There are so many blockbuster palaces, churches and townhouses in 碍谤补办贸飞 that Unesco seemingly got tired of listing them all and just declared the whole historic center a site of Outstanding Universal Value. It is one of Europe鈥檚 most historically intact and beautiful cities 鈥� and walking it is all yours for free.

Even better news 鈥� you can see the glorious interiors of many buildings for nothing as well. Most 碍谤补办贸飞 museums and art galleries offer free entry on Tuesdays or at least one day of the week. Save your z艂oty and see some of the best things in 碍谤补办贸飞 for free.

Meet the heart of Poland at Wawel Royal Castle

For centuries this castle complex was where Polish royalty was crowned, and it remains the spiritual heart of the nation. The towers, chapels and halls tell the history of Poland, from great power to Nazi occupation.

From outside, watching tour groups climb the castle's ramparts, it鈥檚 easy to think entrance to this landmark complex is ticketed. It鈥檚 not. You can visit the grounds and gardens of Wawel for free, including the highlight of any visit 鈥� the Renaissance-style arcaded castle courtyard. A few exhibitions inside are free too, including the excellent archaeological collection at Lost Wawel in the castle cellars.

Hear the 700-year old Hejna艂

The melancholy strains of the Hejna艂 bugle call, played from St Mary鈥檚 Basilica tower, are known to every Pole. It鈥檚 played hourly, so you鈥檒l hear snippets of it while walking the city, but it鈥檚 worth taking up a spot below the tower at noon 鈥� when it鈥檚 broadcast on national radio 鈥� to watch crowds crane their neck to the sky as the city fireperson pokes their bugle out of the window to play.

The tradition dates to the 14th century, although its origins are disputed. You鈥檒l be spun the legend of the heroic city watchmen, who, having spotted the Mongol army, blew the Hejna艂 to successfully rally the citizens to defend the city. Sadly, the watchman was struck by an arrow in the neck, which is why the Hejna艂 still suddenly stops, mid-note.

Remember the Holocaust at the New Jewish Cemetery

Once one of the most vibrant Jewish cities in the world, the Nazis murdered nearly every 碍谤补办贸飞 Jew in nearby Auschwitz, which included many of the city鈥檚 professors, politicians and artists. Learning about and remembering the victims of the Holocaust is the reason many people visit 碍谤补办贸飞.

You鈥檒l want to visit Auschwitz, but it鈥檚 often the smaller places of everyday Jewish life that are most moving. The New Jewish Cemetery, at the edges of the former Jewish district of Kazimierz, was the community鈥檚 main burial ground before the war. You鈥檒l find heartrending memorials to loved ones lost in the Shoah, but it鈥檚 especially poignant to walk amongst overgrown graves thinking of the generations of families whose lives were abruptly destroyed. Wear a head covering while visiting.

Break bread over Shabbat at the Jewish Community Center

Learning about 碍谤补办贸飞's Jewish past can be emotionally tough, but it should always be balanced with the uplifting experience of being introduced to the city鈥檚 Jewish present.

The supports and helps grow the local Jewish community. It runs almost daily events (some paid), from lectures and workshops to Q&As with Holocaust survivors 鈥� many in English. Particularly special is an invite to Shabbat meals, where you can chat with community members over a Kosher meal. Email the center to ask about an invitation and what donation is appropriate.

碍谤补办贸飞's best museums offers free entry one day a week

Almost every museum offers free entry one day a week to encourage those that wouldn鈥檛 normally visit to step inside. Tuesday is most popular, but you could plan nearly a whole week of free museum and gallery visits.

In our listings below we鈥檝e listed the free day for each museum, but do check before visiting as this can change.

See the city from above at 碍谤补办贸飞 Town Hall Tower 鈥� free on Monday

There may only be a handful of rooms with a few unloved period costumes on display, but it鈥檚 worth a visit for the views from the top. Built in the 15th century, 碍谤补办贸飞's town hall tower gives you a panorama over the spectacular market square and beyond. You need to book two weeks in advance, and the tower closes in winter.

See the city from below at Rynek Underground 鈥� free on Tuesday

One of 碍谤补办贸飞's most popular and priciest attractions, Rynek Underground came about after archaeologists started digging around under the market square鈥檚 centerpiece Cloth Hall.

What they found, from merchant stalls to vampire lucky charms, is now displayed in these vaults under the square. The exhibits are cleverly paired with projections and touchscreens to tell visitors the story of old 碍谤补办贸飞. Again, book at least two weeks in advance.

Explore the communist workers' paradise of Nowa Huta 鈥� museum free on Wednesday

Said to be one of only two socialist-realist Stalinist-era planned towns fully built, Nowa Huta was supposed to be a worker's paradise, set around the huge Lenin steelworks.
It still looks like the set of a Cold War film, where Italian Renaissance influences meet concrete in the apartment blocks and government administration offices on its leafy avenues. A walk here is fascinating any time, but come on Wednesdays and you can visit both the Nowa Huta Museum and the Nowa Huta Underground museum for free. The latter lets you explore the fallout shelters built for residents.

Be challenged by the art at MOCAK 鈥� permanent collection free on Thursday

You鈥檒l either love or hate the challenging exhibitions of conceptualist and avant-garde art and installations at the ambitious Museum of Contemporary Art in 碍谤补办贸飞. It has several thousand pieces of work in its collection, mostly from the past few decades with a particular specialism in art from Central Europe and the former Soviet Union.

The gallery is housed in the former Oskar Schindler factory. You can visit the Schindler museum next door for free on Mondays.

Stretch out on the beach with the locals at Bagry Lake

Every second building in 碍谤补办贸飞 might be on a Unesco poster, but at some point, you鈥檒l tire of frescoes, trompe l'oeil and gargoyles. Escape to and head straight for sunbathing on one of its beaches or the newly installed hammocks.

The lake is big and you鈥檒l find a sailing school, kayak rental and lifeguards here in the summer months. It鈥檚 immensely popular during warm weekends, but because it鈥檚 30 minutes by tram from the center you鈥檒l leave the tour groups behind and be mixing with Krakovians.

Take a "free" walking tour, but be prepared to tip

You鈥檒l hardly have stepped foot in town before a leaflet is thrust in your hand promising a free walking tour. But these tours are only free if you鈥檙e willing to spend an uncomfortable five minutes at the end not giving a tip to the guide. Tours are typically two or three hours, so you鈥檙e taking advantage of the tour guide if you鈥檙e not prepared to pay 15z艂 or 20z艂 (US$3.50-US$4.50), even if the "free" adverts are misleading.

Try , which has dozens of different tours in different languages, and crucially hires engaging guides who tell stories of the city rather than rattling off a list of dates when Krakovian Kings were crowned.