A ready-made PDF guide is ideal if you want a clear walking plan, a map tailored to your needs and short attraction descriptions without relying on the internet. Such a document fits on your phone or printed on one or a few A4 pages — it takes up little space and helps you plan sightseeing time, food stops and viewpoints toward Wawel. A PDF also gives full control over appearance: you can set the map scale, font size and add QR codes for tickets or routes.
Creating your own guide is especially useful when: you travel with children or a group; you want to avoid long searches and queues; you prefer a printed version with a clear route and rest stops; or you want separate pages with short descriptions, opening hours and dining recommendations.
Below you will find practical, detailed steps — from route planning to final print settings.
First decide what you want to see and how much time you can spend. A Wawel route usually starts at the Main Market Square or near the Piłsudski Bridge; plan the order of places, taking tickets and opening hours into account.
Allow time for: visiting the Castle and Cathedral interiors (tickets and entry limits), a walk around the Planty and the Vistula Boulevards, a coffee or meal break and possibly returning to the Market Square. Wawel has different exhibitions and separate ticket policies — if you plan to go inside, check availability and consider buying tickets online.
Think about the guide’s audience: is it a quick walk for people with one hour? Or a more detailed guide (history, curiosities) for art lovers? For each option prepare short estimated times for each point.
A common mistake — starting with the map instead of the list of places. First make the list and order, then draw the route on the map.
For a simple guide it’s best to use printable maps: official city maps or open-source sources (OpenStreetMap) and ready-made PDFs from regional institutions. Many municipal offices and tourist organizations publish A4 maps prepared for printing — a fast and convenient source.
OpenStreetMap (OSM) is a great choice: it’s free, up-to-date and allows exporting areas to PDF or image formats, but remember the ODbL license conditions (you should indicate the data source when publicly sharing).
Other options: export tools like MapOSMatic or services offering printable A4 maps; official municipal materials often include routes and ready descriptions. If you want to use parts of commercial services (e.g. Google Maps), check their rules on printing and distribution — for a personal-use guide, OSM or official city materials are usually the safest choice.
Simple and fast: Canva — ready document templates and PDF export. Canva lets you add images, maps, QR codes and nice typography without advanced design skills.
If you want more control over maps: use OSM export (Export tab) or tools like MapOSMatic. For more advanced users, QGIS is useful (layer editing, precise scale) or free vector editors like Inkscape and layout tools like Scribus to prepare print-ready pages.
For printing and page setup: design the document in A4 (or an A4 folded layout), set printer margins (ideally 3–8 mm), use 300 DPI graphics for photos and vector or high-resolution map exports so labels remain readable.
1. Prepare the route plan: list places, approximate visit times, meeting points and food stops. Write short descriptions (1–3 sentences) for each point.
2. Choose a map: mark the start, the destination (Wawel), the route and important points along the way (e.g. public toilets, cafés, viewpoints). Export the area at the appropriate resolution (if using OSM — export to PDF or PNG; if using MapOSMatic — generate an A4 sheet).
3. Open your chosen editor (Canva, Scribus, Word — if you want simplicity). Set a header with the route title, a subtitle with walk length and approximate time.
4. Place the map on one A4 page (or on a page with a larger-scale inset) and add numbered points matching the short descriptions. On a second page include brief historical notes about Wawel, opening hours/typical ticket prices (note to check current info online), and dining recommendations.
5. Add practical information: addresses, phone numbers (e.g. Wawel ticket office or a nearby shop/café), transport tips, accessibility notes (stairs, elevator) and any weather warnings.
6. Ensure readability: use simple fonts (e.g. sans-serif for maps and headings), clear contrasts and sufficient font size for print (min. 10–11 pt for body text).
7. Add a QR code to the ticket page or to a mobile map so the reader can easily open GPS navigation.
8. Export to PDF with 'high' quality and check the print preview: margins, scaling and image resolution. A single test print will help catch errors before printing multiple copies.
Map scale determines the guide’s usefulness. For city walks, choose a scale that allows clear recognition of streets (for example so that 200–500 m distances are distinguishable). If you plan to fit the whole route on one A4 page remember that side streets and street names may become unreadable.
Practical tips: mark the route with a thick contrasting line, use numbered points that match the descriptions, add a simple legend (icons for toilet, dining, viewpoint). When using color codes, remember color-vision impairments — avoid red-green combinations as the only distinction.
