krakow's best modern Polish restaurants. Tasting menu 180 PLN. Reserve ahead

Minibus to Wieliczka(30 minutes)

From Galeria Krakowska bus station. Or local bus 304. 5 PLN. 14 km from Krakow

Wieliczka Salt Mine guided tour(2.5 hours)

Guided tours only (99 PLN). 800 steps down through 20+ chambers. The Chapel of St. Kinga is jaw-dropping — everything carved from salt including a chandelier. Bring a jacket — 14°C underground

Lunch at Beef Steak House(1 hour)

Szewska 3. If you need a break from pierogi. Polish beef at reasonable prices. Mains 40-65 PLN

Visit St. Mary's Basilica interior(45 minutes)

Entry 15 PLN. Veit Stoss altarpiece (1489) — the largest Gothic altarpiece in the world. Opens daily at 11:30AM for visitors

Evening food tour or vodka tasting(2 hours)

Several operators run food tours (100-200 PLN) covering 6-8 tastings in 3 hours. Or do a self-guided vodka tasting at Wodka Café Bar (Mikołajska 5) — flights from 25 PLN

Morning walk through Rynek Główny(45 minutes)

Before 9AM the square is quiet. Listen for the hejnał one last time

Breakfast at Charlotte Bakery(45 minutes)

Plac Szczepański 2. French-style bakery with excellent croissants and coffee. 12-25 PLN

Last obwarzanek from the blue cart(5 minutes)

3 PLN. Take one for the road

Train to Krakow Airport(20 minutes)

12 PLN. Allow 2 hours before flight

Ghetto Heroes Square (Plac Bohaterów Getta)(30 minutes)

Memorial with 68 empty chairs representing the ghetto's furniture abandoned on the square. Free and powerful

Eagle Pharmacy (Apteka pod Orłem)(45 minutes)

Plac Bohaterów Getta 18. The only pharmacy that remained open during the ghetto. Now a museum. Free

MOCAK Museum of Contemporary Art(1.5 hours)

Lipowa 4 (next to Schindler's Factory). Entry 14 PLN. Rotating contemporary art exhibitions

Lunch at Stacja Kultura(1 hour)

Rynek Podgórski 2. Creative cafe in Podgórze. Breakfast plates, burgers, craft beer. 25-40 PLN

Walk the Zabłocie street art district(1 hour)

Former industrial area with massive murals. Krakow's answer to Berlin's street art scene

Dinner at Zielona Kuchnia(1.5 hours)

Śliska 4. Modern vegetarian — surprisingly excellent in meat-loving Poland. Mains 30-45 PLN

Tram to Nowa Huta(30 minutes)

Tram 4 from old town. 4.60 PLN

Guided tour of Nowa Huta(3 hours)

Crazy Guides runs tours in a vintage Trabant car (200 PLN/person) or on foot (100 PLN). Or self-guide: walk Plac Centralny (Central Square), see the socialist-realist architecture, and visit the Arka Pana church (Lord's Ark — built defiantly in a 'godless' district)

Lunch at Stylowa restaurant in Nowa Huta(1 hour)

Os. Centrum C1. Soviet-era cafeteria still serving classic Polish milk bar food. Full lunch 15-25 PLN. Time capsule atmosphere

Walk the Aleja Róż (Avenue of Roses)(30 minutes)

The grand boulevard of Nowa Huta. Socialist monumental architecture with impressive scale

Return to old town, dinner at Dynia Resto Bar(1.5 hours)

Krupnicza 20. Seasonal Polish with pumpkin theme. Pumpkin pierogi (28 PLN), creative cocktails

Bus from Krakow to Ojców(45 minutes)

Minibus from near the train station. 10 PLN. Runs several times daily

Walk through the Prądnik Valley(2 hours)

Follow the river through dramatic limestone gorges. Hercules' Club (rock pillar) and Krakowska Gate (natural rock formation). Well-marked trails

Ojców Castle ruins and Pieskowa Skała Castle(1.5 hours)

Renaissance castle perched on a cliff. Entry 20 PLN. Beautiful courtyard and panoramic views. The Ojców ruins are free

Visit Łokietek Cave(45 minutes)

Entry 12 PLN. Where King Władysław the Short supposedly hid. Guided tours through the 270m cave

Lunch at local guesthouse in Ojców(1 hour)

Pod Kazimierzem or Zajazd Pod Orłem. Simple Polish country food — pierogi, trout, sausage. 20-35 PLN

Lunch at Manzana(1 hour)

Miodowa 11. Excellent modern Mexican. Tacos 25-35 PLN. A nice break from Polish food

Craft beer crawl(2.5 hours)

House of Beer (Św. Tomasza 35, 100+ Polish craft beers), Omerta (Kazimierz, cocktails + craft), Weźże Krafty (Dolnych Młynów 10, 60+ taps)

Dinner at Smak Ukraiński(1 hour)

Kanonicza 15. Ukrainian cuisine — borscht, varenyky, salo. Generous portions, 25-40 PLN. Warmly recommended

Polish cooking class(3 hours)

Make pierogi, żurek, and apple cake. From 150 PLN/person. Eat Your Krakow or Polish Your Cooking. Includes recipes to take home

Rynek Underground Museum(1.5 hours)

Beneath the main square. 28 PLN. Interactive museum showing medieval Krakow's market and daily life. Excellent multimedia displays. Book timed tickets

Dinner at Trzy Rybki(2 hours)

