Krakow's Rynek Glowny Central Square

Krakow's Rynek Glowny Central Square

Krakow's Rynek Glowny Central Square
4.5
Points of Interest & LandmarksHistoric Walking Areas
7:00 AM - 10:30 PM
Monday
7:00 AM - 10:30 PM
Tuesday
7:00 AM - 10:30 PM
Wednesday
7:00 AM - 10:30 PM
Thursday
7:00 AM - 10:30 PM
Friday
7:00 AM - 10:30 PM
Saturday
7:00 AM - 10:30 PM
Sunday
7:00 AM - 10:00 PM
About
Huge 10-acre square, the largest in any of Europe's medieval cities, features the 16th-century Renaissance Cloth Hall and the splendid 14th-century Gothic Basilica of the Virgin Mary.
Duration: 1-2 hours
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listing
Admission tickets
from
$62.90
What is Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best?
This award is our highest recognition and is presented annually to those businesses that are the Best of the Best on Tripadvisor, those that earn excellent reviews from travelers and are ranked in the top 1% of properties worldwide.

Top ways to experience Krakow's Rynek Glowny Central Square

The area

Neighborhood: Stare Miasto
Reach out directly

See what travelers are saying

  • Richard Dunne
    United Kingdom2 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Krakow
    Upon first setting foot in Krakow Main Square, one cannot help but be enchanted by the sheer grandeur and beauty that surrounds them. The square, known as Rynek Główny, is a true architectural marvel and one of the largest medieval town squares in all of Europe. The atmosphere of the Main Square is equally captivating. It teems with life and activity, as locals and tourists converge to enjoy the vibrant ambiance. Street performers add a delightful touch, entertaining passersby with their talents. Quaint outdoor cafes and restaurants dot the square, offering a chance to relax and indulge in the delicious flavors of Polish cuisine while immersing oneself in the captivating buzz of the surroundings. At the heart of the square stands the imposing Cloth Hall, a magnificent Renaissance building that dates back to the 14th century. As you venture inside this architectural gem, you find yourself immersed in a lively marketplace, where stalls and vendors proudly display their wares. From traditional artwork and crafts to vibrant souvenirs, there is something here to entice every visitor.
    Visited December 2022
    Traveled with friends
    Written October 16, 2023
  • Dave
    Cork, Ireland7 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Don't get on horse and cart .
    The square itself is lovely, plenty of places to eat and drink , klub pod jaszczurami is great on a Thursday night if like karaoke. Go and see St Mary's church the inside is incredible. Definitely do not get the horse and cart tour its complete rip off we paid 100 euro for a 20 min run around and saw nothing that you couldn't see easily on foot in the same time frame .
    Visited October 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written October 21, 2023
  • Pete
    Fredericksburg, Virginia1,200 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Well planned
    The Old Town Krakow Central Square is a well planned area that can accommodate hundreds of people. I ran into plenty of friendly people and never once felt that my safety was in jeopardy. Similar to other places around the world, the restrooms in this area were pay only. From this central square, I found the Barbican, the Castle, the Copernicus Statue, the Pope Statue, etc. a very easy walk.
    Visited November 2023
    Traveled solo
    Written November 9, 2023
  • Daniel
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Nice Restaurant
    Hi Guys ! Yesterday, my girlfriend and I visited the main square in Krakow. We liked it very much, we saw the Rynek Glowny, Kosciol Mariacki and the Wawel Dragon. I have a question for you: do you know any nice restaurant where I could take my girlfriend for a romantic dinner?
    Visited November 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written November 12, 2023
  • Jolanta D
    10 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Amazing historical place❤️
    Amazing place with history from XIII century . Sukiennice, Mariacki church the most famous in the world. The biggest one in Krakow, area 4 hectares . Must see for everyone . More than 50 restaurants around.
    Visited November 2023
    Traveled solo
    Written November 21, 2023
  • Redkitewatcher64
    Andover, United Kingdom2,007 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Beautiful square , a great base for a visit to Krakow
