If you are planning a visit to Krakow and wonder whether it’s worth entering museums with a guide — the answer is: yes, especially if you want context, anecdotes and to save time. A guide will show you the most important exhibits, tell stories that don't always appear on exhibit labels, and help you arrange an itinerary to make the most of your available time. This makes the visit more interesting and less stressful, particularly if your time is limited or you’re in a large group.
With a guided visit you’ll more easily avoid queues, learn practical tips about the best times and routes, and discover how to combine museum visits with walks around the city or a trip to Wieliczka. It’s a great solution for families with children, school groups, companies and anyone who wants to feel Krakow’s atmosphere without diving into dry dates — instead you’ll get a narrative full of curiosities and humour.
If you don’t have much time, a guide will suggest an optimal plan — for example the main museums plus a short walk around the Old Town, or a full-day program combining Krakow and Wieliczka. It’s a convenient option when you want to see “the musts” without wandering aimlessly and wasting time.
In this article I describe which museums I particularly recommend visiting, how to organize a combined route with Wieliczka, practical things to arrange before your trip, and I answer the most frequently asked questions. Everything is written in a friendly, practical tone so you can easily plan your visit.
Feedback from people who have already joined my tours most often highlights engagement, lightness of storytelling and a lot of fascinating facts — these are the qualities I emphasize in my guiding work.
My name is Małgorzata Kasprowicz. I have been a licensed guide in Krakow since 2012. I was born in Krakow and over the years I have guided thousands of visitors — in total more than 18,000 people — and led over 1,000 tours of various kinds, from school groups to VIPs. This work is my passion: I enjoy telling stories, asking questions and weaving anecdotes into the route that help people remember facts.
I hold licenses that allow me to guide in selected museum and historic sites in Krakow — including Wawel Hill, the Rynek Underground, Oskar Schindler's Factory and the Pharmacy Under the Eagle. That gives me the ability to show places with greater access and to present them in a context that is often missing during self-guided visits.
On my tours I focus on contact with participants: I manage the pace, adapt content to the age and interests of the group, and if needed I suggest breaks or shortened versions of routes. For larger groups I have access to headphone sets that improve audibility in crowded places.
Client reviews emphasize my commitment, sense of humour and ability to engage both children and adults. If you want to explore Krakow with a guide who combines knowledge with passion — you’re welcome to join.
On the ZwiedzanieKrakowa website you can find sample routes, the price list and themed offers — from walks along the Royal Route to tours of Kazimierz, as well as combined proposals with Wieliczka.
Museums in Krakow are diverse: from historical collections to places of memory and contemporary exhibitions. Here are a few sites I often recommend that fit well into a city route:
- Wawel Hill (Royal Castle and Cathedral): the heart of former Poland, a place of coronations, royal tombs and rich artistic heritage. Visiting Wawel with a guide helps you understand the connection between architecture, art and the history of the state.
- Czartoryski Museum: known for valuable works of art and an intriguing collection — worth visiting if you are interested in classical paintings and unusual collecting stories.
- Oskar Schindler's Factory: a place of remembrance and a powerful account of Krakow’s inhabitants during World War II. A guide helps read the exhibition’s context and understand its ties to local history.
- Rynek Underground: an interactive, modern exhibition showing the city’s development since the Middle Ages; a great option if you want to combine museums with a short walk through the Main Market Square.
- Pharmacy Under the Eagle and other smaller museum gems: narrow, thematic spots often hide fascinating stories and are ideal for short breaks between larger attractions.
Which museums you choose depends on your interests and time. If you have one day, I suggest focusing on 1–2 sites and a short walk through the Old Town; if you have more time, plan a full day with Wawel + a thematic museum + the Rynek Underground.
Yes — combining Krakow and Wieliczka in one day is doable and popular, provided you plan the logistics well. Wieliczka is a salt mine located near Krakow, and touring underground is a completely different experience from surface museum halls. Combining both gives you a broader picture of the region: history, natural environment and the technology of salt extraction.
A practical one-day plan might look like this: a morning walk through the Old Town (for example along the Royal Route), a visit to one selected museum (e.g., Wawel or the Czartoryski Museum), a lunch break, and an afternoon departure to Wieliczka. Travel time is usually around 30–40 minutes from central Krakow each way, depending on traffic and mode of transport.
