5 Best Jewish Quarter Tours in Krakow

Among the things you must do and see in Kraków, you really must include a visit to the Jewish Quarter. This site, also known as the Kraków Jewish Ghetto, was one of the five major ghettos established by the Nazis during the occupation of Poland in the Second World War. Many sites remain today that serve as evidence of one of the greatest tragedies and crimes in human history.

To explore this quarter, you can choose between walking, cycling or Segway tours. Each covers specific attractions and museums. You can choose the one that best suits your schedule and preferences. Although most are historical tours, some, such as the food tour, show you another side of this famous quarter.

Krakow’s fascinating Jewish Quarter is a must-see if you’re on holiday in this city. I recommend choosing this tour as it will allow you to discover several attractions in a single day.

During the tour, your guide will tell you the story behind all the sites you visit. In total, the tour lasts around 3 hours and the average cost is €50.

After meeting your tour guide and group in Kraków, you’ll walk to the Jewish quarter, Kazimierz. The walk takes about 20 minutes, depending on the meeting point. Once you arrive in the quarter, you’ll see how two cultures—Polish and Jewish—can coexist in the same place.

If you only have two days to explore Kraków, this is the ideal tour for you. When you arrive in Kazimierz, the Jewish quarter, you’ll pass by Schindler’s factory, the site that saved over 1,200 Jews from the Holocaust.

Other sites you’ll pass by include Ghetto Heroes Square and the Eagle Pharmacy Museum. This pharmacy is often overlooked on visits to the neighbourhood. However, it played an important role in Jewish history as it served as a meeting place and refuge for receiving medicines and food.

The owner of the pharmacy was Polish and refused to leave his home when the Nazis designated that area as the Jewish ghetto. On the tour, you’ll learn more about this history.

Points of interest

• Price: around €50.
• Duration: approximately 3 hours.
• Mode of transport: on foot.

If you’re interested in food tours in Kraków, I invite you to join one of these tours of the Kazimierz district. The tour is on foot, allowing you to visit up to five restaurants.

The tour lasts around three hours, giving you plenty of time to sample all the dishes at your leisure. Your ticket, costing around €70, includes the food samples you’ll receive at each restaurant.

The Kazimierz district is one of the oldest in Kraków, so its culture and history are evident not only in its historic sites but also in its food. Whilst you sample the food, your guide will tell you the stories behind many of these dishes. Generally, they are a blend of Polish and Jewish culture.

The tour guide will direct you to which restaurants to visit so you can sample the food. In total, you’ll try 15 dishes. As well as the food, you can sample craft beer and local vodka. Other drinks such as water and soft drinks are available if you prefer.

I invite you to make the most of this tour not just for the food, but to meet people who share your interests. Food is always a good excuse for a chat.

As well as the restaurants you visit, your guide will recommend cafés, bars and other eateries. You can add these to your list of the best restaurants in Krakow

Points of interest

• Price: around €70
• Duration: around 3½ hours
• Transport: on foot

If you don’t want to miss any of the Jewish Quarter’s sights, I recommend taking this walking tour. At each stop, you’ll have plenty of time to go inside and explore the site whilst listening to the stories your guide will tell you. The tour lasts approximately 4 hours or more and costs an average of €70.

The first stop is Oskar Schindler’s Factory. In this former enamel factory, you’ll see exhibitions showing what life was like in Kraków during the Second World War. You can stay inside for as long as the guide allows before continuing the tour.

The next stop is Ghetto Heroes’ Square. Here you can admire the monument to the heroes of the ghetto and listen to the historical facts shared by the guide.

You will then head towards Father Bernatek’s Footbridge over the Vistula River, which connects the Kazimierz district with the Podgórze district. Here you will see many tourists hanging padlocks as a symbol of a promise.

The tour also usually stops at the Remuh, Stara, Izaak, Highen and Tempel synagogues.

It also stops at the Galicia Jewish Museum in Kraków, which commemorates the victims of the Holocaust, and at the New Jewish Cemetery.

You will also pass by the old ghetto walls, Szeroka Street, the statue of Jan Karski and New Square.

Mrs Dresner’s courtyard and staircase is a location eagerly awaited by many visitors, as this site appears in Steven Spielberg’s film “Schindler’s List”, so film buffs always stop to take photos.

