Visiting Krakow with kids is fun! If you’re looking for a destination for a family city break, you won’t initially think of Cracow, but Cracow is a good example of a city you really must have seen. Krakow has a tremendous amount to offer, especially for kids. It is a city with a rich history, many attractions and, above all, many places where you can enjoy delicious food and drink. In the process, the city is still very affordable. In this blog, we list the tips that are guaranteed to make a city trip to Krakow with kids a success.
Best travel time Cracow with kids
The best travel time to visit Cracow with kids is in spring or fall. It can get very hot in Cracow in the summer and very cold in the winter. Also, accommodation prices rise sharply during the peak season (the summer months) and the city will be a lot busier.
Transportation to and in Krakow
Most people will choose to make the trip to Krakow by plane for a city break. Flight time is about 2 hours from the Netherlands. Yet it is certainly also doable to travel to Krakow by car from the Netherlands. In about 12 hours you drive from Utrecht to Krakow. An overnight stay en route in Magdeburg or Leipzig is recommended for this.
Downtown Krakow is a great place to explore the sights on foot. For kids, it is ideal to bring a scooter to get around the city. If you want to explore the area, renting a car is recommended or you can join an organized excursion by bus. For example, you have many castles in the Krakow area that you can visit with kids.
You can very easily rent a car at Krakow airport with kids. You can rent a car through Sunny Cars and Sunny Cars works with an all-inclusive package. To rent a car at Krakow airport, take a look here.
#1 Castle the Wavel
You can visit a castle in Krakow with kids. On a small hill in the middle of the city located on the Vistula River, stands the very imposing Wavel Castle with the large Wavel Cathedral in the courtyard. At the bottom of the hill is the Dragon Cave with the statue of the dragon Smok Wavelski.
Every so often, the dragon still spits fire and it is definitely a must to go watch this with the kids and take a picture of it. Admission to the castle and statue is free. Both the dragon cave and the castle can be visited with kids, but tickets are required. Tickets can be purchased on site or online.
You can take a tour of the castle or walk through on your own. Especially if you are visiting this castle in Krakow with young kids, the latter is recommended. Then you also have the freedom to go wherever you want.
#2 Planty Park
Around the old center of Krakow you will find the Planty Park. The park is about 4 kilometers long and an ideal place if you want to escape the hustle and bustle of downtown with kids. Near the park you will find many eateries that are definitely worth visiting.
The park begins and ends at the Wavel Hill and during the walk you will pass several beautiful large buildings. During the hike you will also come across several playgrounds where you can stop for a while.
Planty Park was created where the city’s old city walls used to stand. You can do a great hour’s walk here with kids. You can also walk in this park in the evening, since the park is illuminated. It is also an easy route if you rent bikes in the city, for example, and move around the city that way. You can then easily ride your bike through this park from one side of town to the other.
#3 Jewish Quarter Kazimierz
Traditionally, the Jewish community in Krakow lived in the Kazimierz district. Unfortunately, World War II brought this to an abrupt end, but the Jewish influences can still be found throughout the district. Everywhere in the district you can find very beautiful street art. In the middle of the district you have Plac Nowy. Here you can buy a delicious zapiekanka.
This is a kind of pizza baguette, which you should definitely try during the city break in Cracow with kids. In fact, kids really like this too. Now if you want to walk through these types of neighborhoods in Krakow with a guide, you can always take a Free Walking Tour in Krakow. You have several providers of this, and most also offer a free walking tour of this Jewish quarter.
You then meet at a certain spot in the city and go on a guided tour for several hours. That way, you will get a lot of information about the city and you can give the guide a monetary gift afterwards that you thought was worth it. So of course the walking tour is not completely free, but it can be a fun way to get to know these neighborhoods in Cracow. If you search the Internet on Free Walking Tour Krakow, you will already come across many providers of these tours.
#4 Rynek square
Rynek Square is Krakow’s central square and, in our opinion, one of the most beautiful places in the city. It is full of beautiful imposing buildings. In the middle of the square you will find the Rynek Museum. Located underground, this museum is an important archaeological site. The square also offers horse-drawn carriage rides and is a sought-after place to feed pigeons.
You will also find many market stalls in the square where you can get nice souvenirs, and on sunny days many street performers can be seen, providing a very cozy atmosphere. Of course, you also have cozy terraces here, where you can have a bite to eat and a drink with the family.
#5 Bunny Cafe
You can also visit a very funny cafe in Cracow with kids: the Bunny Cafe. In addition to having a nice lunch here in the cozy cafe that is all pink, there is a large area set aside where rabbits snuggle around. For a small fee, you can spend half an hour cuddling the rabbits here.
