The Sanctuary of Divine Mercy in Łagiewniki is not only a place of prayer and viewpoints but also a site with organized services for groups. If you arrive with 30–60 people, it’s convenient to use on-site options — you save time, have parking for the coach, and clear logistics from the church to the meal area.
The Sanctuary offers group-friendly menus and catering run by institutions connected to the sanctuary (the House of St. Sister Faustyna, the pastoral house restaurant). This works especially well for pilgrimage groups and coach tours: everything is close, and staff have experience handling larger groups. In practice this means fast meal service in set menus or buffet form and access to spaces where the group can sit comfortably after Mass or sightseeing.
If you value simplicity and low logistical cost, the best choice is to use the catering offered by the Sanctuary and its gastronomic facilities. There are restaurants and food points at the Sanctuary run by the Sisters’ Congregation and the Sanctuary Rectorate — they have experience serving groups and often prepare fixed-price meal sets especially for pilgrimages.
For organized groups there are typically fixed-price lunch sets per person — this makes budgeting easier and shortens service time. You can usually expect typical Polish lunches (soup, main course, sides, salad) and drinks served in portions or pitchers on tables, plus the option to reserve a specific serving time.
How to reserve: the sanctuary asks to register the group (form or phone), indicate the number of participants, time and any dietary needs (vegetarian, gluten-free, etc.). On site there is also the Pilgrim House and the House of St. Sister Faustyna, which handle lodging and meals for groups. It’s easy to coordinate the group’s Mass or sightseeing time with the lunch serving time so everything runs smoothly.
Standard group lunch sets usually include a soup (for example tomato soup, clear broth, seasonal cream), a meat main course (pork cutlet, chicken fillet, goulash) or a fish option, sides (potatoes, rice, fries) and a salad. Dessert is often cake or a simple sweet, and drinks are water and juices in pitchers or coffee service after the meal.
Service is often buffet-style (faster for larger groups) or served in sets — for very large groups the sanctuary and pilgrim houses prefer set menus to ensure quick distribution. Group pricing is often preferential — it’s easier to plan the budget when you know the fixed price per person in advance.
If you prefer a more 'restaurant' atmosphere (a nicer interior, à la carte) or want a private booking for your group, Łagiewniki and its immediate surroundings have small venues that accept group reservations. A well-rated example is Oranżeria Faustyny at ul. Siostry Faustyny 14 — it has a garden and can host private events for up to about 30 people.
Oranżeria is a good choice when the group is smaller (around 30 people) or when you want to offer guests a more varied à la carte menu. For groups of about 30, definitely book well in advance and discuss conditions with the owner: separate tables, a group menu, or collective payment.
For 40–60 people, hotels and restaurants with banquet halls in the Podgórze area and southern districts of Kraków are usually the best options. Hotels have halls, kitchen facilities and often overnight rooms — convenient if the group also needs accommodation.
Look for restaurants with separate halls or hotels offering banquet menus. When choosing a venue, pay attention to: room capacity with table layout, parking availability for a coach, the possibility of ordering a group menu with several dietary options and flexibility in the meal time.
If the weather and permits allow, outdoor catering is a great alternative — a picnic on the Vistula Boulevards or in one of the parks. This is a more relaxed and fun option but requires careful logistics and city permission for a large gathering with food.
Food trucks or themed food stations are good for informal events, corporate team-building or parties when you want variety and stations with different cuisines. A Vistula river cruise with catering is a more original idea — dramatic and memorable, but it requires early coordination and depends on weather and vessel passenger limits.
Book well in advance — a venue for 30–60 people usually needs confirmation several weeks before the trip, especially in the pilgrimage season and on weekends.
Confirm style and serving time — agree whether the meal will be buffet, plated, or set menus; give a precise serving time to avoid delays after sightseeing or Mass.
Ask about dietary options and allergies — good venues will prepare separate vegetarian, gluten-free or vegan portions, but you must report these in advance.
Check coach parking and the walking route from the sightseeing point — you’ll avoid situations where elderly participants must walk far or go down steep stairs.
Agree on the payment system — it’s best to arrange a collective payment (one invoice or bill) or a clear way to settle at the tables; this prevents chaos at the end of the meal.
08:30 — arrival by coach, parking in the sanctuary’s coach parking area.
09:00 — visit the sanctuary: the basilica, the chapel with the venerated image and the tomb of St. Faustyna, optionally the observation tower and the John Paul II museum.
11:30 — lunch reserved at the House of St. Sister Faustyna or the sanctuary restaurant (group lunch set).
13:00 — short break, souvenir shopping, coffee and cake in the sanctuary café; coach departure or further sightseeing in Kraków.
Does the sanctuary accept groups of 30–60 people? Yes — the Sanctuary and pilgrim houses serve organized groups, accept registrations and offer lunch sets and buffets.
Is advance payment required? Usually a reservation confirmation and final headcount are required; payment terms depend on the place — some ask for a deposit, others issue a single invoice after the service.
Does the sanctuary have coach parking? Yes — there is coach parking/lanes at the sanctuary, which greatly eases group arrival and departure.
How do I register a group with the sanctuary? The sanctuary asks you to complete a group registration form or contact them by phone; after registration, wait for confirmation and discuss meal details.
If you travel with elderly people, ask for meal service on lower floors or in rooms without stairs — not all sanctuary areas have elevators.
If you plan to sell souvenirs or materials to the group, check whether the sanctuary shop can prepare orders in advance — this saves time and speeds up departure after lunch.
When booking a large group, consider scheduling a short restroom/stretch break before entering the sightseeing or Mass — schedules that include pauses work best.
House of St. Sister Faustyna / restaurant at the sanctuary — quick, home-style meals, buffet or set menus, comfort for groups and coach parking.
Pilgrim House — accommodation and meals for pilgrims, a convenient all-in-one solution for groups that also need lodging.
Oranżeria Faustyny 14 — a cozy restaurant near the sanctuary with a garden and events for up to about 30 people.
Hotels and restaurants in the Podgórze area — a good choice for groups of 40–60 people when a larger banquet hall and accommodation are needed.
Check availability of the date and confirm the number of people in writing.
Set the group menu, dietary options and serving style (buffet, set menus, or à la carte).
Ask about coach space and the timing for drop-off and entry to the sanctuary.
Agree on payment terms and the cancellation policy or changes in participant numbers.
Check the venue’s opening hours and whether a deposit or advance confirmation of portion numbers is required.
When organizing a trip to Łagiewniki, a great advantage is that many needs (sightseeing, parking, lunch, accommodation) can be handled on-site or very close by. This simplifies logistics and helps your group stay on schedule.
Feel free to share this guide with friends or on social media — recommendations help others plan their trips more easily.
If you need help planning the route, booking a restaurant for groups or want a personalized itinerary with a lunch chosen for your group, consider the services of private tour guide Małgorzata Kasprowicz — contact details are available on the zwiedzaniekrakowa.com website.
