Kraków, the once royal capital of Poland, is stepping further into the European travel spotlight after being crowned the continent’s best leisure destination by Global Traveler magazine.
In its 2026 Leisure Lifestyle Awards, the southern Polish city ranked ahead of Seville, Porto, Istanbul, and Lisbon with the winning destinations chosen by votes cast in a survey by Global Traveler’s readership.
“These winners are determined by the people who are regularly travelling and attempting to achieve that perfect balance,” the magazine said.
The recognition comes amid continued interest in Kraków, which welcomed almost 700,000 international visitors in 2025. Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States were among the largest tourism markets.
As visitor numbers show no sign of decline, local authorities have been weighing measures aimed at managing tourism more sustainably.
Discussions surrounding the introduction of a tourist tax have been ongoing since 2017, with proposed funds earmarked to support public space maintenance, preserve local heritage and ease the pressures on residents caused by a growing demand for the city’s leisure tourism.
Cultural attractions
Round-trip fares from Brussels to Kraków can cost as low as €67 per passenger this summer, with a night’s sleep in a budget hotel costing around €40, making the Polish city one of Europe’s more affordable getaways. But what can your itinerary look like when you get there?
The city’s historic centre spans the medieval chartered City of Kraków, the Wawel Hill complex and the district of Kazimierz. It entered the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1978 and houses Poland’s largest number of historic buildings of the highest historical and artistic value.
Cultured travellers will relish the centre’s restored Czartoryski Museum, which includes Leonardo da Vinci’s “Lady with an Ermine” portrait in its collection.
The Rynek Underground Museum journeys through the city’s history, with artefacts dating as far back as the 13th and 14th centuries – including market stalls, medieval workshops, and a cemetery, as well as a wealth of period objects.
After museum hopping and photographing the architecture of the Town Hall Tower, the lively Rynek Główny offers a bustling square lined with places to eat, shop and stay.
Leisure activities
Kraków is very easy to discover on foot. Leafy scenes such as in Decius Park, one of the city’s oldest parks, are famed for floral displays and hornbeam trees. Dedicated cycling routes, such as the Vistula Cycling Route, are great for experiencing the city at a calm pace.
Have a need for speed? Whether whizzing on a racetrack or on ice, the city has various go-karting centres and indoor and outdoor ice skating rinks. While areas like the “little Lake District” in Przylasek Rusiecki offer bathing spots that have free entry during the summer.
Other leisure centres include bowling alleys, paintball parks, indoor and outdoor rock climbing centres as well as centres like GOjump (Rzemieślnicza), where visitors can explore parkour, snowboarding, wakeboarding, kiteboarding and aerial yoga.
A short way out of Kraków’s historic Old Town lie rolling green forests towered over by Jurassic limestone karsts. Accessible by bus or taxi in around 45 minutes, Ojcowski National Park offers a calming escape with kilometres of walking and biking trails.
Discover castle ruins and Neolithic caves along the well marked tourist route before stopping at one of the handful of cafes to refuel.
The city is also just two hours away from Zakopane, a tourist town which offers even more scenic trails, pine forests and lakes for travellers keen to get their steps in.
Where to eat
Saving on airfare and board leaves plenty of room in the budget to splurge on food, whether that’s wallet-friendly local bites or dining at restaurants which bring a big price tag.
Poland’s answer to pizza, zapiekanka, makes for a satisfying, cheap dinner. The street food classic is a popular snack which consists of a half baguette topped with whatever you fancy.
And if you’re in the mood to splash out, the Michelin Guide recommends 22 eateries in and around the city – including Filipa 18, which serves up its modern take on classic Polish cuisine.