Poland — where to go and when
1 destination covered
Kraków escaped the wartime destruction that flattened most Polish cities, and everything about a trip here follows from that single fact. The result is a genuine medieval core: one of the largest market squares in Europe, a royal hill above the river, a former Jewish quarter whose history is told carefully rather than packaged, and a university that has been teaching since the fourteenth century. Costs sit a good deal beneath French prices on our index, and unlike in western capitals the gap covers restaurants and culture, not just the room. Kraków also sits within reach of sites that are not holidays in any ordinary sense, notably the memorial at the former camp an hour and a half west, which most visitors include and which needs a day and a certain state of mind. Poland suits travellers who want depth, low costs and a city small enough to learn by the third day.
When to go
August and September form the recommended run, in a summer whose warmest month reaches 26.3 °C by day, comfortably warm without becoming oppressive. Winter is the trade: the coldest month averages 4.6 °C in daytime and dips below zero at night, though the square under snow and lit market stalls make December its own argument. Precipitation is what decides it: 118 rainy days a year for 682.7 mm, concentrated in summer, so a warm-month visit should still expect afternoon showers.
The places we cover, side by side
| Place | Favourable months | Warmest month, avg. high (°C) | Coldest month, avg. high (°C) | Rainy days a year (≥ 1 mm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Krakow | August, September | 26.3 | 4.6 | 118 |
Figures measured at the weather station nearest each place, then averaged over the warmest and the coldest months of the year — not over a fixed calendar season. Each destination page carries its own month-by-month table, its station and its sample size.
Getting around
Trams and buses cover the city on a single cheap ticket, and the historic centre is pedestrianised inside a ring of parkland laid out on the old walls, so walking handles most days. Trains connect Warsaw in about two and a half hours and run south towards the mountains; coaches serve the day-trip destinations west of the city. The airport lies 10 km out with a direct rail shuttle, and a second airport is 76 km away.
Budget
Country price level compared with France : −17 %
Price index for restaurants and hotels, France = 1000, from European purchasing power parities. It is a country average: it says nothing about one hotel in particular.
Destinations in Poland
Frequently asked questions
How cheap is Kraków in practice?
Our index puts Polish costs well under French ones, and the difference is visible across the whole day rather than in one line: a tram ticket, a bowl of soup at a milk bar, a museum entry and a beer in the square. Accommodation in the old town has risen, but a room ten minutes out remains inexpensive by western European standards.
Should I visit the memorial site west of the city?
Most people do, and it deserves a full day rather than a slot in a busy itinerary. Entry is free but timed, and guided admission is compulsory during the busiest hours, so booking ahead is necessary. Go on a day when nothing else is planned afterwards, and treat the return journey as part of the visit.
Updated on 21 September 2026