Realistic 9-Day, 8-Night Poland Travel Itinerary (Warsaw, Kraków, Gdańsk) + PDF

Strangely, Poland was never on my “travel radar” until recently. Spurred by an offhand comment by my brother about wanting to visit Auschwitz and my seeing this as the perfect opportunity to reconnect after more years apart than I’m willing to admit, so we began the planning. Unsurprisingly, “the algorithm” quickly picked up on this and bombarded all my social feeds with Poland travel inspiration reels, posts, and other media. I was enamored.

As both of us grew up with mild travel PTSD from childhood trips which required being out the door by 6 AM, walking upwards of 10-plus miles before noon, and following a rigid, relentless schedule, we knew that overplanning the trip wasn’t in the cards. 

However, as two early-to-mid-thirty-somethings both known to enjoy a restful and excessive 12-hour snooze, we needed (at least) a blueprint. What we found was our “rough” Poland travel blueprint and itinerary evolved into so much more than we could have ever imagined, making it what I consider to be the most memorable and special trip I’ve ever taken.

I’m not here to tell you that I’m an expert on traveling in Poland and planning vacation itineraries. I’m also not here to include anything my brother and I didn’t do ourselves. I hope this itinerary serves as a starting point when planning your future travel to Poland and provides some inspiration and ideas about what you’d like to do and see, how to navigate the country, and what you can feasibly fit into your trip.  

So, without further ado, here is my realistic 9-day, 8-night, 3-city Poland travel itinerary down to a T. 

This is Part 1 of the itinerary. You can access Part 2 here.

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Pale Ale Travel Note: This Poland itinerary doesn’t lay out exactly how long I think you should spend doing each activity as this really depends on each person and/or group. However, I will break each day down into ‘Morning’, ‘Afternoon’, and ‘Night’ to give you a better feel of the timeframe in which my brother and I tackled things.

Poland Hotel Recommendations

Before diving into the itinerary, make sure to check out my post breaking down the four hotels I stayed at and recommend for each city on this Poland itinerary. I dive into what I loved about each and what I didn’t care for.

4 Hotels in Poland For Your Next Trip

Poland Restaurant, Cafe, & Bar Mega-Doc

If you want a complete list of all the restaurants I’ve eaten at in Poland (even after my brother left), along with my arbitrary ratings and comments, make sure to check out the link here: 

Poland Restaurants, Cafes, & Bars 

This doc can be used to supplement restaurants, bars, or cafes mentioned below and are all places I can personally vouch for. 

Keep in mind that I spent the least amount of time in Gdańsk, so everything you see in this itinerary is in the doc. 

However, I spent one month in Warsaw and one month in Kraków, making sure to try a new restaurant, cafe, or bar each day, so my Rolodex will be far more robust in those two cities (and it’s growing).

Day 1: Thursday (Warsaw)

Overview

• Łazienki Park

• Hotel check-in

• Lunch at PierOgarnia

• Warsaw Old Town

• Vistula River walk

• Dinner at Soul Kitchen

Morning - Meetup & Łazienki Park

Today is the first day of arriving in the city and getting settled. If you arrive in Warsaw in the morning and have some time to kill before checking into your hotel or meeting up with other members of your group, head to Łazienki Park (aka ‘Royal Baths Park’) to stroll around and take in some fresh air. 

This former baths park now houses a Chopin Monument, manicured gardens and hedges, small lakes and ponds, various museums, and an array of birds and small critters like peacocks and red squirrels. I also encountered a man rockin’ out on the oboe with a backing track on a small stage, so expect musical performances as well!  

I consider Łazienki Park one of the greenest and most beautiful urban parks I’ve ever been to and is a spot where you can walk around, picnic, and post up all day. There’s even a handful of small coffee and ice cream carts, and cafes scattered across the park and its outskirts - making it the perfect spot to recover and fuel up for your day/trip ahead.