    A beautiful square located in the centre of Krakow. We visited at the time of the Christmas market. It looked beautiful with the stalls and Christmas lights and the horse and carriages with their Christmas decorations and ringing bells added to the effect. There are many beautiful buildings around the square including the cloth market, churches , museums all of which can be visited . Highly recommend taking a walking tour of the old town , we used city walks Krakow , to learn more about the history of the square and its buildings to get the most of a visit here
    Visited December 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written December 21, 2023
  • luv2trvlRedondoBeach
    Redondo Beach, California649 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Fairytale Setting During the Christmas Markets
    We visited the square New Years Eve. It was very crowded though it never felt unsafe. The Christmas Market was still operating, though a few booths were closed. There was a nightly Ukraine Demonstration, which our hotel told us is peaceful. There were no fireworks, as apparently people complained the noise disturbs their dogs. Restaurants were packed and it was difficult finding a place to eat. We ended up in an Indian Restaurant. Overall the square is a must see, just not on New Years Eve.
    Visited January 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written January 9, 2024
  • bbinnie
    Brandon, United Kingdom13 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Attractive and clean
    Attractive square with some interesting architecture. Central market interesting and plenty of restaurants and cafes surrounding it with shops bars and restaurants in the surrounding streets. Spotlessly clean, as we found most of Krakow.
    Visited February 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written February 7, 2024
  • petergab10
    Melbourne, Australia671 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Beautiful old town square
    Krakow's Rynek Glowny Central Square is one of Krakow main attractions and it is also highlight in many YouTube videos and travel brochures on Poland. Once you take your first step into the square you will understand why it will always draw you back as you will notice the beautiful architecture buildings surrounding the square. Cloth Hall, Saint Mary's Basilica, Eros Bendato Sculpture, Town Hall Tower, Adam Mickiewicz Monument, Rynek Underground Museum. There are Restaurants and cafes, bars, hotels, shops also in the area. Offers so many photo opportunities and don't forget the bugle player.
    Visited November 2023
    Traveled solo
    Written February 11, 2024
  • Demitr A
    2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    "Unveiling the Charms of Krakow's Historic City Center: A Journey Through Time and Culture"
    "The City Hall is situated in the heart of the rectangular Market Square, with three streets leading to it from each side (a total of 11 :) - adorned with markets, boutique shops, and souvenir stalls lining the arcades. St. Mary's Basilica, among other landmarks, adds to the awe-inspiring atmosphere. The scent of freshly baked bread from the restaurants and cafes entices visitors to consider a relaxing break in one of the charming eateries. At noon, the iconic trumpet call echoes through the square, adding to the city's charm. Nearby, atop a hill, lies Wawel Royal Castle, boasting impressive medieval architecture. Below Wawel, along the Vistula River, the legendary Wawel Dragon, exhaling flames, captivates onlookers."- according to D.A.
    Visited March 2024
    Traveled with friends
    Written March 13, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles26,949 reviews
Excellent
20,553
Very good
5,565
Average
687
Poor
86
Terrible
58

Tigerqueen01
London, UK46 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
Visit the underground city below the market, great history there from the past recreated. Go early though it gets very busy.
All the restaurants and shops obviously charge inflated tourist prices so beware a beer costs twice as much as a restaurant outside the area. Beware also of the CC scam where they charge you in the card currency with a markup and a poor exchange rate, it all adds up and could have cost us over £70 during the week we were there.
Written February 25, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

TeeGee62
Winnipeg, Manitoba387 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2019
Always bustling with people both day and night, a great meeting place.
The Rynek is a large square surrounded by colorful old architecture, churches, towers, and buildings of which are restaurants,cafes and bars.
Always bustling with people both day and night, great meeting place.
In the square you will see a bronze monument of "Adam Mickiewicz" (poet, writer, dramatist), another unique bronze sculpture is "Eros Bendato" a giant face mask.
There are beautifully decorated horse and carriages all along the square , which are available for a ride through Krakow's streets.

