A Weekend in Krakow: The Spirit of Poland

This post may contain affiliate links, which means that we may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. More information can be found under the site's privacy policy.

This weekend itinerary does not include an Auschwitz Tour, but don’t worry you will still be able to capture the spirit of Krakow. We were only there for a weekend and still felt the history of the country. I’ll share with you a few tips of how to do that below.

Where To Stay:

Mid-Range: Novotel is a hotel located right by the river. It is about a 10 minute walk into the square, so you may prefer a different hotel if you want to stay right in the middle of all the action. Novotel is perfect for a couple looking for a place to relax by the river and still be within a short walk to the main square. It would be great for kids too because there is a large indoor pool and a hot tub!

Don’t forget your travel insurance! We recommend World Nomads. Make sure to have coverage that includes medical expenses, trip cancellations, and coverage for your belongings from theft or damage. If needed, you may also want to include car rental insurance as well.

A Weekend in Krakow:

Friday Evening

Check into your hotel and head over to the square to people watch! Make sure to walk through the Cloth Hall market to see the amber jewelry and souvenirs.

Another option is to go on a free walking tour of Old Town or The Jewish Quarter. Make sure to book ahead online.

I was super stoked to find vegan pierogis in Poland. Pierogowy Raj ! It’s small, cozy, friendly, and the pierogis are so good that we almost went back on Saturday night for a second round.

A Weekend in Krakow:

Saturday AM

Definitely take an electric car tour by Viator on one of the days that you are visiting. There is so much history in Krakow and the locals know it best. Our tour guide kept referring to the different neighborhoods as “the spirit of Krakow.”

There is a display of chairs in Krakow that we wouldn’t have seen or understood without our guide. He explained to us how they symbolized the victims of The Holocaust. Make sure to find the Ghetto Heroes Square if you choose not to do the electric car tour.

After the tour, grab lunch in the Jewish District. We recommend Nova. If you are really wanting to eat authentic Polish food, look for the milk bars.

From there, you can walk to Schindler’s Factory to immerse yourself back into the history. We paid for skip the line and pay at the door tickets for a 4:30 PM time slot. It was 24 zloty per person to the guide at the door. This was also through viator.com

Travel Tip: There are taxis available outside of Schindler’s Factory, but I recommend Uber for a much better rate.

Saturday PM

For authentic Polish food, check out the street food Saturday night right by the square.

A vegan option is No Bones which is close to the main square as well.

We were actually visiting on the weekend of my husband’s birthday, so we were definitely ready to try the local Polish Vodka, but the best spot is Wodka Cafe. They have flights of the different flavors and a cool lofty atmosphere.

A great late night spot was a pub called Dobrey Kumbel Pub. It’s a medieval basement with live music at 10:00 PM!

A Weekend in Krakow:

Sunday AM

Take advantage of the hotel’s spa pool and hot tub! Then visit to the Wawel Castle on Sunday morning or just explore the outside grounds. I would schedule in at least one hour for walking around the outside of the building and two hours to see the inside.

There are several options for Sunday afternoon depending on what the weather looks like for your day. There are bike and kayak rentals, as well as boat tours. We opted for the boat tour which was great after all of that walking. You don’t need to pre-book a boat tour. There are plenty of them available. Just make sure to have PLN zloty cash. After your mid-day activity, check out one of the waterfront restaurants by the river.

After lunch, you can visit Saint Mary’s Basilica. It’s open from 2:00-6:00 PM on Sundays. It’s 10 zloty each per person and has no advanced ticketing system.

I didn’t include the Salt Mine or an Auschwitz Tour in this weekend itinerary. I have hyperlinked them if you are interested in visiting either of those sites.

This crazy storm set in on our last day and it really struck a heart string with me thinking of the history of Krakow. The clouds and heavy rain symbolizing the dark storm that it has been through. The rainbow appeared right after symbolizing to me the life, hope, and spirit that Poland is full of now.

Sharing is caring. Pin the image below for later!