May in Krakow averages highs of 19 °C (66 °F) and lows of 9 °C (48 °F), with about 10 rainy days and 15 h 24 min of daylight.
May weather in Krakow at a glance
average high to low each dot ≈ 3 rainy days
Is May a good time to visit Krakow?
Good time to go: comfortably warm and some rain. May is usually high season in Krakow: book rooms early, as prices are typically at their highest.
Our rule: a month scores 2 points for comfortable average highs of 18–28 °C (1 point for 14–18 or 28–32 °C) and 2 points for 5 or fewer rainy days (1 point for 6–10). Average highs above 35 °C or below 8 °C make it a tough month whatever the rain. A rainy day here means 2 mm of rain or more. 4 points = great, 3 = good, 2 = mixed, 0–1 = tough.
Holidays and events in May 2026
- Fri 1 May: May Day (Święto Pracy) public holiday
- Sun 3 May: Constitution Day (Święto Konstytucji 3 Maja) public holiday
- Sun 24 May: Pentecost (Zielone Świątki) public holiday
Banks and many shops close on public holidays, and museums may change their hours, so check before you go.
Things to do in Krakow in May
May's weather suits a mix of outdoor sights and museums, so the open-air ones come first.
- Main Market Square and Cloth Hall outdoors
- Kazimierz — the old Jewish quarter outdoors
- Auschwitz-Birkenau memorial — book a guided entry outdoors
- Wawel Castle and Cathedral indoors
- Schindler's Factory — book ahead indoors
- Wieliczka Salt Mine — half a day indoors
Where to stay: Old Town for sights; Kazimierz for food and bars; Podgórze for quiet and value.
What to pack for Krakow in May
- Layers and a light jacket: days around 19 °C (66 °F), nights near 9 °C (48 °F).
- An umbrella or a light waterproof: about 10 days this month see real rain.
- Comfortable walking shoes.
What a day in Krakow costs
| Budget traveller | Mid-range | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical total per person, per day | €35–80 | €90–200 |
Excluding flights. May is usually high season in Krakow: book rooms early, as prices are typically at their highest.
May in nearby cities
| City | High / low | Rainy days | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budapest | 21° / 11° | 9 | Good time to go |
| Vienna | 20° / 10° | 10 | Good time to go |
| Prague | 20° / 9° | 8 | Good time to go |
Want the whole trip planned? Join the Journey waitlist: tell it where, when and your budget, and it plans every day hour by hour.
FAQ
Is May a good time to visit Krakow?
By the numbers, May is a good time to go: comfortably warm and some rain, with average highs of 19 °C (66 °F) and about 10 rainy days. May is usually high season in Krakow: book rooms early, as prices are typically at their highest. The best months for weather are May, June, August, September.
How warm is Krakow in May?
Average highs are 19 °C (66 °F) and lows 9 °C (48 °F) (2015–2024 averages).
Does it rain a lot in Krakow in May?
Expect about 10 days with 2 mm of rain or more, about 81 mm in total. It is the 2nd wettest month of the year in Krakow.
Sources: climate averages from Open-Meteo historical weather (ERA5 reanalysis, 2015–2024); sea temperatures from the Open-Meteo marine API (2023–2024); public holidays from Nager.Date. Daylight is calculated for the 15th of the month. Averages are a guide, not a forecast. Costs are typical ranges per person per day, excluding flights.