Kraków itinerary: 1, 2 and 3 days

Match the number of days to what you are willing to book ahead. The Old Town and Kazimierz need no tickets; Auschwitz-Birkenau and Wieliczka do, and they set the shape of a short trip.

Start at the Main Square (Rynek Główny) before the tour groups arrive, look into St Mary's Basilica, then walk up Grodzka to Wawel. The castle hill and cathedral courtyards are the free part; the state rooms, armoury and cathedral interior are ticketed and often sell out in summer, so book online if you want them.

After lunch, walk south to Kazimierz, the old Jewish quarter, for the synagogues, Plac Nowy and the food stalls. Finish back in the Old Town for an evening look at the square. This is a walking day: no tram needed, and the whole loop is roughly 6–8 km.

Day one runs as above. Day two adds the wartime and industrial side: Schindler's Factory in Podgórze, the former ghetto area across the river, and the Eagle Pharmacy if you want the context in one place. Schindler's Factory is a timed-entry museum and the most likely thing on this list to be sold out, so book it first.

Use day two's spare hours for the things a one-day visitor skips: the university quarter around Collegium Maius, the stained glass and Art Nouveau rooms, or a slow afternoon in Kazimierz. Trams help here — the centre is walkable but Podgórze is easier by tram.

Day three is a day trip, and you choose which. Auschwitz-Birkenau is the heavier one: about 1h15 from Kraków by bus or train, visited with a timed entry, and best followed by a light evening rather than another museum. Wieliczka Salt Mine is the easier one: a guided underground route, 30–40 minutes from the centre, and a good fit if you are travelling with children or have already done a memorial day.

Both need booking ahead in high season. If you would rather stay in the city, a third day fills easily with the National Museum, the stained-glass workshop, or a long Kazimierz lunch — but most first-time visitors use it for one of the two trips.

Kraków is cheap by Western European standards, and the big variable is how many ticketed interiors you add. Walking the Old Town, the Main Square, Wawel's courtyards and Kazimierz costs nothing. Museums, the castle interiors and the two day trips are where the money goes.

All figures are 2026 estimates and change; check the operator's own page before booking. A tram single ticket is a few złoty and must be validated on boarding. Day-trip prices usually bundle transport and entry, which is simpler than assembling the pieces yourself.

Stay in the Old Town or Kazimierz so the first two days are on foot. Book the two big tickets — Schindler's Factory and your day trip — before you arrive in summer. Carry small change for trams and market stalls.

If you are coming from the airport, the train and bus both run to the centre; see the transfer page for the current options. For anything beyond the centre, the tram network is the fast way and the ticket rules are simple once you know them.