Krakow vs. Warsaw?

They are very different in size and scale (Warsaw is bigger and more spread out and is easier to get to, whereas Krakow is a lot more compact and gets the bulk of the tourist attention) - why don't you take a look at the InYourPocket guides for each and let the attractions you want to see guide you? Also keep in mind that Krakow will be hosting World Youth Day in summer 2016, so it will be very crowded at that time.

Because you only have 3 days, I guess I would lean toward Krakow because it's smaller and less to do in 3 days (I've been to both many times and was actually born in Warsaw).

http://www.inyourpocket.com/warsaw
http://www.inyourpocket.com/krakow

kthinkitty note that Kraków will be the site of the Catholic World Youth Conference in July 2016, which might impact your plan. Kraków was not destroyed during WWII like Warsaw was, so it is more preserved and attractive. Warsaw is more cosmopolitan.

We visited both cities a few years ago. I knew Kraków would be walkable, interesting and charming and it was. I really didn't know what to expect with much larger Warsaw. We stayed slightly on the eastern edge in a high rise hotel. We were greatly surprised by the walkability, charm and historical sites in Warsaw. The reconstructed and preserved old city center was beautiful. There were many restaurants and enterprising small business. People were so welcoming and friendly. Take a look at some guidebooks or websites, look at your transportation options and make a choice. I think you'll be happy with which ever you choose.

I've visited and enjoyed both cities. As others have noted, Krakow had less damage in WWII but the old section of Warsaw was carefully reconstructed after the war. There is more to see and do in Warsaw and I found the people to be friendly and helpful. Krakow is smaller and extremely tourist-friendly because tourism is now a huge business in that city. If your major interests are history, culture and scenery, and can choose only one city to visit in Poland, I'd recommend Warsaw.

I was in both cities last month. Kraków was my absolute favorite. It has a beautiful and interesting old town and a youthful vibe. Warsaw left me cold. It is a large and fairly unattractive city. Although the old town is nice, it can't compare to Kraków's. Also, Kraków has Auschwitz and the salt mine nearby, which offer excellent day trip options.

I would also choose Gdansk over Warsaw. It's a beautiful and interesting small city and has Malbork Castle less than an hour away. Not sure if that is an option, but I thought I'd mention it in case your trip coincides with the world children's thing and you are worried about crowds.

Thank you all for the advice! Carroll- Thanks for the info Auschwitz is a place I've wanted to visit so I'm glad to know it's nearby! I will also have to look into Gdansk, sounds interesting. Thankfully my itinerary has me in Poland in early-mid June so it will be right before the conference. Glad I know now, so I keep it in the beginning of my journey!

Warsaw is not unattractive. It is splendid cosmopolitan city, yet with Polish soul, that has a lot to offer in terms of history, culture and tourists attractions in general. There is moving museum of Warsaw Uprising, loved also by forigners, Chopin Museum, Maria Skłodowska-Curie Museum, Royal Castle, Castle Square and charming Old Town, to name just a few. But, as it was mentioned, the city is quite big and the attractions are spread, so you know where you have to go and how to go, as it is not that walkable as Kraków. Kraków's advantages, as someone stated above, are possibilities of short-distance trips to former German concentration camps Auschwitz and Auschwitz-Birkenau, and to famous salt mine in Wieliczka. But yes, because of World Youth Day 2016, it will be busier than usual, and usually it is already very busy, especially during summers so the lines, for instance in Wawel Castle, can be really frustrating.
As for Gdańsk. It is a nice suggestion. Gdańsk is not small city at all though, but luckily pretty much all the attractions are in the centre, so it is very tourist friendly. Once in Gdańsk, you can also visit nearby interesting cities of Sopot and Gdynia, that together with Gdańsk are called together Tricity. Also from Gdańsk, following the good suggestion made, you can easily take a trip to Malbork which is the largest castle in the world by surface area and to former German concentration camp Stutthof (in Sztutowo).

Both Warsaw and Krakow are great places to visit. If you are interested in the Holocaust, I would go to Krakow and take a day trip to Aushwitz-Birkenau. It is an amazing experience.

I visited both cities this past May, 4 full days each--if you poke around you can find my trip report--and while I liked each for different reasons, I enjoyed Krakow the most. The Rynek Glowny (Market Square) was visited daily, wonderful food and authentic craft stands, and the stare miasto (Old Town) is surrounded by a park called the Planty, lovely to sit on a bench and people-watch on a hot day. Very walkable. The Kazimierz district is a short walk and I spent a couple of days there, Schindler museum is not to be missed. Wawel Hill can take several hours to explore, and I enjoyed the art in the gallery at Cloth Hall. I took a guided day trip to visit Auschwitz as well, as a WWII history buff it was a must-see and a sobering experience.

Warsaw was completely re-built after being demolished during the war, and the old town is quite charming, lots to see--I particularly liked the Museum of the History of Polish Jews and the National Art Gallery. It has a more business-like feel, being the capital, and didn't feel as cozy, somehow, as Krakow did.

I made a long day trip to visit Gdansk from Warsaw and I would love to return to see more of that area, distinctly different architecture. Overall I really loved Poland--very pretty country, very kind & helpful people, great food and beer and our dollar goes a looooong way.

I was in Poland five months ago (this past September) and I'd highly recommend visiting both Kraków and Warsaw. Kraków was not damaged during World War II, so many of the original buildings are there. And the Old Town, Main Market Square, and Wawel Hill / Wawel Castle are very beautiful. And do visit the Jewish Quarter of Kazimierz, a charming area with so much history.

Even though much of Warsaw was rebuilt after World War II, I felt Warsaw is a beautiful city in its own right. The Old Town is very charming, the Royal Route is very grand, and the wide boulevard of Nowy Swiat is quite stunning. And there are a number of excellent museums in Warsaw, such as the Uprising Museum (long lines when I visited, but still a must visit) and the Chopin Museum. And if you have the time, while in Warsaw try to visit the Praga District. The Praga District has so much historical significance, and has some great and interesting museums such as the Praga District Museum, the Neon Museum, and the Communism Museum.

And if you have the time, you can definitely visit Gdańsk from Warsaw. The direct fast train (the IC Pendolino Express trains) took me just under three hours from Gdańsk to Warsaw.

And Christa is absolutely right, the U.S. dollar goes such a long way in Poland. You're going to fall completely in love with Poland! :-)

I visited both Krakow and Warsaw last July. Most people adore Krakow -- and for good reasons -- but I loved Warsaw. I really enjoyed learning about the city's history and rebirth since WWII. Also, being a bigger city and being relatively young (30s), I felt there was more to do in terms of bars, restaurants, shopping, etc. Not as hipster as Berlin, but some parts of the city had that vibe.

Krakow is great in its own right, but personally I found it more "romantic" and very, very touristy compared to Warsaw. Beautiful scenery though, and while my trip to Auschwitz fell on an unusually hot and humid day, I'm glad I did it.

One place in Poland I wish I did visit as well is Gdansk. Everyone I know who went there gave rave reviews. I know it's not one of your choices, but just another option to consider ...

Hope this helps!

mycityispretty, I agree with you. I found Gdansk even prettier than Krakow.

If you are interested in Auschwitz, it is about an hour by bus from Krakow. Krakow also has a few monuments (Schindler Factory, Chair Monument) in and near the Jewish neighborhood. Buses to Auschwitz run frequently from the bus station (behind the central train station, which has a nice shopping mall).

I loved Warsaw as well.