Warsaw is more famous internationally, but Krakow is the true gem of the Poland tourism scene. It was the capital of the country a few hundred years ago and it has far more interesting sights as well. Known for being affordable, Krakow is also one of the more beautiful cities in eastern Europe and should be on everyone’s list.
Kraków is by far the most interesting city in Poland for tourists, and it’s also easy to reach for most people. It may not be quite as beautiful as Prague, but it’s usually far less crowded and it’s quite a bit cheaper in most respects.
Kraków is truly one of Europe’s great travel bargains, though that might not be true years from now. The Old Town center is one of Europe’s largest and most pleasant.
In fact, Krakow tops our list of best Europe city breaks destinations.
| Population | 750,000 |
| Area | 1,250,000 |
| Timezone | UTC+1 |
| Currency | Polish zloty |
The entire Old Town is worth a lot of your time, and Wawel Castle in particular is a highlight.
The Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp is not far outside of town and is a popular (if sobering) day trip.
| Rating | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
 | 18.28 - 43.01 |
| 24.73 - 60.22 |
| 29.03 - 81.72 |
| 58.06 - 139.78 |
| 107.53 - 181.72 |
Corner Hotel Doubles from €60/night | |
Our pick: The best cheap and central 3-star hotel in Krakow |
| Type | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
| Hostel Bed | 7.41 - 19.35 |
Pillows Party Hostel Beds from €6/night | |
Our pick: The best cheap and central hostel in Krakow |
Food is also quite cheap by European standards, as long as you like the hearty local food. If you require something else it’s not quite as cheap, but still prices are reasonable. Drinks are also quite inexpensive by European standards.
| Budget breakfast | If your hotel or hostel doesn't include breakfast you'll have many cheap options nearby. | $2.13 - $4.03 |
| Budget lunch | Staying with the filling local cuisine, and looking for milk bars or cafeterias, you can stuff yourself for very little in Krakow. | $3.79 - $6.16 |
| Budget dinner | Avoiding very touristy places with English menus will allow you to eat well, even at sit-down places, for very little. | $5.92 - $10.66 |
| Beer (pint) | Finding cheap local lager will be easy. Imports will cost more, as usual. | $2.37 - $4.03 |
The free (tips-based) walking tours of Krakow are excellent since most of the important sights are clustered in the pedestrian-friendly Old Town.
The hop-on, hop-off bus tours are also worthwhile and a good way of getting oriented as well as seeing some sights outside of the center.
| Month | High F | Low F | PRECIP (inches) |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 34 | 23 | 1.3 |
| February | 35 | 23 | 1.3 |
| March | 46 | 31 | 1.4 |
| April | 57 | 42 | 1.7 |
| May | 68 | 48 | 2.2 |
| June | 72 | 57 | 3.3 |
| July | 76 | 59 | 3.5 |
| August | 75 | 59 | 3.2 |
| September | 67 | 50 | 2.2 |
| October | 56 | 41 | 1.7 |
| November | 41 | 32 | 1.6 |
| December | 37 | 27 | 1.3 |
Krakow has a climate that is typical for its region, with warm summers that rarely get too steamy, although the summer is also the wettest time of the year so rain is a possibility. Spring and autumn can be okay, with usually very little rain, while winter is usually cold and sometimes frozen.
| 21 Mar | 5:42am | 5:54pm |
| 21 Jun | 4:31am | 8:53pm |
| 21 Sep | 6:25am | 6:41pm |
| 21 Dec | 7:36am | 3:40pm |
Hotels in Kraków are quite cheap by European standards, and good deals are often available in the 3- and 4-star range, so don’t automatically look for a 1-star hotel or a hostel. There are cheaper hotels that are well away from the city center, but standards at those can be low, and the area is often inconvenient.
Krakow hotels and hostels experience their high season during summer, especially July and August. Prices have been rising as newer and better hotels have opened, but good deals are still possible, particularly from November through March. Krakow has several highly regarded hostels, most of which have private rooms, so that’s a good option for those on a budget.
| Rating | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
 | 18.28 - 43.01 |
| 24.73 - 60.22 |
| 29.03 - 81.72 |
| 58.06 - 139.78 |
| 107.53 - 181.72 |
| Type | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
| Hostel Bed | 7.41 - 19.35 |
Krakow Airport is a major hub for tourists and offers good fares from within Europe, although not always cheap for longer flights.
The train service within Poland is still fairly slow compared to its western neighbors, but it’s efficient and fares are reasonable. You can take trains to or from Warsaw or other major Polish cities, as well as from Prague, Berlin, Vienna, and Budapest. Those trains are pretty slow, so a cheap flight is sometimes better.
Krakow is very pedestrian friendly and it’s rather flat so it’s great for walking.
The city has a tram system and buses as well, although they can be confusing to newcomers.
Taxis are always available and are fairly cheap by European standards.
| Type | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
| Taxi from airport to city center | 20.85 - 22.27 |
| Public bus from airport to city center | 0.95 |
| 3km taxi ride in Krakow | 2.61 - 4.74 |
| Tram/bus ride in Krakow | 0.66 - 0.90 |
| All-day tram/bus pass | 3.55 |