Planning a visit to Krakow with children?
There are so many things to see in Krakow, Poland, that it’s hard to know where to start!
It’s a great idea to visit one of the best places to visit in Poland for your holiday, whether with family or friends – and especially with the kids!
From the beautiful nature to the important monuments, the previous capital of Poland is an excellent place to have a great time.
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Is Krakow Child Friendly?
It’s the perfect place for a family-friendly holiday with the children, and you can expect exciting attractions from the main square to the royal castle and other attractions. In short, it’s the perfect destination for a family-friendly holiday!
When is the Best Time to visit Krakow for Children?
Whether you want to see the beautiful sights of the Tatra Mountains and Vistula River or take on the modern Krakow attractions like the Aquapark Krakow water park, knowing when to go is just as important as why when visiting Krakow.
Poland is beautiful all year round, but two months are a perfect time to visit the country and see the Krakow top attractions. While June-August is popular with tourists, the heat can be too much, and while December is good for the run-up to Christmas, December to February are cold. That’s why May and November are the best times!
Krakow in May
May is the best time to take in the great fun of the main market square, the castle hill, and the old town, as well as more attractions and tours outside – it’s the best time to go sightseeing in Krakow, Poland. The weather is most pleasant, not too hot and not too cold, making it great for water rides and family-friendly outdoor fun!
As well as a stroll in the park or a nice walk to the royal castle for some great photos, the film festival and the photo month are more attractions in May.
Krakow in November
There are many things to do in Krakow in winter, but while the things to see in Krakow at Christmas make for a great trip, December does not!
That’s why November is an excellent time to take a holiday to Poland with your children.
The Krakow Christmas market opens this month, and if you’re lucky, you’ll be gifted with the sight of a snow-covered main square to delight the kids, family, and friends.
How to Get to Krakow
Getting to Krakow with kids is pretty easy, so long as you plan your trip well! It’s accessible from pretty much anywhere globally since the city is located very close to the international airport.
The journey from Krakow Airport to Krakow takes only 20 minutes by train that comes every half hour and costs just over €2. There’s also the option of car hire; Krakow is very drivable.
Flying from Europe or anywhere else in the world is easy. For example, a flight from Dubai to Krakow non-stop is about six and a half hours.
Driving from Krakow to Budapest or another capital in Europe is a fun road trip, taking about two days. Travelling within Poland is also very easy by train, as the rail service is located centrally and you won’t have to spend a lot to explore and discover Krakow. You can also get a train across Europe, with a rail trip from Berlin to Krakow costing under €35! The best hotel in Krakow depends on your goals, but there are plenty of kid-friendly places to find a great stay for a great price! The Old Town is the primary attraction of Krakow, and there are plenty of places to visit in Krakow Old Town (Stare Miasto) that make staying there great for kids. The neighbourhoods around Stare Miasto are also lovely, but being right in the heart is best with the family. View Places to stay in Krakow >>> Hotel Matejko is located right in the heart of the old town. It’s known for being kid-friendly and is a popular family destination located close to many attractions. Amenities include an airport shuttle, easy wheelchair access, a city view, satellite tv and free wifi, and more. It’s also close to the train station and several Krakow sightseeing tours. Located in Stare Miasto with a 9.1 location score and a high rating for family holidays with children, the INX Design is perfect for your fun family trip to Poland. As well as an airport shuttle, there’s a tea and coffee maker in all rooms, a delicious breakfast, places to park, and easy access to explore the Krakow must-see and places. The staff are also friendly and will help you come up with ideas to explore, play games, and learn history during your Krakow kids experience! Suppose you want to have your holiday in style. In that case, the Marriott chain is known worldwide for great service in the holiday industury. The Marriott staff will go out of their way to provide the best holiday for your children, offering everything from a game or toy for your kids to a spa and wellness centre. Rooms have a terrace