Touring Krakow at night – check out these must visit sites around town
Krakow at night is magical. It seems like everything comes alive and is a totally different scene at night compared to the daytime visit around Krakow’s main square, promenades and various landmarks around the old town. I loved ending the day in Krakow, sitting in one of the many open air restaurants lining the main square of the old town. The afternoon light had started to change and everything had this dazzling glow. In the evening (closer to 8pm), the colors of the sky finally turned golden to intense orange hues – sunset quickly approaches and bathes the city with this last gorgeous light.
The main square and café scene
Here’s what to see in Krakow at night
Krakow’s main square
It’s fun to explore the old town at night time. I just love peeking into shops lit up, and you see a lot of activity and noise with all the cafes and bars filled with diners – all the venues buzzing with energy and laughter. I think the old incandescent lights and all the cool signage are attractive and draw you in to scenes like this image below, don’t you agree?
Krakow at night time – The shops on the main square of Krakow
Here’s a tour video highlight of Krakow at night
Exploring Krakow’s Cloth Hall
Quite busy during the day time, the Cloth hall below is silent with the rows of vendors booths filled with specialty goods and crafts made mostly in Krakow. But do be careful of the cheaper priced goods – you now exactly where those cheap souvenirs are made from and the quality of the goods. Specialty crafts like wood carvings, leathers and jewelry with the local amber is selling briskly at these stalls when the markets are open during the day. But at night, the hall is completely deserted outside of the cafes surrounding the hall, and busy with visitors coming for their evening meal.
The lower gallery shops at the Cloth hall at Krakow
Gorgeous lit arcades at the Cloth hall with restaurants to explore
Arcade walkways of the Cloth hall in the old town, Krakow
Visit the main square at Rynek Glowny
The main square of Krakow at Rynek Glowny is the place to be at night with all the major monuments lighting up the square including St. Mary’s basilica below. Stunning scenery, don’t you think? The evenings on the square take on a very festive and exciting vibe. All the cafes are sprawled out in the square and filled with diners, while strings of horse carriages wait patiently nearby. The drivers tease any tourists close by to take a romantic tour around some of the cool places and quiet streets that make a horse ride a special experience in Krakow.
It’s fun to just hang out at the main square and enjoy the views of all the monuments lit up. Or find a nice outdoor cafe and enjoy a lovely local dinner or dessert. You can try some of the signature cabbage rolls called Golumpki and they are delcious with a local wine or cocktail.
Rynek Glowny square and St. Mary’s Basilica
A visit to the main square at Rynek Glowny
Time to check out the stained glass in the many churches of Krakow lit up at night
A lit up stained glass panel at a monastery in Krakow
Late night souvenir shopping?
Souvenir shops open late at night at the Krakow main square
Or fur shopping….
A wild fur display at Rynek Glowny in Krakow
Apparently, it’s cold in Krakow during the winter time and this fur shop on the main square just caught my eye with the colorful spring display, even though busying a fur in spring doesn’t seem likely. In any case, I love seeing how inventive shop owners are in enticing visitors to check out their displays and perhaps lure them in their shops to take a longer visit.
Night carriage ride in front of St. Mary’s Basilica
A blue lit carriage ride is different
The carriage tours are beautiful like this tour of the city and castle area at night
A busy pedestrian street in the old town of Krakow
Night street scenes in the old town
The busy promenades of the old town in Krakow are filled with partyers and people look for a fun venue for dinner or drinks. At this busy pedestrian street leading to the main town gate, barkers call out to anyone in the street, and trying to entice you to check out a myriad of bars and friendly entertainers for the night. So beware of those barkers, or they will never leave you alone! In some of the more quiet streets, you can really imagine an older, medieval Krakow with its charming architecture, churches and historic landmarks. So it’s your call, find some interesting back streets to wander or walk around and find some fun action and night life.
How about a romantic carriage ride touring the old town?
Beautiful horse and headdress detail in the old town, Krakow
Carriage rides around the old town of Krakow
A fun way to explore the city at night through some of the quiet streets to the busy corridors and squares that are all lit up and make the experience unique and fun to do in a carriage ride. You’ll find most of the carriages parked in the main square at Rynek Glowny and ready to take on passengers on a fun ride around town.
The night-time tour of Krakow was fun and I got to take some great shots of the city, and even better without using a tripod which is not always allowed or easy to use in many areas outside of the main square of Krakow. If you want to learn more travel related photo tips and techniques, please take a look at some of the posts I’ve written below:
More night scenes and night venues to visit around town
Check out these other Krakow posts
A first impression of Krakow, Poland
Conclusion to Touring Krakow at night
Thanks for visiting today and reading my post on Touring Krakow at night, wasn’t that fun? Hope you enjoyed the night tour of Krakow and can experience this also for yourself some day.
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Krakow by night looks absolutely magical Noel, and as ever your photos are stunning. One of my favourites, because it looked so ethereal was the lit up stained glass panel at a monastery in Krakow. Fabulous.
I’ve never been to Krakow but your photos show me that I need to change that and soon.
Noel, your photos are stunning as usual and the fact that these are night views is further testament to your skill with a camera. How did you get the stained glass shot to be back lit? Do they back light it at night?
Krakow at night is magical, and so are your images of it! I especially like that horse with the feather hat.
These are fantastic pictures!Nice to see all these night captures and specially the buildings and architecture.
Isn’t it amazing how different a city can look at night? The warmth of the light changes everything. Lovely!
I like to see night scenes, the architecture of the old town stands out more when using monochrome.
This is a city that looks great day or night. Such lovely photos. I feel like I am there with you.
Your photos capture the nighttime glow beautifully and make Krakow seem so mysterious and romantic as well as show what an amazing city it is. I especially loved the photo of the souvenir shop with the open door, welcoming and inviting you to step inside.
The pumpkin-y gold lighting in your photos is so arresting. I think the horse with plumage is my favorite. We would love to visit Poland and Kraków is a must according to everyone we encounter.
Definitely magical and romantic at night, love the way the light is so rich.
Your photos are gorgeous, and I’d love to visit Krakow. It’s amazing how different a city can look at night.
Lovely photos. Evenings can turn an interesting destination into a magical one.