While I actually went to Łazienki Park on our last day of the trip (after my brother had flown out in the morning), I can’t imagine a better way to start your trip off than with a peaceful walk to decompress and shake off that airplane stank. And, it’s completely free. 

Pale Ale Travel Tip: If you need a caffeine hit, there are two coffee chains and cafes that can be found on almost every corner of Warsaw - Green Caffe Nero and Costa Coffee. Both serve up strong coffee, have WiFi, and are nice little reprieves from the hustle and bustle of the city. CoffeeDesk is also another favorite cafe of mine, with several locations spread across the city. All (except Costa) included in my post on laptop-friendly cafes in Warsaw.

Afternoon - Hotel Check-In, Lunch, Old Town, & Vistula River

Take a breather. Go check in to your hotel (see my recommendations above!) and change your underpants. We stayed at the InterContinental Warsaw, an IHG Hotel, directly across from the Palace of Culture and Science in the city center. 

Grab a coffee in the lobby and gear up to hit the streets to eat and explore. It’s time to get the taste of whatever prepackaged meal you were served in 37A on your flight out of your mouth. 

You’re in Poland after all, so pierogi are in order (and already long overdue). Head over to PierOgarnia to sample from a wide range of this beloved Polish staple. 

My brother and I opted for a 9-piece assorted platter and loaded up on pierogi with cabbage and mushrooms, pierogi with meat, and the signature, pierogi with potato and bacon (the latter being my favorite). 

What was fantastic about PierOgarnia was the ability to choose between melted butter, sour cream, or bacon bits on top (instead of having sour cream served as the de facto topping). Both my brother and I aren’t particularly fond or biologically capable of eating sour cream (he’s lactose intolerant). 

You’ll find 10-plus pierogi combinations along with dim sum and soft drinks (and beer), meaning there’s surely something for everyone. 

With a little food in your belly and pep in your step, make your way over to Warsaw’s Old Town to explore and take a walk along the Vistula River (one of my favorite activities). 

Warsaw’s Old Town boasts cobblestone streets and reconstructed medieval buildings (which were wiped out during WWII), along with countless historical churches and quaint little back alleys.

My brother and I headed to the Old Town Market Square (the oldest part of Warsaw’s Old Town), which was reconstructed to look as it did in the 17th century to snap some pictures and allow ourselves to “get lost.” 

We gawked at Warsaw’s most well-known castle, the Royal Castle in Warsaw, checked out one of the city’s most famous landmarks called Sigismund’s Column (a Corinthian column commemorating King Sigismund III Vasa), along with the Warsaw Barbican (a fortified 16th-century defense wall) and Warsaw Mermaid (a statue and iconic symbol of Warsaw), and weaved in and out of the cobblestone streets before making our way east to the Vistula River. 

You’ll find the west side of the Vistula (the side closest to the Old Town) lined with small beer bars, cafes, and restaurants, most with outdoor seating (and some even with “lawn chair seating” in sandboxes). This is called Vistula Boulevard. 

We walked just over half a mile 1km-plus) to a little beach bar called Kalima - pływająca plaża przycumowana przy pomniku Syreny (what a name)’, grabbed a beer, sat outside, and caught up (it had been over six years since we last saw each other).

Also, make sure to walk across to the Praga side of Warsaw via the newest 452-meter long pedestrian and bicycle bridge. It has become a popular spot for walks and photo shoots at night which lights up and takes on an other-worldly glow somewhere between amber and gold.

After a not-so-quick beer, we made our way back to the hotel, stopping by the University of Warsaw’s quirky but stunning library (and garden) and lush Park Kazimierzowski (another fantastic urban park to take a walk around). 

Other Museum Recommendations:

• POLIN Museum of the History of the Polish Jews: One of the most comprehensive and informative museums I’ve been to. Built on the site of the former Warsaw Ghetto, the POLIN Museum paints a vivid picture of the migration, existence, and traditions of the Polish jews (from the First Crusade onwards) and their turbulent yet resilient history. This was a standout museum and one that you need, at minimum, 3 hours to truly explore (I spent upwards of 5 hours).

