Krakow walking route: Main Square to Wawel Castle and
Explore Krakow's historic center and UNESCO-listed landmarks on this 27.4 km route covering the Main Market Square, St. Mary's Church, Wawel Castle & Cathedral, the Jewish Quarter with its Old Synagogue and Cemetery, the iconic Wawel Dragon statue, and the remarkable Wieliczka Salt Mine just outside the city.
- Distance
- 27.4 km
- Duration
- 5 h 28 min
- Mode
- route
- Start
- Sukiennice (Cloth Hall)
- End
- Jewish Cemetery
- Stops
- 9
- Video author
- travmap
- Updated
Stops on this route
- Sukiennice (Cloth Hall) — Historic trading hall in the Main Market Square
- St. Mary's Church — Iconic church in Krakow's Old Town
- Wawel Castle & Cathedral — Royal residence and coronation site perched on a limestone hill, housing Polish monarchs' treasures and featuring Renaissance architecture spanning centuries.
- Wieliczka Salt Mine — Underground salt mine with a chapel and galleries built into the mine
- Kazimierz (Jewish Quarter) — Restored historic Jewish quarter with synagogues and cemetery
- Main Market Square (Rynek Główny) — Europe's largest medieval town square with the Cloth Hall at its center
- Wawel Dragon (Smok Wawelski) — Bronze dragon statue on the banks of the Vistula River
- Stara Synagoga (Old Synagogue) — Historic synagogue in the Jewish quarter
- Jewish Cemetery — Historic cemetery in the Jewish quarter
Useful for your trip
- Tip
- Visit the Main Market Square (Rynek Główny), the largest square in Europe, and see the Cloth Hall (Sukiennice) behind it.
- Tip
- See a da Vinci painting (Lady with an Ermine) on display in Krakow, one of very few da Vinci paintings in existence.
- Avoid
- Avoid drunk stag parties, especially on weekends, as Krakow is a popular and affordable destination for bachelor party groups.
- Avoid
- Be prepared to be approached by girls offering strip club entry during night hours in tourist areas; politely decline if uninterested.
- Tip
- Visit Wawel Castle & Cathedral on Wawel Hill for views and historical architecture, and see the Wawel Dragon statue on the Vistula River.
- Tip
- Enter St. Mary's Church on the Main Square to see the blue altarpiece and blue ceiling; note that photos are not permitted inside churches.
- Save money
- Eat at restaurants on the Main Market Square at reasonable prices; expect to spend around $25 for a meal with soup, main course, cake, and beverages.
- Where to stay
- Choose from affordable accommodation options including hotels, hostels, and apartment hotels throughout Krakow.
- Tip
- Visit the Wieliczka Salt Mine outside town, where a city with churches and buildings has been constructed inside the mine; good for families with children.
- Tip
- Explore the Kazimierz Jewish Quarter, which features the Old Synagogue, cemetery, and Jewish history sites by day, with bars and restaurants at night.
- Tip
- Take a tour to Auschwitz concentration camp outside Krakow; everything is well-signposted if you prefer to explore without a guide.
- Tip
- Visit Birkenau (extended camp complex) to see the warehouses, longhouses, and train tracks where mass murder occurred; deeply moving and important historical site.
Video on this route
Visit Krakow - 10 Things That Will SHOCK You About Krakow, Poland