It’s worth booking salt mine tickets in advance and checking whether the Wieliczka route requires prior booking of a guide. As a guide I help clients plan optimal departure times to minimize queues and waiting.
If you’re travelling with a group, I can propose a ready-made “Krakow and Wieliczka in one day” program tailored to participants’ ages and pace. This is convenient for families, school groups and business guests.
Remember that Wieliczka involves a lot of stairs and walking — bring comfortable shoes and a warm layer, because it’s often cooler underground than on the surface.
On my website you will find the guide service price list, which includes rates for group and individual tours. For smaller groups prices are set by the hour (with varying route lengths), and for larger groups prices are calculated per person. For convenience I also offer headphone sets for rent — the fee is small and they significantly improve the experience in crowded places.
Prices can vary by season and during promotions — current information about discounts and reduced-price periods is available on the website. For larger groups it’s worth booking the date in advance to avoid the guide’s unavailability and long lines at some museums.
A few practical points to remember:
- Audio-guide/headphone sets: available and useful with larger groups.
- Licences: I hold a guide licence since 2012 and museum authorizations, which simplifies access and route planning.
- School groups and educational programs: I prepare routes with children and teenagers in mind, including activating elements and avoiding an excess of hard-to-remember dates.
Remember that tickets to some museums must be reserved separately — especially popular sites like Wawel or Wieliczka. As a guide I can help organize tickets and optimally schedule visiting hours.
- Clothing and footwear: comfortable shoes are essential — there is a lot of walking in museums and on Old Town routes. For Wieliczka add a warmer layer of clothing.
- Tickets and reservations: check in advance whether a museum requires purchasing a timed ticket. For popular attractions it’s wise to book tickets in advance.
- Duration: ask about the suggested length of the tour — standard walks last from 2 to 4 hours, while the “Krakow and Wieliczka” program usually takes a full day.
- For families with children: I recommend routes with interactive elements and breaks. I have experience guiding school groups, so I can adjust the pace and language of the story.
- Money and amenities: depending on the museum you may need small cash for lockers, souvenirs or coffee. Also check toilet availability along the route.
- Comfort and hearing: for large groups consider using headphone sets — they help ensure no one misses the guide’s stories.
Is 1 hour enough to see Wawel? - One hour is usually too short if you want to see the full castle interiors and the cathedral. I recommend a minimum of 2–3 hours at Wawel to feel the scale and hear the stories.
Is it worth booking a guide in advance? - Yes, especially in high season and for larger groups. Booking allows better planning of the order of visits and coordination of ticket purchases.
Do you conduct tours in English? - Yes, guided tours are also available in English.
What payment methods do you accept and what are the payment recommendations? - Payment details are on the price list page. Generally I accept bank transfer, card payment or cash; for group bookings we agree terms individually.
Do you guide school groups and what are the rules? - Yes. For school groups I prepare a tailored program, checklists and simple safety procedures to ensure supervision runs smoothly and without stress.
The best way is to contact me via the form on the website or directly by phone/email — provide the date, an approximate number of people, preferred language of the tour, approximate route length and whether you want to combine the visit with Wieliczka.
If you book a specific time it’s also helpful to mention any limitations (e.g., participants with reduced mobility, small children) so the route and pace can be adjusted. For school or corporate bookings I recommend agreeing on meeting points and a contingency plan in case of delays or bad weather.
After you submit a request I will confirm details, propose a plan and, if needed, help purchase tickets to museums and the salt mine. That way you avoid surprises and long queues.
If you wish, I can prepare a voucher as a gift or a dedicated offer for corporate events and team-building activities.
Contact and availability: contact details and current offers are available on the ZwiedzanieKrakowa website.
If you want to experience Krakow more fully — with context, curiosities and without the stress of planning — a guided tour is an excellent choice. I help design routes tailored to your expectations: a quick walk covering the highlights, a longer tour from Wawel through thematic museums, or a full-day trip combining Krakow and Wieliczka.
Feel free to get in touch — tell me what you want to see and I will prepare a tailor-made route. Together we will make your stay interesting, safe and enjoyable. See you in Krakow!
P.S. If you have specific questions or unusual requests about the route — write to me. I enjoy challenges and happily prepare something special for families, schools and companies.
Happy planning and see you soon — Małgorzata Kasprowicz.
