Kraków is an excellent place for a city break; compact but with plenty of interesting things to see and do, plus great food and drink. Throw in a parkrun and you have the perfect weekend.
Kraków parkrun takes place in Błonia just west of the old town. We booked a very nice apartment close to the start and thought we were all set. In actual fact, it was the weekend of the Kraków Marathon, which also takes place in the aforementioned park. For this reason, parkrun took place on its B Course a few miles out of town at Kościuszko Mound. So here is my semi useful guide to Kraków parkrun, which includes a normal week, plus what we actually did, which was somewhat different.
How to get to Kraków Parkrun
From the UK you can get some great deals on flights to Kraków. John Paul II International Airport is 7 miles west of the Old Town. You can catch the train (SKA1) from just outside the airport (Kraków Lotnisko) to Kraków Main Station, which is a few minutes walk from the top end of the Old Town.
On a normal Saturday, it would be a short walk west from the Old Town to the start. For us, we realised the night before that we were set for the B Course, which takes place some miles away at Kościuszko Mound. It was therefore a 10 minute taxi ride out of town. We couldn’t find enough taxis, so one taxi had to drop a group, then return for the others. No matter, the organisers were very friendly and accommodating and waited until everyone was assembled before starting the race.
Parking
Much of the centre of town is pedestrianised. If you are visiting by car, it’s easiest is to stay at a hotel on the outskirts, park up and explore the town and head for parkrun by foot. If you do opt to drive, there is a parking lot directly adjacent to the route, located near the finish line. Parking is free on Saturdays.
Toilets
For the regular course, there are toilets in the park. The B Course has fewer facilities and we ended up catching a tram back into town still covered in mud.
Course
The regular course consists of one full loop on a path round the park, plus an extra length of one side of the park. We did visit the park in the afternoon to lament how much flatter and cleaner our morning would have been if we’d done our research and selected a different weekend.
Terrain
The regular route takes place on a flat tarmac path. Course B is basically a tiny bit of flat tarmac path before scrabbling up and back down the sides of a muddy mound.
Shoes
The A Course is a definite trainer course. This was unfortunate for us as we had only packed trainers. The best footwear for the B Course, which was basically a hilly mud fest, would be trail shoes. Or maybe wellies!
Difficulty
It’s a fast, flat course. So presumably, apart perhaps from the tight turns, a nice easy run. That was my theory, anyway. So imagine my disappointment when we found ourselves trundling out of town to deal with the mud and inclines of the mound! And don’t even get me started on being coaxed to let go of a tree by the tail walker and turn marshal to slither down the muddy hill whimpering!
Fun Factor
Ironically I enjoyed every minute of my weekend with the exception of the run itself which was way too steep and muddy for my liking. Nevertheless, the very friendly (and patient) tail walker who supported me (literally) as I squealed and slid my way down the hill ensured I reached the finish unscathed. Once I was ensconced in The Black Duck working my way through the vodka menu, all this was forgotten.
Kraków parkrun gets a steady flow of parkrun tourists, predominantly from the UK. On that particular weekend, with the marathon happening, there was a bumper crop of parkrun tourists. This all added to the atmosphere for what was, in all, a thoroughly enjoyable weekend. We couldn’t fault the friendliness of the Polish volunteers; (Piotr and Piotr) who were so welcoming.
Where we Stayed
We stayed right in the centre of the old town, which was very convenient for sightseeing. The Rembrandt Aparthotel is just a block away from the Main Square. Our apartment was well equipped with a separate living/dining area and a small kitchen. Other options (private rooms and mixed dorms) are also available.
Nearby Attractions
There are plenty of interesting sights in Kraków, with its Castle and historic Old Town. Further afield, a day trip to Auschwitz-Birkenau is harrowing but educational. You can read more about what we got up to during our weekend in Kraków here.
- Trip taken: May 2016
- Updated: October 2025
I hope you found the above information useful. For guides to more destinations in the 50+ countries we have visited, check out my full list of Independent Travel Itineraries here.
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