and an extra-long bed. Finding things to do in Krakow, Poland, is easy. You want to explore the town and its Polish history and Krakow top attractions, quirky things to do in Krakow, and places to see near Krakow. When finding things to do in Krakow with children, it’s important to find stuff that the kids and family will enjoy. Poland is beautiful – and here are the top ten things to do in Krakow with your family as you explore together. The main square dates back to the 13th century and is the first place to explore when visiting the city. It’s known as the World’s Best Square and is filled with festivals, parties, markets, horse-drawn carriages and events all year round! One of the best-known places in Poland, it is essential for anyone when visiting the city looking for the Krakow top attractions. Kazimierz is the old Jewish district south of the Old Town, at its highest population before World War. Steeped in history, taking the kids to explore Kazimierz is one of the most unmissable things to do in the Krakow city centre. On the bank of the Vistula River, this science centre is an excellent day of fun for the kids. Exhibitions are interactive and in Polish and English. There are over 400 scientific exhibitions to explore and a planetarium for a fantastic show! In terms of Krakow fun things to do, the Science Centre is one of the best in the city. Wieliczka Salt Mine is one of the best places to visit in Krakow. It’s amongst Krakow top attractions for a reason! The salt mine is a Polish marvel full of secrets and legends that take you deep into the city’s underground history. They offer tours specifically designed for families with kids, and the tour takes around 2-3 hours, meaning it can fill a whole afternoon. This lovely park could take up your whole day! Filled with ruins, large grassy areas, beautiful flowers, and Polish history, it’s known as the best park in the city. There’s a playground for the kids and sights to explore like limestone cliffs and a unique view of the city. The old home of Polish kings is right there in Central Krakow, waiting for you and the kids to explore! You can visit old royal chambers, see the view from Wawel Hill, and explore the museum. The kids will also be thrilled by the Wawel Dragon, who is rumoured to live right in Wawel Hill – watch out for the fire and the wooden castle, though! Natural hot springs are amazing places to visit near Krakow! Several tours leave directly from hotels to help you explore local thermal pools and enjoy the natural heat of splashing around in nature. They’re usually all-day tours, too, complete with lots of sightseeing and often a cable car ride. View this tour of the hot bath pools and Zakopane >>> The biggest amusement park in Poland is sure to be a hit with the kids! There are over 40 rides and attractions to explore, including rollercoasters, haunted houses, and more. In terms of Krakow fun things to do, it’s legendary, though it’s a little outside the city. Still, it’s one of the most fun places to see near Krakow, and you and the family can make a great day of it. Read More: Best Theme Parks in Europe for Families This is a fascinating museum with 60 pinball machines and 35 arcade machines – all of which you can play! Everything is free to play, and it’ll keep the family amused for 2-3 hours at a time! It’s tucked away in a cellar, making it a hidden gem of things to do in Krakow and Krakow things to see. Krakil is a historic mansion transformed into a wild and wonderful mystery house. It’s one of the most interesting places in Krakow, filled with illusions of all sorts – from historical illusions to optical confusion. If you’re looking for alternative Krakow attractions, this is the place to be! This isn’t well known amongst places to visit in Krakow Old Town, but it really is one of the most quirky things to do in Krakow. It’s a small aviary filled with more than 40 parrots who have free reign of the place. Don’t worry – protective clothing is provided! It’s a Polish bagel museum! It’s fully interactive, with a workshop where the whole family can learn to make this delicious local treat together. Poland is a land of culinary delights! The best Krakow restaurants serve a wealth of food from flaki (beef soup) to pierogis, bigos to kluski, and much, much more. These three restaurants are a great place to try it all with the kids! From Krakow Sightseeing Tours to visits to the Royal Castle, there’s so much to do in Krakow that it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Don’t worry – this itinerary of my last trip with the family is here to help! Morning: We spent the morning in the Main Market Square. Without spending any money, we got to see a live band and dancers playing their way through traditional music! Afternoon: We had a