3 days in Krakow

Wawel Royal Castle

The former royal residence on Wawel Hill, visited through separate exhibitions: the State Rooms, the Royal Private Apartments, the Crown Treasury and the Castle Underground.

3 h 30 visit (official site suggests 1 h 50)Open 10:00 am–4:00 pmAdult ticket PLN 57

Choose one or two exhibitions rather than all of them. The State Rooms take about 50 minutes and the Private Apartments about 60.

Tickets can be bought online up to a month ahead, by email at least 14 days ahead, or at the ticket window. Book online if your dates are fixed.

Tuesday to Sunday 9:00 to 17:00, Monday 10:00 to 16:00, when only selected exhibitions are free. These are the November and December hours, and the castle is closed on 1 November. The hill itself stays open until 17:30 from November to March.

Source: Wawel Royal Castle, checked November 2, 2026

Wawel Cathedral

The coronation church of the Polish kings, with royal tombs and the Sigismund Bell. One ticket covers the cathedral, tombs and museums.

1 h 30 visitOpen 12:30 pm–4:30 pmAdult ticket PLN 26

Go early, when the crypts and the bell tower are quieter. The cathedral ticket is separate from the castle ticket.

Tickets are sold online on the cathedral's own site, separately from the castle. A guided tour is an option if you want the history explained.

Monday to Saturday 9:00 to 16:30, Sunday 12:30 to 16:30. The Cathedral Museum is open until 17:00 and closed on Sunday.

Source: Wawel Cathedral, checked November 2, 2026

Sukiennice Museum

The Gallery of 19th-century Polish Art on the first floor of the Cloth Hall.

1 h 15 visitOpen 10:00 am–6:00 pm · last entry 5:40 pmAdult ticket PLN 35

The ticket covers only the gallery upstairs. The market stalls on the ground floor are free to walk.

Tuesday to Sunday 10:00 to 18:00, closed on Monday. Last admission is 20 minutes before closing.

Source: National Museum in Kraków, Sukiennice, checked November 2, 2026

Floriańska Street and St Florian's Gate

The old royal route north from the Main Square to the medieval city gate.

40 min visitAlways open

The Barbican beside the gate was marked as temporarily closed on the Museum of Kraków's site, so check before you plan to go in.

Source: Municipal Office of Kraków, checked November 2, 2026

Main Square (Rynek Główny)

One of the largest medieval squares in Europe, with the Cloth Hall in the middle and St Mary's Basilica at one corner.

1 h 30 visitAlways open

Visit once in the morning and again at night, when the buildings are lit and the cafés fill up.

Source: Municipal Office of Kraków, checked November 2, 2026

Rynek Underground

A museum below the Main Square, built around the excavated remains of the medieval market.

1 h 30 visitOpen 10:00 am–3:00 pm · last entry 1:45 pmAdult ticket PLN 45

This is a good rainy-day stop, close to the Main Square.

Online booking is available through the museum's ticket system. Book online if you want a fixed time, or choose a guided visit that includes the ticket.

Monday 10:00 to 19:00, Tuesday 10:00 to 15:00, Wednesday and Thursday 10:00 to 19:00, Friday to Sunday 10:00 to 20:00. Closed on the second Monday of each month. Last entry is 75 minutes before closing.

Source: Museum of Kraków, Rynek Underground, checked November 2, 2026

Kazimierz

The old Jewish quarter south of the Old Town, with synagogues, small squares and a lively café scene.

4 h visitAlways open

Walk it in the late afternoon and stay for dinner, because Szeroka Street and Plac Nowy are better after the museums close.

Source: Municipal Office of Kraków, checked November 2, 2026

Oskar Schindler's Enamel Factory

A museum in the former enamel factory in Podgórze, with a permanent exhibition on Kraków under the German occupation.

2 h 30 visitOpen 10:00 am–3:00 pm · last entry 1:30 pmAdult ticket PLN 60

Book ahead and choose a morning slot. The guided option from the partner includes the ticket and takes about 90 minutes.

Tickets can be bought online up to 90 days ahead, and online sales close 6 hours before the visit. The box office sells tickets on the day depending on availability. Bring ID for a personal online ticket.

Monday 10:00 to 15:00, Tuesday to Sunday 9:00 to 20:00. Closed on the first Tuesday of the month. Last entry is 1.5 hours before closing.

Source: Museum of Kraków, Oskar Schindler's Enamel Factory, checked November 2, 2026

Old Synagogue

One of the oldest synagogue buildings in Poland, now a branch of the Museum of Kraków on Szeroka Street.

45 min visitOpen 10:00 am–3:00 pm · last entry 2:30 pmAdult ticket PLN 22

Combine it with a walk along Szeroka Street.

Monday 10:00 to 15:00, Tuesday to Sunday 9:00 to 17:00. Last entry is 30 minutes before closing. Closed on 11 and 12 November and on 10, 24, 25 and 31 December.

Source: Museum of Kraków, Old Synagogue, checked November 2, 2026

Czartoryski Museum

A branch of the National Museum in Kraków, home to Leonardo da Vinci's Lady with an Ermine.

1 h 40 visitOpen 10:00 am–6:00 pm · last entry 5:00 pmAdult ticket PLN 65

Choose an early time slot, when rooms are less crowded.

Tickets are sold for a set date and time, online or at the box office. Book ahead, because each ticket is for a set date and time.

Tuesday to Sunday 10:00 to 18:00, closed on Monday. Last entry is one hour before closing.

Source: National Museum in Kraków, Czartoryski Museum, checked November 2, 2026

St Mary's Basilica

The Gothic church on the Main Square, known for its carved altarpiece and the bugle call played from its tower.

1 h visitOpen 2:00 pm–6:00 pm · last entry 5:45 pmAdult ticket PLN 20

Use the south entrance, because the main door on the square is for prayer. Time your visit for the altarpiece opening.

Tickets are sold at the visitor point at Plac Mariacki 7, with no online reservation mentioned. A guided visit booked ahead includes the entrance.

Monday to Saturday 11:30 to 18:00, Sunday and holidays 14:00 to 18:00. The altarpiece opens at 11:50 on weekdays and 14:10 on Sundays. The ticket office closes 15 minutes before closing.

Source: St Mary's Basilica, checked November 2, 2026