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.
Browse our most popular Krakow school trips
Why choose NST?
Here's why thousands of teachers choose NST each year...
- Unrivalled school trip knowledge
Your dedicated Tour Co-ordinator will use their trip planning knowledge and expertise to create a tailor-made, curriculum-linked itinerary to meet your group’s exact needs.
- Making it easier for you
Your own trip organiser, travel app, free classroom packs and trip promo resources.
- Free group leader inspection visits
Visit your chosen destination free of charge and plan with confidence.
- Value for money, always
We work hard to make every penny count.
- Over 55 years’ experience
With NST you can rest assured that your group is in safe hands.
- Aligned to your learning outcomes
Every trip can be built around your specific goals — from the latest GCSE and A level curriculum requirements to particular themes, interests or visits you want to focus on.
- Risk assessment guidance
Clear, practical support to help you manage group safety including our free guide.
- Offsetting carbon emissions
Through our partnership with Carbon Footprint, we're committed to offset one tonne of CO2 emissions, and plant a tree on school grounds in the UK, for every trip booked.
Krakow trip highlights - our groups appreciate...
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.
