Best photo spots to elevate your Krakow city break

Krakow devotes an entire month to the humble photograph – all of June – every year. For the pro, Photomonth is a big deal in the photographic calendar. For the rest of us, Krakow Photo Fringe is a real treat, with grassroots get togethers, workshops and community experiences that tap into the joy of the photograph.
Paying homage to Krakow’s photogenic personality, our team on the ground in the one-time Polish capital, Magiczny Krakow (Magical Krakow), shares the city’s best photo spots to put in your Krakow top 10.

Krakow for easy views
One of the top things to do in Krakow for locals – without question – is a trip out to Zakrzówek for some proper R&R and a whole lot of Insta-snapping. A short walk from Wawel Castle, the bottomless blue waters, limestone quarry walls and big sky create breathtaking stills, especially as the blue hour works its magic.  

It’s at its very show-off best at sunrise in summer. Follow the well-trodden paths around the grassy banks and enjoy the refractions and reflections bouncing off the untouched waters.

For panoramas of the city, venture to the mounds and Wawel Castle, for some of the best big photos on your holidays in Krakow.

Krakow for people watching
In the heat of summer, Krakow locals head to Starowiślna Street for homemade ice-cream. They’ll happily queue for an hour for a couple of scoops of Lody na Starowiślnej’s natural creations – and it’s prime photo time. A Krakow must see.

Catch the nostalgia on old boy’s face as one lick transports him back to his youth. Catch the constant movement of toddlers, unable to control their excitement. Catch the quiet endurance of the young mum, hoping for just a few more minutes of happy kids. Catch the po-faced matriarchs, grumbling about the weather, the kids today, the politicians, the state of the world, the price of everything … their lines unwrinkled in an instant by ice-cold joy. It’s one of the top things you’ll do in Krakow
Krakow city break for the wow factor
St Mary’s Basilica is something else. Yes, it’s very much on the beaten tourist path and has been since the 13th century, but – holy smokes – you can see why. The blues against the red brick and gold are phenomenal, the altar is extraordinarily detailed, the views and experience from the bell tower are unrivalled. Myths, traditions and legends wind around the building, making it a place of infinite discovery.  

Pay for a photo permit and click away to your heart’s content. The Viet Stoss altar. The vaulted ceilings. The candlelit nave. If you have a wide-angle lens, your Krakow weekend break is its moment to shine. 

Outside, a great way to capture the two brothers’ towers is to frame the building using the Cloth Hall arches. At night. Under a full moon. In the snow.
The best times to photograph your Krakow weekend getaway
Sneak out of your Krakow hotel before sunrise – get a coffee and pastry from our Mercure-ites to take with you! – and you can capture a sleeping world bathed in the most magnificent light as the sun wakes. Cobbled streets, buildings that have stood for 500 years, fountains just for you. Divine.
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