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Krakow Tourism

Being a tourist in Krakow is definitely not an uncommon social role in the Royal City, and everybody seems to know about it – and they're ready to help. The Cracow authorities have established a nice network of Tourist Information Offices, the Krakow Tourist Card will make traveling around the Cracow and getting into the museums and other interesting places much easier, and the average Krakow pedestrian will probably at least try to help in one way or another.

Though the Polish (and that means the Krakow people, too) until recently had an opinion of being incapable of understanding more than a word in English, the things are much better now – and although some say that everybody who spoke English in Poland has gone to work in the UK, a tourist in Cracow won't have too many problems with finding someone capable of answering his questions.

Krakow Tourist Information

When it comes to the typical Krakow Tourism-related questions, professionals eager to answer them can be found in any of the Tourist Information offices scattered around the city – of course more densely in the Cracow Old Town. The coordinator of the Tourist Information offices is the Krakow Festival Office that can be found on 7 Olszanska Street. Most of the tourist information offices are open daily from 9a.m. to 7p.m. Below is a list of the most useful Krakow Tourist Information offices:

Old Town Tourist Information:

Krakow Town Hall Tower, 1 Rynek Glowny (Main Square), tel. no. +48 12 433 73 10

25 Szpitalna Street, tel. no. +48 12 432 01 10

2 Sw. Jana Street, tel. no. +48 12 421 77 87

Wyspianski 2000 Pavillion (Pawilon Wyspianski 2000), 2 Plac Wszystkich Swietych, tel. no. +48 12 616 18 86

Kazimierz Tourist Information:

7 Jozefa Street, tel. no. +48 12 422 04 71

Nowa Huta Tourist Information:

16 Os. Sloneczne, tel. no. +48 12 643 03 03

In addition to these, there's a tourist information office on the Krakow Airport, and some might want to visit the Municipal Promotion and Tourism Department on 10 Bracka Street.

Krakow Tourist Card

Like many other European cities, Krakow issues a special card that makes tourism even more pleasant and simple. The two- or three-day Krakow Tourist Card is especially useful for those who plan some intense tourism, including traveling a lot with the public transport and visiting many museums. It is valid in all public trams and buses, including the 192 line from the Cracow Airport, and allows free entrance to most of the Krakow museums, including the National and the Czartoryski museums, as well as St. Mary's Church. The two-day Krakow Tourist Card costs about 50 zloty, and the three-day one means spending 15 more zloty. The Krakow Tourist Card can be bought at the Tourist Information offices, the Cracow Airport and some hotels and hostels around the city.

Krakow Tourism Tips

- Generally Krakow is a safe place for the average tourist, but some common-sense caution will do no harm. Don't leave your bags unattended, take care of your backpacks and other belongings in crowded places (like the trams and buses), and you will have a great time.

- Tourism is much easier when you can communicate – and English-speaking staff will certainly assist all tourists in places marked by a special sticker saying 'Please come in, we do speak English here', placed on restaurant and museum doors around Krakow.

- Most of the tourists that visit Poland find the unique and somewhat ingenious symbols on the toilets quite incomprehensible. It's easy: circle for 'ladies', triangle for 'gentlemen'.