Poland

9 Wonderful Things To Do In Kraków, Poland With Kids

Things to Do in Kraków with Kids: Our Family Guide

As we get to know Europe better after our move to Portugal, we’ve discovered a new favorite and hidden gem: Kraków, Poland.

We randomly picked Warsaw, Poland, on our train itinerary to discover a new country. When we learned that Kraków is home to various unique activities like the Wieliczka Salt Mine and close to Auschwitz as well, we decided to change our plans and go to Krakow for a night. One night turned into three because we loved this place so much.

Overall, we found Poland to be beautiful and full of history, and the people are kind and welcoming. While our train ride from Vienna to Poland was a bit interesting, with the train car filling well beyond capacity, it had a festive atmosphere fitting the people we encountered during our stay in Poland.

What follows is our list of the best things to do with kids in this sleeper of a European city.  Get yourself to Poland!

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Watch our earlier Kraków family film

About this older family film: The salt-licking scene records what our children did; the “antiseptic” caption does not establish that mine surfaces are safe to lick. Please do not use it as tasting or hygiene advice, and follow your guide’s current visitor instructions. Engineering and employment figures in the film are historical commentary, not current operator facts. Our children’s response at Auschwitz describes our own visit, not age-suitability guidance; see the Museum’s current entry and under-14 guidance in the article below.

Scenes from our Kraków family trip · Full film (1 min 29 sec)

▶Watch full film 1 min 29 sec

This short family montage includes Wieliczka, Kraków’s streets, our Auschwitz visit and a pierogi meal. The opening travel shots come from our arrival via Warsaw. It does not show every idea in this guide, and its upload date is not a visit date.

Watch the original film on Vimeo

1. Wieliczka Salt Mine

Our visit to the Wieliczka Salt Mine was the highlight of our trip to Poland. It’s an enormous underground salt mine that has been the primary source of wealth for centuries. Referred to as “white gold,” it once made up 36% of Poland’s entire revenue stream. 

Our tour showed us only a small part of the mine. The operator’s Tourist Route information describes a roughly two-to-three-hour visit with more than 800 steps. Check the route, language, meeting point, and accessibility arrangements before booking rather than assuming an elevator removes the walking and stair demands.

We learned about jobs and some amazing facts in the mine, such as the methane gas burners and how teams of horses lived underground for decades, never seeing the outside world.

The underground setting was fascinating, but our sightseeing visit is not a health treatment or a guarantee of purified air. Soak in the stunning beauty of some of the 20 chapels carved out of salt, which the miners would pray daily for protection and safety. Today’s largest chapel, which can host concerts, took three men over 60 years to carve by hand.

Tourists have been visiting this gem since 1790 to explore a small portion of the over 178 miles of underground tunnels! My kids were fascinated by this experience. Truly one of a kind!

At the end of the tour, there was a beautiful cafeteria where you could get lunch. You can also enjoy other parts of the town above.

Tips:

• The mine is in Wieliczka, southeast of Kraków—not 30 miles from the city centre. The operator lists train, bus, and car access; choose the route and arrival point that match your booking.

• Bring a jacket, as it can get chilly underground.

• Shine a flashlight on the floor to see the salt light up. My kids enjoyed licking the salt walls on our visit. That is an account of what they did, not advice to taste walls or other surfaces; follow the guide’s current instructions.

Our visit also included learning about the salty brine pumped from the mine. Do not assume tasting is offered or appropriate on every tour; follow the guide’s instructions.  Over 400 miners are employed to keep the mine at work and protect the town above from collapsing.

2. Wawel Royal Castle and Dragon Statue

Kids are not thrilled with the castle tours, except when a dragon is involved! The Wawel Castle and Dragon Statue portray how historically and culturally rich Poland is. For centuries, the residence of the kings of Poland and the symbol of Polish statehood, the Castle is now one of the country’s premier art museums. The Wawel Dragon, on the other hand, was a beast that lived in a den under Wawel Hill and terrorized all the inhabitants of King Krak’s town. Tour this castle and learn about the local lore surrounding the fire-breathing dragon.

3. Visit a Thermal Bath

Outside the city, in the mountains, you can find thermal baths year-round to enjoy as a family. Explore these tour options:

• Zakopane Day Trip with Hot Springs
• Chocholowska Baths Tour
• Tatra Mountains Day Trip to Terma Białka Thermal Baths

4. Kraków City Tour

Many hotels in Kraków offer city tours, and I hopped at the chance to see more of the city.  We’d recommend these hotels near City Centre:

• Hotel Polski Pod Białym Orłem
• Q Hotel Plus Kraków
• PURO Kraków Kazimierz
• Park Inn by Radisson Kraków

Together, we explored many sights of the city, such as the Dragon’s Den and some of the over 200 churches, saw the exterior of several museums, and learned a great deal about the history of the Jews in Poland.

A drive by the famous Oskar Schindler’s Factory (from the movie Schindler’s List) was touching, as were some of the Jewish monuments to the great loss of life during the Holocaust.  Our visit made the devastating loss of Jewish life during the Holocaust feel deeply personal.

5. Market Square

The Kraków Market Square demands a visit.  It held festivities each night as one of the oldest and largest in Europe.  Stalls sell food and small items, restaurants line the square, and an impressive cathedral sits in its center.

I want to make it back here to see the square at Christmastime, but I hear it gets quite cold!  We will have to bring jackets.

6. Auschwitz

Getting to know Auschwitz may or may not be on your list of things to do with kids, but it was high on mine.  I have a deep passion for knowing more about this part of the world’s history and trying to prevent anything like this from happening again.  

I shared some intense history, not holding back on the reality, and visited this place with our kids.  I’ll post a separate blog with tips on visiting for yourself.

For Auschwitz-Birkenau, reserve a personalized entry pass through the Museum’s official online system, including for a visit without an educator. The Museum does not recommend visits for children under 14; consider its guidance and your child’s readiness separately from our family’s decision to visit. Check current transport and allow time to reach the correct entrance rather than relying on an old one-hour bus estimate.

7. Kraków Zoo

Ranked highly as far as zoos go, a day at the Kraków Zoo is a win for children.  Enjoy seeing the various animals and make some fun memories.

8. A Separate Water-Park Idea: Suntago Near Warsaw

While we didn’t make it to Suntago Water Park, I would love to visit with my kids. It is in Wręcza near Warsaw, not Kraków, so treat it as a separate itinerary idea and check its current ticket zones, ages, and opening arrangements.

9. Try some Pierogies

Pierogie is very flexible and can be stuffed with different savory or sweet fillings, like potato and cheese, sauerkraut, cabbage, spiced meats, and fruits and berries. You can enjoy walking around downtown while eating some authentic perogies!

I’d highly recommend Kraków for your next European adventure with kids.  Have fun exploring!

Xoxo,

Leslie

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