Kraków
Poland · Country profile
Krakow is the former royal capital of Poland and its most beautiful city, a seat of learning, of kings and of a deep, living history that survived the twentieth century to emerge as one of the finest old towns in Europe. The great market square, the largest medieval square on the continent, anchors the old city with its cloth hall, its churches and its constant street life, and the Wawel hill above the river holds the castle and the cathedral of the kingdom. The Jewish quarter of the Kazimierz, the museum of the wartime factory and the historic tunnels of the old plane under the square fill out the story. Walkable, warm and full of the good life, Krakow is Poland’s favourite weekend.
About Kraków
Kraków is a city in Poland. The city's documented population is around 805,000 people. For visitors from abroad, the local currency is the Polish Złoty (PLN) and Polish is spoken; the dialling code is +48. It is served by 1 airport in our guide: Kraków John Paul II International Airport.
The Main Square, the Cloth Hall and the Trumpet of the Hour
Krakow is a compact, beautiful old city whose centre, the enormous market square, sets the rhythm of the whole visit, with the cloth hall, the basilica and the cafes of its ring. The old town is walkable in every direction, the Wawel hill climbs the castle, and the Jewish quarter of the Kazimierz crosses the river into a district of synagogues, bars and the living memory. The famous day trip to the wartime salt mine and the more sober museum of the fate of the city under the occupation add the deeper layers. It is a friendly, student-heavy city with low prices, a huge calendar of festivals and a love of the long evenings.
The Salt Mine, the Factory Museum and the Hill of the Castle
The best months are the late spring and the autumn, when the crowds thin and the castle grounds turn gold; the summer is busy and the winter is cold, pretty and full of the Christmas market. The market square, the Wawel and the Kazimierz are all walkable, and the mine and the war museum need the bookings ahead in the season. The currency is the zloty, and cards and cash both work well. The student life keeps the bars and the cafes cheap and lively, and the famous salt mine, one of the oldest in Europe, deserves a full half-day. The city is safe, orderly and one of the most pleasant in central Europe to simply be.
The Kazimierz, the Cafes and the Autumn of the Old Town
The old town is small enough to cover on foot in a day, and the tram fills the longer gaps to the river and the outer quarters. The hourly bugle call from the church tower of the main square is the city’s running ceremony, and the climb to its top gives the view over the roofs. The Kazimierz crosses the river into the district of the synagogues and the famous bars of the old Jewish life, and the evening street of the square holds the painters, the musicians and the students. The obwarzanek, the ring-shaped bread of the city, is the snack of the streets, and the pierogi of the local tables the meal of every visitor.
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- Country
- Poland
- Population
- 805,000
- Coordinates
- 50.0777, 19.7848
- Capital
- Warsaw
- Region
- Europe
- Currency
- Polish Złoty (PLN)
- Languages
- Polish
- Calling code
- +48
- Country code
- PL
Entry requirements for Poland
Visa status for travellers from common origins visiting Poland for tourism.
Getting to Kraków
Airports we list for Kraków:
Other airports in the area:
Cities in Poland
Other cities we cover in Poland:
Frequently asked questions
Is Kraków the capital of Poland?
No — the capital of Poland is Warsaw.
What currency do I need in Kraków?
The local currency is the Polish Złoty (PLN). Languages spoken in Poland include Polish.
What is the dialling code for Poland?
The international dialling code for Poland is +48.
Which airport should I fly into for Kraków?
Kraków John Paul II International Airport (KRK) is the airport we list for Kraków.
How far is Kraków from the nearest airport?
Kraków is about 246 km from Warsaw Chopin Airport.
Do I need a visa to visit Poland?
It depends on your passport. Among the origins we track, travellers from Albania, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda and Argentina currently enter Poland visa-free for tourism. Use the entry requirements tool to check your own nationality and purpose of travel.
Flying out of Kraków? Check the entry requirements for your destination in our entry requirements tool before you fly.