The rabbits are very well cared for and there are clear rules to keep a close eye on their welfare.
Other children’s activities Cracow
Besides the 5 children’s activities in Krakow described above, you have much more that you can do in this Polish city. We list below some more children’s activities in Krakow.
#6 Playgrounds in Krakow: Around Krakow you will find many beautiful parks with fun playgrounds, such as Park Jordana. The city is also home to many ice cream stores, called Lody in Poland. Along the Vistula River you will find Cracow Eye. A 50-meter-high Ferris wheel, from which you have an impressive view of the whole city.
#7 Organized bike tour: you can also do an organized bike tour in Cracow with kids. The Dutch organization Baja Bikes organizes bike tours of downtown Krakow, where you’ll go out for 3 hours with a guide. These bike tours are often a good first introduction to a city, and you often get to places with a guide, where you would not easily get to on your own.
There are children’s bikes for kids, and for very young children there are child seats so they can ride on the back of the bike with their parents. For more information on these organized bike tours from Baja Bikes, take a look here.
#8 Museum of Illusions: this is a fun museum to visit in Krakow with kids. You have the museum of illusions in many major cities around the world and the principle is the same everywhere. You have all kinds of exhibits, where you can take funny pictures with kids. For example, in one exhibit it seems that the kids are taller than the parents. These are fun museums for an hour of entertainment and also definitely a good option if the weather is not so good in Cracow, for example.
#9 Aquapark Krakow: You can also go to a very cool water park in Krakow with kids. This water park located slightly outside the city center has both an indoor and outdoor section and has lots of different types of slides. So you can visit this water park both in the hot summer months and cold winter months.
The water park has special family tickets, where you get a discount if you go to the water park with a family. For more information about this water park, take a look at the Krakow water park website.
#10 Cracow Zoo: this zoo is one of the oldest zoos in the world and you can have a great time here with kids for half a day. The zoo is located slightly outside the city and you can get here quite easily by bus. The zoo has several large animals such as the elephant, the giraffe, the lion, the camel, several monkeys and more such animals.
#11 Wieliczka salt mines: these mines are another popular sight in Krakow and it is also fun to visit these mines with kids. They are the largest salt mines in Poland and you can very easily go here with an organized tour. These salt mines are about a half-hour drive from the center of Krakow, and you actually go underground into the mines here with a guide.
Although the mine is still in operation, it is primarily a museum. Kids can learn how to mine salt from the mines here, and you’ll also find all kinds of objects made from salt. For more information on a tour to these salt mines, take a look here.
#12 Energylandia: you can also visit an amusement park in the Krakow area with kids. Energylandia amusement park is about an hour’s drive from downtown Krakow, and they describe the amusement park itself as the No. 1 amusement park in Europe in terms of roller coasters. Yet you have plenty of fun attractions for young kids here, too, and you can easily spend a whole day here entertaining the family.
In addition to the dozens of attractions you can visit, you also have more than 10 different shows you can attend at the amusement park. In the summer months it is also possible to visit the water park here, which also makes it possible to spend 2 days here entertaining yourself in the Krakow area with kids.
Many tourists who visit Cracow also visit Auschwitz. Of course, this is a destination you don’t go to with young children, but only when the kids are a little older. It is not really a children’s activity and we do not list it, but of course it is an opportunity to visit this hugely impressive concentration camp in Poland.
Family-friendly restaurant Krakow
You can also eat great food in Krakow with kids. You have several nice family-friendly restaurants in Krakow. We list some of them.
Pod Wawelem: diagonally across from the Wavel Castle you will find this cozy authentic family-friendly restaurant, where you can eat great food in Cracow with kids. Besides traditional dishes, you will also find plenty of standard dishes, so there is something for everyone. The waiters walk in typical Polish costumes. The restaurant is very popular, so advance reservations or early arrival is recommended.
Cytat Café: In the hip Kazimierz district, you will find many great places to eat. A café where you can have a good breakfast, lunch and eat delicious cakes is Cytat Café. The café is tastefully and creatively decorated and ordering is done at the bar and with each order you get a bill with a quote.
Family-friendly hotel Krakow
Krakow is a large Polish city, which is why it is great to stay in Krakow with kids. You have plenty of family-friendly accommodations you can book in Krakow with the family. We list the top rated accommodations in Krakow below.
Budget accommodation: Home in Krakow Silvio’s Apartments
Mid-range accommodation: Liv’Inn Aparthotel
Luxury accommodation: HOTEL TEATR
For the entire list of family-friendly accommodations in Krakow, take a look here.
About the author: we are Harm Jan and Miranda and have 2 daughters Tessa (8 years old) and Evy (6 years old). We thoroughly enjoy exploring the world with our girls.
