Nowa Huta is one of Kraków’s most fascinating areas — a very different story of the city compared with the medieval Market Square or Wawel. It is a planned ‘town-estate’ created in the mid-20th century, full of socialist-realist monuments, wide squares and stories about social change. Touring with a licensed guide, Małgorzata Kasprowicz, helps children and teenagers understand this uniqueness in an accessible and engaging way — with anecdotes, age‑appropriate tasks and educational games.
A 4‑hour tour gives the optimal amount of time: enough to walk through the key places at a comfortable pace, tell stories and allow for breaks for rest or a snack. The 4‑hour program combines a city-walk with interactive tasks so participants stay interested and take home more knowledge and memories than from a shorter visit.
This style of touring is especially suitable for families with children and school groups — the guide adapts pace and activities to the group’s age, from puzzles and mini‑quests for younger children to short discussions and historical context for older teens.
Below is a tested sample itinerary for a 4‑hour Nowa Huta tour, designed to combine history, architecture and child‑friendly tasks:
1) Hour 0:00–0:30 - Welcome and short introduction: meeting point, safety rules, and a quick quiz to introduce what Nowa Huta is and why it was built.
2) Hour 0:30–1:15 - Walk through the main urban design elements: wide avenues, monumental buildings and the idea of a planned town-factory. Children get a simple map with tasks (for example: find a sculpture, count columns, describe a façade color).
3) Hour 1:15–2:00 - The central square and the story of symbols: discussion of the role of squares and monuments and simple stories about daily life of the first residents. This stop can include a role‑play activity — “a builder’s diary” or “what would you take to an apartment in the 1950s?”.
4) Hour 2:00–2:30 - Snack break / family-friendly café: time to rest and eat something local. The guide suggests family-friendly spots and simple places like a traditional 'bar mleczny' suitable for children.
5) Hour 2:30–3:15 - Places of everyday life: neighborhood centers, schools, churches and interesting architectural details. Here children learn how to read the city — what it tells about the people who lived here.
6) Hour 3:15–3:45 - Contrast with the rest of Kraków: a short talk about differences between Nowa Huta and the historic centre, changes after 1989 and how the district looks today.
7) Hour 3:45–4:00 - Summary and quiz: a quick wrap‑up game, handing out small mementos or a list of “next steps” for families and teachers to continue exploring.
Małgorzata Kasprowicz uses engaging methods: questions, contests, craft tasks and short historical mini‑sketches. She adapts pace and content to the participants’ ages: shorter anecdotes and more movement for young children, deeper context and conversations for older students. School trips often include educational elements tied to the curriculum, and families can expect practical tips for keeping children interested throughout the walk.
Key elements of work with youth include active questions addressed to the group, comparisons of everyday life then and now, drama elements (role‑playing situations), and photo tasks like ‘find and photograph’. This way children don’t just listen but act — which helps them remember more.
The guide also uses visual aids — simple maps, boards and archival photos — which allow comparisons of past and present. This works especially well with teenagers who quickly grasp the context when they can see “before and after” images.
- Comfortable shoes and weather‑appropriate clothing. Even on a 4‑hour walk there will be some walking, often on hard surfaces. - A small backpack with a water bottle and snacks — the break is planned roughly halfway through the route. - Documents for discounts (if applicable), e.g. student ID. - A charged phone and powerbank — useful for photos and contact. - For school groups: attendance lists, a contact number for the group leader and a small first‑aid kit. - For children: a small notebook and crayons (the guide often suggests short drawing tasks).
The guide can provide audio‑guide headset sets for larger groups, which improves audibility in busy places — please request this when booking.
If someone is traveling with a stroller or uses a wheelchair, please inform this when booking — the guide will adapt the route by choosing more accessible sections and suggesting alternatives.
The guide has experience working with large groups of children and follows safety rules: constant contact, a clear meeting point and recommendations for dividing into smaller subgroups with supervisors. For teachers and carers: it’s useful to agree the route, break times and meal location in advance, and exchange phone numbers with the guide and the group leader.
Prices and organizational details (duration, group size, need for audio‑guide) should be confirmed at booking — the guide will prepare an offer tailored to the group’s educational needs and ages.
If the weather prevents outdoor activities, the guide proposes indoor alternatives or a shortened plan focusing on key points that are accessible in rain.
- Students learn about life in 20th‑century Poland — urban planning, everyday life, economic and social changes. - Children develop observation skills and the habit of asking questions — building critical thinking and empathy toward past residents. - Field lessons support memory and interest in history more effectively than classroom lectures. - Families receive a safe, engaging program and tips on how to continue exploring Kraków after the tour.
A tour led with humor and empathy leaves positive memories and often motivates children to further explore local history on their own.
Lesson materials (a short list of questions, a homework idea or a mini‑project) can be prepared on request — a great complement to a school visit.
Q: How much does a 4‑hour tour cost for a school or family group? - A: The price depends on group size and conditions (for example, the need for headset sets). For a standard 4‑hour booking, the guide applies group rates for small and large groups — please request an offer tailored to your date and number of participants.
Q: Is the route suitable for younger children (e.g. grades 1–3)? - A: Yes — the guide offers a version with more games and shorter stories, plus extra breaks. For the youngest children it’s best to plan movement activities and sensory tasks.
Q: Do I need to book in advance? - A: Recommended — especially during the tourist season and school term dates, to secure the date and any educational materials.
Q: What if it rains? - A: The guide has indoor alternatives and shortened programs, but the ability to use indoor spaces in heavy rain depends on availability — discuss this when booking.
Q: Can the guide come directly to a hotel or school? - A: Usually the meeting is at an agreed meeting point — individual arrangements for a different starting place are possible.
- If you plan a full day in Kraków: Nowa Huta pairs well with a short course on industrial history or a visit to a local café to rest after the walk. - If you’d like to organize a group meal, ask the guide for recommendations — she knows family‑friendly places and can match options to your budget. - For school trips, consider requesting preparatory materials from the guide (for example, short pre‑visit tasks) to make the outing more effective. - Photographing is welcome — the guide can point out the most photogenic spots and frame the story visually.
If you want to book a date or get an offer tailored to your group, contact the guide directly — she will gladly answer organizational questions and help adapt the program.
We wish you a great visit — Nowa Huta can surprise, move and inspire both the youngest and the grown‑ups.