• Copernicus Science Center: Having received a C- in university-level physics (“the Physics of Music” to be exact), I felt intellectually compelled to check out the Copernicus Science Center (located on the bank of the Vistula River). With over 400 exhibits, a planetarium, and hands-on science workshops, this science center covers everything from astronomy to robotics. It’s definitely more geared towards children, however, that’s not to say that you’ll be out of place as an adult (or group). I recommend allocating, at minimum, 3 to 4 hours to ensure you cover all the exhibits, workshops, and experiments. It’s the perfect rainy day activity.  

• The Warsaw Rising Museum: An in-depth and interactive history of the Warsaw Uprising of 1944 by the Polish underground resistance against German occupation. This multi-floor museum includes everything from love letters of insurgents to the weapons used, films, and recordings and stories from uprising participants. There’s even a full-size B-24 Liberator (bomber plane) on display in the Freedom Hall. This took me just over 3 hours to complete but I would recommend a lotting at least 4 hours due to the number of tour groups and visitors. 

Keep these above recommendations in mind for your last full day in Warsaw (below). 

Night - Dinner at Soul Kitchen & Night Walk Around the Palace of Culture and Science

My brother was jet lagged and fading hard, so I dropped him off at home and headed to dinner, first stopping in front of the second tallest building in Warsaw (and Poland) - the Palace of Culture and Science.

Stopping and taking in its ethereal, illuminated aura every night became somewhat of a “daily constitutional” for this Big Body (as I remained in Warsaw for several weeks after). 

Recommended by some Warsaw Redditors, Soul Kitchen is an upmarket, seasonal Polish and European eatery serving up enormous portions of hearty, refined classics. 

I can confidently say it is home to the best steak tartare I’ve ever tossed down this gullet of mine (the tableside mixing was also appreciated). 

It was made all the better by the guy cranking out classics like ‘Stand By Me’ on a violin and the gregarious bartender who humored my overindulgence in food and drink. I followed the tartare up with a signature Polish sour soup (with egg and horseradish) and mammoth egg-topped schnitzel (schabowy) and potatoes. 

Soul Kitchen is a must for anyone who wants to experience refined and seasonal takes on traditional Polish cuisine - I recommend making reservations in advance (they barely snuck me in and I think the only reason I snagged a seat at the bar was because I was solo). 

I capped the night off with a walk back through the ‘Centrum’ and took in the lively atmosphere of flower sellers, fire twirlers, and Warsaw locals out and about for the evening. 

That’s day one in the books.

Day 2: Friday (Warsaw → Kraków)

Overview

• 2.5 hour train from Warsaw to Kraków

• Hotel check-in

• Vistula River run/walk

• Coffee/beer/snack at MAK Bread&Coffee

• Explore Kazimierz & Kraków Old Town

• Dinner at POD LELIWA Restauracja Polska

Morning - Train to Kraków & Hotel Check-In

We reserved the morning for travel to Kraków. Having failed to secure train tickets online prior, we ran into a small hiccup with no available trains out of Warsaw Centralna. Luckily, we were able to snag two 12:30 PM tickets out of Warsaw Gdańska (the train station to the north of Warsaw) and took a 10-minute taxi ride up to Warsaw Gdańska. 

Taxis can be found right outside of Warsaw Centralna’s entrance should you run into the same issue as us. 

My brother and I opted to purchase our morning coffee and snacks at one of the small snack stalls at Warsaw Gdańska and waited for our train. 

The journey from Warsaw to Kraków is only 2.5 hours by train (granted you book a ticket with 0 stops) and puts you slightly to the northeast of Kraków’s Old Town and directly north of the Jewish Quarter (Kazimierz). 

