Jewish heritage
Kazimierz
The old Jewish quarter, with the Remuh synagogue and cemetery, the Old Synagogue and Tempel.
3 min drive from the center · 1.3 km · 0.8 mi
Photo: Igor123121 · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Poland
Krakow
8 shuls (1 Chabad) · 4 kosher · 231 hotels on our map
Photo: Ingo Mehling · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
KazimierzWawel CastleMain Market SquareAuschwitz-BirkenauOskar Schindler's FactoryWieliczka Salt MineOld Synagogue
About
A beautifully preserved royal city and the heart of Polish-Jewish history. In Kazimierz, the old Jewish quarter, historic synagogues stand beside a working shul, Chabad and kosher restaurants, and Auschwitz-Birkenau is about an hour away.
Good to know: only 8 shuls and 4 kosher places are on our map here so far, and the real number is likely higher. Before you book, check with the local Chabad (search Chabad Krakow) and look up kosher on Google Maps.
Renting a car: To drive in Poland, Americans need an International Driving Permit together with their US license; the license alone is not accepted, and the permit can't be issued once you're in Poland (US Embassy Poland). AAA issues it for $20 plus a photo, online or at a branch. Only AAA and AATA are authorized to issue it in the US. It is valid for one year; the "10-year" permits sold online are not accepted (USA.gov warns that many such sites are scams).Source: pl.usembassy.gov · aaa.com · usa.gov, checked Nov 2026 · tip from ivelt
Kosher products in Polish shops: Koszerna Polska keeps the kosher product list under Rabbi Michael Schudrich, the Chief Rabbi of Poland, with an English version.Source: koszernapolska.pl, checked Nov 2026 · tip from ivelt
Best time to goMay–Sept; winters are cold. Book Auschwitz tours well ahead.
Local time
Before you goPlaces come from OpenStreetMap and can change. Call ahead for minyan and Shabbos meals, and check the hechsher yourself.
Top attractions
Things to do in Krakow
Landmark
Wawel Castle
The royal castle on a hill above the Vistula river.
3 min drive from the center · 1.1 km · 0.7 mi
Photo: Monika Towiańska · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Landmark
Main Market Square
One of Europe's largest medieval squares, with the Cloth Hall in the middle.
3 min drive from the center · 700 m · 0.4 mi
Photo: Jorge Lascar · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Jewish heritage
Auschwitz-Birkenau
The memorial and museum at the former death camp. Plan a full day and book a guide.
65 min drive from the center · 72 km · 45 mi
Photo: File:Auschwitz I (22 May 2010).jpg: xiquinhosilva · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Museum
Oskar Schindler's Factory
A museum about Kraków under Nazi occupation, in Schindler's former factory.
5 min drive from the center · 2.8 km · 1.8 mi
Photo: Jennifer Boyer · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Family & fun
Wieliczka Salt Mine
Underground chambers and lakes carved out of salt, 20 minutes from the city.
18 min drive from the center · 12 km · 7.7 mi
Photo: C messier · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Jewish heritage
Old Synagogue
Poland's oldest surviving synagogue building, now a museum of Jewish history.
31-053 Kraków, ul. Szeroka 24 · 4 min drive from the center · 1.5 km · 0.9 mi
Photo: Marco Almbauer · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Where to stay
Hotels by walk or drive to minyan
Walking and driving time from each hotel to the nearest shul and kosher food. Tap a hotel for its map, phone numbers and directions.
Loading hotels…
Walking times are estimates: straight-line distance × 1.3 at about 80 m a minute. Driving times are road routes without traffic (OpenStreetMap routing); where a route is missing we show “≈”, straight line × 1.4 at city speed. No prices or ratings here; each hotel links to Google Maps reviews and a Booking.com search.
Minyan
Shuls & Chabad
Chabad houses first. Call ahead for minyan times.
7 shuls, Chabad houses and kosher places in this city were added or completed by hand from Chabad, kashrut-agency and community websites (checked November 2026). Each one links to its source.
Not every shul is on the map yet: search synagogues on Google Maps. Denomination is shown only where it is mapped. Something wrong? Report a correction.