If you need more detail, consider a multi-page guide: one A4 page = general map, another page = a zoomed fragment (e.g. the area around Wawel) with more detail.
When using OSM maps you must respect the ODbL license — this includes providing information about the data source if you publish the guide. For personal use there’s usually no issue, but for distribution (e.g. in a hotel) remember the share-alike requirement and crediting the source.
Photos and descriptions of monuments: promotional materials from museums and cities (e.g. official PDFs) are often prepared for free download and tourist promotion — still, check the institution’s terms of use. When in doubt, ask for permission or use images clearly marked for free use.
Practical tip: put a short note in the PDF footer like 'Map: OpenStreetMap / municipal materials' or a similar attribution — this helps meet license requirements.
For tourist use, regular home printing on 80–100 g/m2 paper is sufficient. For a nicer effect (e.g. a guide for hotel guests) choose 120–170 g/m2 paper and consider a laminated cover or coated paper.
PDF settings: RGB is acceptable for most digital printers, but for a print shop export to CMYK. Use 300 DPI for photos and check the safe margin (typically 3–5 mm). If folding A4 in half, leave extra margin for the fold.
If you plan to hand out guides in public points — consider double-sided printing with the map on one side and descriptions on the other, or a stapled/bound booklet for more pages.
Check ticket availability and possible time restrictions — exhibitions and the cathedral have set entry times and sometimes visitor limits. Wawel provides information about reservations, official guides and audio guide rentals.
If you want an official museum guide (an accredited museum guide), book in advance — especially for groups. When planning also allow time for the ticket queue and luggage security checks.
A small practical habit: keep one page of the guide as a 'quick plan' — with times, phone numbers and space for notes. It’s also useful to mark the nearest toilets and medical points.
If you plan a break near Wawel, these well-known and often recommended places are convenient: Sklep Firmowy i Kawiarnia Wawel (shop and café within the castle area) — handy for a quick rest and souvenirs; Pod Wawelem — a large, popular restaurant serving Polish cuisine; Cafe Camelot — an atmospheric café closer to the Main Market Square, perfect for dessert or coffee; Szara / Szara Gęś on the Market Square — more upscale options for lunch or dinner. All these venues usually get good reviews, but check current reviews before visiting.
Tip: to avoid long waits choose smaller cafés off the main route or reserve a table in advance (especially on weekends and during peak tourist season).
Note: there are also catering points run by museums around Wawel — they sometimes offer quick sets, which are convenient if you’re short on time.
1. Map scale too small — street names become unreadable. Solution: split the guide into a general map page and a zoomed-in detail page.
2. Incorrect margins — the printer cuts important information. Solution: leave at least 3–5 mm margin; 8–10 mm is safer when folding.
3. Missing practical information (hours, tickets, toilets). Solution: include a dedicated 'Practical information' section on a separate page.
4. Using low-resolution photos. Solution: use 300 DPI images or vector graphics for design elements.
5. Forgetting map licenses. Solution: if you use OSM, add a data-source note; if you use official materials, check the terms of use.
Can I use Google Maps in the guide? - For private use a screenshot is often enough, but if you plan public distribution check Google Maps’ terms; OpenStreetMap or official materials are safer for publication.
How do I save a QR code for the guide? - Generate a link to a mobile map or ticket page, use a free QR generator and insert the QR image on the A4 page. Remember to test it with your phone.
Do I need to reserve Wawel tickets? - For some exhibitions and larger groups reservations are recommended; guided tours inside the Castle are also available. Check current information on the castle’s website before your visit.
- Many municipal PDFs and regional maps are already prepared in A4 format — check official city and regional websites before you start making a map from scratch.
- Adding a simple color code (e.g. main route blue, alternative green) helps orientation, especially for those less familiar with the area.
- If the guide will be printed for a group, prepare a larger-font version for older visitors and a short 'must see' list for those with limited time.
Pre-export checklist: 1) Is the map readable at A4 scale? 2) Do all points have numbers and short descriptions? 3) Did you add practical info (hours, tickets, phone numbers)? 4) Did you check the map license and add a source note? 5) Did you make a test print? If you can answer yes to all — your guide is ready to use.
If you prefer touring with a guide — feel free to contact and use the services of private guide Małgorzata Kasprowicz. Contact details are available on zwiedzaniekrakowa.com. I’m happy to help refine the route, adjust the pace and share stories you won’t always find in printed guides.
If this article was helpful — share it with friends or on social media. Enjoy exploring Krakow and the unforgettable views from Wawel!