Pale Ale Travel Tip: If you want a real Polish train experience, consider heading to the food and beverage carriage to grab a beer, coffee, or bite - you’ll find a mix of locals and other travelers stretching their legs and socializing. 

If you’re staying in Kraków’s Old Town, it’s a very modest and doable 15 to 20-minute walk (just over 1 km). However, if you’re staying in Kazimierz, I recommend exiting and taking a taxi or Uber and/or Bolt to your hotel/accommodation (it’s over 3 km). 

The tram (numbers 13, 19, and 34) also runs from Kraków Główny to Kazimierz. Just follow the signs from the main hall.   

Afternoon - Walk/Run Along the Vistula & Explore Kazimierz + Old Town

After checking into our hotel, the Puro Hotel in Kazimierz, we grabbed a quick coffee at MAK Bread&Coffee (attached to the hotel), a hip bakery and wine bar with all-day breakfast options. We then changed into our athletic gear for a run along the Vistula River. 

The Vistula River covers a lot of ground in Poland and can be found weaving through and splitting numerous cities in half. Of the Vistula River runs and walks my brother and I did, Kraków’s Vistula River view and route are unparalleled in terms of beauty. 

We both considered our runs/walks along the Vistula River in Kraków a top 3 highlight of the trip, so I strongly recommend getting out there, doing as the locals do, and getting some steps in (or, consider renting a bicycle from one of the many shops located in the Old Town). 

Or, grab a bottle of wine (or other drinks), snacks, and a blanket/towel, and head down to the riverside for a picnic or just to lounge. You’ll be in good company. 

Post-run, we grabbed a local beer and sparkling water at MAK Bread&Coffee and sat at their outside tables, getting our Vitamin D dose for the day and de-sweatifying. 

Pale Ale Travel Tip: Find yourself a great hotel or accommodation that has a cafe/restaurant connected to it. This allowed my brother and I to get moving quickly and out the door each morning without having to worry about locating a coffee shop or cafe. It was also a nice refuge to spend time when one of us needed a breather in the room or needed to tackle a little work (fast WiFi for the win). For long-term stays, I wouldn’t worry about this as much but when you have a finite number of days, it can really save extra time in the morning. 

After showering and changing, it was time to grab a snack and explore both the (a) Jewish quarter (Kazimierz), and (b) Old Town. 

Kazimierz, Kraków’s historic Jewish quarter is now home to renovated synagogues and churches, chic cafes and art galleries, museums, and other quirky little shops and somewhere you could spend all day walking around. 

It’s also home to Plac Nowy, or what I call ‘Zapiekanka Town’ (a term I just created for this) - a collection of individual zapiekanka sellers who sell this famous open-faced sandwich and Polish street food snack from a brick hexagonal brick building (a pre-war poultry slaughterhouse). The perimeter is also lined with burger, kebab, and other snack stalls. 

We stopped here and tried the famous zapiekanka for the first time at Mrs&Mr Zapiekanka. To be honest, it doesn’t really matter which stall you order from as they are all definitely within the same quality ballpark (which is pretty darn good).  

I’m currently a zapiekanka ‘ride or die’ and have been eating these popular snacks on the regular. They’re highly customizable and can even be a meal on their own. My brother was able to even order one without cheese. 

Just prepare yourself to be mobbed by a flock of overweight pigeons who know you’re bound to let some of your zapiekanka toppings fall to the ground in the course of picture taking. 

You’ll also find assorted food trucks serving up everything from zapiekanki to pierogi, hotdogs, and Asian cuisine at the Street Food Market (just south of Plac Nowy). 

Night - Explore Old Town & Dinner at POD LELIWA Restauracja Polska

By now, it was nighttime - even though it was still bright out (you have to love Europe in the summer). We made our way from Kazimierz to Kraków’s Old Town (aka ‘Stare Miasto’), the historical and entertainment epicenter of Kraków. 