This is the place to be on the weekends, as the square becomes an awesome giant market with an assortment of food kiosks, beer huts, flowers souvenirs and entertainment. Great place to sample local food and beer, meet locals and tourists, there is something for everyone to enjoy.
Written February 21, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Rachel G
Leicester, UK33 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Couples
The square itself is in the middle of everything you could want to see in krakow. I recommend downloading the HIVE app to experience it on electric scooters for an amazing experience. The centre has a range of bars and restaurants, all of which is priced very reasonably compared to its European cohtner parts. If you can go into the market in the centre of the square for souvenirs and unique gifts
Written February 29, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

James
Bargoed, UK160 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
Largest Medieval square in Europe and you can see why.

Beautiful St Mary's Church, Cloth Hall (with souvenir stalls) and the Town Hall Tower dominate the square. There are numerous bars and restaurants in the area. They are inevitably more expensive on the square, but we found one called Vis a Vis which was very small but reasonably priced for drinks.

I recommend Krakow free walking tours for a comprehensive and detailed tour of the square and Old Town of Krakow.
Written February 23, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

bavbino1989
Kent, UK59 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 • Couples
I visited here with my partner for a short break as we are very interested in the history, Auschwitz etc.

I also proposed in this beautiful city so will always be a place to remember. The restaurants in the main square are beautiful, reasonably priced and great food, the bugler that sounds every hour due to a historical event hundreds of years ago is great to keep the history alive. The horse drawn carriages are great but a little over priced but great to venture around the city.

Would return here
Written January 10, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

797dennisp
Montrose, UK30,892 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2019
Plenty to do around the Square as there are plenty of cafes, restaurants and bars and therefore a lot of choice of great food and drinks. Loved to watch the carriages with their beautiful horses clippity clopping past ! There was a cycle race while we were there on our second day but the rain spoiled that a bit unlike the day before when the weather was warm and dry.

The Cloth Hall is a large indoor market with many traditional crafts for sale and loads of wonderful Polish meats and delicacies.
Written March 29, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

William G L Corlett
Liverpool, UK218 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2019
Krakow is a stunning city with one of the largest if not the largest medieval squares in Europe. The centrepiece of the city, buzzing day and night with a fantastic atmosphere often complemented by live performers.
Nice eateries and colorful style buildings line the square.
Enjoy the ambience
Written April 4, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

KD
Galway, Ireland9 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Solo
This was worth visiting but certainly not a must-see. It gives us a good idea of what Krakow was like as an old market town and some of the underground features of the main square. However, one of the stagg members was extremely rude let down the museum for tourists. The young red-haired lady was taking bags and coats as I went in and was simply ignorant towards tourists. As I was leaving, she was standing at the door playing on her phone, which in my opinion was quite unprofessional. She needs to be reminded that Krakow is very much a tourist town and her livelihood depends on tourists continuing to visit.
Written February 26, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Sarah R
9 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Family
We loved the square in Krakow and were drawn back to it every time we tried to go anywhere else! The restaurants all have covered seating areas with heaters and fairy lights at night. The food in these is a little more expensive than elsewhere but the atmosphere is great. Horse drawn carriages circuit the square and a trumpeter sounds from the windows of St Mary’s Basilica every hour. The cloth hall
In the center has many little stalls selling local crafts and souvenirs. Definitely spend some time here!
Written February 19, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Senya-2013
Herzliya, Israel32 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
We were there in early January, it was a bit cold, the entire atmosphere was warm. We took a private tour through the "Rynek Glowny Central Square" and heard historical facts behind the place.
A lot of friendly people, many inside and outside places to set, to eat, to drink a hot and tasty glint-vain. Great barbecues, a lot of souvenirs in the local market, on all tastes...
Don't miss this place.
Written January 20, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Showing results 1-10 of 15,907
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing

Krakow's Rynek Glowny Central Square - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

All Krakow HotelsKrakow Hotel DealsLast Minute Hotels in Krakow
All things to do in Krakow
Day Trips in KrakowAmusement Parks in Krakow
RestaurantsFlightsVacation RentalsTravel StoriesCruisesRental Cars