relaxing afternoon at Berdnarski Park. While the kids played, we adults enjoyed the beautiful views. Morning: A tour of the Old Jewish Quarter showed us a new perspective. The kids kept asking questions – and we were all eager to find out the answers! Afternoon: We visited the castle and toured the old royal chambers. Not only was it beautiful, but the tour guide kept the kids entertained with stories of the Wawel Dragon. If you’re planning a weekend in Krakow, 2 days is enough for a whirlwind tour of the main Krakow landmarks, to visit some of the best Krakow parks and maybe visit an attraction. If you have kids, you may find it hard to fit lots in 2 days but a weekend break in Krakow can be great for teens. We spent all of day 3 at the theme park. The kids loved the rides, and so did we! We got so many pictures of laughing and playing that my son asked if we could come back to the country just to play there again. 3 days in Krakow is enough to see all the main sights, but if you want to get right into the heart of the city and visit some additional attractions, 4 days in Krakow or 5 days in Krakow will give you time to do this. On day 4, we explored the salt mine. There’s a museum down there, and even some restaurants for those of us who get peckish – not hard when you’re travelling with two kids under 11! On our last day, we booked a bus trip out to one of the thermal spas. A cable car took us up the mountains, and the beautiful views will stay with us for the rest of our lives. Relaxing in the hot spring afterwards was good after so much adventure! You May Also Like: Budapest with kids Day trips are a must on these journeys, and these amazing holiday moments can’t be oversold. Three of the best day trips in Krakow include: I can’t oversell how great this castle is. The majesty of the place, its beauty, and the sheer fun of the tour and the legends surrounding it make it excellent for an afternoon or even a whole day. You can get a bus or even walk from the Old Town if you feel up to it! There are buses and trains very regularly, and for a good reason. The family tours take you past salt-carved sculptures, museums, over 700 years of history, and a personal tour guide who’ll make the old legends of the mine sound like magic. The trip only takes less than half an hour! From a beautifully preserved castle to lots of mysterious caves to explore, the hourly 210 bus will get you to this hidden paradise. Many hotels offer guided tours directly from the desk, too. There’s enough to keep you seeing new sights all day! The public transport in the country of Poland is exceptional, and Krakow is no exception. You can get almost everywhere by bus or train without any trouble. The trains run directly to the airport, and the cities are well inter-connected. Krakow is also drivable if you prefer to rent a car. Krakow is a great city to roam around and see all the main sights. Toddlers will not be as suited to museums or full-day tours, but there’s still plenty to do. Roam around in some of the best Krakow parks and see some of the best Krakow landmarks. The locals are very welcoming, and there are many facilities for babies, toddlers and young children. Search for family-friendly accommodation Best Places to Visit in Poland Best Luggage for Europe Train Travel View More City Breaks in Central Europe >>> Sylvie Simpson is the founder of European Cities with Kids. For the past 6 years, she has been travelling all over Europe whenever she has the chance, both solo, for work and with her daughter. Sylvie is on a mission to help people make the most of city breaks in Europe with kids and helps over 50,000 readers per month plan and make the most of their trips in Europe with kids.Where to Stay in Krakow with Kids
Budget: Hotel Matejko
Mid-Range: INX Design
Splashing Out: AC by Marriott Krakow
Top 12 Things to do in Krakow with Kids
1. Explore the Main Market Square
2 . Visit the Old Jewish Quarter
3 . Spend the Day at the Copernicus Science Centre
4. Visit the Wieliczka Salt Mine
5. Roam Bednarski Park with the Whole Family
6. Visit Wawel Castle
7. Dip in the Thermal Pools
8. Have a blast at Legendia Theme Park
9. Spend a quirky day in the Krakow Pinball Museum
10. Blow your mind at the Museum of Illusions
11. Get Wild at Papugarnia Amazonia
12. Tantalize Your Tastebuds at the Żywe Muzeum Obwarzanka
Where Should I Eat in Krakow with Kids?
Krakow Itinerary
Day 1: 1 Day in Krakow
Day 2: 48 Hours in Krakow with Kids
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Krakow 3 Day Itinerary
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Krakow Itinerary 4 Days
Krakow Itinerary 5 days
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Wawel Castle
Salt Mines
Ojców National Park
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