9 Wonderful Things To Do In Kraków, Poland With Kids

Last Updated on April 8, 2024 by Leslie Stroud

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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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. 

You can tour for a couple of hours inside and only see about 1%. The stairs that first brought tourists are over 700 years old. Today they built new stairs and an elevator to go up.

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.

Salt is an antiseptic and purifies the air, so take a deep breath as you tour underground! 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 Wieliczka Salt Mine is located about 30 miles from Kraków City Center. You’ll need a ride to get there.

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

• Shine a flashlight on the floor to see the salt light up. Everything is salt! You can even lick the walls, which my kids enjoyed immensely.

There are other interactive activities, such as tasting the salty brine that has to be pumped out of the mine daily.  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.  Today, Kraków has around 200 Jews living there compared to the 67K in Krakow and 2 million in Poland before the Holocaust.

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.

If you opted for a self-guided tour, you could go to Auschwitz by bus, a little over one hour away from Krakow.

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. Swimming at the Kraków Water Park

While we didn’t make it to Suntago Water Park, Poland’s largest covered water park, I want to get back and enjoy it with my kids.  It looks incredible as an option for the summer months.

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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