10 Things to Do in Krakow in Summer

Krakow is much more than just its many monuments. The Polish city offers a wealth of cultural events, culinary delights and, of course, entertainment. Whilst this is true at any time of year, it is particularly evident during the summer months.

With the winter chill now a distant memory, the summer season allows visitors and residents of Kraków to head out and enjoy the area around the Vistula River, make the most of the nightlife in its countless venues, or attend fascinating festivals such as the one celebrating pierogi or Jewish culture.

One of the favourite activities for Kraków’s residents during the summer is a leisurely stroll through one of its best-known parks: Planty. I recommend you follow one of the most famous maxims among travellers, “wherever you go, do as you see”, and join young and old alike on walks along the more than 4 kilometres of this green space.

In ancient times, the entire medieval city of Kraków was surrounded by defensive walls. From the 18th century onwards, work began on a green belt known as the Planty. Today, as you walk along its paths, you can still see some remains of the old walls. Among the most notable points of interest are:

• Florian’s Gate: In the northern part, this is one of the park’s most striking features and one of the original entrances to the walled city. It is the perfect starting point for a two-day itinerary in Kraków.
• Statues: As you stroll through the park, you’ll come across several sculptures depicting important figures from Polish history, such as Nicolaus Copernicus, who attended the renowned Collegium Maius in Kraków.
• The area around Wawel Castle: This is the most popular and most visited part of the park. There, on a boulevard running along the riverbank, crowds of people gather, sitting on the grass, strolling or simply enjoying the views.

It might be worth booking a guided tour of the Old Town to learn more about this and other places of interest in the city.

I have no doubt that during your stay in Kraków you will have booked a tour of the Jewish quarter, Kazimierz. The Jewish quarter is home to numerous sights well worth seeing. Indeed, this very neighbourhood hosts one of the country’s most renowned cultural events: the Jewish Culture Festival. If the dates coincide, you mustn’t miss the events organised there.

The festival takes place every year over 10 days in late June or early July. When it began in 1988, it was conceived as a series of events to commemorate the importance of the Jewish community in the city, as well as to recognise its historical and cultural contributions.

Since that first edition, the festival has grown in popularity and now attracts nearly 30,000 people every year. You’ll certainly have plenty of activities to choose from: talks, workshops, guided tours and traditional music concerts taking place at various venues across the neighbourhood. Other activities taking place during the festival include film screenings, Jewish cooking classes and book presentations.

Although summer is usually considered the best time to visit Kraków, the truth is that it has one small drawback: the crowds of tourists on many streets. One way to avoid them for a while is to book a cruise on the Vistula River.

This trip will allow you to explore part of the city in a more relaxed and peaceful way, something you’ll appreciate after visiting the bustling Market Square, for example.

The cruise lasts approximately one hour. The most striking features, apart from the views of the castle, are the Pilsudski and Dębnicki bridges, which you pass under. The final stop on most routes is the fascinating Benedictine monastery. Another way to explore the river, aimed at those who are a bit fitter, is to hire a kayak and paddle along at a leisurely pace for a while.

A really interesting activity to do in summer, weather permitting, is to book a bike tour of Kraków and head to Tyniec Monastery.

A cycle path runs from the centre of Kraków, allowing you to cover the 12-kilometre route safely and comfortably, just as you can to other places in the city’s surroundings.

Tyniec was once an independent village, but today it forms part of Kraków. There, on the banks of the Vistula, a Benedictine abbey was built on a hill in the 11th century. If you wish to round off your ride with a visit to the abbey, please note that opening hours are from 10 am to 6 pm.

Although Zakopane is known by the nickname ‘winter capital’, the truth is that in summer there are a number of activities that make it worth booking an excursion, whether on your own or as part of an organised tour.

The most popular activity in this town at the foot of the Tatra Mountains (about two hours from Kraków) is the hiking trail leading to the spectacular Morskie Oko Lake. If you wish to do this trail, you should know that the start point is some distance from the town.

If you’re travelling independently, you’ll need to catch one of the minibuses that run regularly from the town’s bus and train station and drop you off at the start of the trail. The area boasts many other trails, some featuring attractions such as churches, small waterfalls or stunning viewpoints. If you’re lucky, you might even spot a deer along the way.

Whether you love opera or simply want to enjoy a performance in a magical setting, the Kraków Summer Opera Festival is a great opportunity.

This festival usually takes place in July and is considered one of the most eagerly awaited events of the entire arts season. Performances take place in different parts of the city, both in Kraków’s many concert halls and on some less formal stages.

Although tickets are hard to come by, the event everyone wants to attend takes place in the courtyard of Wawel Castle. In this beautiful setting, surrounded by buildings such as the Royal Palace and Wawel Cathedral, a stage is erected so that opera lovers can enjoy the performances.