Food
Kosher food
Each card names its hechsher and the agency, vaad or Chabad list it comes from. Places marked “Tagged kosher on OpenStreetMap” have no hechsher source yet. We don’t certify anything: always check the hechsher yourself.
Search kosher on Google Maps for places not on our map yet.
מקומות הקדושים
Holy sites nearby
Kevarim of tzaddikim within 150 km, measured in a straight line.
הרמ״א, רבי משה איסרלישThe Rema, Rabbi Moshe IsserlesKraków · 18 Iyar (Lag BaOmer) · 1 kmהב״ח, רבי יואל סירקישThe Bach, Rabbi Yoel SirkisKraków · 20 Adar · 1 kmהתוספות יום טוב, רבי יום טוב ליפמן הלרThe Tosfos Yom Tov, Rabbi Yom Tov Lipmann HellerKraków · 6 Elul · 1 kmהמגלה עמוקות, רבי נתן נטע שפיראThe Megaleh Amukos, Rabbi Nosson Nota SpiraKraków · 13 Av · 1 kmהדברי חיים, רבי חיים הלברשטאם מצאנזThe Divrei Chaim, Rabbi Chaim Halberstam of SanzNowy Sącz · 25 Nissan · 72 kmרבי דוד מלעלובRebbe Dovid of Lelov (Biderman)Lelów · 7 Shevat · 73 km
Getting around
Drivers
Car services and drivers that frum travelers use here, for the airport and kever trips. All drivers ›
Listed from public sources — not an endorsement. Call to confirm.
Premium Transfer Poland
Warsaw, Łódź, Lublin, Kraków, Rzeszów, Leżajsk (Lizhensk); airport transfers 24/7; VIP bus
Advertises 'Jewish tours' and airport transfers; listed on goKosher (listing marked 'non verified' there).
Source: premium-transfer.pl · gokosher.com, checked Nov 2026. Listed from public sources — not an endorsement. Call to confirm.Diligence
Private & group transport to kevarim and historical sites across Europe
Listed by VisitKerestir only; its 'visit our website' link had no address I could read. Single source.
Source: visitkerestir.com, checked Nov 2026. Listed from public sources — not an endorsement. Call to confirm.Chris (Christopher) – driver listed by Chabad Kraków
Kraków, airport pickups, Jewish sites around Poland and Europe
Languages: English
Chabad Kraków 'Tours and drivers' page publishes him for travelers; the same number was recommended on ivelt (2024). Email Krzysieks1@op.pl.
Source: chabadkrakow.org · ivelt.com, checked Nov 2026. Listed from public sources — not an endorsement. Call to confirm.Asaf Bar – driver listed by Chabad Kraków
Kraków, airport, Jewish sites in Poland and Europe
Languages: Hebrew, English
Published on Chabad Kraków's drivers page for travelers.
Source: chabadkrakow.org, checked Nov 2026. Listed from public sources — not an endorsement. Call to confirm.Wojtek – driver listed by Chabad Kraków
Kraków, airport, Jewish sites in Poland and Europe
Languages: Hebrew
Published on Chabad Kraków's drivers page. Email wojtek.osmanski@gmail.com.
Source: chabadkrakow.org, checked Nov 2026. Listed from public sources — not an endorsement. Call to confirm.Daniel – driver listed by Chabad Kraków
Kraków, airport, Jewish sites in Poland and Europe
Languages: English
Published on Chabad Kraków's drivers page (trankrak@wp.pl); a 'trankrak' email was also mentioned on ivelt.
Source: chabadkrakow.org · ivelt.com, checked Nov 2026. Listed from public sources — not an endorsement. Call to confirm.David – driver listed by Chabad Kraków
Kraków, airport, Jewish sites
Languages: English, a little Hebrew
Published on Chabad Kraków's drivers page.
Source: chabadkrakow.org, checked Nov 2026. Listed from public sources — not an endorsement. Call to confirm.Piotr – driver listed by Chabad Kraków
Kraków, airport, Jewish sites
Languages: English
Published on Chabad Kraków's drivers page.
Source: chabadkrakow.org, checked Nov 2026. Listed from public sources — not an endorsement. Call to confirm.Map