It’s snuggly delineated by several kilometers of gardens and trees on its perimeter, known as Planty (where a moat and old city walls used to exist). We made our way to the center, referred to as Rynek Główny, a medieval square and the central point where all Old Town streets ultimately converge. It’s actually the world’s largest medieval marketplace. 

Kraków’s Old Town is also home to several other smaller squares and marketplaces which make for great picture opportunities, for browsing, eating, and shopping. 

We spent the night walking around and soaking in the atmosphere of the Old Town rather than going to any specific site and/or monument. Our goal was to grab a quick bite and be in bed as early as possible due to needing to be up and out the door by 6:30 AM the next morning for our guided tour of Auschwitz and Birkenau. 

If it’s summer in Poland, you need to sit outside while eating dinner. There’s nothing quite like slugging an ice-cold Polish lager and chowing down on hearty cuisine while absorbing the energy of the city and watching the sunset. My brother and I, fuller than expected from the monster zapiekanki we just devoured, settled on POD LELIWA Restauracja Polska - a cozy restaurant with outdoor seating focusing on ‘reimagined’ Polish cuisine and quality wines.  

Now, take this as you will but my brother said the beef medallion salad was a contender for the best thing he ate all trip. It was something he would bring up on subsequent days as a gastronomic highlight. Something so simple yet so packed with flavor and quality ingredients.

We, of course, had to order a beef and bacon pierogi, and I followed that up with a (lighter) roasted salmon with cherry tomatoes, oyster mushrooms, spinach, and potatoes. Other Polish classics included the schabowy (schnitzel), placki ziemniaczane (potato pancakes), and signature sour soup (a cabbage smoked meat soup made from fermented rye flour). 

Post-dinner, we raced back home to ensure that we secured a solid 7 to 8 hours of sleep before our big day. 

Pale Ale Travel Note: Keep in mind that my brother and I don’t typically eat breakfast on the days we travel/take the train and generally opt to pick up a quick snack at a Zabka (convenience store) or small coffee stall. I should note that my brother did sneak off at the train station in Gdańsk to pregame our ride back to Warsaw with some KFC. 

Day 3: Saturday (Kraków)

Overview

• Early wake-up and van pick-up for Auschwitz + Birkenau Tour

• Auschwitz & Birkenau guided tour

• Relax & coffee at MAK Bread&Coffee

• Wawel Castle  + sunset

• Dinner at Pierwszy Stopien Restaurant

• Post-dinner walk around Kazimierz

Morning - Auschwitz & Birkenau Tour

Day three really writes itself thanks to the Auschwitz and Birkenau guided tour. This is something that you have to book in advance for either (a) guided tour or (b) personalized entry. 

I recommend the tour company Hello Cracow, which worked out to around USD 70 (EUR 65) per person (USD 140 for two people) for a 7-hour tour. We paid slightly more for the 15-person tour group rather than the 30-person tour group which clocks in at USD 50 (EUR 45). I think this was the way to go and we only ended up with 10 people in our group. 

We were picked up at 6:30/6:45 AM and arrived at Auschwitz just after 8 AM. There is a quick stop along the way to grab a coffee or drink/snack at a gas station. 

Pale Ale Travel Tip: Make sure to wear comfortable walking and/or running shoes, as you’ll definitely get your steps in, and load up on snacks and waters/drinks (there are only a few select spots to pick up snacks or drinks).

I’m not entirely sure what to say about Auschwitz and Birkenau other than this is a must-visit if you make your way down to Kraków. 

The tour is divided into two parts, beginning first with Auschwitz and finishing with Birkenau (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), just a 5 to 10-minute drive away - with a 15-minute break in the middle. It includes live audio, narrated by a guide, and explores the original barracks, gas chambers, railway(s), and crematoriums. 

Once the tour gets rolling (after you pass through security, etc…), the Auschwitz portion lasts from roughly 8:30 AM to 10:30 AM, while Birkenau is shorter and lasts from 11 AM to 12 - 12:30 PM. 

