24 Hours in Kraków, Poland: Auschwitz and Old Town

Can you visit Auschwitz and still experience Kraków in a single day? If you get into Kraków before noon, you can go straight from the airport to Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau, return to Old Town for dinner, walk one of Europe’s great historic squares at night, and be back at the airport the next morning. This is what 24 hours in Kraków looks like. THE ONE-DAY ITINERARY Land at Kraków Airport before noon. Go directly to Auschwitz. Plan on about an hour in the car. Our ride cost about $49. Visit Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau on a guided tour. Admission to the Memorial itself is free, but our English guided tour cost about $37.50 per person. Take the free museum shuttle between Auschwitz I and Birkenau. The two sites are about 3.5 kilometers, or a little over two miles, apart. Head back to Kraków and stay in Old Town. Walk through the Pierogi Festival, grab dinner, and spend the evening around the Main Market Square. The next morning, order an Uber back to Kraków Airport. Our early-morning ride cost about $14. GETTING TO AUSCHWITZ You do not need to rent a car for this itinerary. We used Uber/Bolt from Kraków Airport directly to Auschwitz. The drive took roughly an hour and cost us about $49. Book your Auschwitz visit before you arrive. The standard guided visit takes about 3.5 hours and includes both Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau. Official Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial: https://www.auschwitz.org/ STAY HERE Mikołajska 5 Apartments Old Town, Kraków https://www.mikolajska5.pl/ We paid $85 for the night. The location puts you right in the middle of Old Town, within an easy walk of the Main Market Square, restaurants and nightlife. EAT HERE Krakowska Koliba Sienna 11, Kraków https://krakowskakoliba.com/ Grilled Polish sausage, pierogi and two half-liter beers came to just under $30 total for two people. KRAKÓW OLD TOWN Kraków’s Main Market Square was laid out in 1257 and is the largest medieval town square in Europe. St. Mary’s Basilica, the Cloth Hall, restaurants, bars and historic buildings surround the square. We also happened to arrive on the opening day of Kraków’s annual Pierogi Festival, which made an already lively city even better. PRICES FROM THIS TRIP Airport to Auschwitz ride: about $49 English guided Auschwitz tour: about $37.50 per person Old Town hotel: $85 Dinner for two: just under $30 Early-morning Uber to Kraków Airport: about $14 These are the prices we paid in August 2026. Transportation, lodging and ticket prices can change. CHAPTERS 0:00 24 Hours in Kraków 0:25 Kraków Airport to Auschwitz 0:46 Booking Your Auschwitz Visit 1:08 Auschwitz I 2:01 Auschwitz II-Birkenau 2:57 Back to Kraków 3:19 Kraków Old Town 3:41 Dinner and Main Market Square 4:10 Can You Do Kraków in 24 Hours? READ THE KRAKÓW GUIDE https://maxwellskitchenpodcast.com/bl... More travel guides from Maxwell’s Kitchen: maxwellskitchenpodcast.com Kraków gets five stars. Where are we going next? #Krakow #PolandTravel #Auschwitz