Kraków remembers in its streets, squares and parks - not only in exhibition halls. This guide shows how to see the most important traces of World War II in the city in a few hours without entering museums: memorial sites, monuments, fragments of the ghetto wall, former camp areas and execution sites. It is a walk for people who want to feel history in the urban space and better understand how it is present in the everyday landscape.
The route is designed to combine historical value with the pleasure of walking: we start in Podgórze (Heroes of the Ghetto Square), visit Liban (the quarry), pass the former Płaszów camp area and the 'Gray House', see Montelupich prison and execution sites, and finish at a cemetery and in Kazimierz - ideal for a morning or afternoon.
In the text you will find practical tips, visit etiquette, an FAQ, a few culinary suggestions and the most common mistakes you can avoid.
Urban spaces carry traces of daily life and the dramas of the past - outdoor sites let you read the city’s layered history without display cases and exhibits. On location it is easier to imagine the topography of events and understand the context: where the ghetto stood, the routes taken by transports, where people were gathered and how the city changed after the war.
Outdoor visiting is also more accessible for people who prefer a quiet walk to an intensive museum visit. Careful reading of plaques and observing the landscape provide many important insights. Remember, however, that memorial sites demand respect and reflection.
Many of the places described here are marked with plaques and municipal monuments - take a moment to read inscriptions and to pause for reflection.
Start: Heroes of the Ghetto Square (Podgórze). This was the central point of Kraków’s ghetto - notice the cast-iron chairs scattered across the square, a symbol of abandoned belongings and memory. Nearby is the building of the former pharmacy; the area still preserves the ghetto street layout.
Short walk: fragments of the ghetto wall on Limanowskiego and Lwowska streets. These are authentic relics of the ghetto boundary, restored and conserved; pay attention to the characteristic semi-circular wall tops.
Next: Liban Quarry. The site has a heavy history: during the occupation it was used as a penal labor camp for Poles. Today it is a stark landscape with fragments of former installations and places connected to remembrance. Be careful on descents and do not leave marked paths.
Following: the former Płaszów camp area. Walk along the open former-camp terrain, see the Gray House (a building associated with executions and torture) and the Monument to the Victims of Fascism; note that parts of the area are designated as a memorial site and follow signage.
Then: Montelupich Street (prison). From the outside you can see the monumental prison building through which tens of thousands passed during the occupation. In the Lubicz and Botaniczna area there are markers commemorating the shootings of hostages.
Optional: Fort 49 Krzesławice (Krzesławice Hills) - a site of executions and mass graves; there is a monument and a collective grave that can be visited as a more distant but important point of remembrance.
Finish: Rakowicki Cemetery or Kazimierz - sites where war victims and graves of Warsaw refugees rest. After the walk it’s nice to stop at a nearby café in Kazimierz or by the Vistula to rest and talk about what you’ve seen.
Heroes of the Ghetto Square: the cast-iron chairs symbolize abandoned furniture and the absence of people. The square is also a place of anniversary ceremonies and wreath-laying. Keep a respectful demeanor and avoid sitting on monuments.
Fragments of the ghetto wall: the walls are shaped to recall gravestones - a deliberate, grim architectural detail; conserved sections are marked and have information panels.
Liban Quarry: though now greened, the area contains winding paths and steep escarpments in places. It is both a place of memory and a natural site - do not enter unmarked cliffs or forbidden parts of the quarry.
Płaszów area: beyond the monuments there are remnants of the camp and information panels. The area is historically and emotionally complex - treat it with respect. Do not attempt to enter private properties on the edges of the site.
Memorial sites are not "attractions" in an entertainment sense. Do not make noise, do not use a drone without permission, do not sit on monuments and do not enter graves. Keep quiet, especially during ceremonies or when locals are present. Photograph sensitively - avoid posing in a way that could be perceived as disrespectful.
For Liban Quarry and other natural areas wear comfortable shoes and stick to marked paths. Do not enter fenced-off sections and be aware that some areas are managed by memory institutions or are privately owned.
If you visit burial sites and graves, leave flowers in designated places. If in doubt, ask the site’s caretakers or municipal information points.
Most of the described sites are outdoors and free to access year-round. They do not require tickets, though some parts of the terrain (for example restricted zones on former camp grounds) may be temporarily closed for conservation.
Time: plan 2 to 4 hours depending on pace and stops. If you read panels and move slowly, reserve half a day.
Accessibility: some places have limited accessibility for wheelchair users or people with mobility difficulties (e.g., the quarry, some paths in Płaszów). Montelupich, the squares and most monuments are reachable, but check the specific route beforehand.
Forum Przestrzenie (riverside, Zabłocie/Kazimierz) - a popular spot for coffee or a light meal with a view over the Vistula; a good base to rest after a walk through Podgórze and Płaszów.
Restauracja Starka (Kazimierz, near Nowy Square) - a place with local cuisine, traditional flavors and a friendly atmosphere; a good choice for a hearty meal after a remembrance walk.
If you prefer something quick, Kazimierz and Podgórze have many cafés and small bars offering local pierogi and home-style dishes. Check opening hours on weekends.
Mistake: treating memorial sites as entertainment attractions. How to avoid: remember to behave with respect, maintain silence and act appropriately near monuments and graves.
Mistake: entering unmarked areas (for example quarry escarpments). How to avoid: stick to paths and information boards; do not explore places that look dangerous.
Mistake: confusing former-camp terrain with recreational areas. How to avoid: read plaques and local information - many sites are both places of memory and public spaces, which demands special attention and respect.
Is the route suitable for families with children? Yes, but the subject matter is serious. Prepare age-appropriate short explanations for children and maintain a calm pace.
Can I take photographs? Yes, photography is allowed, but avoid posing in ways that could be disrespectful at monuments and graves. Drones require permission from the relevant authorities.
Is the route paid? Most places on the route are public spaces and free. If you decide to visit museum parts (not part of this outdoor guide), those sites charge entrance fees.
The ghetto walls in Podgórze were designed to resemble gravestones - a cruel symbolism used by the occupiers that today is conserved as testimony to that policy.
Liban Quarry served as a penal labor site and later was used as a filming location for the movie "Schindler’s List" - parts of the film set can still be noticed in the quarry.
After the war some places of martyrdom were built over or incorporated into new housing developments, so as you walk Kraków’s modern streets you often pass above or beside sites that were once places of crime and suffering.
Kraków rewards careful visiting - the traces of World War II are not only exhibitions but also streets, walls, small squares and monuments. Walking the sites described here gives a fuller picture of how history shapes the city’s space and the memory of its inhabitants.
If this guide was helpful, share it with friends or on social media - let more people visit Kraków consciously and respectfully.
If you would like to explore the route with a guide, consider booking a tour with Małgorzata Kasprowicz - details and contact information are available on the Zwiedzanie Krakowa website.