Practical information

First and foremost, I recommend you start looking for your tickets as soon as possible. The festival’s popularity, particularly for the performances held in the castle courtyard, means that seats sell out quickly.

To buy them—bearing in mind that you won’t be able to do so at the box office—it’s best to check the official website dedicated to this type of event in Kraków. Another option, if you’re a classical music lover, is to book a ticket for a Chopin piano concert.

The presence of thousands of students in the city, both local and international, plus the many tourists who visit in summer, makes Kraków’s nightlife the liveliest in all of Poland. Don’t hesitate to book a pub crawl in Kraków and make the most of the experience.

Nightlife in Kraków is centred around two distinct areas. On the one hand, the Old Town, where tourists visiting the city tend to gather. And on the other, the Jewish Quarter, packed with bars and pubs and boasting an incredible atmosphere in every street.

My advice is to start by enjoying a delicious zapiekanka in New Square (Plac Nowy). This dish is basically a baguette topped with mushrooms and other ingredients, baked in the oven until golden. In the same square, you’ll also find other food stalls serving grilled meat or sausages. After eating, it’s time to wander through the lively streets of the neighbourhood until you find a spot you like to enjoy the night.

A quieter spot at the Forum

If the nightlife isn’t your thing, but you fancy a quiet beer, one of the best spots in the city is the Forum. It’s a former hotel from the communist era that’s been converted into a bar, and to find it, you’ll need to cross the river from the Jewish Quarter. Summer is undoubtedly the best time to visit this spot, as they set up hammocks so you can enjoy a drink with views of the river and Wawel Castle.

In August, Kraków hosts a festival dedicated to a rather appetising theme: pierogi, similar to stuffed ravioli. Anyone who has booked a food tour of Kraków or simply popped into a restaurant in Kraków will have had the chance to try what is, in its own right, one of Poland’s traditional dishes.

Throughout the festival, all the restaurants showcase their finest creations featuring this type of dumpling as the star attraction. Some of them experiment with new fillings that go beyond the typical pierogi ruskie or pierogi kirniki (with chicken). So, you can try some made with venison, smoked cheese or lamb.

Perhaps the highlight of the festival is the competition to decide the best pierogi dish of the whole event. This takes place in Maly Rynek, where you can enjoy live music and, of course, sample some of the dishes at a very reasonable price.

Those travelling to Kraków during the summer solstice will be able to witness one of the city’s most cherished traditions: the Wianki, a festival of pagan origin celebrating the arrival of summer.

The tradition in Kraków is to throw wreaths of flowers into the river, a custom linked to a local legend: Princess Wanda, daughter of the city’s legendary founder, chose to throw herself into the Vistula rather than agree to marry Rydygier, a German leader who had invaded the city.

But the highlight of this festival takes place at night. Every year, a large crowd gathers at the foot of Wawel Hill to listen to concerts and enjoy the food. At midnight, those present throw their wreaths of flowers into the water, followed by a truly incredible fireworks display. You can also attend concerts and parties held in other squares, where medieval markets are also set up.

You probably don’t associate Kraków (or Poland in general) with ice cream. However, Poles love this treat and you’ll find plenty of places in the city where you can buy it. You just need to learn the word ‘lody’ and point to the flavour to enjoy a delicious treat.

Although the shops are open all year round, summer is the peak season for eating ice cream. Long queues form outside the best ice cream parlours, which will help you spot the best places to go.

To help you get it right first time, here are two recommendations for buying your ice cream:

• Good Lood: just by looking at the queues, you’ll realise it’s one of the locals’ favourite spots in Kraków. Interestingly, every evening at 8 pm they post on their app the flavours they’ll be adding the next day to their four regulars (chocolate, cream, raspberry and salty caramel)
• Lody na Starowislnej: located on Starowislna Street, near the Jewish quarter, it is one of Kraków’s most traditional and popular ice cream parlours.

Summer in Kraków brings very pleasant temperatures, without it ever really feeling stiflingly hot. July and August have average maximum temperatures of 23.4°C, whilst the average minimum is around 12.7°C.

September is a different story, as temperatures start to drop. By the end of summer, maximum temperatures hover around a pleasant 19°C, but minimum temperatures can drop to an average of 8°C.

One thing to bear in mind is that there is always a chance of rain, as it rains on average 8 days a month. The best way to ensure you can go ahead with your plans is to check the weather forecast shortly before travelling.

Summer is the peak tourist season in Kraków, so crowds are common in the city’s most popular tourist areas. However, if you venture a little way out of the historic centre (including the Jewish Quarter), things are a bit quieter.

This large influx of visitors leads to higher prices for accommodation and flights. Fortunately, the low prices of food, transport and admission tickets make up for this increase.