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The best times are May through June and September, when days are warm (19-24°C) and rain is moderate. July and August are the hottest and rainiest, with 14-15 rain days and highs around 25°C. June also brings the well-known Wianki midsummer festival, but September offers pleasant sightseeing weather before the cooler, damp autumn.

Stay in Stare Miasto (Old Town) for first-time visitors; it's walkable to Rynek Główny, Wawel, and Planty, with hotels like Hotel Saski and Hotel Pod Różą. Kazimierz, the former Jewish quarter, suits those who want a lively, historic atmosphere with cafes and synagogues; Puro Kraków Kazimierz and 1891 Garni Hotel are there. Zwierzyniec, near the Vistula and Kopiec Kościuszki, is quieter and greener, with Niebieski Art Hotel & Spa. City Center, around Wielopole, is convenient for transit and close to the Old Town, with Holiday Inn Krakow City Centre.

Start at Rynek Główny, the vast medieval main square. See Wawel Royal Castle and its cathedral, the crown of Polish history. Wieliczka Salt Mine is a unique underground chapel carved from salt. St. Mary's Basilica is known for its wooden altar and hourly trumpet call from its tower.

Auschwitz Birkenau is a former Nazi concentration and extermination camp, now a memorial and museum, worth a somber visit. Zakopane, in the Tatra Mountains, offers mountain scenery, a cable car ride, and regional food like oscypek. Both are common full-day trips from Krakow. Plan a separate day for each. A day trip needs an extra day on top of your city itinerary.

Plan 3 to 4 days. Spend two full days in the Old Town: Rynek Główny, St. Mary's Basilica, Wawel Royal Castle and Cathedral, and the Planty park. Add one day for the Wieliczka Salt Mine. If you book a full-day tour to Auschwitz or Zakopane, you will need one extra day.