Three days in Krakow

So why have we prepared this brochure for our visitors? We do not promise that the newcomer will be able to visit Krakow in 3 days. The tourist has a lot to learn: the multitude of historical monuments that make up the historical fabric of the city, the rich artistic and cultural life, the magical atmosphere that makes the locals and visitors have countless opportunities to slow down, stop, look ... At the same time Krakow is perhaps the only Among the well-known historical cities in which even a short visit can give you many impressions and feelings of full, undefiled satisfaction.

And that's what we want to offer you. Such a look at Krakow, which will make you feel the atmosphere of the city, sometimes lazy, sometimes full of events, but always unique. Let's try to look at Cracow together, see how best to spend the three days here - and see why we'll be coming back here.



Arrival and climate

It is easy to reach Krakow - it was always at the crossroads of important trade routes, at the crossroads of cultures and political influences, and today it is recognized as the most important tourist destination in Poland. The network of rail, road and air connections, Balice - the second largest and the number of airport passengers in the country - makes Krakow one of the most easily accessible cities in this part of Europe. Further facilities - from the A4 motorway via attractive links with the world provided by low cost airlines, to the special railway line which brings travelers from Balic to the city center and the expanded network of public transport - open up a host of opportunities for tourists coming from closer and further corners of the world. Their stay in Cracow may look different, not only in relation to the purpose of arrival or accommodation, but also depending on the weather, the day of the week and the seasons (winter temperatures in Poland sometimes fall below -20 ° C, in summer temperatures often exceed 30 ° C ).

It is worth remembering that Kraków is the capital of Małopolska - highland, in the mountainous part of the region with many spa, recreational and agritourism resorts. Both summer and winter visit to the city so easy to combine with leisure in the mountains.



Live comfortably

Krakow has the best tourist base in Poland, adapted to the needs of tourists with a variety of wallets. In the center and its immediate vicinity there are several dozen high-standard hotels, including the world's largest chains. On the other hand - there are many intimate objects located just off the Main Market Square, allowing you to start sightseeing immediately after breakfast. The rich offer of hostels and apartments, especially popular in Krakow's Kazimierz district, allows you to find affordable accommodation at any time of the year.

Almost all of these places have free Internet access - just like in many Krakow cafes and restaurants - and in selected areas of the city you can use the wireless connection provided by the Cracovian local government free of charge. Additional hands-free mobile applications (for GPS devices and bluetooth technology) are available for free in the city. They also play an important role in the innovative route in Poland - the Royal Road for Disabled Tourism - equipped with facilities for tourists with mobility disorders and the blind and visually impaired. By default, all such services are available in at least 2 languages ​​(Polish and English).

It is worth mentioning that, due to the unprecedented concentration of tourist attractions, the distance between them (within the Old Town and Kazimierz) is easy to walk with, and in such a case a dense tram network provides the possibility of rapid travel from point to point - in hours The summit usually works better than with the help of a taxi. Ticket machines located at key stops are also carriers of up-to-date, basic tourist information.

Currently the following tourist routes are marked:

The paths of John Paul II, Royal Road, Royal Road for the disabled tourist, University Route, Jewish Heritage Route, St. The route of the history of the Podgorze, the Ghetto - the Route of Remembrance 1941-1943, the Trail of the Fortress of Krakow, the Krakow Technology Trail, the Krakow Trail of Saints and three tourist and cultural district routes: Bronowice, Prądnik Czerwony and Swoszowice.

University route

In 2000, the Jubilee celebrated 600 years of renewal of the Jagiellonian University, the oldest Polish university. In 1400 Władysław Jagiełło revived the University, founded as the Academy of Krakow in 1364 by Casimir the Great. It is the oldest university in Central Europe after Prague. From him the intellectual thought radiated across Europe. The Golden Age is the time of Kraków's greatest glory, the shaping of the currents of humanism and the Reformation, defining the future of the identity of the city. Students of the Jagiellonian University were among others. Nicholas Copernicus, whose heliocentric theory became an epochal discovery, and Karol Wojtyla, later elected to the papal office (John Paul II).


The Jagiellonian University is at the forefront of Polish universities and plays a leading role among the 17 Cracow universities. The most important universities of the city include the AGH University of Science and Technology, the Cracow University of Technology, the Academy of Economics and the Academy of Fine Arts - the oldest art school in Poland. There are almost 100 research institutes in the city. The oldest scientific institution is the Polish Academy of Arts and Sciences, existing since 1816.

Royal Road for Disabled Tourism

The first mock-up on the route is a mock-up of the Barbican with fragments of the city walls situated next to the walls on the side of the Barbican. The next one is situated near the Floriańska Gate from the Old Town (depicting the whole area of ​​the Old Town, marking the Royal Route and its most important monuments). Another is the bas-relief of Jan Matejko's face placed on his house at ul. Florianska. The fourth presents St. Mary's Basilica and stands on pl. Mariacki. The fifth one is located on the right side of the entrance to the Town Hall Tower (depicting the Town Hall from the end of the 18th century).

Another mock-up on the route is a mock-up of the Cloth Hall - the present state (under the arcades opposite the St. Mary's Basilica); Cloister syndrome oo. Franciscans (at the entrance to the basilica from the square under the papal window), stained glass "God the Father - stand up!" Stanisław Wyspiański (in the Wyspiański Pavilion); Churches Andrzej and Św.ś. Peter and Paul - present state (at Grodzka St. before the fence of St. Peter and Paul Church); Image of the Romanesque window (mock-up on the wall surrounding the church of Saint Andrew at Grodzka Street); Palace bp. Erasmus Ciolek - state from the beginning. 17th century (in the hall of the palace at Kanoniczej Street); Wawel Hill - present state (modeled on the courtyard near the Tourist Information Center).