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School Trips to Krakow

Krakow is one of the oldest and most beautiful cities in Poland, and a fantastic school trip destination for any class. 

For a true taste of the authentic Polish way of life, where better place than the grand town square at the centre of the city. The square is actually the biggest medieval town square in Europe. It houses St. Mary’s Basilica, a gothic church that dates back to the 13th century and that is now surrounded by local marketplaces, restaurants and cafes. 

There are also few cities that provide such a thought provoking experience of wartime history. Our history school trips to Krakow enable students to gain a real sense of what life was like for Jewish communities prior to and during the Second World War. This is an invaluable and unforgettable learning experience for all who visit.

If you’re looking to plan a Krakow school tour, feel free to have a look at some of our most popular options below or get in touch for more information. 

Learn more about our school trips to Krakow

History

History

Learn all about the wartime experience of the Jewish population in Poland as part of our history school trips to Krakow.

Learn more here

Music

Music

Krakow is a wonderful destination for established music groups, choirs and orchestras as part of our music school tours.

Learn more here

Psychology & Sociology

Psychology & Sociology

Krakow’s storied and tragic 20th century history allows pupils to analyse persecution, conformity and obedience from a psychological point of view.

Learn more here

Religious Studies

Religious Studies

A school trip to Krakow is fascinating from a religious studies or philosophical angle and is sure to provoke thought among any class.

Learn more here


Krakow trip highlights - our groups appreciate...

Auschwitz-Birkenau

Auschwitz-Birkenau

Following the Nazi invasion of Poland in September 1939, Oświęcim was incorporated into the domains of the Third Reich. The town’s name was changed to Auschwitz and it became the largest concentration and death camp. Today, as a museum, Auschwitz serves as a poignant reminder of the horrors of Hitler’s tyranny and a guided visit will give students a fuller view of the terrible events and conditions, also allowing consideration of key study themes, including obedience, prejudice, tyranny and much more. A school trip to Auschwitz will be a truly emotive and thought-provoking one for students.

Galicia Museum

Galicia Museum

Presenting Jewish history from a new perspective, this private museum celebrates the Jewish culture of Galicia and poignantly commemorates the victims of the Holocaust through its moving photographic exhibition. During your visit, your students can take part in a choice of interactive workshops, including Choices Faced, Decisions Made: The Holocaust and Wartime Morality, Po-lin: Here We Will Rest (reflecting on Jewish history), and Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Jewish Culture (exploring Jewish belief and tradition). Groups can also take part in exhibition tours, lectures, concerts, and much more.

Meet with a concentration camp survivor or relative

Meet with a concentration camp survivor or relative

Groups have the invaluable opportunity to meet and speak with either a concentration camp survivor or a member of a survivor’s family. This is an incredible, poignant chance to hear moving eye-witness testimony and gain first hand insight into life under Nazi rule. Common themes covered often include conflict, prejudice and the values of tolerance and understanding.

Wieliczka Salt Mine

Wieliczka Salt Mine

With a labyrinth of tunnels, Wieliczka Salt Mine is an eerie underworld which has been hand carved from salt blocks. Located 14km south east of Krakow, here your group have the opportunity to view a section of the mine and 22 chambers connected by galleries. A fascinating trip.

Schindler's Factory

Schindler's Factory

Also referred to as the Schindler Museum, this visit not only tells Schindler's story but covers every aspect of the Polish and Polish-Jewish experience of occupation in a way that is hugely relevant to British students. We thoroughly recommend this excellent museum, made famous by Spielberg's film, Schindler's List.

Krakow Old Town

Krakow Old Town

Visit Rynek Główny (Town Square), the largest in medieval Europe, Mariacki Church (St Mary’s Church) of Gothic origins with its fine altar, Sukiennice (Cloth Hall) of vast proportions and view the University District and the Collegium Maius - the historic heart of the university area.

Kazimierz

Kazimierz

This historic Jewish district was left deserted as residents were forced by Nazis to move to the Podgorze ghetto. Visit the old synagogues and the cemetery, as well as iconic Jewish sites and museums.

Podgorze

Podgorze

In March 1941, the entire Jewish population of Krakow were crammed into this tiny ghetto as Nazi prejudice took hold. Also the location of Schindler’s Factory, students can explore the ghetto and consider the anti-Semitic events which took place here before large numbers of Jews were sent to labour and death camps.

Traditional Jewish restaurant

Traditional Jewish restaurant

Enjoy Jewish culture with a traditional Jewish meal at a local restaurant, with a range of delicacies to be experienced, including czulent (bean casserole), knyshe (dumplings) and stuffed gooseneck.

Wawel Hill

Wawel Hill

In a fortified position overlooking the river and city are the Castle and Cathedral.

Work with our experts...

Hundreds of groups travel with NST to Krakow every year, and members of our team regularly visit the city to really get to know the ins-and-outs of the entire region, from logistics and visits to our range of student-friendly accommodation.

Your dedicated Tour Co-ordinator will use their knowledge of Krakow to create an itinerary that’s tailor-made, perfectly timed and meets your exact school travel needs.

They’ll be able to share their first-hand experience, suggest options you might not have considered and give you insight into the feedback other teachers have given us too.

Planning your first school trip?

If you're planning your first school trip, our essential guide will take you through each step of the process...

