Where to buy the best souvenirs in Krakow

Hunting for the best souvenirs in Krakow adds a layer of fun and discovery as you roam between city landmarks. Whether browsing the traditional stalls of the historic Cloth Hall or window shopping specialty shops, you’ll find authentic Polish keepsakes and high-quality crafts to take home. To give you ideas on how to fill your suitcase, here’s our pick of souvenirs from Krakow.

Polish amber is a sought-after souvenir from Krakow. Known as Baltic gold, local artisans have been fashioning jewelry from fossilized tree resin for centuries.

Finding something utterly unique is easy. Amber is a natural product of the Baltic Sea, and no two pieces are alike. Rare pieces contain plant fragments or tiny insects—moments frozen in time for millennia. While jewelry workshops work their magic for even more variety.

If amber jewelry shopping is on your growing list of things to do in Krakow, start in the Cloth Hall. The stalls in the iconic building are the city’s premier hub for amber artisans. If you still can’t find that perfect gift for yourself, galleries and jewelry stores around the Old Town offer even more.

Bolesławiec pottery is the ultimate fusion of Polish craftsmanship and folk traditions. Potters from Bolesławiec in southern Poland have shaped and decorated these distinctive blue-and-white hand-painted ceramics for centuries.

Produced in small studios and cooperative workshops, some creations are prized by collectors.

However, you won’t have to break the bank to bring home a showpiece of Polish craftsmanship. Classic polka dots, floral designs, and the celebrated peacock’s eye motif can be found on all kinds of kitchenware. From mugs and egg cups to decorative plates and robust bakeware, you’ll find plenty of durable yet beautiful designs in Krakow.

Look for intricate wood carvings for a different spin on local crafts and folk art. Polish woodworking skills and folk traditions are revealed in carved figures, jewelry boxes (a home for your amber jewelry), chess boards, and even that must-buy fridge magnet.

There’s plenty to please foodies in Krakow. Local drinks travel particularly well if you want to bring a taste of Krakow home.

Polish vodka needs little introduction. While you can grab a bottle of vodka at the airport or even the supermarket back home, it’s infinitely more enjoyable to shop (and sample) in one of vodka’s natural homes.

With countless varieties of Polish vodka, from classic clear versions to flavored options like bison grass (Żubrówka) or gold-flecked Goldwasser,  sampling them all is impossible.

You can also excite your tastebuds with a true Polish original, nalewka. These traditional fruit or herb-infused liqueurs follow age-old recipes.

Nalweka is almost impossible to find outside Poland. And with artisanal concoctions in eye-catching bottles, they make great gifts. Even better to raise a toast or two once you get home.

If you want a souvenir that lasts longer than a bottle of nalewka, Polish crystal and glassware is a timeless favorite. Look for hand-cut patterns and distinctly Polish designs on vases and barware, from ornate decanters to delicate wine glasses. Pair that bottle of nalewka with shot glasses featuring Krakow-inspired imagery. What better way to keep your travel memories alive after the bottle has been drained?

There’s plenty to excite visitors when Krakow’s sparkling Christmas celebrations are in full swing.

Top of the souvenir shopping list are colorful hand-painted glass ornaments. They might need wrapping snuggly for the journey home, but they are one of Krakow’s most popular souvenirs.

Another highlight of the Advent season is the colorful and often intricate szopka (nativity scenes) that pop up in churches and public spaces. You can transport that festive spirit home with miniature versions blending festive themes with representations of city architecture. Ideal as gifts for Christmas stockings or annual reminders of your trip to Krakow.

Forget the chocolate if you’re in Krakow around Easter. Easter is another seasonal event that brings out the best of Poland’s craft workshops, with elaborately decorated Easter eggs and cute Bolesławiec Bunnies.

Delicately decorated eggs can be mixed and matched to fill an egg carton with color and creativity. The hallmark blue-and-white designs of Bolesławiec pottery work brilliantly in the form of easter bunnies and imaginatively decorated creations like painted chicks. With plenty of other designs to make you forget about chocolate eggs. Even if they don’t taste as good.

Many good things come from the Tatra Mountains south of Krakow, including souvenirs.

We can heartily recommend oscypek, smoked cheese from the mountains.

Other mountain crafts are travel-friendly. Sheepskin slippers, hand-knitted scarves, and decorated walking sticks are folkloric souvenirs worthy of a space in your suitcase. And you can always fill your stomach with moreish oscypek cheese before you go.

Blending shopping with sightseeing is easy in the Renaissance-era Cloth Hall (Sukiennice) in the Main Market Square. This historic trading hall houses dozens of stalls selling amber, wood carvings, and other souvenirs from Krakow.

Reserve a little shopping time while exploring the Old Town, where you’ll find gift shops selling a wide range of souvenirs alongside specialty stores focusing on particular crafts.

For boutique shopping and more offbeat items, Kazimierz is another delight for souvenir shopping in Krakow.

For more variety, sizable modern malls like Galeria Krakowska and Bonarka City Center are made for extended retail therapy. We talk about costs in our guide to expenses in Krakow, but Krakow’s biggest malls sell Polish brands you won’t find back home. Plus, international brands at internationally competitive prices. You might wish you brought a bigger suitcase.

Happy shopping!