Points of interest

• Price: around €80
• Duration: approximately 4 hours.
• Transport: on foot

For some people, a walking tour of Kraków’s Jewish Quarter can be a bit tiring. However, there are other ways to explore this area with ease.
Using a Segway, you can cover all the most popular tourist spots in the area in around two hours. The average cost of these tours is €40.
On board this vehicle, you can explore the streets lined with restaurants and bars, as well as the historic side of the Jewish Quarter.

You must first start the tour with a short lesson or training session. The guide will explain how the Segway works, an ideal mode of transport for people with reduced mobility

After this, you’ll be ready to explore the streets and local markets. You’ll also pass by Schindler’s factory, Heroes of the Ghetto Square, the most famous synagogues, Father Bernatek’s Footbridge, and other places of interest.
Please note that the tour does not include entry to any museums or factories; you’ll simply pass by them. I encourage you to pay close attention to all the historical facts the guide will share with you along the way.

Useful information

• Price: around €40.
• Duration: approximately 2 hours.
• Transport: Segway.

If you liked the idea of the Segway tour of the Jewish Quarter, I’m sure you’ll love this bike tour. This option is ideal if you’re looking for things to do in Krakow in a day, as you’ll not only explore the Jewish Quarter but also a good part of Krakow. This tour lasts 4 hours and costs an average of just €19.

The tour starts at the meeting point agreed in advance with your guide. There, you’ll be assigned a bike and given the necessary instructions. Needless to say, you must know how to ride a bike to avoid accidents.

Not all companies provide helmets and elbow and knee pads. I advise you to bring your own to avoid injury in the event of an accident.

The route starts in Kraków’s Old Town and follows the city’s network of cycle paths. As you go along, you’ll see Kraków’s Market Square and Wawel Royal Castle. You can visit Kraków Castle on another occasion, as it’s a very popular site and well worth seeing.
The Market Square also offers plenty to do and is well worth a special visit.

The route will take you to Kraków’s Jewish Quarter. From your bike, you’ll be able to appreciate the modern side of this area, full of art galleries, restaurants and more. However, you’ll also pass by synagogues, cemeteries and museums. The guide will stop at certain points so you can better appreciate the scenery and take some photographs.

Points of interest

• Price: around €19.
• Duration: 4 hours or less.
• Mode of transport: bicycle.

Krakow is a city in southern Poland where around 60,000 Jews once lived. When the German army occupied the city, the persecution of Jews intensified.

One of the measures they took was the creation of a Jewish quarter within Krakow. Today, this site has been preserved so that you can visit it and never forget these historical events.

The ghetto was enclosed by barbed-wire fences and, in some places, stone walls. Although the site has now been modernised, you can still see traces of what was perhaps the darkest episode in Poland’s history. The tour guide will explain in detail what each of the sites you visit represents.

Whilst it could be said that every street, wall and corner of this site has a story to tell, there are certain places you simply cannot miss. As I mentioned earlier in the article, you’ll see museums that house the history of the Jews and their persecution. Many of these sites were once factories where Jews worked.

Other sites, such as Wawel Royal Castle, became the residence of the Nazi lawyer Hans Frank, who was appointed Governor-General of Poland. You’ll find other points of interest just like this one.

As you may have noticed, most tours are on foot. That’s why my main tip is to wear comfortable shoes that allow you to walk freely.

Another important point is your clothing. I also recommend wearing comfortable clothes that allow you to move around easily, although this will depend on the season, as it can get quite cold in Kraków in winter.

If you want to go on a bike tour, wear trousers that help you cycle more comfortably. Many accidents happen because people cannot pedal freely due to their clothes or shoes.

On this tour, you will be constantly exposed to the sun. If you’re travelling to Kraków in summer, I suggest you take extra care. Always apply sun cream and carry a bottle of water to stay hydrated.

If you visit Kraków in winter, you can also go on these tours, but always wear coats and clothing that retains body heat whilst remaining comfortable.

Many people often wonder whether it’s worth paying for a guided tour or visiting the Jewish Quarter on their own. Honestly, both options have their advantages. However, I recommend visiting this area with a tour guide, as they know all the sites and can take you there more quickly.

On the other hand, if you go on your own, you’ll most likely have to constantly use your smartphone to check directions on Google Maps. This can sometimes prevent you from fully concentrating on the new sights in front of you.

Furthermore, the tours have already been planned and have a structured itinerary so you can visit all the sites without missing a thing. If you go on your own, you might not know exactly how to navigate the museums or how much time to spend on each activity.

If you still want to visit this place on your own, I advise you to plan your day very carefully by checking distances and ticket prices.