10 Best Tours and Day Trips from Krakow

Krakow is a city steeped in history. Its medieval streets are home to monuments and legends that captivate travellers, and its surroundings are just as impressive. A guided tour is the best way to discover everything the city has to offer, and these are the best ones:

If you are staying in the centre of Krakow, you can walk to practically any point of interest in the city. However, you have probably noticed some small electric vehicles with panoramic views that travel around the city: these are eco-friendly cars and are a very popular means of getting around the centre as they have access to areas closed to traffic, such as the old town.

These types of vehicles are used for guided tours of the city. The driver will take you comfortably to see the main points of interest in Krakow while telling you everything you need to know about them. Tours can be booked online, and you can select the day and time that suits you best.

All these vehicles are similar: they have around four seats and are equipped with transparent covers for rain and blankets and heating for cold weather. The route may vary slightly between different tours, but almost all of them cover landmarks such as the Jewish quarter, Heroes' Square in the ghetto, and Oskar Schindler's factory. There are different options, but I recommend one of these two:

One-hour tour

Private tour of Krakow in an electric vehicle: In terms of value for money, this is one of the best options as the guide picks you up at your hotel and that is where the tour begins and ends. It is available in 26 languages, including Spanish and English.

One-and-a-half-hour tour

and a half with audio guide
This is an ideal option if you want to go at your own pace and listen to the recorded explanations by an expert (available in the language of your choice).

The city of Krakow was not spared from Nazi occupation, and even today there are many traces of the horror that was committed against the Jewish population. This guided tour of Krakow's Jewish quarter revisits this part of history with the aim of ensuring that it is never repeated in the future.

The tour of Krakow's Jewish quarter and Schindler's Factory lasts approximately 2 hours. It is available in different languages, including Spanish, French and English; simply select your preferred language when you book online.

Highlights of the tour include the Eagle Pharmacy Museum and the factory run by Oskar Schindler. If you haven't seen Spielberg's masterpiece, you should know that Schindler was a businessman who dedicated himself to saving Jews from concentration camps by hiring them for his factory.

Of all the tours and excursions available in and around Krakow, the most popular is undoubtedly the day trip to Auschwitz-Birkenau from Krakow, a place steeped in history.

What was once the most notorious extermination camp in Europe is now a museum that commemorates the horrors of Nazism and seeks to ensure that the memory of the victims is not forgotten. This tour includes return transport from your hotel in Krakow, entry to the complex and the services of an expert guide.

Although Auschwitz is referred to as a single concentration camp, there are actually three different camps, the best known being Auschwitz-Birkenau. On this tour, you will see all three camps, including the remains of the crematorium, letters written by some of the prisoners during their stay there, and the "camp" where the prisoners lived.

Although this visit can be done individually, doing it with an expert guide is essential to immerse yourself in the history. In this article, 4 Best Day Trips to Auschwitz from Krakow you will find more details on how to organise your visit.

When I heard about this excursion to the Wieliczka Salt Mines from Krakow, I was also surprised and wondered if it was really worth it. However, after doing it, I can say that I was pleasantly surprised as I discovered one of the most fascinating Polish monuments.

On this excursion, you will learn about mining techniques that have been used since the Middle Ages and see extraordinary statues made of salt in the likeness of important personalities. You will do all this while walking through a network of tunnels built 135 metres below the surface, which creates a microclimate that is beneficial for people with asthma and respiratory problems.

The excursion to the Wieliczka Salt Mines is available in Spanish, German, English, Italian and French. The price includes return transport from the centre of Krakow, entrance to the mines and the services of a specialist guide. The entire excursion takes around four hours. In this guide, 5 Best Day Trips to the Wieliczka Salt Mines from Krakow you will find all the information you need to organise your visit.

If you enjoy landscapes, I recommend this day trip to Pieskowa Skala Castle and Czestochowa from Krakow to see the famous Black Madonna, Poland's most venerated relic. This Virgin is located in the pilgrimage site of Czestochowa, but on the way you will pass by places such as the eagle's nest route and Pieskowa Skala Castle.

This guided tour gives you the chance to discover another side of Poland that would be difficult to access if you limited your visit to the city of Krakow. It is available in Spanish, English and Italian and costs €75, including transport and guide services.

If you want to get away to the mountains, you can take a trip to the town of Zakopane, located two hours by road from Krakow. Among other things, you will find the Tatra Mountains, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the natural border between Poland and Slovakia.

The destination is ideal for a walk in the summer months (the low temperatures in winter could make it very difficult and even dangerous at this time of year) and then admire the simple and welcoming architecture of the place.

If you want to get an overview of the Polish city and hear all the stories hidden in its streets, regardless of their theme, the best option is this half-day guided tour of Krakow.

A specialist guide will spend half the day with you, showing you the city's most outstanding monuments, telling you about the legends and historical events that made it what it is today, talking about the customs of its inhabitants, giving you recommendations for your trip and even accompanying you on visits to some of the main museums.

This half-day tour of Krakow includes admission to the museums visited during the tour. One of its advantages is that you will be in a group of no more than 12 travellers, creating a friendly atmosphere that will allow you to enjoy the experience even more, with explanations from the guide available in Spanish, English, German, Italian or French.

The tour will be on foot with some sections by bus. When you book online, you will be notified of the meeting point by email.

You also have the option of exploring Krakow in a very comfortable and sustainable way with this bicycle tour, which allows you to explore the city and its hidden corners.

Itinerary

Another getaway from Krakow is a trip to the Pieniny Nature Park, where the Dunajec River is located. This option is ideal for avoiding crowds and spending a quiet, relaxing day away from the stress of the city. In less than two hours, you'll be in a natural setting where they say there is a hidden Inca treasure; personally, I think the real treasure is the view of Niedzica Castle, located in this setting.

This city, located three hours by road from Krakow, may not be one of the best known in the country, but its historic centre is definitely worth a visit, especially if you take a guided tour where you can learn about the history of the place. The surrounding countryside was used as the setting for the film The Chronicles of Narnia. Don't forget to visit the Jewish quarter.

The capital of Poland is three and a half hours from Krakow; if you hurry, you can go and return in a day, or you can book accommodation there for a night if you want to see the city in more detail. Warsaw has a lot to offer culturally, so you won't get bored on a visit that should include must-see places such as the Royal Castle, Lazienki Park, Krakowskie Przedmieście Street, the Praga district and the ghetto.

Now you know almost everything you need to do during your stay in Krakow, and there's a lot to do, so don't forget to organise your arrival at the hotel and return to the airport. To help you with this, here's an article on Krakow Airport Transfers that may help you.