Hotel Stary, Szczepańska 5. Fine Polish dining in a medieval cellar. Tasting menu 250 PLN. The best restaurant in old town

Bus to Zakopane(2 hours)

FlixBus or PKS from Krakow bus station. 20-30 PLN. The Tatra Mountains appear dramatically as you arrive

Cable car to Kasprowy Wierch(1.5 hours)

To 1,987m on the Polish-Slovak border. 88 PLN round trip. Panoramic views and hiking trails at the top. Book online — sells out in summer

Lunch at Gazdówka in Zakopane(1 hour)

Krupówki 1. Traditional highland cuisine — oscypek (smoked sheep cheese), lamb, and bigos. 25-40 PLN

Walk Krupówki Street(1 hour)

Zakopane's pedestrian high street. Wooden architecture, souvenir shops, oscypek vendors. Buy smoked cheese directly (8-15 PLN)

Cloth Hall souvenir shopping(1 hour)

Upper floor: Gallery of 19th-century Polish Art (20 PLN). Ground floor: amber, linen, wooden boxes. Prices fair but negotiable at the stalls

Lunch at Milkbar Tomasza(45 minutes)

Św. Tomasza 24. Classic Polish milk bar — communist-era cheap canteen, still serving amazing food. Full meal 12-20 PLN

Farewell dinner at Trzy Rybki or Pod Aniołami(2 hours)

Pod Aniołami (Grodzka 35) is an atmospheric cellar restaurant. Grilled meats on a sword, medieval atmosphere. Mains 50-80 PLN

Apartment check-in(45 minutes)

Apartment near Kazimierz from PLN 200/night

Train from Krakow to Wrocław(3.5 hours)

PKP InterCity, from 40 PLN booked ahead. Direct trains several times daily

Walk Wrocław Rynek (Market Square)(1.5 hours)

One of Europe's most beautiful squares. Gothic Town Hall, colorful townhouses, and the start of the famous dwarf hunt — 350+ bronze dwarf figurines hidden throughout the city

Dwarf hunting(1 hour)

Download the map from visitwroclaw.eu. The 30cm bronze dwarfs (krasnale) are on sidewalks, walls, and railings. Kids and adults love hunting for them

Dinner at Konspira(1.5 hours)

Kuźnicza 29/30. Communist-themed speakeasy — ring the bell, give the password. Polish-Jewish fusion. Mains 30-50 PLN. Quirky and excellent

Walk to Ostrów Tumski (Cathedral Island)(2 hours)

The oldest part of Wrocław. Cathedral of St. John the Baptist (free, tower climb 6 PLN), Church of the Holy Cross, and gas lamp-lit streets. Every evening at dusk, a lamplighter manually lights 103 gas lamps

Cross Tumski Bridge(15 minutes)

Love lock bridge between the island and the mainland. Sunset views

Lunch at Restauracja JaDka(1 hour)

Rzeźnicza 24/25. Modern Polish. Creative seasonal menu. Mains 35-55 PLN

Centennial Hall (Hala Stulecia)(1 hour)

UNESCO World Heritage. Massive reinforced concrete hall (1913). The multimedia fountain show (evening, free in summer) is spectacular

Japanese Garden(45 minutes)

Next to Centennial Hall. 12 PLN. Peaceful garden with pagoda, ponds, and bridges

Dinner at Art Restauracja(1.5 hours)

Kiełbaśnicza 20. Fine dining on the market square. Tasting menu 200 PLN

Hala Targowa (market hall)(1 hour)

Historic market hall. Fresh produce, street food, and local specialties. Open Mon-Sat mornings

More dwarf hunting(1 hour)

Try to find the musician dwarfs near the opera house and the fencing dwarfs on the university bridge

Lunch at Pierogarnia Stary Młyn(1 hour)

Purkyniego 1. Excellent Wrocław pierogi restaurant. Silesian-style pierogi with meat and gravy. 18-28 PLN

Bus 112 to Tyniec(40 minutes)

From near Wawel. 4.60 PLN

Tyniec Benedictine Abbey(1.5 hours)

11th-century monastery on a limestone cliff above the Vistula. Guided tour 12 PLN. The abbey café serves cakes made by monks

Walk along the Vistula to Bielany(2 hours)

8 km riverside trail through the Bielany-Tyniec Landscape Park. Flat, peaceful, and scenic

Bielany Camaldolese Monastery (exterior only)(30 minutes)

Hermit monks — the monastery is closed to visitors except 12 special days per year. But the setting on the hill is beautiful and worth the walk

Morning photography walk(2 hours)

Best spots: Planty Park in morning mist, Wawel from Dębnicki Bridge, Kazimierz doorways and courtyards, and the Szeroka street Jewish cemetery

Milk bar (Bar Mleczny) lunch tour(2 hours)

Eat at 2-3 milk bars: Krakus (Szewska 24), Bar Mleczny Pod Temidą (Grodzka 43), or U Babci Maliny (Szpitalna 38). Full meal 12-20 PLN at each. Communist-era cafeterias with honest Polish home cooking

Afternoon at Museum of Pharmacy(1 hour)

Floriańska 25. One of the world's best pharmacy museums. Entry 13 PLN. Medieval alchemy, apothecary jars, and pharmaceutical history

Dinner at Pod Aniołami(2 hours)

Grodzka 35. Medieval cellar. Grilled meats on a sword. 50-80 PLN