Krakow and Wroclaw are two of the largest cities in Poland. Krakow is known for its Old Town and is also one of the most visited cities in Europe with over 8 million visitors each year. Wroclaw is a smaller city that is also known for its traditional Old Town and is much less touristy than cities like Krakow. If you are trying to decide between Krakow or Wroclaw, this is the ultimate guide to help you decide between the two cities.
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Krakow or Wroclaw Overview
Krakow
Krakow is the 2nd largest city in Poland with 775,000 residents. It has been a university city since the first university started here in 1364. The city now has 28 institutions of higher education with nearly 200,000 students city-wide. There are many parts of the city that are reminders of WW2, like the Krakow Ghetto. The city is regarded as one of the most beautiful in Europe and the Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Pope John II was the Archbishop of Krakow before becoming the Pope.
Wroclaw
Wroclaw is the 4th largest city in Poland with 642,000 people living here. Like many Polish cities, Wroclaw was heavily damaged during WW2 but rebuilt and reconstructed its landmarks at an incredible pace following the war. Wroclaw is also another city with many institutions of higher education with over 130,000 university students in the city.
The University of Wroclaw is known for having 9 alumni that were Nobel Prize laureates. In 2016, Wroclaw won the award of the European Capital of Culture and in 2018 was awarded the European Best Destination title. Many tourists visit Wroclaw to see impressive buildings like the ones found in the Old Town and Centennial Hall.
Places to See
Krakow
The Main Square dates back to the 13th century and is the largest medieval square in all of Europe.
St. Mary’s Basilica sits right on the town square and dates back to the 14th century.
Wawel Cathedral is a Catholic Church located on Wawel Hill in Krakow.
Juliusz Słowacki Theatre was built in 1893 and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Wroclaw
Wroclaw Market Square in the middle of the Old Town and is the most famous tourist area in the city.
Town Hall began construction in the 13th century and is one of the most iconic buildings in the city.
Cathedral Island is an area that used to be an island and is the oldest part of the city.
Centennial Hall is a UNESCO World Heritage Site used mainly used for sporting events recently.
Wroclaw University is one of the most prestigious universities in Poland and produced 9 Nobel prize laureates.
Food
Krakow
All Polish cities will have their fair share of places to get pierogi, one of the most authentic Polish cuisines. Any trip to Krakow must involve Obwarzanek which is basically a bagel sprinkled with poppy seeds, sesame seeds, or salt. As far as candy is concerned, krowka are small, individually wrapper, caramel treats that are staples in Krakow.
Wroclaw
- Placki ziemniaczane, or potato pancakes, is very popular in Poland. It is typically served with some sort of topping, from cottage cheese and sour cream to apple sauce.
- Of course, pierogi is a good option anywhere you go in Poland so it wouldn’t be a bad idea in Wroclaw!
Golabki is a dish consisting of boiled cabbage leaves, wrapped around minced beef or pork. - If you want to try something sweet, you should find some Pączki which are basically the equivalent of a donut in Poland.
Getting Around
Krakow
The public transportation system in Krakow is excellent. They offer many different packages so you can choose the right one for your visit. Use the Jakdojade app to see which mode of transport to use and where to go. Central Krakow is generally very walkable but if you want to go to the Jewish Quarters or the Ghetto, you will want to take public transport. E-scooters has also become popular forms of transportation in here, even though many locals hate them.
Wroclaw has a very walkable city center so you should definitely take your time and explore the beautiful area. You might not even need to use public transport if you don’t plan on leaving the center of the city. If you plan on visiting the Wroclaw Zoo or Centennial Hall, you will want to take public transportation. Wroclaw has a network of trams and buses that can get you pretty much wherever you want to go. Wroclaw is also a great city to explore on a bike because of its 95km of bike paths.
Nightlife
Krakow
Krakow puts up a fight against some of the biggest cities in Europe in regards to nightlife. The Old Town of Krakow actually has the highest density of bars, per square meter, anywhere in the world. You can find bars everywhere but if you want to go clubbing, you will want to head to Florianska and Szewska streets. With nearly 200,000 university students in the city, the nightlife is quite lively depending on where you go.
Wroclaw
The center of Wroclaw has an abundance of bars and pubs for you to bounce around to. Another area to explore is Słodowa Island which is an island that has quite a few drinking establishments. It is also close to Wroclaw University so many students flock to the island at night. If you want to let loose and dance, there are quite a few clubs you could check out. The area around Niepolda street is the best place in the city to find some wild parties. Insomnia Club, Mundo 71, and Czarny Kot Klub are some of the best nightclubs in the city and are all right next to each other near Niepolda street.
Day Trips
Krakow
Auschwitz concentration camp is located close to Krakow. It is a grim reminder of the terrors of the Holocaust. Definitely worth visiting if you have time.
Wieliczka Salt Mine is one of the oldest salt mines in the world. Salt was mined here from the 13th century until 2007.
The Tatra Mountains are just to the south of Krakow, along the Slovakian border. The rolling green hills leading up to the mountains are spectacular.
The Dunajec River Gorge is a stunning area. You can go rafting down the river to get truly spectacular views.
Tyniec is a historic village not far from the center of Krakow. It was founded back in 1044.
Wroclaw
Książ Castle sits on a hill overlooking the Pełcznica River and was completed in 1292.
Świdnica is a small city to the southwest of Wroclaw. It is known for The Church of Peace and its market square.
Opole is one of Poland’s oldest cities and is less than an hour from Wroclaw.
Poznan is another major city in Poland to the north of Wroclaw and is a fantastic city to explore.
Whether you visit Wroclaw or Krakow, you may also want to consider visiting the capital city of Warsaw.
Overall
Krakow and Wroclaw are two of Poland’s largest cities. Both cities feature incredible Old Towns and have traditional Polish architecture. Krakow is a much bigger city than Wroclaw and you can definitely feel the size difference when you are there but it isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Wroclaw has more of a feeling of a smaller town, especially in the center of the city. Krakow feels a little more authentic just because it wasn’t bombed as hard as Wroclaw was during WW2. You will want to spend three or four days in Krakow and you can see most of Wroclaw in two full days.