Krakow blends history, art and everyday life — a walk through the Old Town can be as rewarding as a museum visit. For many travelers, a short list of highlights helps: it makes time planning easier, leaves room for coffee breaks, and helps you choose sights worth seeing, especially when traveling with people who have limited mobility. Below you will find my suggested top 10 plus detailed information about St. Andrew's Church — its history, mass times and practical accessibility tips.
This article also contains practical advice: how to move across cobbled streets, where to find accessible toilets, which museums publish official accessibility statements, and what to do if you meet stairs at a historic entrance. Treat this text as a quick backup plan — fast ideas for sightseeing when it rains, when someone has limited mobility, or when you only have a few hours.
1. Wawel (Royal Castle and Cathedral) — Poland’s symbol, with a rich history, royal chambers and the cathedral where kings were buried.
2. Main Market Square and the Cloth Hall (Sukiennice) — the heart of the Old Town, where you’ll feel Krakow’s atmosphere: trams, pigeons and café life.
3. St. Mary’s Church — famous altars, the bugle call (hejnał) and impressive Gothic and baroque architecture.
4. St. Andrew’s Church and Grodzka Street — a small, very old Romanesque church often passed on the way to Wawel.
5. Kazimierz (the former Jewish district) — atmospheric streets, synagogues, festivals and excellent restaurants.
6. Oskar Schindler’s Factory / Museum of Communism and Memory — an important place for understanding the 20th-century history of the city.
7. Planty and the Barbican/Florian Gate — the green belt around the Old Town and parts of the medieval city walls.
8. Collegium Maius (Jagiellonian University) — one of the oldest universities in Europe, with charming courtyards.
9. Kościuszko Mound — a viewpoint with a panorama of the city and surrounding areas.
10. Museums that publish accessibility statements (for example, some branches of the Museum of Krakow, ICE Krakow Congress Centre, MuFo) — if convenience matters, choose institutions that officially describe their accessibility features.
St. Andrew’s Church on Grodzka Street is one of the oldest surviving churches in Krakow — a Romanesque building from the 11th–12th centuries that also served defensive purposes for centuries. From the outside you see a plain, massive Romanesque form, while the interior is dominated by rich baroque decoration, including a boat-shaped pulpit and an 18th-century marble altar. The church survived the Mongol invasion of 1241 and is part of the Royal Route leading from the Market Square to Wawel.
For many visitors it’s a small discovery — located right on a popular tourist route, yet its modest size and intimate interior make it easy to feel the silence and centuries of history. Information about the church’s history and its most valuable furnishings is available in guides to Krakow’s monuments.
The church functions as a parish, so the most reliable “opening hours” are the times of Masses and services. Typically, city parishes have morning weekday masses and several Sunday masses — those are good moments to enter and see the interior while the doors are open to worshippers and visitors.
If you plan a short visit outside Mass times, remember: many small churches are opened for tourists only occasionally (sometimes seasonally or when visitor numbers are higher). When in doubt, call the parish office or check local visitor information that lists current announcements.
This is an important part of planning a visit. St. Andrew’s Church is a very old historic building — its architecture and surroundings reflect the age and historical constraints. In practice this means that access can be difficult for wheelchair users: historic thresholds, entrance steps and narrow doorways are typical barriers in medieval churches. Some old churches do not have permanent ramps or lifts, and accessibility often depends on current conservation work and administrative decisions.
Before visiting it’s a good idea to do one of the following: call the parish (contact numbers and announcements are usually available via the archdiocese), ask about entering through a side door, or arrange to enter with assistance. If you’re in a group and need facilitation, ask at the city’s main tourist information points or nearby cafés — people in Krakow are often helpful.
If an architectural barrier proves insurmountable, consider alternative accessible sacred places or museums nearby — larger churches and museums in the center often have ramps, lifts and accessible toilets. Also check official accessibility statements of major Krakow institutions (many publish details about facilities on their websites).
Krakow has beautiful historic sidewalks and cobbled streets — some routes can be harder to navigate by wheelchair. Practical tips to save time and nerves:
- Plan shorter, flatter routes: the Planty park around the Old Town lets you walk without major slopes, and some streets toward Wawel are easier to handle than others.
- Use public transport: many trams have low-floor vehicles, but not all stops are perfectly adapted — check whether a line uses low-floor trams and which stops are step-free.
- Look for “Accessibility Declaration” on museum and institution websites — there you’ll find information about lifts, accessible toilets and parking spaces.
- Have a plan B: if a specific monument is inaccessible, nearby alternatives often include galleries, museums, cafés with pleasant views or short viewpoints.
- Ask for help: museum, café and restaurant staff in Poland usually help when needed. Don’t be afraid to ask — often a quick solution is available.
Krakow offers many well-rated restaurants and cafés — a few trusted options (check accessibility and step-free entrances before you go):
- Restaurants serving Polish and regional cuisine in the center, highly rated by guests (for example, venues on Grodzka Street and in Kazimierz).
- Cafés on the Market Square and nearby — choose those with level access or a ramp. Weekends can be busy, so reserving a table helps.
- If you need specific facilities (accessible toilet, wide entrances, ground-floor seating), check reviews and photos beforehand and call to confirm availability.
Note: local rankings and booking platforms change quickly — if you plan a particular evening at a popular restaurant, book ahead and ask about accessibility for people with limited mobility.
1) Assuming every historic site has ramps and lifts — many monuments are historic and cannot be easily adapted. Always check accessibility information first.
2) Planning too much for one day — the Old Town, Wawel and Kazimierz involve lots of walking on cobbles; leave time for breaks and coffee.
3) Not contacting the parish or institution before visiting — if you need a specific accommodation (side entrance, assistance), call ahead.
4) Moving unexpectedly across cobbled streets without an appropriate wheelchair or help — if possible, bring a companion who can help with steep curbs.
Does St. Andrew’s Church have fixed opening hours for tourists? - The church operates as a parish, so Mass times are the most reliable schedule. Outside Masses tourist entry is sometimes possible but limited — it’s best to call in advance.
Can I enter with a wheelchair? - Because of the building’s age and historic character, wheelchair access may be difficult. Contact the parish to find the most convenient entrance or request assistance.
How to move between attractions while avoiding stairs and steep routes? - Choose routes through the Planty and main, more even streets; use low-floor trams; check maps that mark ramps and accessible parking.
What to bring when traveling with someone with limited mobility? - A charged phone, contact numbers for your accommodation and nearby parish/museum, a water bottle, a light shawl or blanket for longer waits, and copies or photos of medical documents if needed.
Despite its austere Romanesque façade, St. Andrew’s Church hides an interior full of baroque splendour — the contrast often surprises visitors; the boat-shaped pulpit by Baldassare (Baltazar) Fontana is frequently mentioned.
Many Krakow museums publish official accessibility statements describing accessible toilets, lifts and options for Polish Sign Language interpretation or audio description — great news for visitors planning a comfortable visit.
The small streets of Grodzka and Kazimierz hide well-reviewed cafés and restaurants that can be more accessible than larger historic interiors — keep a few of these on your backup list.
Krakow has a lot to offer — from the monumental Wawel to the intimate interior of St. Andrew’s Church. If accessibility is important to you, plan ahead: check museums’ accessibility declarations, Mass times for parishes and call in advance when you need help entering. This makes sightseeing pleasant and safe for everyone in your group.
If you found this article useful — share it with friends or on social media. For comfortable, tailored sightseeing in Krakow, consider the services of private guide Małgorzata Kasprowicz — individual pace, a flexible approach and help organizing visits for people with limited mobility are available through zwiedzaniekrakowa.com.
