CityBuddy
Cloth Hall (Sukiennice)
Best time to visit
Early morning on weekdays keeps crowds to a minimum and gives clearer photo opportunities; late afternoon offers a livelier square atmosphere, and December brings festive Christmas market stalls.
Budget tips
Ground-floor market is free to browse; the Sukiennice Museum upstairs charges a modest admission fee with reduced rates for students and seniors. Buy a National Museum combined ticket or Krakow museum pass to save if visiting multiple museums, and compare prices before buying from stalls.
Recommended for
History buffs, Shoppers and craft lovers, Art lovers, Families
Plan your visit
30-60 min
About
Szybkie fakty: Wandering the long arcade feels like stepping into a bustling medieval market, with stalls piled high with amber and textiles and the steady clink of coins underfoot. Upstairs, a serene gallery shelters an unexpectedly rich collection of 19th-century paintings and carved merchant stalls, where quiet corners still hold the echoes of bartering and gossip.
Najważniejsze atrakcje: Upstairs a gallery founded in 1879 to safeguard Polish art during the partitions displays smoky, dramatic 19th-century canvases by Jan Matejko and Jozef Chełmoński, their thick brushstrokes and scale visible from just a few meters away. Below, dozens of stalls still trade warm-hued Baltic amber and hand-stitched lace, the honey glow of the beads flashing under lamps while old brass scales clink as vendors weigh strands on busy Saturday mornings.
Insider tips
- Wear comfortable shoes, cobblestones and crowded aisles require steady footing.
- For photos, shoot the Cloth Hall façade from the steps of St Mary’s Basilica or from the Main Square corners for classic wide angles.
- Skip amber dealers who refuse to show certificates and always compare prices at several stalls before committing.
- Visit the upper gallery right when it opens to avoid queues and enjoy the paintings in relative quiet.
Kliknij, aby zarezerwować DARMOWĄ wycieczkę pieszą w Krakow, Poland
Najlepszy sposób na poznanie miasta z lokalnym przewodnikiem.
Tip: We strongly recommend a free walking tour on your first day to get to know the city with a local guide. They usually cover all main attractions and you can ask for personal recommendations based on your interests for the next days. Book early as spaces fill up fast!
Reviews
Reviews (2)
4.0Came at noon and it was packed. The architecture is stunning but most souvenirs felt overpriced; skip the guided underground tour unless you're very curious.
Arrived at 9am and had almost no line. The stalls are great for pottery and amber, prices fair, and the upstairs gallery is worth the small extra fee.
