Wawel Castle Krakow

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All visitor info Wawel Castle Krakow

The huge Wawel Castle, with the central square Main Market Square, is the biggest sight in Krakow. The city castle is the most important castle in all of Poland. The majority of Polish kings are buried in the cathedral of Krakow Castle. Krakow was the capital of Poland for centuries. Wawel Castle was the royal palace.

Guided tours of Wawel Castle: We recommend booking one or more guided tours of the great castle of Krakow. Guided tours are inexpensive if you book online in advance. On this link you can book the guided tours

Wawel castle aerial view from above

Wawel can be called both a castle and a palace. It is in the middle of Krakow, less than a kilometer south of the central Old Town Square. The Wawel Castle is on a small hill. Behind the castle, as seen from the Old Town, is the large Vistula River. The Wawel Castle is large and very well preserved…

To visit the interior of the castle complex, you do not have to pay an entrance fee. But the interior of the buildings, such as the castle itself and the famous cathedral are chargeable. If you want to see everything, you have to pay entrance fee several times. But it is not too expensive. Cathedral and castle cost about 5 euros each.

The Wawel Castle itself is worth seeing. The thick walls, the gates, the gardens are impressive. The views of the city and the Vistula River are also great.

Wawel way to the castle of krakow

Opening hours Wawel Castle

Most of the sights and exhibitions in Wawel Castle are open from 9:30 am to 4 pm, some are open a little longer. You should not necessarily come on Monday, because some things are closed or there are shorter opening hours.

Entrance fees Wawel Castle

The state rooms in the castle cost 30 zloty, the cathedral with Sigismund’s bell rising 22 zloty, and the royal chambers and the treasury 25 zlody each. Also popular among visitors is the Armory in Wawel Castle in Krakow (15 zlody). There are more things to see, including exhibitions, etc.

Prices are from 2022, one euro is about 4.7 zlody. So for most things in Krakow Castle you pay around 5 euros.

So how much you pay depends on what you want to see. We definitely recommend the cathedral, the treasury and in the castle the state rooms.

Guided tours of Wawel Castle: We recommend booking one or more guided tours of the great castle of Krakow. Guided tours are inexpensive if you book online in advance. On this link you can book the guided tours

How to get to Wawel

The castle is less than 1 kilometer from the city center. You walk up a path with steps (only about 50 steps).

Then you go through 2 gates worth seeing. After a few meters you are at the cathedral. Behind it is a large square, around it is the castle, a castle garden, etc. There is also a cafe with cheap drinks and snacks. You should also look down from the castle to the city and the Vistula River.

The way up is not difficult (only about 20 meters of altitude). As far as we know, there are other entrances. The described entrance is for visitors coming from the direction of the Old Town.

There is also a large streetcar station with several lines in front of the entrance to Wawel Krakow Castle. Very many tourists, including us, take Bolt or Uber (cab apps) in Krakow. This usually costs well under 5 euros for a few kilometers.

Parking around Wawel Castle is difficult and for sure you will not find free parking, Better to park a bit away and take streetcar or Bolt.

Single sights in Wawel Castle Krakow

Cathedral: The most important church in all of Poland. After paying 22 zlody at the ticket office opposite the entrance, go up some steps into the gothic church.

cathedral of krakow both towers

One should look at the beautiful church in peace. After that you can go up to the Sigismund bell in one of the three towers. It was the largest bell in Poland until a few years ago. The 10-ton bell (diameter about 2.5 meters) is the most famous bell in Poland (from about 1520).

Almost all former kings of Poland are buried in Wawel Cathedral. Some in the church itself, the majority in the basement – in the crypt. These rooms under the Wawel Cathedral can also be visited.

Wawel Cathedral is a national sanctuary in Poland, very many visitors.

Wawel Castle: Another highlight of visiting Wawel Castle Krakow are the state rooms in the castle. Grandiose is the famous Hall of Envoys (former court). You can see many rooms in the castle in Renaissance style, some with golden ceilings, many beautiful paintings and much more. The banquet hall Senator’s Hall also impresses many visitors.

Treasury: The highlight here is the sword with which the Polish kings were crowned (in the basement).

Dragon’s Cave: The Dragon’s Cave is very famous in Poland. According to a legend, a dragon lived here and ate people. He is said to have been killed by the legendary Drak. The large cave in Krakow Castle can be partially visited.

Guided tours of Wawel Castle: We recommend booking one or more guided tours of the great castle of Krakow. Guided tours are inexpensive if you book online in advance. On this link you can book the guided tours