Małgorzata Kasprowicz is a licensed Kraków guide who has led thousands of visitors along the city's most important routes. Her guiding mixes solid historical knowledge with anecdotes and humor, so the walk is engaging for both adults and children. If you want to learn stories, architectural details and local flavor from someone born in Kraków, this is an excellent choice.
She offers routes adapted to different groups — families and schools, organized groups, and individual tourists. Suggested routes include the Royal Route, Wawel, Kazimierz and themed walks (for example, a legends trail). Her experience and official licences for major city sites ensure the tour is both safe and informative.
Booking a private tour gives you advantages — you can set the pace, focus on chosen spots and ask all your questions. The guide also handles practical matters — museum tickets, entry times, and pacing for children or older visitors.
The Main Market (Rynek Główny) is the heart of Kraków — a vast medieval square dominated by the Cloth Hall (Sukiennice), the Town Hall Tower and St. Mary's Basilica. Walking the Market helps you understand how the city lived through the centuries — from markets to royal ceremonies.
Cloth Hall (Sukiennice) — ground-level stalls and cafés under the arcades, with the Gallery of 19th-Century Polish Art upstairs. Take a close look not only at souvenir stalls but also at the architectural details of the buildings surrounding the square.
The Town Hall Tower offers a viewpoint over the Old Town roofs — a great spot for photos showing the city's layout and the streets radiating from the Market.
Small treasures of the Market include St. Adalbert's Church (St. Wojciech), the oldest layers of the square visible in the paving levels, and the Adam Mickiewicz Monument — a traditional meeting place. The Rynek Underground (Podziemia Rynku) reveals history unearthed beneath the paving: an interactive exhibition about medieval city life that is worth visiting — book in advance if you plan to go inside.
St. Mary's Basilica dominates the eastern side of the Main Market. Its two towers and the famous altarpiece by Veit Stoss (Wit Stwosz) are must-see highlights. The altarpiece amazes with finely carved wooden sculpture — allow time to study it during your visit.
The hejnał mariacki sounds every hour from the taller tower of St. Mary's — the melody famously stops abruptly, tied to a medieval story of danger and bravery. The best time to hear the hejnał is on the hour while standing near the church or at the Market's edge. In summer the sound carries beautifully across the square.
Access to the church interior is organized separately for tourists and worshippers at times — quiet and modest dress are customary. If you want a close look at the altarpiece and interiors, plan for a quieter time of day or include the visit in a guided walk.
A typical guided walk lasts from 90 minutes to 3 hours — depending on how many interiors and museums you want to visit. A short 90-minute route covers the hejnał, a circuit of the Market and a quick look at the Cloth Hall. A 3-hour route allows time for the Rynek Underground, entry to St. Mary's Basilica and more in-depth stories about the city's history.
The guide adjusts the pace and content to the group's age and interests. For families with children the route includes more legends and interactive elements; for art lovers there is more context about the altarpiece and architecture.
For larger groups the guide can arrange audio-headset sets so everyone can hear comfortably in a crowd without having to gather too close.
Private tours with a licensed guide have varying rates depending on duration and language. For small groups prices usually start at a few hundred Polish zlotys for a two-hour tour and increase for longer routes or foreign-language guiding. Larger groups are typically charged per person.
If you plan to visit the Rynek Underground, galleries or other paid interiors, it is wise to book tickets in advance. The guide can help plan entry times and buy tickets — this saves time and avoids long queues.
During the high season we recommend booking a few days ahead, especially if you want a specific time or are visiting with a larger group. For school or corporate bookings, discuss special needs such as breaks, pacing or accessibility with your guide.
When is the best time to listen to the hejnał? — On the hour near St. Mary's or at the Market's edge; mornings and late afternoons are usually less crowded.
Is entry to St. Mary's Basilica paid? — Many parts of the church are accessible to visitors; some areas (museum routes or special exhibitions) may require a ticket. Check current opening times and rules before your visit.
Is the Rynek Underground worth visiting? — Yes, if you are interested in medieval Kraków and archaeology beneath the square. Book a timed ticket in advance.
How should I dress for the church? — Modestly and comfortably — avoid overly revealing clothing. Please respect silence inside and note that flash photography is often restricted.
Does the guide handle tickets? — Yes, the guide can help reserve tickets and coordinate visits to avoid queues and unnecessary rushing.
The Market and its surroundings offer many places to pause — from cafés under the Cloth Hall arcades to traditional restaurants. For coffee or breakfast try cafés around the Market and the nearby side streets, which often have a calmer atmosphere than the center of the square.
For lunch or dinner look for places serving Polish and regional cuisine. Nearby historic restaurants include Wierzynek (Rynek Główny 16) and charming cafés such as Camelot Café on Św. Tomasza. For a quick bite, stalls around Plac Nowy and the Kazimierz area offer informal street-food options if you plan to continue exploring afterward.
Check current opening hours and recent reviews when choosing a place to eat — hours can change in high season and at holidays.
For families with children: choose a shorter route with interactive elements and legends. Plan breaks in quieter side streets or cafés that offer space for resting.
For seniors and those with reduced mobility: the Market is relatively level, but the cobblestones can be challenging — wear comfortable shoes and plan routes under the arcades where there are spots to sit. Many institutions have ramps or elevators — ask the guide about access to specific sites.
Transport and strollers: some entrances have limited access for large strollers — work out the route with the guide in advance to avoid surprises.
Booking: contact the guide in advance, specify date, number of participants, preferred language and places you want to visit. The guide will help tailor the route and remind you about possible ticket costs for museums.
What to bring: comfortable shoes, a bottle of water, a light rain jacket (Kraków weather can change), a camera and a charged phone. For longer tours bring a small backpack and a snack.
Meeting point: agree on a clear meeting place — for example by the Adam Mickiewicz Monument, by the Cloth Hall, or another recognizable spot on the Market.
The Main Market and St. Mary's Basilica are best discovered with a guide — history, anecdotes and architectural context give the visit meaning and flavor. Małgorzata Kasprowicz offers tours full of passion, curiosities and accessible explanations — ideal for families, school groups, companies and individual tourists.
If you want to hear the hejnał from the best spot, see Veit Stoss's altarpiece up close and descend to the Rynek Underground with someone who knows how to tell the stories, book a walk and let the atmosphere of Kraków's Market reveal its history step by step.
We invite you to book and ask questions — together we will plan the perfect route for your group and make your visit to the heart of Kraków comfortable and full of memorable moments.
