Krakow is a beautiful city and deserves more than one day to visit. But if you only have one day to explore Krakow, maybe at the end of a business trip or stopping over to another beautiful city in Eastern Europe, you should make the most out of your day! You can check out my one-day itinerary for tips to see what Krakow has to offer!
Fortunately, Krakow is a compact city and you can explore much of it on food, without wasting time on transportation. If you don’t have a lot of time, make sure to stay somewhere close to the old town, where this one-day itinerary is taking you, for example the excellent Radisson Blu Krakow hotel – I loved my stay there!
After a leisurely breakfast, you should make your way to the Wawel Royal Castle on the hill overlooking the river and the city! Here you can enjoy the architecture of the castle or a walk through the huge cathedral on the castle grounds. After walking around, you can explore a number of museums, like the “Royal Apartments”, giving you insight into the life of the Royal family at the time or the “Lost Wawel” to learn about the history of the castle. Once your interest in history is sated and you are ready for a break, you can rest at the castle cafe over a drink or lunch and enjoy the royal surroundings!
After resting your legs, it’s time for some more walking and you make your way down into the old town of Krakow! You can wander the little alleys and cobblestone street, enjoy the beautifully restored buildings, shop for souvenirs or watch the crowds from one of the many cafes and ice cream parlors along the sidewalks! You don’t have to worry about getting lost: all the streets will lead to the central market square! At the center is the Cloth Hall that has been a place for meetings and commerce for centuries. Today, you can still find lots of stores to shop for souvenirs, stalls to buy food or restaurants to sit and relax. If you have still energy for museums, there is one upstairs!
After a relaxing stroll through the park surrounding the old town and maybe a rest at your hotel, it’s time to enjoy dinner in the old town. There are plenty of restaurants on the little streets and you shouldn’t have problems finding one that suits your taste and budget. I enjoyed Morela off the market square for some great, local food!
Your one day visit to Krakow was short, but you have seen a lot and had a chance to take in the history of the city as well as today’s vibe, hopefully enticing you to a longer return visit!