It’s powerful, emotional, horrifying, and highly sensitive, so make sure to be respectful and avoid taking photographs or videos in specific areas. I feel strange saying that something so devastating was a highlight of the trip. However, stepping foot on the soil where the worst human atrocity has ever occurred was eye-opening and painted a vivid picture of something we should all strive not to forget (or let repeat). 

I also recommend dressing appropriately, as I didn’t find it particularly respectful to see people rocking up in Van Halen t-shirts and tank tops. 

Afternoon - Rest & Explore Wawel Castle

The tour had us back at the hotel by around 1:30 PM to 2 PM, which was earlier than anticipated and allowed us to grab a quick bite and rest a little. When in Europe, it’s mandatory to grab a kebab at some point on the trip. They are my go-to lunch and/or dinner on nights when I want something filling, tasty, and quick. 

We stopped at Kebaber (there are several locations around Kraków), a little hole-in-the-wall kebab shop, and a 5-minute walk from our hotel. We each picked up a mixed kebab and Pepsi Max. 

Of all the kebabs I’ve eaten thus far in Europe, Kebaber is in the top five percent. It’s not overly greasy, the bread is high quality (you can choose either Arabic or Turkish bread), the sauces are well mixed, and the meat has a sound fat content (fat = more flavor).   

Rest up. We went back to relax in the room for several hours. I must have been so pumped up on the kebab that I was unable to sleep so I headed downstairs to MAK Bread&Coffee to send off some emails and caffeinate. 

I can’t stress enough just how work-friendly and spacious this cafe is and somewhere I’ll continue to post up and work.

After recalibrating, it was time to explore Wawel Castle, a stunning, fortified 14th-century royal residence (and complex) and iconic symbol of Polish statehood that overlooks the Vistula River. 

It boasts the Wawel Royal Castle State-Art Collection, a top-20 most visited museum in the world which is home to 10 curatorial departments and collections of every art medium from the Italian Renaissance, Ottoman and oriental art, and other historic art associated with the kings and queens of Poland. 

You’ll also find the Wawel Cathedral, a Gothic cathedral and coronation site of Polish monarchs, royal gardens, and various sculptures (the Dragon’s Den being our favorite). 

We arrived just after closing (5 PM) but spent an hour or so walking around the courtyard and snapping pictures. This was a nice low-key activity after what was an emotionally intensive and draining morning and early afternoon.

Pale Ale Travel Tip: Now you know why I mentioned it’s important to book a hotel that either has its own cafe/restaurant or one nearby. 

Night - Dinner at Pierwszy Stopien Restaurant & Walk Around Kazimierz

If you’re anything like my brother and I, then it’s already been a big day for you. We decided to opt for dinner within walking distance from our hotel at Pierwszy Stopien Restaurant, a restaurant specializing in locally sourced ingredients and wines. 

You’ll find everything from traditional Polish soups (the homemade tomato soup was superb) and pierogi (goose dumplings), to takes on more international bites including thick burgers (including veggie burgers), bourbon-glazed ribs, zander fish, and even shashlik (skewered meat). It’s worth noting that Pierwszy Stopien Restaurant sports an incredibly vegan and vegetarian-friendly menu.

What you can expect is fresh, high-quality food made with ingredients provided by local farmers. They also serve up a mean Aperol Spritz which had me in a state of delirious ecstasy and ready to call it a night. 

We finished the night with a walk around Kazimierz and picked up some water and electrolytes at the nearest Zabka (my absolute favorite convenience store). 