  • Choosing your destination
  • Gaining approval from your Local Authority and/or your Head
  • Promoting your tour in school
  • Confirming your booking
  • Tailor-make your tour
  • Completing your risk assessments (including a sample risk assessment)
  • Quick reference timeline
  • Pre-tour checklist

Additional support, resources & information:

Tour planning service

Tour planning service

With NST, you’ll get your own dedicated, knowledgeable Tour Co-ordinator who’ll work with you from start to finish. You’ll benefit from their unrivalled destination knowledge, and their experience gained from working with many other groups too. They’ll tailor-make your itinerary from scratch and take care of everything for you:

  • Pulling together an itinerary that runs smoothly
  • Planning the right balance of visits every day with realistic timings
  • Pre-arranging and pre-booking your visits, entrance tickets, passes and meals


You’ll receive your final itinerary a full 4-weeks before you travel too.

Free school trip promotion pack

Free school trip promotion pack

We’ll support you and provide everything you need to advertise your school trip around school and to parents. Our free school trip promotion pack consists of:

  • Parents’ letter & permission slip template for you to complete A3 posters to promote your trip around school
  • PowerPoint presentation templates which you can tailor to your own needs
  • Parents’ leaflets covering how NST manage safety, financial protection and details of our travel insurance
  • Online parents’ video which showcases the benefits of taking a school trip


For selected destinations, we’ll provide a trip launch web page using video footage and imagery. This web page is provided by a weblink and can be shared with pupils and parents in many ways.

Risk assessment support including preview visits

Risk assessment support including preview visits

Risk assessment plays a vitally important part in the planning and organisation on any school tour.

Our risk assessment guide aims to help you understand more about your obligations and how you can more effectively manage group safety on your next educational visit and provide you with risk assessments for your trip. 

Planning first school trip

Planning first school trip

Organising your first school trip can appear to be a daunting process.

If you're planning your first school trip, our guide will help to take you through each step of the planning process, answering frequently asked questions and providing tips and support along the way.

Our helpful guide covers the following:

  • Choosing your destination
  • Gaining approval from your Local Authority and/or your Head
  • Promoting your tour in school
  • Confirming your booking
  • Tailor-make your tour
  • Completing your risk assessments (including a sample risk assessment)
  • Quick reference timeline
  • Pre-tour checklist


View our essential guide to a successful school trip here.

Get live updates on your group's tour location

Get live updates on your group's tour location

Locate My Trip uses GPS technology and is the easy, convenient way for your school to follow your location whilst on tour. Specifically designed to provide reassurance to both parents and teachers, NST will know where your group are 24/7. If your schedule needs to change, we’ll put plans in place to keep your tour on track. 

With Locate My Trip your group can also share photos and videos with the school and parents, via a secure link, to keep them updated on your experience whilst you’re away.

Watch our short Locate My Trip video here.

Your online school trip organiser - My Tour Manager

Your online school trip organiser - My Tour Manager

Save time and stay on track with your school trip admin with our online orgnaniser - designed to help busy teachers like you.

With My Tour Manager, you'll be able to download FREE resources and access trip paperwork online and in one place. Your personalised checklist details what you need to do and by when, plus you'll receive fortnightly reminders too.

What's more, you can take all your trip documents on the go whilst on your tour with our app, My Tour Manager-On-the-Go.

Find out more and watch out short My Tour Manager video here.

Free classroom resources

Free classroom resources

We've created a range of free geography resources and educational posters to brighten up your classroom!

Take a look at our downloadable posters here.

Brexit & your school trip

Brexit & your school trip

How will Brexit affect my school trip?

Following the end of the transition period there are several changes that will affect groups travelling with us to the EU.

For more information on these changes, visit our dedicated Brexit page here.

If you're travelling with NST and have any specific questions. please contact your Educational Travel Advisor.

Why choose NST...

  • Unrivalled knowledge

Your dedicated Tour Co-ordinator will use their unrivalled local knowledge and expertise of Krakow to create a tailor-made, curriculum-linked itinerary to meet your group’s exact needs.

  • Making it easier for you

With our online school trip organiser, travel app, free classroom posters and trip launch resources to support your in-school promotion.

  • Free group leader inspection visits

We offer a free inspection visit to your chosen destination to support your risk assessment planning. 

  • Value for money

We’re committed to bringing you the best possible value trips to help make every penny count.

  • More than 50 years’ experience

With over 50 years’ experience, with NST you can rest assured that your group is in safe hands.

  • Risk assessment guidance

Our risk assessment guidance will help you to manage group safety on your next educational trip.

  • Peace of mind

Your group’s location can be followed with our trip tracking device - Locate My Trip - plus you’ll have 24/7 support from us whilst you’re away.

  • Offsetting carbon emissions

For every trip taken, we'll plant a Maya nut tree in Peru to support reforestation, local communities & biodiversity. Plus, we'll offset an additional tonne of CO2 to guarantee carbon emission reductions. 

 

Looking for protection on your next school trip? 

Booking with a school travel company is the best way for you to protect parents’ money and give yourself peace of mind.  

 

Don’t forget – if your school arranges transport, accommodation and other services directly, you’ll be liable under the Package Travel Regulations – meaning you’ll have all the responsibilities of a travel company, both legal and financial. 

 

Financial protection from the moment you book

NST are fully bonded:

  • ABTA
  • ATOL
  • IATA

Managing safety on school trips

For your protection, NST's independently audited Safety Management System covers:

  • 24-hour emergency cover
  • Audited accommodation & transport
  • Excursions & school visit assessment
  • Group leader preview visits to assist with risk assessment planning

We're LOtC Council’s Quality Badge assured

The Department for Education advises schools to always look for the LOtC Quality Badge when choosing a school travel provider.