The Main Market Square in Kraków is a place you really must see — even if it’s your first visit. The Cloth Hall (Sukiennice) is more than souvenir stalls: it houses an art gallery on the upper floor and is the entrance to the fascinating Market Underground. Together they give you a great ‘‘above and below’’ experience — the lively market atmosphere on the surface and a journey into medieval Kraków beneath your feet.
If your time is limited, plan your visit so you first spend some time on the Square, admire the Cloth Hall and the exterior of St. Mary’s Basilica, and then descend to the Market Underground — the underground walk takes about 1 to 2 hours depending on your pace and interest in the displays.
The ground floor of the Cloth Hall still serves its trade function — souvenir stalls, amber and handicraft sellers are open and accessible without a ticket. Upstairs is the Gallery of 19th-Century Polish Art, which is part of the museum offering and requires a separate ticket.
Ticket prices for the museum part of the Cloth Hall vary by exhibition and season. It’s practical to have both cash and a card with you — card payments are usually accepted, but for smaller stalls on the ground floor it can be faster to pay with small change.
Tip: if you only want to look at the stalls and enjoy the Market panorama, you don’t need to buy a museum ticket. If you plan to visit the upper gallery, leave at least an hour for a relaxed walk through the rooms.
The Market Underground is a modern, multimedia exhibition stretching beneath the Main Market Square. Visitors walk along glass walkways above archaeological remains, and the exhibition combines archaeological finds with reenactments and multimedia — a great way to see how the city looked centuries ago.
The entrance to the Underground Museum is from the Cloth Hall side. A visit can last from around 1 hour for a quicker route to 2–3 hours if you want to see everything and use all presentations. The museum is usually open every day, but opening hours vary by day of week and season, so it’s best to check the hours before you go.
There is an admission fee; normal and reduced fares apply and there are occasional free-entry days. Often, some institutions offer free admission on selected Tuesdays, but rules change — if you plan to go on a Tuesday, check current conditions and any reservation requirements.
For families with children the Underground offers special zones and interactive elements that make learning about history engaging and accessible.
Finding a cheap and tasty lunch in Kraków is not hard — just remember that tourist hotspots tend to be more expensive. Here are tested budget options across the city:
1) Milk bars (bar mleczny) - a classic for budget travelers: traditional milk bars serve home-style lunch sets at very affordable prices. Soup plus a main course often costs around 14–25 PLN. It’s quick, local and filling.
2) Local bistros and daily specials: many small bistros and canteens offer a daily set (danie dnia) for roughly 15–30 PLN. This is perfect when you want a home-cooked taste for a low price. Look beyond the immediate center or along streets leading away from the Square — prices are usually lower there.
3) Street food and kiosks - fast and cheap: slices of pizza, zapiekanki, kebabs and other street snacks can solve your hunger for a dozen or so zlotys. Areas near universities and workplaces tend to offer the most economical street food.
4) Examples and price pointers: in Kraków you can find daily menus starting from about 12–17 PLN, and soups for as little as 5 PLN. Keep an eye out for these lunch deals if you want to eat well on a small budget.
Practical tip: check the day menu before you go in — the local daily set often gives the best value. To save even more, search for places with a home-style kitchen or bars near universities and office districts.
Morning plan - Sukiennice and the Underground:
- Start at the Main Market Square: stroll the Square, see the Cloth Hall and the façade of St. Mary’s Basilica.
- If you like, pop into the stalls in the Cloth Hall - that’s free and quick.
- Descend to the Market Underground - plan about 1–2 hours for a relaxed visit to the exhibition.
After visiting - cheap lunch:
- Walk 5–15 minutes away from the most touristy streets and look for a milk bar or a bistro offering a daily set. Many such places are located toward Grodzka Street, in the direction of Kazimierz, and on streets that lead away from the Square.
- If you prefer a quick snack, street food near the Market Square and in Kazimierz often offers pizza slices, zapiekanki and kebabs at good prices.
This route lets you combine the main sights with an economical, tasty meal without wasting time searching.
- Tickets: when buying tickets for museums and galleries check opening hours and online purchase rules in advance. During high season popular exhibitions may sell out or require time-slot reservations.
- Payments: most places in the center accept cards, but small stalls and some milk bars may prefer cash. Carry small denominations for quick souvenir purchases.
- Crowds: the Main Square gets busy during the day, especially in peak season and in the evenings. If you prefer a quieter visit, come in the morning — both the Cloth Hall and the Underground have fewer visitors then.
- For families: if you travel with children the Underground has interactive elements and a kids’ area. When choosing a place for lunch, pick venues with kid-friendly menus — many milk bars offer simpler, child-sized portions.
- Weather: sightseeing on the surface involves walking around the Square — on rainy days it’s often nicer to visit the Underground and museums, and leave the outdoor strolls for better weather.
If you want specific names to start your search, typical budget-friendly options in and near the center include several ‘bar mleczny’ (milk bars) and street-food spots. Examples that visitors often try are: Bar Mleczny Pod Temidą (near Grodzka), Bar Mleczny Krakus, and other local milk bars that serve inexpensive daily sets. For classic Kraków zapiekanki head to Plac Nowy in Kazimierz and try the Okrąglak stalls.
Markets are also good budget options: Stary Kleparz near the Old Town has stalls and small eateries with affordable, fresh choices. For large portions at reasonable prices look for small ‚bar orientalny’ places, simple bistros offering a danie dnia, or student-area canteens.
Remember that exact prices and opening hours vary, so glance at a menu or a window sign for the danie dnia price before you sit down.
The Cloth Hall and the Market Underground are a duo that shows Kraków from two very different perspectives — the lively surface and the calm, hidden history below. Allow enough time, check opening hours and ticket prices before you go, and look for lunch away from the busiest parts of the center to eat cheaply and well.
If you’d like, I can prepare a short day plan tailored to your arrival time, food preferences and sightseeing pace — tell me how much time you have and whether you prefer traditional, vegetarian or street-food lunches, and I’ll suggest a personalized itinerary.
Q: Do I need a ticket to walk through the Cloth Hall stalls? - A: No, the ground-floor market stalls are free to visit.
Q: How long should I allow for the Market Underground? - A: Plan at least 1 hour; 1.5–2 hours if you want to explore all displays and multimedia stations.
Q: Where is the cheapest place to eat near the Market Square? - A: Walk a few minutes away from the busiest streets and look for a milk bar or bistro with a daily set (danie dnia). Plac Nowy in Kazimierz is a good spot for cheap street food like zapiekanki.
Q: Are there family-friendly options? - A: Yes — the Underground has interactive zones for kids, and many milk bars offer simpler portions for children.
