3 days in Kraków
on a budget
A cheap city break doesn't mean a dull one. This plan covers the Old Town, Kazimierz and Podgórze, and the socialist-realist district of Nowa Huta, mostly on foot and by tram, with a milk bar lunch every day. Most of the sights are free. Still deciding? Read is Kraków worth visiting (and is it safe).
Day 1 Old Town & Wawel the classics, mostly free
- MorningObwarzanek and the Main Square
Grab an obwarzanek from a blue street cart for breakfast and walk to the Rynek Główny. Stroll through the Cloth Hall arcade and listen for the trumpet call played every hour from the tower of St Mary's Basilica.
- Late morningRoyal Route to Wawel
Walk down Grodzka street to Wawel Hill. The hill and the castle courtyard are free to enter; exhibitions inside are paid. Don't miss the fire-breathing dragon statue down by the river.
- LunchBar Mleczny Pod Temidą
Grodzka 43, right on the way. Order a set lunch or pierogi ruskie. How to order →
On the map → - AfternoonPlanty park and the Barbican
Walk the green ring of the Planty around the Old Town to Florian's Gate and the Barbican.
- EveningSunset on the Vistula
Head down to the river boulevards below Wawel for sunset. Cheap evening snack: a zapiekanka in Kazimierz, ten minutes' walk away.
Day 2 Kazimierz & Podgórze Jewish quarter and the other bank
- MorningKazimierz
Explore Szeroka street, the old synagogues and the courtyards and street art of the former Jewish district. Plac Nowy has a small market most mornings.
- MiddayAcross the footbridge
Cross the Vistula on the Father Bernatek footbridge to Podgórze.
- LunchBar Mleczny Krakus
Limanowskiego 16, a classic Podgórze milk bar with daily set lunches.
On the map → - AfternoonGhetto Heroes Square and Krakus Mound
See the memorial chairs on Plac Bohaterów Getta. Book ahead if you want to visit Schindler's Factory museum (paid). Then climb Krakus Mound for a free view over the city.
- EveningPlac Nowy
Back in Kazimierz for zapiekanka and a cheap beer away from the Main Square.
Day 3 Nowa Huta the socialist-realist city
- MorningTram to Plac Centralny
Take a tram east to Plac Centralny, about half an hour from the centre. Nowa Huta was planned from 1949 as a model socialist town, with grand avenues and monumental housing blocks.
- Late morningAleja Róż and the estates
Walk the Avenue of Roses and the inner courtyards of the housing estates. Everything here is free to explore.
- LunchBar Mleczny Centralny
Os. Centrum C 1, a large milk bar right by Plac Centralny. Weekdays only: on a weekend, eat at Bar Mleczny Targowy back in town instead.
On the map → - AfternoonArka Pana and the meadows
See the modernist Lord's Ark church (Arka Pana) and walk the Nowa Huta meadows before taking the tram back.
Make it work on a budget
Get a 24-hour pass for Day 3
Days 1 and 2 are walkable. For Nowa Huta, a 24-hour pass (17 zł, Zone I) covers all the trams.
Lunch, not dinner
Milk bars close early in the evening. Plan your big meal at midday and keep evenings for street food.
Swap days around
Bar Mleczny Centralny is closed at weekends, so do Nowa Huta on a weekday if you can.
Free walking tours
Tip-based walking tours of the Old Town and Kazimierz leave from the Main Square daily. Pay what you think it was worth.
Before you go the practical bits
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FAQ
Is 3 days enough for Kraków?
Yes for the highlights: the Old Town and Wawel, Kazimierz and Podgórze, and one more district or a day trip. Add a fourth day for Auschwitz-Birkenau or the Wieliczka Salt Mine.
How much does a 3-day trip to Kraków cost?
On a shoestring, roughly 130–215 zł per person per day before accommodation extras, if you eat in milk bars and walk. See our Kraków prices guide for details.
How do I get from Kraków Airport to the centre cheaply?
The train to Kraków Główny costs around 20 zł. Buses 208 and 209 are covered by a 60-minute ticket (6 zł) but take longer.
Where should I eat in Kraków on a budget?
Milk bars for lunch, street food like zapiekanka and obwarzanek in between, and pubs away from the Main Square in the evening.