Day 4: Sunday (Kraków)

Overview

• Breakfast and coffee

• Walk along the Vistula

• Rynek Underground - Museum of Kraków

• Souvenir shopping along Stolarska

• Relax and people-watch at Fable Cafe (Stolarska)

• St. Florian’s Gate + Kraków Barbican

• Vistula river run/walk

• Dinner at Smaki Gruzji

• Sunset walk through Kazimierz and along the Vistula River

Morning - Walk Along the Vistula, Rynek Underground Museum

Day 4 was meant to be somewhat of a recovery day, however, it somehow turned into one of the biggest days for total steps accrued (which, with the amount that we were eating, that’s actually a good thing). 

We started the morning off with a coffee and cinnamon roll at MAK Bread&Coffee, which definitely gave the nostalgic mall bakery chain ‘Cinnabon’ a run for their money. We mutually agreed that the day would be one of exploration and “going with the flow,” something that was readily apparent less than 10 minutes into our morning walk along the Vistula. 

We walked west along the river (from our hotel), with plans of making our way up to the Old Town, and encountered what turned out to be the Great Dragon Parade - an annual (first weekend of June) open-air event with countless food, snack, drink, and games stalls along the Vistula boulevard and procession through the Old Town. 

For your Kraków trip, keep an eye out for local events over at: https://Kraków.travel/en and https://funinpoland.pl/. 

My brother and I turned to one another and acknowledged this was definitely in line with being spontaneous and going with the flow. We loaded up on some small (and not-so-small) bites, including a chebureki (a Crimean Tatar deep-fried turnover stuffed with meat), mixed shashlik (skewered meat), and rib-stuffed pierogi. 

The Vistula River really is where everyday life in Kraków (and Poland) is best experienced as the overwhelming number of tourists in the Old Town can sometimes feel “inauthentic.” So, if you want a glimpse into how locals spend their time, a walk or run along the Vistula is the thing to do. 

Also, consider looping over to the Podgórze (district) side of the Vistula and making your way over to the mysterious, prehistoric mound Krakus Mound. It’s the oldest man-made structure in Kraków (some might say it’s Kraków’s Stonehenge) and boasts incredible views of the city.

This is one of my top recommendations of where to spend a morning or afternoon!

Pale Ale Travel Tip: For a glimpse into local life and produce shopping, head just north of the Old Town to Stary Kleparz (the oldest operating marketplace in Kraków and a candidate for city’s busiest market). Also, keep an eye out for the Art & Food Bazaar where you can sample fresh seafood, check out local artists, and eat your fill of other delicious foods! It runs once a month through the entire year.

It was then time for, you guessed it, a Zabka run, where we loaded up on refreshments and took a little breather from eating more than we planned. We watched as the ‘Great Dragon Parade’ made its way through Rynek Główny (the main medieval square). 

After the parade, we purchased tickets for the Rynek Underground Museum - a subterranean interactive museum (located directly under Rynek Główny) recreating the feel of Kraków several hundred years ago and outlining the city’s medieval history, trade routes, and constituents. 

This was another highlight of our educational journey through Poland and a much-appreciated opportunity to learn about a prosperous and industrious history that may sometimes fall second or third to some of the darker (yet essential) educational themes of Kraków. 

I recommend allotting anywhere from 2 to 3 hours to the Rynek Underground Museum. 

The Rynek Underground Museum is a branch of the Historical Museum of the City of Kraków, so you’ll actually purchase tickets in the Historical Museum’s ticket office (located in Krzysztofory Palace). You’ll then walk directly across the square to Rynek Główny and enter there. 

The Historical Museum of the City of Kraków is a collection of 14 divisions/exhibitions scattered across Kraków. When purchasing tickets, you’ll be asked if you want to view the Krzysztofory Palace Museum (headquarters of the museum), which houses maps, paintings, photographs, artifacts, and other objects (including nativity scenes) from 16th to 20th century Kraków, or the ‘Rynek Underground Museum’. 

Both provide in-depth looks into Kraków’s history - the latter being interactive.  

Pale Ale Travel Tip: Keep in mind that most museums in Poland offer ‘free museum’ days’. The Rynek Underground Museum offers free entrance on Tuesdays. I recommend conducting a quick search online for any museum you plan to visit to see what days they offer free entrance. The only thing to note is that tickets may be limited, so the earlier you get there, the better your chances. 

Afternoon - Souvenir Shopping in Old Town, St. Florian’s Gate, Kraków Barbican

Post-Rynek Underground Museum, don’t forget to pick up some souvenirs. We made our way over to Stolarska Street in the Old Town (just a stone’s throw away from the Rynek Museum) and the intersection of Sienna Street and Maly Rynek to pick up some small trinkets for our mother. 

You’ll find a little outdoor souvenir market complete with shirts, magnets, postcards, and other small gifts (and even snack stands) here, so take some time to look around and pick up something for a family member or friend back home. Sukiennice, a large market hall erected in the 13th- century, is located in Rynek Główny and a go-to spot for souvenir shopping.

It’s by far the most popular and a great single location that should have everything you need.

It’s time to caffeinate. We had walked by an energetic, quaint cafe with outdoor seating called Fable Cafe | Specialty Coffee | Breakfast located right on Stolarska Street. It was perfect for people-watching. We tossed back several espressos and mango lemonades while decompressing. 

With caffeine in our veins and knowledge of Kraków’s history in our…brains? We rounded out the afternoon with a walk to St. Florian’s Gate, an iconic Polish-Gothic tower and fortification considered the ‘main entrance’ to Kraków’s Old Town. 

This is a public landmark that doesn’t require an admission ticket (it’s free) and is a popular photo spot (especially at night when it’s lit up). It’s one of the few well-preserved fortifications of the city and definitely worth a 15 to 20-minute exploration (paired with the Kraków Barbican below).  

It’s also a 1-minute walk from the Kraków Barbican (which it used to be connected to via a bridge), a fortified outpost, and one of the few remaining defensive barriers that once protected the city. There are only 3 of these fortified outposts remaining in all of Europe. 

Night - Run Along the Vistula River & Dinner at Smaki Gruzji

As we spent the morning walking east along the Vistula River, it was only fitting that we started the night out with a quick 30-minute run to the west. This allowed us to work up more of an appetite for dinner, as we knew we were in for a big one. 

It was my brother’s first time trying Georgian food - a cuisine that has become a somewhat regular staple for me. 

One thing that I learned in the year I previously spent living between Vienna, Budapest, and Split is that you shouldn’t just limit yourself to the cuisine of the country you’re in. The seamless travel between borders means that you have access to some of the best cuisines anywhere in Europe, Western Asia, Central Asia, and beyond.  

Georgian cuisine is the perfect dinner to cap off a long day of walking and physical exercise due to how hearty it is. It emphasizes leavened dough, grilled meats, cheeses, and wine. My brother selected a Georgian restaurant called Smaki Gruzji on the border of Kazimierz and the Old Town (just before Planty).

We loaded up on the famous khinkali (Georgian soup dumplings with a thick doughy top), tolma (this one was minced meat stuffed grape leaves rather than cabbage), a beef broth-based soup, Georgian bread, and grilled pork with potatoes and a cucumber-tomato salad. 

The verdict? Pure Georgian bliss and one of the top meals of the trip. Filling, fresh, and soul-warming. That’s Georgian food in a nutshell. We were ready for another 30,000-plus steps (just kidding, we were ready for bed). My brother described the grilled pork as the best pork he’d ever eaten and finished it within approximately 6 minutes. 

As I mentioned above, he is lactose intolerant so we opted against the cheesy, doughy khachapuri (I did throw back a huge one at Gaga Restauracja Gruzińska in Warsaw so I wasn’t too fussed). 

We finished the night with a stroll through Planty and Kazimierz, ending with one final walk along the Vistula (to better digest). 

Please see Part 2 for the second half of the itinerary 😉 - Beehiiv’s word limit won’t let me post the whole thing

Travel well,

Big Body